Discover Saigon for Early Birds

Saigon, with no doubt, to both travellers and local residents is certainly a busy city with dense traffic flows in rush hours filled by motor bikes and cars, fast moving life pace, full of activities both night and day. The city, however, like all other places, contains several hidden surprising corners that visitors often miss because of their ‘ordinary’ nature: early morning flower market, the typical street foods, corner café stands, and the city’s rare slow pace moments of the day. All together, create a different angle of the city life and the ordinary but precious daily life experience that surprise visitors and even locals.

5:30AM – Visit the Hidden Flower Market 

Start our tour early in the morning, ride our motorbikes from your hotel to the Ho Thi Ky Flower market which is around 15 minutes from the city centre. The first amazing view comes into our view are huge bunches of roses, lotuses, lilies, daisies and orchids being unloaded from trucks and motorbikes mostly from the highland and Mekong Delta. In the air, we could feel the eternal springtime magically created by the pleasant fragrances of hundreds of varieties of fresh flowers. A short chat with a flower seller here, we can learn the flower trading is not an easy job because the vendors have to work from very early morning until mid-nights but with their strong passion of work. Given the fast developing speed of the city, the flower market remains as the bridge to nature and countryside.

7:00AM – Enjoy Street-Food Style Breakfast 
The period from 7.00am to 9.00am is really rush hours when everybody tries to escape from daily crazy heavy traffic to reach their workplace in time. After 20 minute riding in the crowded motorbike lines, we stopped at a local street food stall in Ho Ba Kien Street to order a very delicious dish named “Cơm Tấm Sườn Bì Chả” (Steamed broken rice with grilled pork ribs, thinly shredded pork skin, and egg custard). A small bowl of sweet fish sauce mixed with ground garlic & chilly is the must-have to make this combination tasteful & more special. “Cơm Tấm Sườn Bì Chả” is considered as a very traditional specialty of Southern Vietnamese breakfast.

9:00AM – Get Into the Oldest Part of China Town 

Get back on our motorbikes after the breakfast and head to Tran Hung Dao Boulevard – a main vein to enter China Town. Our first stop on Tran Hung Dao Boulevard is at an antique Minh Huong Temple (also called Ming Dynasty Assembly Hall) built in 1789 to the dedication and worship of the Ming Dynasty. Especially, Minh Huong Temple is the remnant of Minh Huong Village – the foundation of present China Town. Here still we find architecture and hundred year old relics in the temple. We continue on this big boulevard then off to colorful Luong Nhu Hoc Street, where many traditional shops concentrate on selling unicorn heads & royal costumes. Turn to the oldest street of Chinese Herbs & Medicine: Hai Thuong Lan Ong. The strong odors of different types of medicinal herbs impressed us as soon as we reach this street. Smells come from many medicine stores built in a mix of western and Chinese architectural elements in the mid-1800s. Continue riding slowly on Hai Thuong Lan Ong Street, we encounter most of ancient houses & stores where patterns still remain for more-than-100years. Walk into a traditional medicine shop for a chance to see how Chinese medicine is made & used. Next, we leave the medicine street to ride a round of Binh Tay Market to view the special structure, colorful surrounding Chinese house-shops, and vibrant atmosphere.

 11:00AM - Taste Special Lunch in China Town

It’s time to have “Sui Cao” (shrimp wonton soup) - one of traditional Chinese food on Ha Ton Quyen Street for our lunch before riding back to Saigon center (District 1) to end our half-day trip. If you are looking for the similar experience, email Vietnam Jeep Tours at adventure@vietnamjeeptours.com or call +84 909620370.

More boat trips for tourists to visit Wild Ly Son Island

With many historical, cultural relics and fascinating tourist areas, Ly Son Island in the central province of Quang Ngai is becoming an amazing travel attraction of Vietnam. Thank to The district’s Passenger Transport Co-Operative, there are now four boat trips to the island each day to cope with the increasing number of visitors. Since the beginning of this year The Island has welcomed more than 6,000 visitors, receiving 200 to 350 tourists a day. Tourists can catch boats from Quang Ngai province’s Sa Ky port to reach Ly Son Island after nearly one hour. Visit isolated Ly Son Island referred as the “fairy island” & “Garlic Kingdom”, travelers have chances not only to learn about its very diverse ecosystem with five mountains including many mysterious caves, imposing waterfalls, and splendid rivers and lakes (Thoi Loi, Gieng Tien, Hon Vung, Hon Soi and Hoi Tai) and the lines of stunning beaches laid with colourful rocks, pebbles and corals but also to see many artifacts of Sa Huynh and Cham Cultures. Especially, the Thien Yana and old ruong houses are evidence for Sa Huynh and Cham’s ancient civilizations. Vietnam Travel Depot is operating 03 days 2 nights package tour to visit beautiful Ly Son Island, for more information, please contact sales@vietnamtraveldepot.com or hotline: +84 909 602 370.

U MINH THUONG NATIONAL PARK – WETLAND ANGLERS’ PARADISE

Every weekend, hundreds of people flock to U Minh Thuong National Park in the southern province of Kien Giang to go fishing for different kinds of fish far beyond their wildest dreams.

Most of anglers from Saigon travel by car down to the Mekong Delta area. The approximately 300 km trip from Saigon to the forest takes them around seven to eight hours drive crossing most of the delta provinces such as Vinh Long, Can Tho, Dong Thap.

The route is quite lengthy, across two river ferries (Vam Cong & Tac Cau Ferry) but it is worth for tourists to see the landscapes on the way as well as people daily lives on the way.

Especially for many people, fishing in this remote area is a unique way to escape from the bustle of city life and enjoy the primitive cajuput forest, where they are greeted by birdsong and chirping insects.

Declared as a National Park in September 2000, U Minh Thuong covers 21,100 hectares. The core 8,000 hectares are strictly protected, while locals live in the remaining 13,000ha growing rice and fruit and vegetables and exploiting government owned cajuput forests.

U Minh Thuong is home to more than 250 species of plants and 500 species animals, with nine species of birds that are listed in the Red Book as endangered. At least eight species of economically valuable fish have been found at the park.

One of the last significant peat forests remaining in Viet Nam, the park has also been recognized as one of the three highest priority sites for wetland conservation in the Mekong Delta.
In order to preserve and maintain the natural environment, tourists are only allowed to travel within a 500 hectare area of the park's central zone.

Most of the tourists like to fish under humble cajuput-wooden tents by Hoa Mai Lake which is the only place that offers food and other basic services.

While the boats glide through the water, visitors may see thousands of bats hanging on tree branches. If they are lucky, they may even spot some monkeys quickly fleeing deep into the jungle after catching sight of humans.

Many tourists look forward having a meal prepared with fresh fish and other indigenous vegetables right on the spot, and then lying in a hammock to enjoy the forest's tranquillity.
Those who are not interested in fishing can climb to one of the several watchtowers and enjoy a panoramic view of the reserve. An immense green zone stretches as far as the eye can see, and the harmonious melody of the wind blowing and birds singing will purify and refresh anyone’s spirit.
For more information about U Minh Thuong National Park, please visit http://www.vietnamjeeptours.com/national-park-collection/u-minh-thuong-national-park-46.html

About customized tour to U Minh Thuong National park, please contact at email: adventure@vietnamjeeptours.com or hotline: +84 909 60 23 70

Related program to U Minh Thuong National Park:

Discovery The Wet Land of U Minh Thuong National Park

Ethnic communal house opens for tourists on the border of Cat Tien National Park

Funded by World Wildlife Fund, the traditional bamboo longhouse in Ta Lai village amid the rugged surroundings of Cat Tien National Park was complete in five months by the end of 2011.

Built entirely out of environment friendly material and in the traditional style, the 125 square metre longhouse eco-lodge in the heart of the Cat Tien Reserve offers a spacious living area with four separate rooms that can accommodate up to twenty-five visitors.

This sort of community tourism is expected to help local residents benefit from natural resources. It will also help to reduce deforestation by providing economic alternatives to the local people, create a desire to preserve the region for its natural and economic value, and by expanding local and global awareness of the rainforest.

Ta Lai longhouse is an adventure resort overlooking virgin forests and steeped in the culture and history of the S’Tieng and Ma minority groups, where locals welcome you with a smile. The small eco-lodge enables tourists and small volunteer groups to share in the life of the indigenous local community.

This tourism model is one of the many eco-tourism development projects in wildlife reserves in Vietnam conducted by WWF since 2008. Local residents received training for the necessary tourism related skills including how to interact with tourists, background on the history and culture of the area and cooking various types of dishes.

The project helped to set up a cooperative to encourage ethnic minority groups to engage in business practices. The cooperative will manage tourist activities in the area and cooperate with professional tourist agents.

Source: saigon-gpdaily.com.vn

For more information about Cat Tien National Park, please visit http://www.vietnamjeeptours.com/national-park-collection/nam-cat-tien-national-park-24.html

Related programs to Nam Cat Tien National Park:

• 2 Days Moderate Trekking into Nam Cat Tien Jungle
• 3 Days Moderate Trekking into Nam Cat Tien Jungle
• 3 Days 2 Nights Trekking & Re-Foresting In Nam Cat Tien Jungle
• 6 Days Trekking Highland National Parks

Hang Sung Sot (Surprising Cave) of Halong Bay to be selected as one of World’s most 10 beautiful caves

Hang Sung Sot or Surprising Cave, one of the most amazing caves in Halong Bay in Vietnam, has just been selected as one the ten most beautiful caves in the worldwide by the Association of tourism offices and brokers of Czech Republic.

According to the Association, Sung Sot cave is gifted with the natural beauty of stalactites and stalagmites that help the cave get high rank in the vote list.

The cave is divided into two main chambers like big opera house and covers an area of over 10,000m2. The cave was discovered by the French in 1901.

Other world-famous caves also in the list are Skocjan Cave in Slovenia, Patagons Ice Cave in Argentina, and Lehaman Nevada Cave in the US.

For more information about Ha Long Bay, please visit http://vietnamtraveldepot.com/vietnam-travel-guide/Vietnam-travel-attractions/Halong-bay.html

Related programs to Ha Long Bay:
Explore Legendary Halong Bay by cruises
Kayaking Halong Bay & Trekking Cat Ba National Park
25 Days Vietnam Expedition

Cebu Pacific to start flights from Manila to Hanoi in March, 2012

Cebu Pacific is launching its flights to Hanoi on March 17, 2012, making it the only airline flying from Manila to the Vietnam capital.

For the route from Manila to Hanoi, Cebu Pacific will set two flights a week that one departs Manila at 10:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Saturdays and arrives in Hanoi at 12:30 a.m. the next day. Return flights (Hanoi – Manila) will leave Hanoi at 1 a.m. every Wednesday and Sunday, and arrive in Manila at 5 a.m.

To celebrate the launch of the Manila-Hanoi flights, Cebu Pacific is offering an introductory P888 seat sale from November 3 to 7, for travel from March 17 to May 31, 2012.  This is lower than regular year-round fares starting at P2,499.

Cebu Pacific also operates daily flights between Manila and Ho Chi Minh.

For more details about Pacific Air, here is their official website: www.cebupacificair.com

Hanoi (Vietnamese: Hà Nội), the capital of Vietnam, is a fascinating blend of East and West, with Chinese influence from centuries of dominance, and French design from its colonial past. It is largely unspoiled by modern architecture of the 1970s and 80s, and is now going through a modernization that is making it a rising star in Southeast Asia.

Related programmes to Hanoi: (Please contact adventure@vietnamjeeptours.com for more tours to Hanoi):

Hanoi Highlights 4 Days
Hanoi Traditional Villages of Arts and Crafts
North And South Vietnam Discovery 8 Days
Vietnam Impressions 8 Days
3 Days Taste of Ho Chi Minh Trail
Full Day Trekking in Ba Vi National Park
Full Day Bike Rural Duong Lam Village

Tram Chim National Park to be recognized as a World Ramsar site

Tram Chim National Park located in Tam Nong district, the Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap, will turn into Vietnam’s fourth Ramsar site, after Xuan Thuy Natural Wetland Reserve in the northern province of Nam Dinh, which was recognized in 1988; the Bau Sau (Crocodile Lake) Wetlands and Seasonal Floodplains in Cat Tien National Park, selected in 2005; and Ba Be National Park in Bac Kan northern province, recognized in 2011.

According to park authorities, this designation of Tram Chim National Park acknowledges the fundamental ecological functions of a wetland and its economic, cultural, scientific and recreational value.

Nguyen Van Hung, the park's director, said that the Ramsar Convention Bureau is finalising procedures to pronounce the park a Ramsar site.

Tram Chim National Park with its 7,588-hectares is home to 130 class of plant, some-more than 120 class of freshwater fish, 40 opposite amphibian and invertebrate species, and over 200 forms of birds - of that 16 are listed as endangered. The most distinguished resident bird is the Sarus crane (Grus antigone), which has been recognized as threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red Book.

For more information about Tram Chim National Park, please visit http://www.vietnamjeeptours.com/national-park-collection/tram-chim-national-park-45.html

Related programme to Tram Chim National Park:
3 Days 2 Nights Bird-Watching at Tram Chim National Park of Mekong Delta