Stone cathedral Phát Diệm

From Ninh Binh town, it will take you about 30 minutes to arrive at Phát Diệm. Even 3km from afar, the cathedral or the sanctuary could be seen. Its s group of oriental architectural projects in the greenery of old trees and closer at sight, you will see the solemn cross of the sanctuary.

The Cathedral was built in 24 years (1875-1899). As believed by a professor architect from Japan, it needed 1000 well-skilled scuptors working continuously in 10 years to finish the project. How to move 30-ton stone, 8-10-ton fire wood columns, 200km far from Phat Diem in the late 19^th century is really a wonder and a great surprise.

Phát Diệm cathedral complex has 5 buildings and the principal one lies in centre. All churches look imposing and lofty but quite in harmony with natural landscapes and rich in oriental so surrounded by a decorative walls (built of Bát Tràng bricks) on an area of 30.000m². The walls and the columns outside got damaged by time now.

Phương Đình is the most important of Phát Diệm cathedral. It’s 25m high, 24 m long and 17 wide, all made of stone. The artists – builders were quite talented to put on 3-ton heavy stone. In the middle of Phương Đình (principal hall) there’s a stone bed (made of one stone block), there are outsides  and insides stone – panels depicting Vietnam’s traditional arts. On the 3^rd floor, there a bronze bell (cast in 1890), it’s 2 tons heavy. On the walls around there are stone-bars carved with bamboo-trees that make the scene airy and supportive. The difference between the Phương Đình and other churches lie in the roofs. Unlike the roof of towers but it’s hasmineones in European and Vietnam’s traditional style.

The cathedral “the heart of Virgin Mary”, also called the stone-cathedral was built in 1883. Every thing here is built of marble (the floor, the columns, the beams, the bars, the altars or the towers…typically are the phoenix-panels, the master – pieces in stone scupture. In the end, there are two stone-lions. In 4 corners, there are 4 pictures of seasons (tứ quý) depicting tùng – cúc – trúc – mai (pine - buttercup - ivory-bamboo - apricot), symbols of fine climate and natural beauty. Most impressive might be 4-gods on 4 towers of the belfry, and on top is the cross. At the foot of the belfry are smaller panels depicting the life of the Christen God, and his missonary zeal.

Although faded and damaged by time, the image of lofty Phát Diệm sanctuary still remain. It’s also a good destination for visitors from  all corners to Ninh Bình province.

                                                                               HẢI LÊ

Tiền Giang – the land of gardens and canals

Tiền Giang province lies along Tiền river and criss-crossed by canals, islets and 4-season fruit trees. The province is potential on eco-tourism. On islets, tourists seem to live with green nature of endless rivers and boundless gardens of fruits-trees.

The mangroves and the maritime tourism complex Tân Thành – Hàng Dương (Gò Công district) will satisfy your every demands. Fauna and flora diversities will meet your discovery requirements with specific animals and plants such as: tràm, sao, súng, bàng, lác, rùa… Tasty fruits: longan, mangos… a must to try. Don’t forget to visit historic relics, religions construction projects, cultural heritages Óc Eo, 200-year-old pagoda Vĩnh Tràng and the southern traditional arts. Pagoda Bửu Lâm (in Mỹ Tho) is the typical architectural project in the 19^th century of southern Việt community. The provincial traditional festivals in Ấp Bắc victory celebration, the southerners’ insurrection, memories to honour national hero Trương Định, ethnic minorities’ festivities of Kinh, Kh’me, Hoa, Chăm groups… Apart from fresh air, good food, tourists are opportune to find out the locals’ customs and habits or the fisher people lifestyles or to discover ancient town Gò Công where age-old houses are well-preserved, historic and cultural relics: Hoàng Gia tomb, temple dedicated to Trương Định… are well-kept and protected.

            Đồng Tâm snake-farm was established in 1977 on an area of 30ha. It’s said to be the number-one museum of snakes in Vietnam where snake of all species are raised to provided venom for medicines. Snakes are not only fed in natural environment but also kept in underground farm (4,000m² large) with 3m-high walls for protection. Initially, there were only a few species, now there are 52 snake-families: krait, copperhead, cobra, python, grass-snake… There’s a snake that weighs 18kg. The farm management board and Tiền Giang Tourism authority are in good cooperation and co-ordination to upgrade the farm to make it a destination for tourist.

 

Chè or sweet soup, a special of Hanoi

Sweet-soup shops can be seen in almost streets in Hanoi: Hàng Buồm, Hàng Bạc, Cửa Nam, Sinh Từ, Tạ Hiện, Lương Ngọc Quyến, Lò Đúc, Khâm Thiên…

Hanoi is rich in sweet soups and each has its flavour, but they all look fresh, scented and something like smell of pomelo and jasmine. Sweet-soups are simply prepared but it needs efforts and patience and they vary in: lotus seeds, soft and green rice, black bean, green peas…

            Unlike sweet-soups from other provinces, Hanoians are very careful in selection of ingredients, preparation and even the ways to eat. Cereals, green peas, sticky rice… are the main. Sometimes sweet-soup is consumed with rice, so its rice-soup (or xôi-chè) ingredients to made soups are well-selected and processed, from the peas, sesame, ginger… to oil-species (banana, pomela, jasmine…). How to make the soup not so sweet, not too strong or not so dense… is really a question. Fresh and young corncop tastes so sweet as if it’s scented by the air and soil. Mixed soup is made up of all species: green peas, coconut, red peas and finest flow. Best of all sweet-soups is đậu hũ or soya-cake which is processed and prepared with almowd powder. Soya-cake might be “strange” firstly but the more you eat, the more you will like it.

            Sweet-soup or chè become familiar to Hanoians and even to the city’s visitors./.

Bạch Mã national park

Bạch Mã was recognized to be national park in 1991 and it’s naturally 22,031ha large. It’s the large forest in the Northern end of Trường Sơn mountain range in Thừa Thiên – Huế province. Average temperature in Bạch Mã is no lower than 4⁰C in winter and no-higher than 26⁰C in summer, considered to be ideal for holiday-markets.

Tourists visit Bạch Mã parkPhoto: Hải Dương

Bạch Mã is rich in flora with 1,406 species. Some are rare and valuable and these are trees so big that only 3 or 5 people could embrace it and there are trees that are 50m high. Wildlife is abundant here with 969 species (83 animal species, 333 bird species, 31 reptile species, 256 butterfly species, 178 insect species... Some  of these are listed in redbook: five-colour voọc, white-cheek vượn, sao la...

In 1923, a French botanist Delacour found out in Bạch Mã a precious bird (Trĩ family) and named it Trĩ Sao. Sometimes, in deep forest, they could be seen flying about and singing. From the administration headquarters, we have to walk about 2,5km where we can see a world of fauna and flora and the tour-end is a waterfall. The water falls noisily but it’s very clear and clean, we can have a swim here after a long and hard trip or we can take a lary walk in an area untouched, romantic and scented by plants and flowers.

If we take 9km further to the top and 1 km more, we will see 5 lakes inter-linked. These lakes were made up by two streams. In Ngũ Hồ (5 lakes) there’s a fish that is popularly named chúa tể or “lord of fish” or cá chình. It’s born in the sea but live in rivers and streams or lakes. From Ngũ Hồ, we proceed to the fall Đỗ Quyên, a grandio waterfall and thousands of Đỗ Quyên flowers (rhododendron) bloom along the stream-sides when spring comes.

Bạch Mã serve 15,000 visitors annually (both foreign and domestic). They come here to enjoy fresh air and observe rare flora and fauna. Bạch Mã is seen a donation to Vietnam by the nature.

                                                                         ANH TRUNG

Thiên Cấm Sơn

Thiên Cấm Sơn or Núi Cấm (forbidden mountain) lies in An Hảo commune, Tịnh Biên district, An Giang province, 30km far from Châu Đốc town in the West. The  mount is 710m high nick-named Đà Lạt in the Mekong Delta with fresh and clean air. Núi Cấm is best known in late summer, early Autumn when the seasonal rains leave the region a green carpet of plants and flowers.

Thiên Cấm Sơn Photo: Trọng Hiếu

Autumn when the seasonal rains leave the region a green carpet of plants and flowers.

Story has it that, the mountain was named Cấm when lord Nguyễn Ánh sought the hiding here to escape the Tây Sơn army. He lived on the mountain and allowed nobody to come but locally, it’s known for its mysteries and sacredness.

The road upward is very sloppy and zigzagging, there’s a stream Thanh Long (very clear water) running through grass, bushes and mossy stones. The mountain peak is vồ Bồ Hong (vồ means peak) where the whole scene of Hà Tiên town could be viewed in the foot of Tô Châu and Đông Hồ mountains. A little further in the South is Ba Thê area and núi Sập in the greenery of rice fields.

If traveling North-East, we come to Thuỷ Liêm cave where there’s a cool stream year-round. After crossing rocky road, we come to Thiên Tuế peak, Đá Dựng peak to observe the natural landscape or to see the green valley beneath with fruit-tree gardens.

The last venue is Phật Lớn pagoda built in 1911, and Vạn Linh  pagoda built in 1997. From distance, it looks like thiền viện Trúc Lâm in Đà Lạt. Vạn Linh pagoda is famous for its 7-story tower with curve roofs like a lotus flower. On the 7^th storey, one can see the whole region Thất Sơn with mounts: Trà Sư, Bà Đội Om, Cô Tô, Két, Dài, Tượng... On a 30km long track where from a great statue Di Lặc is seen shining in the sun with his happy and thoughtless smile. The Buddha is 32m high, inside is a multi-storey house where pilgrims can come and meditate.

At the foot of the mountain is Lâm Viên tourism service area (100ha large) always merry in games, sports, entertainment and restaurant specializing in local products of Bảy Núi region.

                                                                         THANH HOA

Swampland Vân Long - Hạ Long bay on land in Ninh Bình

The swampland area lies in Gia Vân commune, Gia Viễn district, Ninh Bình province, at about 100km far from Hà Nội in the South. Nearly 3,500ha large, Vân Long swampland is home to thousands of fauna, flora and aquatic life, on rocks, in land or underwater.

Eco-tourism in Ninh Bình Photo: Nguyễn Thành Vinh

As sources of statistics, Vân Long has 457 species of high-grade botany, 8 of which are listed in Vietnam’s redbook, 39 species of animals, 32 species of amphibian reptiles, 44 fish species, 39 aquatic varieties, 79 insects, especially there are 12 animal species considered rare and precious: 72 units of white-short Voọc (one of five in monkey family seen as endangered species), 9 reptiles listed in Vietnam red-book:  hổ chúa (poisonous snakes), kỳ đà, trăn đất, rắn ráo trâu, tắc kè...). In dry season, Vân Long become winter habitat to many bird species: cò, mòng két, vạc... In May, July, visitors can find nests of le hôi bird and their eggs in grass.

There are 32 caves and grottoes in Vân Long. Some of them are very ideal for tourists: Cá, Bóng, Rùa... that are from 100 – 250m long. These are mutually linked caves with beautiful stalactites and stalagmites. We can take a ride on boat in early morning when it’s still dewy. In a quiet and tranquil atmosphere sometimes, birds are suddenly seen soaring up. We arrive in Kẽm Trắm lake, a boundless lake in the mountain area, it’s really picturesquare. Cá grotto is the largest and we have to ride across the grasslands, small ponds. Story has it that, one upon a time, there was a man who caught such a big fish that it could only be brought by few men. So the cave was named “fish or Cá”. In the cave, there are varieties of fish: trê, rô, chuối... The cave is about 250m long, half underwater, half on land. It’s said to be millions-year-old and there are lots of stalactites and stalagmites. Vân Long is beautified by its many high mountains: Mèo Cào, Nghiên, Hòm Sách, Đá Bàn...

Please, don’t forget to have a look at 600-year-old  fig tree or cây thị and many pagodas: Chi Lễ, Mai Trung, temple of Nguyễn lord, Địch Lộng and the temple of king Đinh Tiên Hoàng, temples to worship Thánh Ngọ and 4 ladies (4 woman-generals of Trưng Trắc and Trưng Nhị).    

                                                                              SƠN HẢI

Each visitor – one tree for green Đà Lạt

With an aim in environmental protection and to preserve natural beauty of Đà Lạt. Saigontourist has designed a greentour “each visitor – one tree for Đà Lạt”.

"Love valley" in Đà LạtPhoto: VC

Tour-members, after sightseeing Đà Lạt’s beautiful spots: fall Pongour, Thiên Vương pagoda, Domain De Marie cathedral, Vạn Hạnh monastery, valley “love”, Bảo Đại palace, gold and silver streams, Dankia lake, Cam Ly rose-garden, Langbiang mountain, Mimosa hill, Tuyền Lâm lake... will by themselves plant a tree to keep Đà Lạt green and beautiful. The tour is designed for 4 days, 3 nights and departure from Hồ Chí Minh city.

            For more details – please contact:

Travel Services – Saigontourists

49 Lê Thánh Tôn – district I, Hồ Chí Minh city

Tel: (84-8) 8279279 – Fax: (84-8) 8224987

Vàm Sát – a destination of ecotourism

Located in between two rivers Vàm Sát and Lòng Tàu, the Vàm Sát mangrove in 1.800ha large in the world’s biosphere Cần Giờ (3.300ha large) recognized by UNESCO.

A swamp of crocodiles in Vàm Sát

Vàm Sát is rich in bird species: storks, teals and herons…listed in the world’s red-book. There are now thousands of such birds nesting in Vàm Sat, the sanctuary is about 100 ha. Specifically there’s a tower called Tang Bồng (26m high) in Vàm Sat where from, the whole region could be viewed. From the tower Tang Bồng we can see dense forests with varieties of fauna & flora. Cần Giờ mangrove is rich in alluvium provided bay the head-river and river- basin. As statistics by the management board, in Cần Giờ there are about 175 flora species in 76 families and 145 fauna species.

            The best time in Vàm Sat is sunrise or sunset (the time to watch birds flying away or flying back). We can take a boat ride to swampland Dơi, deep in the forest to see thousands of bats hanging themselves on trees or we can relax bay catching crabs for lunch.

           

Part of Vàm Sát ecotourism

To meet the visitors’ demand Phú Thọ tourist company has invested to built a lake of crocodiles, a bird sanctuary of an Island of monkeys…

Fishing crocodile is very interesting for tourists. In the tourism centre, there’s a small lake modelling “dead sea”, the water in the lake is ten times saltier than seawater. So even for you can not swim, you will not sink in the lake. There’s also a pond of 40 crocodiles where we can see how they live and how they hunt for food. The bird sanctuary has 26 species (11 of water birds) and mainly is storks and herons.

            Established in year 2000 Vàm Sat eco-tourism is a good environment and in 2002, world tourism ogranization (WTO) recognized Vàm Sat to be one of two sustainable ecotourism development areas in victuamVietnam in total 65 Ecotourism areas in 47 countries.

                                                                    THU PHƯƠNG

 

National park Pù Mát

Located in the south west of Nghệ An province, North of Trường Sơn mountain range on 3 districts Con Cuông, Anh Sơn and Tương Dương, the national park Pù Mát lies on a large area and rich in bio-diversity with 2500 flora species of 150 families and 1000 fauna ones.

The natural landscapes and environment with waterfall Kẽm, hot-water spring Mọc, river Giăng and the cultural Identities of ethnic minority groups Thái or Đan Lai, Pù Mát is very good for ecotourism development.

Pù Mát is a similar name to all scientists due to its discovery of Sao la (a kind of precious animal) but there are still many thing for studies.

In Thái minority language Pù Mát means a high slope (Pù Mát is averagely from 200m-1814m above sea level) and Pù Mát peak is the highest (1814m). Pù Mát is famous for its 100 ha large forest of Săng lẻ (a kind of precious wood), at about 40km from the administration board. It’s a forest of very old trees (50 m high and shadowed year-round).

In the morning, it’s very interesting to be at waterfall Kẽm where the air is quite cool and fresh (despite the heat in central part). The fall is 150m high and 20km far from Con Cuông town. It’s believed by almost scientists to be the originally untouched waterfall. If seen from distance, it looks like a while sheet of silk in the natural beauty and merry in birds singing.

Pù Mát is more beautiful with the dam Phà Lài (flower of heavens) and red flamboyant flowers on both sides of Giăng river. It’s really an environmental landscapes for tourist to be here in varieties of flowers, especially orchids and flocks of jumping and running monkey to welcome visitors.

Lovers of nature can visit Pù Mát all year- round, due to its average temperature of 20⁰C to 22⁰C.

It’s only 90km from Vinh city, Pù Mát seems to be a different world, wonderful and almost untouched. Right and reasonable exploitation of Pù Mát is very good for ecotourism development.

                                                                         PV

Vietnam water puppetry

Water puppetry is Vietnam age-old traditional culture with its own identities. The stage is the water surface, the closed-door house or puppets’ house or thuỷ đình (pagoda on water) is built in the middle of the pond or lake that looks like a communal house in Vietnam countryside.

Tourists are watching water puppetry

The items to be played depict people’s dailylife activities or customs and habits. To have a finished puppet, it needs time and patience for chiseling, fitting, painting, decorating and dressing. The well-prepared puppets, the easier for controlling and the more interesting the performance is. Normally, puppets are made of sycamore wood because it’s light and tough finished puppets are vitalized by artists in harmony with characters in the play. Water puppets are traditional wooden carving, they are both realistic, poetic and romantic in roles of fishermen, fairies or musicians... Each puppet consists of two parts: the body and the base. The body is the floating part and the base is the underwater part for controlling most important is the control-board attached in the base and success lies in the movements, the action of puppets. Well-experienced artists have created for life, for younger generations variety of puppets and the control-boards. Puppets are controlled and directed by artists in the puppets’ house by pulling, pushing strings.

In water puppetry, music plays the vital part. With outdoor stage on water and no-word play except few poems or saying, music is inseparable, it’s to make merry the performance, to personify the characters, and to direct the acting.

Water-puppetry is a cultural tradition of the red river delta farming people. It helps the locals to preserve their villages’ identities, the nature of the farmers who are very hard-working and high-spirit in fighting against the enemy.     

                                                                      HÙNG VIỆT