citypassguide.com BY LOCALS, FOR LOCALS - YOUR MONTHLY HCMC GAZETTE Volume 8 | June 2016 TRAVEL IN VIETNAM / “A journey is best meASURED IN FRIENDS, RATHER THAn miles.” – TIM CAHILL / MY THO PHONG NHA SAPA THE GATE TO THE MEKONG LARGEST CAVE IN THE WORLD THE TOWN IN THE CLOUDS 6 19 22 What’s Happening • Travel • Destinations Emmotional Baggage • Events PUBLISHED BY #iAMHCMC NEWS NEWS #iAMHCMC The following information Korea for the first time. Customs figures showed regions without clean water, and 1.1 million Foreign investment #iAMHCMC is provided by that 7,800 cars worth around US$140 million in need of food support. Officials from the By Locals, For Locals made in Thailand were sold to Vietnam in the agriculture ministry and United Nations have It has been a good few months for foreign investors first three months, up 64.5 percent from a year estimated that more than 60,000 women and in Vietnam. The government has decided to open What’s Happening ago. The market growth was thanks mostly to children in 18 hardest-hit provinces are facing up the fuel retail market for outsiders, with Japan’s a new free trade agreement that has cut import malnutrition. Around 1.75 million people from Idemitsu Kosan and Kuwait Petroleum on track by Le Trung Dung tariffs among the 10 ASEAN member states from farming families have suffered heavy losses to jointly launch the first fully foreign-owned oil CEO Patrick Gaveau 50 percent to 40 percent this year. The tax rate as drought damage to agriculture activities is business in the country. Other notable foreign will continue to go down to 30 percent next year, estimated to have reached $250 million. projects include a $1.5 billion screen factory of How can you sustain living in Saigon before and zero in 2018. South Korea’s LG Electronics and a 150-megawatt giving up and departing such a lovely solar power plant developed by Canadia’s CMX but insanely polluted and noisy city? The Dioxin cleanup Renewable Energy Inc. current heatwave and coming holidays are further justifications for escape. Let us guide US and Vietnam have finished the first phase of an Taxi versus Uber you like no others do, using the perspective $84-million dioxin cleanup project at a former US of locals who love the unbeaten path. Read airbase in the central city of Da Nang, removing Vietnam’s biggest taxi company Vinasun expects our travel edition with care to uncover your the toxic chemical from 45,000 cubic meters of its net profit to fall 20 percent to $11.68 million favourite getaway or your next haven. soil and sediment. The two-phase project started this year, citing harsh competition with ride- in August 2012 with funds from the US Agency hailing services Grab from Malaysia and US-based “Tourists don’t know for International Development and the second Uber. The company’s chairman said his company Ha Long Bay fire Chi Minh City having the least. Patients are also phase is scheduled to begin at the end of 2016, by Staffan Widstrand has been “under huge pressures” to keep up with where they’ve been, getting younger: some children in Hanoi have been treating another 45,000 cubic meters soil and the two foreign rivals who it claimed do not have travellers don’t know A fierce fire on a high-end Ha Long Bay cruise diagnosed at the age of 10. Health experts blame sediment. During the Vietnam War, which ended Tiger extinction to pay taxes or invest in their own fleets. where they’re going.” ship in May has prompted Quang Ninh Province unhealthy diets which include a large amount of April 1975, up to 4.8 million Vietnamese people to inspect all tourist vessels in the area. The fast food and soft drinks. were directly exposed to Agent Orange and other According to a new report by the World Wildlife Japan education Paul Theroux wooden ship carrying 36 foreign passengers was chemicals that have been linked to cancers, birth Fund, Vietnam now has fewer than five wild tigers engulfed in flames, forcing many to jump off Mercury scare defects and other chronic diseases. left, which is an astonishing drop from between Japan has surpassed the US to become the new before it sank. Fire safety has long been a concern 30 and 50 tigers counted five years ago and more top destination for Vietnamese students. Latest among tourists on cruise trips in Ha Long Bay, a Concerns over the air quality in Hanoi have Visa policy change than 100 in the early 2000s. The consumption of figures from Japan showed that there were 38,882 world-renowned destination and beloved by many resurfaced after an environment surveillance tiger parts remains rampant in Vietnam, where Vietnamese students in Japan as of May 2015, foreigners. Fire incidents happen every year and station detected mercury in the rain. The Vietnam’s parliament has passed a new rule the animal is trafficked for meat, decorative skin, an increase of 47.1 percent from the year before To provide an innovative and interesting local authorities have recently announced plans environment ministry said more advanced tests that allows US citizens to travel to Vietnam on claws and bones. The report said wild tigers across and much higher than the 29,000 students in English portal of local insight for HCMC’s to replace all wooden boats and ships with metal are needed to determine if there is mercury one-year, multiple-entry visas. The new policy is the globe increased for the first time in a century the US. The interest for Japan’s education has working professionals. vessels in the next five years. pollution in the air. While several experts say the another attempt to boost tourism and business ties to 3,890. But it is not good news for Southeast grown as more Japanese businesses are entering CORE VALUES public should not be worried yet, others call for between the two countries. The tourism ministry Asia, which is at risk of losing all of its tigers. Vietnam. More than 110,000 Vietnamese students » Usability: We present interesting, engaging New direct flights immediate measures to improve the air quality in is also urging the government to extend the visa- are studying overseas in 47 countries around the ideas in a relatable way the capital city. The Real-time Air Quality Index free period for tourists from France, Germany, Noi Bai bus world, spending an estimated $3 billion a year, » Unity: We bring our readers together under Turkish Airlines and Air New Zealand have has continuously ranked Hanoi’s atmosphere as Italy, Spain and the UK to 30 days, instead of according to official data. the “Saigonese” identity announced new direct services to Hanoi and Ho “unhealthy,” which means children and people 15 days. Vietnam, which received less than 8 Hanoi has launched a high-quality bus service » Quality: We create thoughtful, insightful and Chi Minh City this summer. Turkish Airlines now with respiratory conditions should avoid spending million foreign visitors last year, currently waives connecting its railway station in the city Wage increase reliable content operates three flights a week from Ho Chi Minh time outdoors. visa requirements for 22 countries and industry downtown with Noi Bai International Airport. » Enjoyment: We infuse our work with City to Istanbul and two from Hanoi, planning to insiders have been calling for the government to The unsubsidized route, numbered 86, runs 33 Vietnam has raised wages for civil servants and lighthearted fun raise the frequency to seven flights a week from Sea walking keep adding more nationalities to that list. kilometers for around $1.30 per person. The public employees, including teachers and doctors, » Originality: Our work is elevated with unique October 31. Passengers earlier had to transit city is struggling to retain its bus passengers as for the first time in three years. Their basic illustration and design in Bangkok. Air New Zealand’s service will be Tourists to Hoi An ancient town can pay $60 Drought relief personal vehicles, particularly motorbikes, have wage went up 5 percent to $54.30 in May. The HAVE FEEDBACK? CONTACT ME AT seasonal, with three flights a week between Ho each to walk 20 minutes on the seabed off Cham become more popular and affordable. A new minimum monthly pay for workers in Vietnam’s [email protected] Chi Minh City and Auckland until October. New Island, at between five to seven meters deep. They Vietnam is seeking international aid worth $48.5 report said bus passengers in Hanoi in the first public sector is calculated by multiplying this Zealand and Turkey remain small markets for have to wear a helmet for oxygen supply and million as the worst drought in 90 years has left quarter dropped 14 percent from a year ago to minimum level with a coefficient that is based EDITOR-AT-LARGE WRITERS Vietnam’s tourism industry. travel in groups of 10, accompanied by certified at least 2 million people in southern and central 82 million. on qualifications and experience. Patrick Gaveau Keith Hancock Zoe Osborne divers. Hoi An is the second place where explorers CONTENT MANAGER Benoit Perdu Aleksandr Smechov can find this kind of sea walking tour in Vietnam. Dave Lowe Diabetes attack COORDINATOR Mark Gwyther A diving firm introduced the service in Nha Trang Hannah Hayes Nat Paolone The number of Vietnamese diagnosed with diabetes last year. Nga Seg Son ILLUSTRATORS Ngoc Truong has almost doubled in the past decade to more Zoe Osborne Robert Fretwell Luke Nguyen than 4 million, or 5.4 percent of the population.