Become a chef of Vietnamese gastronomy

Become a chef is one of the featured tour programs of Vietnam cookery built on Vietnam Travel Depot. Organized as private service at a cooking class in Hoi An, the ancient town has been recognized as world cultural heritage of Vietnam, the attendee will learn how to process the popular and famous Vietnamese food to a delicious three-course meal. Beside the class, service will be included with a visiting trip of local market which is an unforgettable thing of Vietnam experience. All is lead by an expert chef on Vietnamese culinary art.

Try on Vietnamese gastronomy and enjoy one of Vietnam’s king beaches with us.

Further information, contact us via email: sales@vietnamtraveldepot.com

We are on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Vietnam-Travel-Depot/136867245291
We are on website: http://vietnamtraveldepot.com

Scale the Great Wall of Vietnam

Photo by BBC Travel (Copyright EFEO)

In the remote countryside of central Vietnam, archaeologists discovered the "longest monument in Southeast Asia", a wall that winds through pristine, rain-forested mountains and hill tribe villages, yet still unspoiled by the imminent arrival of busloads of tourists.

Find of the century
Earlier this year, Vietnam's most important archaeological discovery in a century was announced by Dr Andrew Hardy, head of the Hanoi branch of École française d'Extrême-Orient (French School of Asian Studies) and Dr Nguyen Tien Dong, from the Institute of Archaeology (Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences). The rampart stretches 127.4 km from northern Quang Ngai Province, south into the province of Binh Dinh, and is the greatest engineering feat of the Nguyen Dynasty.
The Long Wall of Quang Ngai, as it is now known, is made of alternating sections of stone and earth, is believed to have been built in 1819 as a cooperative effort between the Vietnamese and H're ethnic minority. Much like Hadrian's Wall in the United Kingdom, Quang Ngai's wall was also built along an ancient, pre-existing road, and not only provided security but also regulated trade along the route. Most of the wall is still in relatively good condition, attaining heights up 4 metres.

Quang Ngai today
Until now, Quang Ngai was seldom visited by tourists, apart from stops at the Son My Memorial Museum, site of the infamous wartime My Lai Massacre. The province remained politically sensitive as a result of those tragic events, and as such, travel by outsiders through the countryside was somewhat restricted. Since the initial discovery of the wall in 2005, Quang Ngai has slowly opened up. Several independent travellers have now ventured to see the wall since its existence was announced earlier this year.

Quang Ngai City, the provincial capital, is a suitable base from which visitors can reach the wall. Apart from the city's only four-star hotel,Central Hotel, near the river, the city lacks anything approaching luxury accommodation. Dining is mostly street food and local specialties like ram bap (corn spring rolls), ron (tiny river clam soup) and ca bong song tra(Song Tra River mudskipper fish). As no major tour companies have offices in Quang Ngai yet, transportation consists of Mai Linh taxis (one of the few legal and reliable companies) and motorbikes for hire.

There is no need to hire a special guide (in fact there probably are none with sufficient knowledge or experience) to visit the wall at this point. Signs have been placed on the country roads to help drivers locate the four archaeological sites. Two are located in Ba Dong Commune (Ba To District) and the other two in Hanh Dung Commune (Nghia Hanh District).

Historical ethnic relations
The H're, like the rest of Vietnam's 54 officially-recognized ethnic groups, have a distinct language and culture. They were once under the dominion of the Champa Kingdom, which occupied all of central Vietnam, until the Vietnamese Emperor Le Thanh Tong conquered what is now Quang Ngai and Binh Dinh provinces, in 1471.

Coexistence between the Vietnamese and H're was not always harmonious. Military forts were built along an ancient mandarin road (79 have been located), straddling the territories of both groups. The wall was later constructed along the road for increased security and to facilitate trade between the highland H're, lowland Vietnamese and Chinese merchants.

A long way to go for the long wall
The wall was officially designated a National Heritage site by the Vietnam government on 9 March of this year. This means more investment, increased protection, international recognition, infrastructure development and more tourists are all on the horizon for the Long Wall. At the end of April, Christopher Young from English Heritage, an advisory organization, will make his second visit to the wall and lead a group of specialists on offering advice to the local government on conservation and sustainable tourism development.
Ideally the government could develop a "historical ecotourism" trail running the length of the wall, with guesthouses along the way providing lodging and meals. Detours from the hiking trail could lead through forests and farmland to ancient forts, temples, Champa ruins, hot springs, waterfalls and minority villages of the H're, Cor and Ca Dong.

The government's commitment to conserving the area's beautiful landscape has begun with its plans for a protected corridor stretching 500m on either side of the wall. However, neither the trail nor infrastructure yet exists. There are no maps of the wall and camping is not yet permitted. For now the more adventurous hikers will have to forge their own way, broken into day trips from Quang Ngai City.

Adam Bray was the first journalist to visit the Long Wall of Quang Ngai. He has contributed to 20 guidebooks on travel in Southeast Asia. Grandson of the noted Biblical archaeologist Dr David Livingston, Adam has uncovered a number of undocumented ancient Champa ruins of his own.

Source: BBC Travel by Adam Bray

The world’s best secret islands

Con Dao Islands, Vietnam has listed on Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2011 guide as one of the world’s best secret islands.

Another prison-turned-paradise, the Con Dao islands were home to the most notorious penal colony in Indochina, and continued its grim work until the end of the Vietnam War. Now preserved as Con Dao National Park, the 16 islands are a natural wonderland of dense jungles, jade-coloured waters and white-sand beaches, home to dugongs, dolphins, turtles and spectacular coral reefs. For now, tourist developments on the islands are limited to a single dive shop and a handful of resorts in Con Son township.


Timing is everything with Con Dao – the islands are lashed by squalls from the west from June to September and squalls from the east from September to January.  

Read more at http://www.lonelyplanet.com/vietnam/travel-tips-and-articles/76176

Source: Lonely Planet

You are looking for a beach vacation, craving a romantic spot to celebrate your love affair? Pick Con Dao Islands and do a tour with Vietnamjeeptours.com.

Vietnamjeeptours.com, a local professional tour operator offering a wide range of activities that might suit your various adventure travel needs. It is all about the passion for adventure inspired by the love for the great nature, distant destinations.

Floating lodge on Mekong River

Mekong floating house is a unique accommodation service in Mekong River Delta. Floating house has been a kind of traditional stay of the Mekong habitants for a long time and now they strive to offer the Mekong lovers with a new experience of the real life in the Mekong heart, a feel of complete relaxation in a beautiful landscape and pure nature.

Mekong floating houses

Floating houses are constructed in traditional methods: each one designed beautifully on floats with original materials such wooden and bamboo frames and covered by a roof of palm. All this brings a cozy feeling and friendly to the nature. We would like to recommend to enjoy this special stay by taking a tour of deep into Mekong by motorbike with sightseeing, then admire the impressive sunset over Mekong River while having a candlelight meal. Those are indeed highlights bringing you a memorable experience.

To get to know further about the special trip, you can contact with www.vietnamjeeptours.com via adventure@vietnamjeeptours.com to have one-to-one personal consulted.

Mighty Mekong on riding

The hidden beauty of Mekong on motorbike is the name of a tour program has just created by the adventure travel portal of Vietnamjeeptours.com

The three-day program is a like-no-other truly experience in Mekong Delta for those ones craving for the exploration of nature and Mekong people. The tour organizer also advised that motorbike is the most reachable way to attain to three must-to-do things in Mekong Delta: rounding on off-the-beaten-paths with sightseeing of the tranquil scenery, dining when stay overnight at local house and have cultural interactions and floating on rivers to learn from the traditional way of bartering.

To get to know further about the special trip, you can contact with www.vietnamjeeptours.com via adventure@vietnamjeeptours.com to have one-to-one personal consulted.

The cultural heritage of Ca Trù singing, Hanoi Vietnam

Hanoi is preserving and developing its cultural heritages by offering to the public as well as visitors an opportunity to see and enjoy the performances at first-hand.

Of these is Ca Trù singing, a kind of traditional folk art in the north of Vietnam using the sung poetic forms in different melodies combined with unique musical instruments. Ca tru first appeared in the 11th century and was performed at royal receptions and religious rituals. It was later performed more widely in singing parlors.

A Ca Trù performance comprised by three artists: a female singer who uses breathing techniques and vibrato to create unique ornamented sounds, while playing the clappers or striking a wooden box, and two instrumentalists who produce the deep tone of a lute-like instrument with three strings and the strong sounds of a praise drum.

Ca Trù was inscribed on the list of intangible cultural heritage in need of urgent safeguarding in 2009 by UNESCO.

(A Ca Tru group of  three performers)

Ca Trù is a must see to know about the old Vietnamese culture in the past. Coming to Hanoi, visit French colonial architecture styles, talking to Vietnamese cultural researchers, local artists, explore the old quarter called 36 old streets and enjoy Ca Trù singing is a part of Vietnam northern cultural experience for what is recommended highly by professional tour-organizers.

Find the difference and truly values in your trip by contacting us to get consulted most appropriate from local expertise.

Vietnam sees 22% rise in arrivals in February

Vietnam welcomed 542,700 visitor arrivals in February 2011 – a 21.6% year-on-year increase. The latest figures, released by the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT), revealed that a surge in visitors from China helped boost the monthly fi gures. Chinese arrivals climbed 65.4% year-onyear last month to 114,700, making it the largest single source market for Vietnam last month. All top 10 source markets recorded year-onyear growth, with arrivals from South Korea (+14.5% to 102,500), Japan (+29.9% to 49,800) and Australia (+12.8% to 40,800) also seeing strong double-digit growth. For the fi rst two months of the year, arrivals to increased 19.5% to 1.05 million. Vietnam is targeting 5.3 million visitor arrivals in 2011. 

Source: Traveldailyasia.com

Vietnamtraveldepot.com is a Vietnam travel hub which provides one-to-one consultants offering Vietnam’s unique first-hand experience trips to end-users while giving a guarantee of good value for money. To get the best deal for your coming Vietnam vacations, please contact us via sales@vietnamtraveldepot.com

View more of our exclusive tailor-made tours at www.vietnamjeeptours.com

Join us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/Vietnam.travel.depot