Things you need to know when travelling in Vietnam.

[tiboy8x]

Why Nha Trang
I have been to Nha Trang so many times but it was not until yesterday that I know the origin of this city’s name. According to some researchs, the name Nha Trang derives from a false Vietnamese spelling of a geographical name in the Cham language of the site Ya Trang (lit. là Lau River), the name of the now Cai River as referred to by the Cham people). From the name of this river, the name was adopted to call what is now Nha Trang, which was officially made Vietnam’s territory in 1653.
As far as the recorded naming of Nha Trang is concerned, in Toàn tập Thiên Nam Tứ Chí Lộ Đồ Thư, a geographical book written by a Vietnamese scholar with the family of Đỗ Bá in the second half of the 18th century, the name Nha Trang Môn ("Nha Trang gate") was mentioned. In another map dating to the 17th century, known as Giáp Ngọ Niên Bình Nam Đồ by a noble called Đoan Quận công Bùi Thế Đạt, the name Nha Trang Hải môn (Nha Trang Sea Gate) was also cited. In Vietnamese recorded historic bibliographies, these books are perhaps the earliest ones that mentioned this place name.
In a work by Le Quy Don called Phủ biên tạp lục (1776), many Nha Trang-related names were also mentioned, such as đầm Nha Trang, dinh Nha Trang, nguồn Nha Trang, and đèo Nha Trang.
Ana Mandara Resort in Nha TRang

If being able to afford for luxurious services when traveling in Nha Trang, I strogly recommend Ana Mandara Resort to you. It is located directly on the beach off the most famous thoroughfare, Tran Phu Boulevard; the resort rests comfortably on 20,000 square meters of private tropical gardens overlooking the sea. The delicate blend of graceful architecture and gracious service, peaceful atmosphere and captivating scenery, Ana Mandara offers a unique experience in simplicity, serenity & refinement. Relaxing on the white sandy beach, listening to the lapping of the waves will soon make any worries disappear.
Ana Mandara means "beautiful home for the guests". Reminiscent of an old Vietnamese village, and furnished with native woods and rattan, the resort reflects the real image of Vietnam. From the moment you step foot in this your 'home away from home' a truly unforgettable sense of warmth can be felt. This warmhearted Ana Mandara hospitality combined with the stunning architecture and peaceful surroundings will ensure an unforgettable experience from which a lifetime of fond memories can be taken with you.
Asia Paradise Hotel

Whether you are traveling to Nhatrang for business or pleasure, let Asia Paradise Hotel - a brand new modern 3-star deluxe hotel ensure your visit as memorable as it is comfortable. Guests staying in Asia Paradise will experience the best in personalized service and first class facilities mixed with the warmth of Vietnamese hospitality.
Ideally located in the heart of the city, walking distance to most major tourist attractions, coastal sightseeing, shopping & entertainment area, PADI dive centers. Only a short walk from the spectacular beach, the hotel offers panoramic views of Nhatrang's world famous beach or city skyline where also known as one of the most beautiful bays of the World. At Asia Paradise Hotel, enter a world of hospitality where smiles abound, where the service is gracious and your every need is anticipated.



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[tiboy8x]

A French name hotel in Hoi An
With a French name the hotel Le Domaine was my choice when visiting Hoi An town. I really liked its restaurants. Le Grain de Sable - French restaurant where you will be welcomed in romantic and luxurious surroundings. Having lunch on the beach, candlelight dinner in front of the sea, silverware and china crockery will remind you the French meaning of luxury. You will discover many species of fish, the daily catch and other crayfish of the Tam Hai Island with our Asia inspired cooking. The terrace of your villa can be a dreamed place for a private breakfast, a lunch alone together or a romantic candlelight dinner. Le Sofa - a bar where you can appreciate our cocktails while gazing at the movements of the fishermen's small boats, in the jazz, the blues or the musical atmosphere of your choice. You can lounge at the swimming pool with outfall located on the edge of the beach, at the shade of the parasols, on your refreshing deckchair and drinking your frozen fruits cocktail.
A rare blend of fresh and salted water will make your bathing very pleasant. Protected from the large broad one by a sand bank, very safe thanks to its soft slope, the private beach of the Domaine, its deckchair and its straw huts are waiting for you.
Lotus hotel in Hoi An
With a very Vietnamese name, Lotus hotel was of my interest when visiting Hoi An. Lotus Hotel - Khach san Hoa Sen in Vietnamese, is a completely self-contained resort style in area of more than 2,000 square meters, secluded in unspoiled natural surroundings. Close to the Cua Dai beach & just a short ride from the ancient town of Hoi An. The hotel comprise of 4 separate buildings having 45 rooms. Each room is a perfect combination of the elegance of Vietnamese traditional handicraft and the luxury of an international hotel. From a private balcony, contemplating the lovely garden and panoramic village view to feel the finest touch of hospitality and comfort.
The courteous, hospitable and professional staffs are delighted to cater your wishes and our goal is to please you, making your stay a memorable one. Lotus hotel - a home away from home. The Lotus hotel offers a wide range of facilities and amenities for pleasure and convenience throughout the resort. Relaxing and refreshing, the stunning swimming pool is the perfect spot to cool off after a hard day's sightseeing. Or enjoy the quiet moments in the Lotus Reading Room which stocks a variety of books, magazines and newspapers in several languages


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[tiboy8x]

Pho Hoi ll Hotel
This summer I stayed at Pho Hoi ll Hotel and I really had a good time, this feeling really impressed me. The Pho Hoi ll Hotel, Hoi An is located next to the Cam Nam Bridge which connects Hoi An with a village. The Pho Hoi II Hotel is set within tropical gardens and overlooking the river. Bungalows are located behind the hotel with river view balconies. Rooms are fitted with a double bed or 2 single beds. It can accommodate up to 3 people. Charges for additional guests may apply. Bathrooms have bathtub and shower. Superior Rooms are located in the main building. Some rooms have city view balconies, others have river balconies. Rooms are fitted with a double bed or 2 single beds. Bathrooms have bathtub and shower. Relax in the riverside restaurant, which offers romantic surroundings and a selection of local, European and Asian cuisine. Formerly known as Faifo Hotel
River Beach Resort in Hoi An
Coming to Hoi An, I had the opportunity to enjoy life with two days at River Beach Resort. Being set in the place where river meets sea, lying along De Vong River, River Beach Resort, which opened in Sep 2003, is an ideal harmony of universe with romantic views of countryside, river and sea, promising a gracious and interval space. In the region of sunshine and windy, guest can take deep breath of fresh air, feel the cool breeze and can also enjoy the blue color of the sea and river as well as the open blue sky. River Beach Resost is four km to Hoi An Ancient town, Twenty five km from Da Nang airport, Fifty km to the My Son sanctuary. The Resort comprises 78 rooms & 3 suites. Each room is well equipped with a full array of first-class amenities: Writing desk, IDD Telephone, satellite TV, in-room safe, mini bar, bathroom, hair dryer, tea and coffee facilities and 24-hour in-room dining. Traditional & genuine Vietnamese food, the unique combination of cuisines from the West and Orient commonly found tinniest ingredient is enough to transform a dish into a celebration of life. Come and enjoy the tasty favor of food and feel the moments of utmost motion at our Dong An restaurant. Interesting still, let sit back and relax at the Poolside bar, while enjoying any kind of standard drink. If those who long to discover by themselves, feel the sophisticated flavor of your favorite drink and breeze from the river, De Vong Open bar on the third floor is your best choice

[tiboy8x]

Each region of Vietnam is home to an assortment of cakes and pies made from sticky rice, such as the legendary ‘banh chung’. But if you’d like “husband and wife pie” – known as ‘phu the’ or ‘su se’ – look no further than Dinh Bang Village, Bac Ninh Province, which has an exclusive hold on the 1,000-year-old delicacy.
This little village was once the cradle of Ly emperors, a powerful Vietnamese dynasty, who founded the capital Thang Long a thousand years ago. Along with the rise of Ly Dynasty, phu the pie became a popular treat for northerners.

The village of Dinh Bang nowadays has successfully secured and developed the 1,000-year-old art of making phu the pies. Hundreds of families in Dinh Bang have been making the pies for centuries, and generation after generation of artisans has grown up here.

But, as in many traditional crafts, along with the fading of time, few experienced artisans remain.

At the age of 80, Nguyen Thi Lua is now the most renowned artisan of Dinh Bang. Her reputation for pie making with a secret recipe attracts legions of customers so that each season 300,000 pairs of phu the pies fly off her shelves.
None of the artisans in Dinh Bang can master this technique, and for a thousand years, the rice has been being filtered through this village before returning to Dinh Bang in the form of pure powder, ready for the pie-making season.

[tiboy8x]

Phu The cake is one of very popular traditional cake of the Vietnamese. Pies must come in pairs

The pies were dubbed “husband and wife” right after their conception, since they are always sold in pairs – symbolising the connection and attachment between husband and wife.

They come wrapped in fresh, green dong leaves and tied by red bamboo string. The green of the leave represents the eternity of love, while the red string is known as a legendary thread of destiny that connects a man and a woman.

Phu the has a square shape, about 4 inches in length on each side, but smaller couples exist too. The crust is always made from a special kind of filtered sticky rice powder, and then dyed with a honey-coloured juice extracted from a fruit called danh danh. A paste of grounded up green beans, sugar and lotus seeds makes up the filling.

Not only beautiful in its appearance, phu the can satisfy the most discriminating gastronomes with its distinctive taste and scent. Soaked in fragrant banana and pomelo oils, it is said the sweet pie makes people fall deeply love.

Strict guidelines for each couple

The selected sticky rice must always be nep cai hoa vang, or yellow flower rice, the cream of Red River Delta’s rice crop, and the material must be plump in each grain. The rice then will be sent to a village in Ha Tay Province, where the rice is secretively processed to make a unique type of filtered powder.

The powder will turn bright yellow after being dyed with the danh danh juice. No chemicals or artificial colourings can substitute the fruit’s nectar, which has a honey colour. After that, the dyed powder is mixed with shredded papaya and put into a press to squeeze the water out.

The green bean to make filling must also carefully selected and ground lightly. The bean must be husked, then steamed in a special filter before being mixed with sugar, coconut shreds and lotus seeds in a mortar.

The final step, boiling the pies, once again, requires a deft and accurate hand. Mrs Lua’s husband, an expert phu the boiling, said it is extremely difficult to boil the pies in such a way that makes them well-done but not flaky, and able to be stored for weeks.

Tying the red strings is always the last procedure for a finished pair of pies, just like the marriage ceremony is the last procedure forging the love between a husband and wife.

From the green cover to the red thread, from the crust to the filling, each part of the pies represents an element of every Vietnamese couple, carrying the hopes of a fruitful marital life, filled with respect, love and harmony.

[tiboy8x]

Cuc Phuong National Park is in Ninh Binh Province of Vietnam. Cuc Phuong was Vietnam's first national park and is the country's largest nature reserve. The park is one of the most important sites for biodiversity in Vietnam Cuc Phuong is situated in the foothills of the northern Annamite Mountains. The park consists of verdant karst mountains and lush valleys. Elevation varies from 150 meters (500 feet) to 656 m (2,152 feet) at the summit of May Bac Mountain, or Silver Cloud Mountain. The limestone mountains house numerous caves, many of which are accessible for exploration.
The average temperature in Cuc Phuong is 21 Celsius (70 Fahrenheit), with a mean winter temperature of 9C (48F). High temperatures can reach above 30C (85 F) and lows are just above zero (32 F). At the low elevations in the valley the temperature is hot and humid while at higher elevations the temperature drops and frostbite is a threat. On average it rains more than 200 days a year and the average annual rainfall is 2,100mm (7 feet). The dry season is November to February, the driest months being December and January.

[tiboy8x]

Muong Nhe Nature Reserve is located in Muong Te and Muong Lay districts in the extreme north-west of Vietnam. The nature reserve is bounded by the international border with Laos in the west and the international border with China. The topography of Muong Nhe Nature Reserve is dominated by medium-high mountains. The average height of these mountains is around 1,200 m but there are several peaks above 1,800 m, and the highest point, Mount Phu Nam Man, reaches 2,124 m.
Muong Nhe Nature Reserve supports only 47,400 ha of forest, equivalent to 15% of the total area of the nature reserve. This figure comprises 9,920 ha of lowland evergreen forest (distributed at elevations below 800 m), 19,850 ha of lower montane evergreen forest (distributed at elevations between 800 and 1,800 m), 1,705 ha of upper montane evergreen forest (distributed at elevations above 1,800 m) and 15,925 ha of bamboo forest. The remaining area of the nature reserve comprises 204,201 ha of grassland, and 43,980 ha of shifting cultivation and scrub. The dominant vegetation type at Muong Nhe Nature Reserve is, therefore, grassland, which accounts for 66% of the total area. This vegetation type is dominated by Imperata cylindrica, Themeda gigantea, Thysanolaena maxima, Saccharum spontaneum and Erianthus arundinaceus.
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[tiboy8x]

While spoken by the Vietnamese people for millennia, written Vietnamese did not become the official administrative language of Vietnam until the 20th century. For most of its history, the entity now known as Vietnam used written classical Chinese for governing purposes. Written Vietnamese in the form of chữ nôm was used for administrative purposes during the brief Ho and Tay Son Dynasties. During French colonialism, French superseded Chinese in administration. It was not until independence from France that Vietnamese was used officially. It is the language of instruction in schools and universities and is the language for official business.

[tiboy8x]

There are various mutually intelligible spoken dialects, the main three being: the northern, the southern and the central dialects. Each dialect has its own characteristics and can be easily recognized when being spoken.
These dialects differ slightly in tone, pronunciation, and sometimes vocabulary, although the Huế dialect is more markedly different from the others due to its local vocabulary. The hỏi and ngã tones are distinct in the north but have merged in the south. The ch and tr digraphs are pronounced distinctly in the Southern and Central dialect but are merged in the Northern dialect. Grammatical differences are negligible.

[tiboy8x]

A colonial house, albeit on a smaller scale, also formed the location for our cooking experience: Highway4. Here our class began with a short walk through Hanoi's Old Quarter, to the legendary Hang Be street market. Our guide, Mr. Dzung, introduced us not only to the fare on sale, but also offered deep insight into the culture of food and the traditions of Hanoi's ancient streets which mark the hub of the old city.
Back at Highway4 we paused for a cup of herbal tea while Dzung talked us through the day's menu: Catfish spring rolls, Hightway4 fried rice, and Fresh clam broth. Decked out in full chef outfits, the chef introduced all the ingredients and tested us blind-folded so we could easily ourselves alone in the jungle of spices that makes up a market.
It should be said that the catfish spring rolls is a dish that should be savored on any trip to Hanoi. The Chef, Miss Lien, also showed us how to make simple decorative flowers from carrots and radishes. Indeed; decoration of Vietnamese dishes is integral to the experience.
After the class, which lasted over an hour, we sat down to dine with our guide, who shown us the customs involved in a family dining setting. In addition to the food we were introduced to Highway4's unique range of Son Tinh rice and fruit-flavored liquors. The drinks were smooth and served an able addition to a fine meal.
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More information at Trafest.com.
Email: roninreturn@yahooo.com

[tiboy8x]

Sticky rice is not served very often. For light breakfast we have soups like pho, mi, or some cakes. To entertain, we prepare more courses and most of us serve from four to eight dishes. A family dinner has three dishes at the same time, because each dish goes with rice. For guests we serve soup or salad first, rice last, we may have two to three soups for an evening party.
Vietnamese people cook more pork than beef. Fish, shrimp, crab, and fowl are used regularly. Nuoc mam (fish sauce) cannot be omitted for us. It is a very strong and salty sauce from fish. You may not like to smell it, but is is tasty when you know how to use it as a seasoning sauce, and how to prepare it for the table. Onion, coriander, garlic, hot red pepper, black or white pepper are the most important spices. We use a large number of fresh vegetable and seasoning leaves. Some of them cannot be found in the States.
For drinks, we have sticky rice wine which is very similar to Japanese Sake. The Vietnamese "moonshine" is a very strong and tasty sticky rice wine which is used widely in the countryside. We also have beer, soy bean wine, banana wine, rum, and soft drinks, but in the cities most of us serve guests imported wind or liquors. Each house has a tea pot ready to serve black tea at anytime, and after each meal. Some of us have coffee with breakfast or after dinner, always with sugar and milk or cream.
For dessert, we have candies, cookies, cakes, or sweet soup which may be prepared in advance. We can also use fruits for dessert, because we have a lot of them and they are very good: banana, water melon, mango Steen, durian, mango, guava, orange, grape fruit, pineapple.
To serve at the table, you can use plate, spoon, knife and fork, but usually you provide the guests with chopsticks to take the food. You can make a simple menu from the following recipes and choose your favorite dessert. Soup can go with a saut饤 or fried dish or with one meat course, or you can have meat with one saut饤 or fried dish, or salad can be served with one meat course, saut饤, or steamed.
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More information at Trafest.com.
Email: roninreturn@yahooo.com

[tiboy8x]

Saigon--What is the best way to keep a child healthy? An old Vietnamese grandfather believes the charm of a certain necklace wards off evil spirits and he may give it to his grandson to protect the boy. An employee fails to show up for work on the third day of the lunar month because he believes that particular date brings him bad luck. A student tries to borrow money to buy lottery tickets because he dreamed of fire the night before. These are some examples of superstition which may baffle the foreign visitor to this country. But, in Vietnam, it is part of tradition and customs passed down from one generation to the next. Ignorance, of course, plays some role in the traditional acceptance of superstition. Not having sufficient knowledge, faith or trust in scientific methods, a Vietnamese often relies on his prejudices, emotions and the word of his forefathers to guide his daily life.
Superstition, sometimes, plays more than a passing role in Vietnamese society. By the time a boy is old enough to marry, for example, he may not be able to wed the girl he loves because she was born in the wrong year. On the 12-year lunar calendar commonly used throughout Asia, many of the years are considered incompatible. Such years are thought to bring misfortune if they are improperly matched with other years. Thus a young man born in "the Year of the Tiger," cannot marry his beloved from "the Year of the Horse" unless he wants to risk a break in family ties with his parents and elder relatives. To the conservative relatives, the Tiger and Horse are incompatible and sure to bring bad luck to such a marriage. The hoot of an owl is regarded as a bad omen announcing death or illness. According to ancient tradition the bird must be chased away and those who heard his cry should be extremely cautious about their personal safety.

[tiboy8x]

A large number of fortune-tellers, astrologers and palm-readers owe their living to Vietnamese superstition and often made a small fortune from their clients. Even the poor save money for occasional visits to well-known soothsayers. Superstition has been known to determine the conduct of the war in this ravaged country. A friendly or enemy commander may refuse to attack or may alter his strategy if the stars are not in his favor. One story has it that an American commander always consulted a Vietnamese astrologer before planning the deployment of his troops. When questioned by his incredulous superiors, he explained that, according to his theory, he could depend on the enemy to base his attacks on the positions of the stars. So, he consulted a stargazer himself for intelligence on the enemy's movements. Another story passed down through history is that of the famous Vietnamese generals Le Loi and Nguyen Trai. Several years ago, the pair was leading a war against Chinese invaders. Nguyen Trai decided to turn superstition to his advantage and used grease to write the phrases "Le Loi vi Quan; Nguyen Trai vi Than," (Le Loi for King; Nguyen Trai for Minister of State) on the large leaves of forest trees. Ants later consumed the grease absorbed in the leaf tissue and left the prophecy clearly engraved. People living nearby noticed the perforated leaves and interpreted them as a "divine message." Inspired by this, they wholeheartedly supported the war which eventually led to the defeat of the Chinese and the enthronement of Emperor Le Loi.

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