Tailormade Tour Guide

Vietnam Tailormade Tour Guide

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Vietnam brief Introduction & Climate map & Traditional Festival Top Recommended Destinations Major Airport in Vietnam Top Airlines in Vietnam Train station in Major cities Type of train in Vietnam Top Recommended Historic Attractions Top Recommended Natural Beauties Top Popular Markets Top Popular Activities& show Most Popular Vietnamese Dishes Vietnam Currency and Exchange Info Electricity and Voltage Helpful Numbers Visa for Vietnam

Flexible, Time-saving, Fast & Easy Tailor-making Procedure Novaland Tours Clients’ Photos Vietnam Brief Introduction

Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. With an estimated 92.7 million inhabitants as of 2016, it is the world's 14th-most-populous country, and the ninth-most-populous Asian country. Vietnam is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, Thailand across the Gulf of Thailand to the southwest, and the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia across the South China Sea to the east and southeast.[d] Its capital city has been Hanoi since the reunification of North and South Vietnam in 1976, with Ho Chi Minh City as a historical city as well.

Climate And Temperature

Viet Nam is located in both a tropical and a temperate zone. It is characterized by strong monsoon influences, but has a considerable amount of sun, a high rate of rainfall, and high humidity. Regions located near the tropics and in the mountainous regions are endowed with a temperate climate.

The monsoon climate also influences to the changes of the tropical humidity. In general, in Viet Nam there are two seasons, the cold season occurs from November to April and the hot season from May to October. The differ- ence in temperature between the two seasons in southern is almost unnoticeable, averaging 3ºC. The most notice- able variations are found in the northern where differenc- es of 12ºC have been observed. There are essentially four distinct seasons, which are most evident in the northern provinces(from Hai Van Pass toward to the north): Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter.

Vienam weather chart Hanoi(North) Danang(Centre) Saigon(South) Month Av.Temp Av.rainfall Av.Temp Av.rainfall Av.Temp Av.rainfall (c) (mm) (c) (mm) (c) (mm) January 17 18 22 101 27 15 February 18 28 22 31 28 4 March 20 38 24 12 29 13 April 24 81 27 18 30 42 May 28 197 29 47 29 221 June 30 238 30 42 29 331 July 30 322 30 99 28 314 August 29 343 28 117 28 268 September 28 252 26 447 27 334 October 26 98 24 530 27 268 November 22 42 22 221 27 114 December 19 21 21 208 27 56

I’d love travel very much, every well planned and enjoyable trips became a unforgettable experience in part of my life. After hard works, I was always dreaming to visit different cities in different countries, it is not necessary to be a luxury and expensive trip, but a leisure and budget tour. In my mind, traveling is life's most luxurious enjoyment, so I want to arrange a wonderful trip for my parents.

I cannot wait to share my idea with my parents, I believe they would love of my plan. When I announce travel proposals, my father interrupted me, said he doesn't like to travel, he don't want to go out. I am very surprised why he is so against to it. They are not young, it is the time to enjoy life.

"My dear dad, you used to travel a lot, why you want to quit this time?" I asked.

He answer: “You are right, I’ve done lots of travel before, but none of them could really let me enjoy the time. I had to wake up early morning every day, and rush to each so-call must-to-visit tourism site with very short visiting time or only a photo time; also, I had been forced to shopping, without any consumes, you would receive anger from tour guide immediately. I would rather staying at home than paying money for nothing. Most importantly, many of the tour attractions arranged factually are not what I love. I don’t think I enjoyed them but wasted my time and money.

Now, I see what my dad worry about. He always took very old fashioned traveling: Group Depar- ture, which provides economic price with shopping sites, but everything is fixed, you have to stick to all arrangements provided, and there is no chance to have your own time for your favorites, and follow your own interested itinerary.

I explained my dad, we will choose a totally different style of traveling, a Tailor-made itinerary as per our requests, there will be no forced shopping, no rushing, we see what we would like to see, we go where we are really interested in. Finally, dad agreed to go.

Since then, I was thinking what if there was a travel company could do things as below: to tailor made very travel enthusiasts a unique trip, which will be enjoyable, leisure, full of fun and unforgettable memories. The traveling supposed not to be the way as my dad’s through; it ought to be : a road full of fun and happiness; a place where you could totally relax; very spots and destination will inspire you; experiencing a different life, which could be beautiful, warm or delightful; it will be unforgettable even you've return home. I guess, it might be the biggest enjoyment of travel.

The Tailor-made Tour Specialist(TTS) In Novaland Tours (NLT), who are familiar in every tourism spots, hotels, transportation, food, attractions in every destinations you are willing to go; fully understand what are your interests; provides you a one-on-one service, design you an exclusive trip ; arrange you appropriate tour guide, driver and hotel ect. let you totally out of tedious prepared and bad experience in the line

So right now, do not waste your time, let’s traveling out, to see the world attentively. Let’s bring real enjoyments back. This is what NTL’s goal is and what we insist to reach.

10 Reasons Why Novaland Tours is #1 in Tailor-making Tour and You Should Choose Our Good Tour Service in

1. Tailor-making What You Really Love 2. Tailor-made Tour Specialist 3. Flexible, Time-saving, Fast, and Easy Tailor-making Procedure 4. Tailor-made Travel Price According to Your Personal Needs 5. See a Real Vietnam 6. In-depth Experience Distinctive Taiwan Culture 7. Worry Free Customer Service 8. 4 Principles of Reception in Travel 9. Standardized and Experienced Management of Reception 10. Wonderful Membership Benefits

Tailor-made Travel / Tailor-making What You Really Love Novaland Tours are very proud to give you a better travel experience. We specialize in tailor-made tour service based on your personal interests, tastes and budget. Your entire holiday is designed around your personal needs. Explore your interests at your own speed. Enjoy the tour what you really love. Tailor-made Tour Specialist Our Tailor-made Tour Specialists (TTS) are experienced and well-trained. Your 1-on-1 TTS pays attention to knowing you — your goals, desires, preferences, etc. He/she is patient, on standby 24-7, and full of useful suggestions. He/she wants to become your friend, think what you think, to arrange your best unique tailor-made tour. Flexible, Time-saving, Fast, and Easy Tailor-making Procedure It could be so painful to plan a wonderful tour before journey. You need to do so much studying during your busy daytime job & life. In the end, you probably found that you still have not studied well to arrange a really good tour. In Novaland, you don’t need much time to study but just tell us your favorites, and we do the rest. It is flexible, time-saving, fast and easy. Tailor-made Travel Price According to Your Personal Needs Tailor-making tour according to your travel budget. For us, tailor-making is not equal to high price. One enjoyable tour must be operated in a reasonable and worthy budget. Although it is truth that you get what you pay for, but it needs the help of professional judgment of what are really suitable for you. How much you spend is closely bound up the tour characteristics you choose. If you are comfortably fixed for money, we can provide more choice and more noble experience. But if you don’t want to live frugally after finishing travel, we will definitely recommend you cost-effective, affordable characteristic experience.

In-depth Experience Distinctive Vietnam Culture in-depth experience distinctive Vietnam culture Get beyond the tourist facade of the countries and enjoy a cultural holiday. Focus on the local culture, past and present, and discover the lifeblood of any country (people) Worry Free Customer Service Over 98% good & excellent satisfaction. 24/7 care while in travel. First time responses and 100% satisfaction of problem-solving. Money back guarantee.

4 Principles of Reception in Travel 4 Principles of Reception for local tour guides, drivers and other suppliers to stan- dardize and ensure service quality and improving customer satisfaction. Principle 1: Who Serves, Who Answers for; Principle 2: Integral Cooperation Service; Principle 3: Standard Excellent Service, Customer First; Principle 4: People First, Safe Tour.

Standardized and Experienced Management of Reception We are strongly capable of managing every parts of travelling, tour guides, drivers, cars, meals, etc. We have strict, experienced and the whole instructions, rules and specifications to supervise our tour guides, drivers, etc to serve our guests better. Even for emergency problems, we have concluded for a long time and full of experience how to deal with them well. Our operation team are full of passion of never-stop-pursing best service. We don’t fear problems or dissatisfactions but will deem them the pedals to be the best one.

Wonderful Membership Benefits After booking one tour with us, get long-term benefits of Novaland Travel Club. For example: Free-design tailor-made itineraries whenever you need. Free travel guide books regularly elaborately designed for many countries. Freely join in membership activities. Membership club points for gifts. Exclusive tour packages for members. One community for making new friends with same interests. And many other Nova- land Travel Club benefits.

◆ Tet Nguyen Dan (Lunar New Year January/February) Lunar New Year, locally called Tet, is the biggest festival of the year with the whole country downing tools for family get-togethers. Principally a religious celebration, don’t expect too much of a wild party, but it’s still a fascinating time to visit Vietnam and you’ll certainly find locals lighting fireworks, visiting temples with their families, and the interesting sight of many flower stalls set up as giving flowers is customary during Tet.

◆ Lim Festival (Mid-February) Lim Festival is where you can enjoy UNESCO-listed quan ho folk singing performances and a wide range of traditional games during your visit. Held on the 12th and 13th day of the first lunar month, several stages are built within the village where you get to see locals performing in traditional costumes. We highly recommend heading over to the lake outside the Lim Communal House to catch quan ho singing performance on a dragon boat. Lim Festival also hosts folk games such as danh du (bamboo swings), cockfighting, tug-of-war, wrestling, human chess, and blind man’s bluff.

◆ Perfume Festival (Mid-February/March) ◆ Phu Giay Festival (Late March to Early April ) Perfume Festival draws throngs of local pilgrims from Phu Giay Festival draws in worshippers of the goddess all over Vietnam to Hanoi’s iconic Perfume Pagoda, Lieu Hanh to Phu Giay Pagoda, where they pray for where they to pray for a prosperous year and pay good fortune whilst carrying decorated bamboo relics their respects to Buddha. The pilgrimage starts with a and wearing traditional costumes. Located 88km east dragon dance at Den Trinh Pagoda on the 6th day of of Hanoi, the temple also hosts various games such the 1st Lunar, where pilgrims (and even travellers) as capture-the-flag, human chess, lion dancing, and travel by boat along the Yen River to the base of wrestling, resulting in a vibrant atmosphere through- Huong Mountain, passing by limestone caves and rice out the day. Visitors can also enjoy folk dance and fields. The journey continues on foot by climbing classical songs such as trong quan, cheo (satirical hundreds of stone steps towards Huong Tich Cave, musical theatre) and ca tru (chamber music). offering a colourful display of food offerings, statues of deities, lit incenses, and praying locals.

Knowing what you really love is important. Your preferences, interests, favorite attractions, habits, travel purpose & http://www.novalandtours.com/vietnam-tours.html http://www.novalandtours.com/vietnam-tours.html budget, etc, please feel free to http://www.novalandtours.com/vietnam-tours.htmlfill in the form. Or send email to [email protected]. Then we can tailor-make _6 your most suitable tour proposal free of charge. Easy & save your time! ◆ Hung King Temple Festival (Early April) Hung King Temple Festival is held in commemora- tion of Kinh Duong Vuong, who became Vietnam’s first king in 2879BC. While the main worship event takes place at the Hung Temple, which is perched atop Nghia Linh Mountain in Phu Tho Province, 100 lanterns are released into the sky on the eve of the festival. The next morning, a flower ceremony is held at Den Thuong (Upper Temple), where the Hung Kings used to worship deities during their reign. Lastly, a huge procession starts at the foot of the mountain, consisting of pilgrims, xoan classical song performances, and ca tru classical operas at several temples along the way towards the main Hung Temple.

◆ Buddha’s Birthday (Early May) Buddha’s Birthday is celebrated by devotees throughout Vietnam, despite being a communist country. Taking place on the 8th day of the 4th lunar month, many temples are adorned with lavish decorations with locals offering fruit, flower garlands, and various Vietnamese dishes. This event often draws thousands of visitors looking to partake in street parades and prayer sessions.

◆ Hue Festival (April/May/June every two years) Hue Festival is a biannual celebration that takes place in UNESCO-listed Hue City, where you can enjoy an array of cultural events, games, and performances held over a week. Founded in 2000, the festival was held to preserve traditional customs that were practised during the Nguyen Dynasty. If you’re visiting Hue in April, May or June, expect unique showcases such as the Hue Poetry Festival, Dialogue of Drums and Percussions, and Ao Dai Fashion Shows, sporting activities like kite flying, boat racing, and human chess, as well as street performances, film screenings and art exhibitions.

◆ Wandering Souls Day (Early September ) The annual Wandering Souls Day takes place on the 15th day of the 7th lunar month, which locals believe is the day when spirits of their ancestors are able to visit their homes. On the eve of the festival, families flock to Buddhist temples and graves of their departed loved ones to offer prayers, flowers, sticky rice cakes, sugarcane, and fruits. Paper money and clothes are also burned during this time of the year.

◆ Mid-Autumn Festival (Mid-September) Mid-Autumn Festival, held on the 14th and 15th day of the lunar month, features a wide range of activities such as children carrying paper lanterns, lion dances, and food booths selling mooncakes, sticky rice, fruits, and various sweets. Also known as the harvest festival, households set up an altar during the night of the Mid-Au- tumn Festival, on which they display offerings in honour of the full moon.

◆ Hoi An Lantern Festival (14th day of every month) Hoi An Lantern Festival is a monthly event that transforms the quaint UNESCO World Heritage Site into a spectacular display of paper lanterns. On the 14th day of each lunar month, every shop, restaurant, bar and businesses in the Ancient Town switches off all electricity and relies on hundreds of candles and lanterns. Meanwhile, entrance to all temples is free of charge, where you can see monks and locals holding candlelit ceremonies.

◆ Ha Long Bay

With its aqua-green water and cluster of limestone rocky outcrops rising from the water like sea dragons, Ha Long Bay resembles a scene from a fantasy story. Located about 130 km (80 miles) east of Hanoi in northern Vietnam, this otherworldly bay features more than 2,000 jungle-covered islands pitted with intriguing caves, grottoes, sinkholes and lakes. Many of the islands have been sculpted over the centuries by natural process- es into fantastic formations.

◆ Hanoi For the last century, Hanoi has the Indochina and Vietnam Wars to emerge as the booming capital city of a reunified Vietnam. At the heart of Hanoi is its Old Quarter, an open-air museum of historic Asian and French colonial architecture that has largely remained intact despite the bombings of the Vietnam War. Here among scenic tree-lined boulevards, tourists can browse busy markets, sip coffee at quaint cafes and visit prominent sites like the Grand Opera House, the Presidential Palace and Saint Joseph Cathedral.

◆ Hoi An

Located off the coast of the South China Sea in South Central Vietnam, Hoi An is a beautiful, old city dating back 2,000 years to the Champa Kingdom. The city’s historic architecture, traditional culture and textiles make it a popular destination in Vietnam. At the heart of Hoi An is its atmospheric Old Town which is small enough to walk around easily. The narrow, winding lanes of the Old Town are lined with beautiful old architecture, traditional wooden houses and hundreds of tailor shops selling clothing, shoes, bags, souvenirs and custom-made services.

◆Hue

Situated on the banks of the Perfume River in Central Vietnam, Hue once served as the imperial capital of the Nguyen dynasty. Today, the vestiges of this former glorious period are reflected in the city’s architecture, culture and cuisine, making it one of the best places to visit in Vietnam. Of the city’s monuments, the Citadel is the most famous. Once the seat of the Nguyen emperors, the Citadel is a sprawling complex of grand palaces, ornate temples, walls and gates Another important landmark on the river is the city’s official symbol, the Thien Mu Pagoda.

Surrounded by pictorial mountains, rice terraces and a diversity of hill tribes in the remote northwest of Vietnam, Sapa is a quiet town frequently used as a base for trekking in the Hoang Lien Son Mountains and touring rice paddies and traditional villages. From the town, there are many organized tours that aide tourists in mountain hikes and exploring the nearby rice paddies and remote villages. These tours present views of beautiful waterfalls and the opportunities to experience the food, customs and way of life among the local tribes.

◆ Nha Trang

Located on one of Asia’s most beautiful bays off the coast of South Central Vietnam, Nha Trang is a popular seaside resort city. Picturesque mountains, beaches and lush islands all make it a favorite destination among tourists, Vietnamese and scuba divers. Adorned with resorts, palm trees and a lovely promenade, Nha Trang’s beach is its main draw. Amusement and water parks provide fun for everyone with roller coasters and wave pools.

◆ Mekong Delta

Colorful floating markets, fruit orchards, rice paddies, sugar cane groves, bird sanctuaries and quaint villages are all what draw many to the Mekong Delta in southwestern Vietnam. Nicknamed “Vietnam’s Rice Basket,” the Mekong Delta is an agricultural region made fertile by the maze of canals and streams fed by the Mekong River. Stretching from the Gulf of Thailand to Ho Chi Minh City, the Mekong Delta feeds more than a third of the country from its rich plantations, orchards, rice paddies and fish farms.

◆ Ho Chi Minh City

Lying along the Siagon River near the Mekong Delta in southern Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City was formerly known as Saigon and served as the capital of South Vietnam during the Vietnam War. Today, Ho Chi Minh City is the largest city of the reunified country, offering plenty of reasons to visit, from its blend of historic and modern attractions to vibrant shopping, dining and nightlife.

◆ Dalat

Year-round cool weather and idyllic scenery of misty valleys, lush pine trees and colorful flowers are some of the reasons that Dalat was once used by Vietnam- ese emperors and French colonials as a summer retreat. Today, this charming town in the South Central Highlands of Vietnam is a popular destination for those looking for relief from the heat. A walkable city, Dalat is a beautiful scene of French colonial architecture and villas set amid picturesque land- scapes.

◆ Noi Bai International Airport ( Hanoi)

Nội Bài International Airport in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, is the largest airport in Vietnam in terms of total capacity. It is the main airport serving Hanoi, replacing the role of Gia Lam Airport. The airport consists of two passenger terminals. Terminal 1 serves domestic flights, and the newly-built Terminal 2 (inaugurated on 4 January 2015) serves all international flights to and from Hanoi. The airport is currently the main hub of the country's flag carrier Vietnam Airlines, as well as a major hub of low-cost carriers Vietjet Air and Jetstar Pacific.

The airport is located in Phu Minh Commune in Soc Son District, about 35 kilometres (21 miles) northeast of downtown Hanoi, via the new Nhật Tân Bridge (also inaugurated on 4 January 2015). The airport is also close to some satellite cities of Hanoi such as Vinh Yen, Bac Ninh and Thai Nguyen.

◆ Tan Son Nhat International Airport ( Ho Chi Minh City)

Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport is the busiest airport in Vietnam with 32.5 million passengers in 2016, serving Ho Chi Minh City as well as the rest of southeastern Vietnam. As of January 2017, it had a total capacity of only 25 million passengers, which has caused constant congestion and sparked debate for expanding or building a new airport. The airport's IATA code, SGN, is derived from the city's former name of Saigon. Follow- ing the opening of its new international terminal in September 2007, Tan Son Nhat has two major terminal buildings with separate sections for international and domestic flights. The capacity of the new terminal, once fully completed, will be 8 million passengers per annum. When Long Thanh International Airport is completed, Tan Son Nhat will serve domestic passengers only.

◆ Da Nang International Airport ( Da Nang)

Da Nang International Airport is located in Da Nang, the largest city in central Vietnam. It is the third international airport in the country, besides Noi Bai International Airport (Hanoi) and Tan Son Nhat International Airport (Ho Chi Minh City), and is an important gateway to access central Vietnam. In addition to its civil aviation, the runway is shared with the Vietnamese People's Air Force (VPAF, the Không Quân Nhân Dân Việt Nam), although military activities are now extremely limited. The airport has two separate terminals for international and domestic passengers.

◆ Cam Ranh International Airport ( Nha Trang)

Cam Ranh International Airport is located on Cam Ranh Bay in Cam Ranh, a town in Khánh Hòa Province in Vietnam. It serves the city of Nha Trang, which is 30 km (16 NM) from the airport. This airport handled 4,858,362 passengers in 2016. The airport resides at an elevation of 40 feet (12 m) above mean sea level. The first runway designated 02/20 with a concrete surface measuring 10,000 by 150 feet (3,048 m × 46 m). The second runway is under construction, it will open in 2018 with a concrete surface measuring 10,000 by 150 feet (3,048 m × 46 m).

◆ Vietnam Airlines

Vietnam Airlines is the flag carrier of Vietnam. Founded in 1956 under the name Vietnam Civil Aviation, the airline was established as a state-owned enterprise in April 1989. Vietnam Airlines is headquartered in Long Bien District, Hanoi, with hubs at Noi Bai International Airport and Tan Son Nhat International Airport. The airline flies to 52 destinations in 17 countries, excluding codeshared services.

◆ VietJet Air

VietJet Aviation Joint Stock Company, trading as VietJet Air or Vietjet, is an international low-cost airline from Vietnam. It was the first privately owned new-age airline to be established in Vietnam, being granted its initial approval to oper- ate by the Vietnamese Minister of Finance in November 2007. As of its launch in December 2011, it became the second private airline to offer domestic service in Vietnam, as well as the fifth airline overall to offer civil domestic flights. VietJet Air is owned by Sovico Holdings, HDBank, other organisational investors and individual stakeholders.

◆ Jetstar Pacific

Jetstar Pacific Airlines Joint Stock Aviation Company (oper- ating as Jetstar Pacific) is a low-cost airline headquartered in Tan Binh District, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. With its hub at Tan Son Nhat International Airport, Ho Chi Minh City, operates scheduled domestic and international services along with charter flights. The airline, formerly known as Pacific Airlines, began operations in 1991, flying chartered cargo services. From 1996 to 2005, the airline, along with other local companies, operated under the government-owned Vietnam Airlines Corporation. Having by now operated passenger services, Pacific Airlines then came under the control of the government itself. In 2007, the Vietnamese government sold a portion of its shares to Qantas, and as such airline adopted a low-cost operations model and adopted its current name on 23 May 2008, becoming part of the Jetstar network.

◆ Hanoi Railway Station ( Hanoi)

Hanoi Railway Station is one of the main railway stations on the North–South Railway (Reunification Express) in Vietnam. It serves the city of Hanoi. The station is located at 120 Lê Duẩn Street, Cua Nam Ward, Hoan Kiem District of Hanoi and is the starting point of five railway lines leading to almost every Vietnamese province.

◆ Lào Cai Railway Station ( Lao cai province)

Lào Cai Railway Station is a railway station in Vietnam. It serves the border town of Lào Cai, in Lào Cai Prov- ince.[1] Several passenger trains a day run between Hanoi and Lao Cai. Lao Cai Station is the last station of the Hanoi-Lao Cai railway, the Vietnamese section of the meter-gauge Kunming–Hai Phong Railway. North of Lao Cai Station, the railway continues, crossing the Nanxi River into China, but it carries only freight trains, and no passenger service.

◆ Saigon Railway Station (Ho Chi Minh City)

Saigon Railway Station is a railway station in District 3, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. This station is the largest and most important railway hub in the country due to Ho Chi Minh City being the largest city and the economic centre of Vietnam.

Up to now, Vietnam Railways System (VRS) has been the main service of domestic train. With its implementation in almost every provinces and cities in Vietnam and activity scope of 2.652 km of railway, VRS offers trips on newer trains equipped with modern air-conditioned cars and berths for comfortable overnight trips.

There are four classes of train travel offered in most trains: hard-seat, soft-seat, hard-berth, soft-berth.

Hard-seat is tolerable for day travel, but it can be even less comfortable than the bus overnight.

Hard-berth has three tiers of beds (it means six beds per compartment). The upper berth is cheapest and the lower berth is most expensive.

Soft-seat includes vinyl-covered seats, more comfortable than benches of hard-seat, but rather hot if without air-conditioner in the summer.

Soft-berth has two tiers of beds (four beds per compartment), the price for each bunks are the same. These compartments have a door.

Some trains may have super-berth compartments which have two beds per room with a door.

◆ Thien Mu Pagoda (Hue)

With seven stories, the Thien Mu Pagoda in Hue is the tallest pagoda in Vietnam. The pagoda overlooks the Perfume River and is regarded as the unofficial symbol of the former imperial capital. The temple was built in 1601 during the rule of the Nguyễn Lords. The initial temple was very simply constructed, but over time it was redeveloped and expanded with more intricate features.

◆ Cu Chi Tunnels (Ho Chi Minh City)

The Cu Chi Tunnels are an immense network of connecting underground tunnels located about 40 km northwest of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). The tunnels were used by Viet Cong guerrillas as hiding spots during the Vietnam War, and were the base of operations for the Tết Offensive in 1968. The tunnels have become a popular tourist attraction, and visitors are invited to crawl around in the safer parts of the tunnel system.

◆ My Son (Duy Phú)

More than 1,600 years ago, the Chan people of Vietnam began construction on dozens of Hindu temples near the village of Duy Phú. Under the shadow of Cat’s Tooth Mountain, and surrounded by a green valley, several of these temples still stand. Known collectively as My Son, most of the temples are now ruins. However, that only adds to the atmosphere. Visiting My Son is like stepping back in time, thanks in part to its secluded location and the lack of touristy infrastructure.

◆ Imperial Citadel ( Hue)

For nearly 150 years until World War II, the Imperial Citadel of Hue served as the capital of Vietnam’s Nguyen dynasty. In the very center of these secure walls was the Purple Forbidden City, an area reserved exclusively for the royal family. The enormous Imperial Citadel was also a strategic hold during the Vietnam War, as it stands very close to the demilitarized zone that separated North and South Vietnam. This destination is significant for all those who are interested in the history of the nation.

In the city of Hanoi, there is an incredible temple dedicated to Confucius. Built in the 11th century, the Temple of Literature honors scholars and the many academic achievements of the Vietnamese, past and present. The Temple of Literature was even the site of the very first university in the nation. Among countless statues of Confucius and his disciples, there are impressive pagodas and a pond known as the Well of Heavenly Clarity.

◆ Khai Dinh Tomb ( Hue)

Blending both Vietnamese and European design elements, the architecture of the Khai Dinh Tomb in Hue has been described as Bud- dhist as well as Roman Gothic. Constructed in the 1920s, the tomb was commissioned by the Emperor of Vietnam as his own future tomb. The entrance of the complex leads to the Honour Courtyard, and then on to the main building called the Thien Dinh. Khai Dinh’s final resting spot is clearly marked by a bronze statue surrounded by beautiful murals.

◆ War Remnants Museum ( Ho Chi Minh City)

The War Remnants Museum is a war museum at 28 Vo Van Tan, in District 3, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. It contains exhibits relating to the Vietnam War and the first Indochina War involving the French colonialists.

◆ Ha Long Bay ( Ha Long Bay)

Ha Long Bay is situated in north Vietnam round a 120 kilometer long coast line and is literally translated as “Bay of Descending Dragons”. The top tourist attraction in Vietnam, Ha Long Bay features thousands of islands, each topped with thick jungle vegetation, forming a spectacular seascape of limestone pillars. Several of the islands are hollow, with enormous caves, others islands include lakes and some support floating villages of fishermen.

◆ Hoan Kiem Lake (Hanoi)

Located in the historical center of Hanoi, Hoan Kiem Lake is one of the major scenic spots in the city and serves as the locals’ favorite leisure spot. Hoan Kiem means “returned sword”, and the name comes from a legend in which King Le Loi was given a magical sword by the gods, which he used to drive out the invading Chinese. Later he returned the sword to the Golden Turtle God in the lake.

◆ Phu Quoc (Phu Quoc)

Located in front of the Cambodia coast, Phu Quoc is the largest island in Vietnam. Phu Quoc is what Phuket would be if it hadn’t been overrun by development. The island features pristine tropical forests, undamaged coral reefs and great beaches. One of its beaches, named Bai Dai (Long Beach), was chosen by the ABC News as one of five beautiful and clean beaches. Phu Quoc is famous for producing the best nuoc mam or fermented fish sauce in the world.

◆ Sa Pa Terraces ( Sa Pa) Sa Pa is a town in northwest Vietnam not far from the Chinese border. Rice terraces can be found in the Muong Hoa valley between Sa Pa town and the Fansipan Mountain, on a backdrop of thick bamboo woodlands. Local mountain people, the Hmong, Giay, Dao, Tay, and Giay, grow rice and corn on these paddy terraces, along with vegetables.

Knowing what you really love is important. Your preferences, interests, favorite attractions, habits, travel purpose & http://www.novalandtours.com/vietnam-tours.html http://www.novalandtours.com/vietnam-tours.html budget, etc, please feel free to http://www.novalandtours.com/vietnam-tours.htmlfill in the form. Or send email to [email protected]. Then we can tailor-make _16 your most suitable tour proposal free of charge. Easy & save your time! ◆ Mui Ne (Bình Thuận) The formerly little-inhabited beach south of the fishing village of Mui Ne has seen some serious development in the last 15 years. Due to strong sea breezes it is a popular destination in Viet- nam for kite- and windsurf- ing. No trip to Mui Ne is complete without a trip to the famous sand dunes located a short distance north of the town. The vast sandy expanse provide some great panoramic views especially during sunset.

◆ Mekong Delta (My Tho) The Mekong Delta is the region in southern Vietnam where the Mekong River approaches and empties into the sea. It is a very rich and lush area, covered with rice fields, that produces about half of the total of Vietnam’s agricultural output. Subsequently, life in the Mekong Delta revolves much around the river, and all the villages are often accessible by river rather than by road.

◆ Cham Islands (Hoi An) Several miles off the coast of Hoi An is a cluster of mountainous isles known as the Cham Islands. Primarily granite, these islands were once restricted but are now open to the public. The main island Hon Lao, the largest and the only one inhabited, is less than two hours’ away by speed boat. Visitors can come for the day and go birdwatching, snorkel through the surrounding reefs or just enjoy the scenery of the beautiful beaches. Overnight stays are limited, but can be an incredible experience for the intrepid traveler.

◆ Spring Flower Market and Festival Vietnamese people go to the flower markets to not only choose and buy beautiful branches of peach or apricot flowers, but also find relaxed moments and hope for a warm spring and a prosperous new year. The spring flower festivals usually take place from the 23rd day of the last lunar month to the 5th day of the first lunar month in parks, flower gardens in towns, cities or communal houses in rural areas. Each locality also organizes the own spring flower festivals to welcome New Year, of which the spring flower festivals in Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh City are typical.

◆ Countryside Market There are two main types of countryside market: the fair and the evening market. Fairs are held periodically. For example, it may be held on days with the numbers three and eight, which would imply fairs on the 3rd, 8th, 13th, 18th, 23rd and 28th days of each lunar month. Major markets attract huge numbers of people. Apart from local products, visitors can find industrial and expensive commodities produced in other localities. Of course, necessities such as fruit, oil, salt and vegetables are always available.

◆ Highland Market Markets in highland areas where ethnic minorities reside are not only places of commerce, but also cultural festivals. People wear their nicest clothes and spend some days at the market. They may play their pan-flutes, dance, sing and meet new friends. There- fore, markets in highland areas are also called Love Markets (Cho Tinh).

◆ Floating Markets There is a very interesting kind of market in the Mekong River Delta. Thousands of boats gather to form a place of economic activity. Trading activities take place all day, but the most exciting time is in the morning when boats arrive loaded up with agricultural products. On a cho noi (floating market) all trade activities take place on boats. The largest cho noi include Phung Hiep, Nga Bay, Phong Dien (in Hau Giang), Cai Rang (in Can Tho) and Cai Be (in Tien Giang). Most of the agricultural productions sold in cho noi are for wholesalers, who then re-sell it to food processing factories or ship it to the north.

◆ Water Puppets

Puppets are made of wood and coated with waterproof paint. Each puppet is handmade, has its own posture and expresses a certain character. The most outstanding puppet is known as chu teu which has a round face and a humorous and optimistic smile. The show starts with chu teu, dressed in an odd costume, offering joyful laughter. The pond and lakes of the northern plains, where crowds gathered during festival and galas, become the lively stages for the water puppet shows. At a water puppet show, the audience watches boat races, buffalo fights, fox hunts and other rustic scenes amidst the beating of drums and gongs. The characters plough, plant rice seedlings, fish in a pond with a rod and line, scoop water with a bamboo basket hung from a tripod, etc. The show is interspersed with such items as a Dance by the Four Mythical Animals: Dragon, Unicorn, Tortoise, and Phoenix and Dance by the Eight Fairies, in which supernatural beings enjoy festivities alongside people of this world.

◆ Cai Luong

The performance includes dances, songs, and music; the music originally drew its influences from southern folk music. Since then, the music of cai luong has been enriched with hundreds of new tunes. A cai luong orchestra consists mainly of guitars with concave frets and danakim.

◆ Royal dance Royal dance in Viet Nam had a development process during many dynasties, from Dinh Dynasty in the 10th century to the Nguyen Dynasty in the early 20th century. It originated to serve royalty, and it was performed at different types of ceremonies. The Vietnamese royal dance has been fixed the form clearly in the Viet and Cham people community.

◆ Nem ran (Spring roll)

Nem ran (called cha gio in the south) is a much-appreciated speciality, although it is very easy to prepare. Since long ago, nem ran has been a familiar dish on the menu at all households during the New Year’s festivities, at family parties, and at receptions. The stuffing of the nem ran is comprised of mince pork, sea crabs, eggs, minced Jew's ears, thin-top mushroom, dried onions, bean-sprouts, pepper, spiced salt, etc. The mixture is then rolled in flat rice cakes and fried in a pan until crispy. Nem are eaten hot with a sauce that it is, at the same time, somewhat salty, sweet, acidic and scented (with the flavours of onion and pepper). Papaya and a few fresh scented vegetables are added.

◆ Gio lua (Silky lean meat paste)

By itself, the name “silky lean meat paste” evokes thoughts of the silky aspect of this speciality. Gio lua is made with lean pig meat, which is pounded with a pestle until it becomes a sticky paste. Fresh banana leaves are tied very tightly around the paste, and then it is well cooked. Good gio lua has a fine white colour, is firm, and has a perfumed and sweetish taste. Gio lua may be obtained anywhere in Viet Nam, but the best gio lua is from Uoc Le Village (Ha Noi), where the know-how for Gio lua is strictly kept so as to allow no secrets of the job to flow out from Uoc Le. Slices of Gio lua are slightly pink, moist, and sweet-smelling meat, fish sauce and banana leaf.

◆ Pho (Rice noodle soup)

Pho, a typical dish of Ha Noi people, has been existing for a long-time. Pho is prepared not only in a sophisticat- ed manner but also in the technique which is required to have sweet but pure bouillon, soft but not crashed noodle, soft and sweet-smelling meat. Only in cold days, having a hot and sweet-smelling bowl of Pho to enjoy, would make you experience the complete flavor of the special dish of Ha Noi.

◆ Banh cuon (Rolled rice pancake)

Banh cuon is popular to Vietnamese as disk for breakfast. The cake preparing process includes grilled rice which is steamed and oil-spread to have sweet-smelling. Banh cuon is prepared available. Leaves of cake put on plate as the customers ask for the disk. The cake is called Banh cuon Thanh Tri due to its origin is Thanh Tri Village of South Ha Noi. Besides Banh cuon Thanh Tri, there is rolled rice pancake with the filling of the cake is made from minced pork mixed with Jew's ears and thin-top mushrooms. The cake, placed on plate, serve with salted shred- ded shring and fried dry onions. The customers immediately experience the disk as it is just finished and stilI very hot. It is the sauce of the cake that fascinates the customers. The cake-makers have their own know-how, some of them prepare Banh cuon with Belostomatid essence to have sweet -smelling to attract to the customers.

Banh beo is a specialty and indispensable in Hue City. Banh beo is delicious with its core stuffed with small shrimps and sauce made from a mixture of fish sauce, sugar, garlic, chilly and fresh small shrimps, watery grease. Therefore, it offers customers with sweet, buttery and smelling flavors. Without delicious sauce, the cake would become worthless. When serving, it is required to use a tool called Que Cheo (bamboo folk) to pass through the cake, cut into pieces, prick and eat. Customers would be impressed forever with having Banh beo in a green garden while listening to Hue folk song coming from the Perfume River.

◆ Banh la cha tom (Grilled rice cake with Cray fish)

Anyone who used to experience the dish would never forget such simple cake made from grilled rice cake and Cray fish only. The cake must be as thin as a leaf but flexible enough. Cray fish must be brittle and sweet. Serving with long jawed anchovy sauce. Banh la cha tom does not as heavily smell as the majority of the other dishes but gentle, elegant and attractive to customers

◆ Xoi chien phong (Bloating fried sticky rice)

A round plate of Xoi chien phong, placed next to a plate of buttery roasted chicken, is always attractive to anyone. A lump of sticky rice will become a plate of Xoi chien phong as big as a grape-fruit by talent chefs. In the past, Xoi chien phong was offered only in the Binh Duong Restaurant, Dong Nai Province. At present, you can taste the dish in star classified hotels in Ho Chi Minh City.

◆ Lau mam (Mixed vegetable and meat hot pot)

At present, Lau mam folk dish in the past hundred years - become a luxurious specialty in the South. Chau Doc fish sauce made from fresh-water fish, a kind of sweet- smelling and greasy fish, which must be as required to have a delicious Lau mam dish. Substances to prepare for Lau mam, including fresh food-stuffs such as snake-head fish, "keo" fish, pork, peeled shrimps, eel, beef, and so on, accompanied with at least 10 kinds of vegetable, sometime amounting to 24 kinds of vegetable. They include water-lily, egg-plant, balsam-apple, straw mushroom, bean sprouts, chilly, etc. When boiled, the flavors of the sauce, which is mixed with citronella, chilly, vegetables, fish, shrimp and meat, are very sweet-smelling. Lau mam roam is scoop out into bowls and served with soft noodle soup, simply but deliciously.

◆ Goi Buoi (Salad of shaddock)

Goi buoi is available at the majority of famous restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City. The major substances to prepare for the dish include shaddocks mixed with fresh shrimps, pork, and dry cuttle-fish. The dish is originated in Miet Buoi, Bien Hoa City. Goi buoi dish is especially flavored with slightly sour, sweet, peppery-hot and buttery tastes. It is also added with spice vegetable, white sesames, coconut and dry cuttle-fish. Therefore, the dish will be appeared on dining table as a fresh colorful picture and attractive to customers.

◆ Banh trang cuon thit heo (Dry pancake roll with pork)

Coming to the Central region, you are offered with the service of Banh trang cuon thịt heo. A big plate of fresh vegetables with a peppery-hot red chilly, a plate of boiled lean and fat meat, a bowl of fish sauce, and a plate of dry pancakes are displayed on the dining table. Customers have to serve themselves with all of the 10 substances mentioned above. Banh trang cuon thịt heo is considered as not only a daily dish but also likely an artistic specialty of the Central citizens.

Currency Exchange in Vietnam Major currencies can be exchanged practically anywhere in Vietnam, but not all exchange facilities are created equal. Banks and airport moneychangers can change your money at a high cost relative to a jewelry shop in Hanoi's Old Quarter, so it pays to ask around before trading dollars for dong.

1. Changing money at Bank The government-run Vietcombank can exchange dong for US dollars, Euros, British Pounds, Japanese Yen, Thai Baht, and Singapore dollars. Banks in major cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City will let you change foreign currencies and most travelers' checks. You'll be charged a commission rate of between 0.5 to 2 percent for the latter. Always bring new notes; any damaged or dirty notes will be charged an additional two percent of the note's face value.

2. Changing money at Hotel Your mileage may vary with hotels: larger hotels can offer rates competitive with banks', but smaller hotels (like those in the Old Quarter of Hanoi) may tack on an additional fee for the service.

3. Changing money at Gold and jewelry shops The rates in these mom and pop establishments can be surprisingly fair, with no fees (unlike those in hotels and airport bureaux de change). Shops in Hanoi's Old Quarter—particularly Hang Bo and Ha Trung streets—offer better deals, as do gold and jewelry shops in Ho Chi Minh City's Nguyen An Ninh Street (near Ben Thanh Market).

4. Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) You're certain to find an ATM to withdraw from in any of Vietnam's major cities, but smaller towns have also begun to bring their A-game. That's not guaranteed, though, so it still makes more sense to withdraw in the cities before making your way out to the boondocks of, say, Mai Chau.Are ATMs better than changing dollars at the airport? It really depends who you ask.If you're spending more than a few days in Vietnam, changing all your money to Vietnam dong increases the risk of theft: one robbery and you'll be broke till the end of your trip. Some will say that the peace of mind that comes with just withdrawing every couple of days from an ATM is worth the withdrawal fees charged. Fees and charges vary: ATMs near backpacker districts like Pham Ngu Lao in Saigonreportedly charge an extortionate rate of three percent on top of your usual bank charges. More reasonable fees may hover down to about 1-1.5 percent per transaction. Banks allow a maximum withdrawal of between VND four million to VND nine million, dispensing 50k- and 100k-dong notes. As millions of dong can add up to a thick wad of cash, be careful when withdrawing large amounts from an ATM.

Knowing what you really love is important. Your preferences, interests, favorite attractions, habits, travel purpose & http://www.novalandtours.com/vietnam-tours.html http://www.novalandtours.com/vietnam-tours.html budget, etc, please feel free to http://www.novalandtours.com/vietnam-tours.htmlfill in the form. Or send email to [email protected]. Then we can tailor-make _22 your most suitable tour proposal free of charge. Easy & save your time! 5. Credit Cards in Vietnam Cash rules in Vietnam, though credit cards are accepted in many restaurants, hotels, and shops in Vietnam's big cities. Visa, Master Card, JBC and American Express are the most common credit cards honored in Viet- nam. You can use ATMs to get cash advances on your credit cards; in a pinch, you can visit Vietcombank to get an advance over the counter.

For credit card transactions, you may be charged an addition 3-4 percent per transaction.

Electricity and Voltage

Electricity in Vietnam is 220 Volts, alternating at 50 cycles per second. If you travel to Vietnam with a device that does not accept 220 Volts at 50 Hertz, you will need a voltage converter.

There are three main types of voltage converter. Resis- tor-network converters will usually be advertised as sup- porting something like 50-1600 Watts. They are light-weight and support high-wattage electrical appliances like hair dryers and irons. However, they can only be used for short periods of time and are not ideal for digital devic- es.Transformers will have a much lower maximum Watt rating, usually 50 or 100. Transformers can often be used continuously and provide better electricity for low wattage appliances like battery chargers, radios, laptop computers, cameras, mp3 players and camcorders. However, they are heavy because they contain large iron rods and lots of copper wire.

Some companies sell combination converters that include both a resistor network and a transformer in the same package. This kind of converter will usually come with a switch that switches between the two modes.

If you absolutely need both types of converter, then this is the type to buy.

Police 113

Fire 114

Ambulance – First Aid 115

Weather forecast 1080

Domestic long distance telephone service 101

International telephone service 110

General information service 1080

Law Consultancy service 1088

Phone number enquiries 116

Visa for Vietnam

Visitors to Vietnam must obtain a visa from one of the Vietnamese diplomatic missions or via agency on arrival unless they come from one of the visa exempt countries or countries eligible for electronic visas. All visitors must hold a passport valid for 6 months.

Please click the link for more details:

https://www.vietnamimmigration.org/visa-requirements

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