A local experience in Sapa – Authentic Red Dao herbal baths

Sapa is not only famous for the colorful mountains, terraced rise fields, passes up and down, but also well – know by The Medicinal bath of the Red Dao Ethnic

Coming to Sapa where is not only famous for the colorful mountains, terraced rise fields, passes up and down, but also well – know by The Medicinal bath of the Red Dao Ethnic. This is a long-time medicine that the local people here, every day they go into the forest and cut the medicinal plants to use for bath because according to their experience, these plants can treat many illness.

According to legend, on the last day of the year the Dao boiled leaves from the forest for medicinal bathing before welcoming the new year in. As this practice proves both effective and salubrious, a majority of Kinh people have considered it a unique feature of Red Dao culture. The Red Dao’s medicinal bathing has become one of the northern mountainous province‘s attractions, even though it is still a mystery to foreign tourists who first set foot in Sapa.

After a long day trekking, it’s good chance to go to the bathhouses of Ta Phin village. We went to Dao’Spa – Sapanapro, one among a handful of Dao women in Ta Phin who offers the service. Take this chance, I would like to share about a must-try experience while visiting Sapa:

How to make herbal water of the Red Dao

The number of ingredients in Red Dao herbal water can vary from 10 to 100, depending on the purpose of the users and how experienced the bath maker is. Nonetheless, there are some crucial types of herb. According to local people’s guidance, wild fokienia wood, also known as “Pemou wood”, is believed to be the best material to make the tub used in herbal bath since Pemou wood aromatic essential oil will be extracted by hot water, making it a wonderful scent which may last for even a few days.

You can click: Indochina tours to get more information.

Based on the number of users, the amount of herbs used will be different. Normally, herbs is washed carefully and boiled for 3 hours until the water turns into red color with romantically typical scent.

They will boil these dried plants and bark in a water filled giant wok, over a charcoal fire, of course will take takes several hours to prepare. After several hours of brewing, the water is transferred to a wooden barrel tub. Taking this herbal baths, having just entered the bathroom, you will immediately caught a whiff of fragrant herds, enjoy the beautiful smell of these natural medicines. You can relax and soak your bones in traditional bath and wash away your aches, pains, worries and woes all at once in the privacy of our bathhouse.

According to local people here, for this herbal bath in Sapa, each herb remedy for bathing includes approximately 120 kinds of herbs, plants and bark used for the baths. But of that total there are 39 which are popular and about 10 which are indispensible. The herbs are boiled for 3-4 hours in 30-37^oC to extract the essence, and then mixed in water to serve tourists. Average time to take herbal bath is 30 minutes.

The forests in tranquil Ta Phin, Vietnam, are lush with medicinal plants which are a valuable resource to the resident Red Dao ethnic minorities.

Like the sound of a warm herbal therapy bath in the lovely Sapa. With a grant, social enterprise Sapanapro was able to upgrade its spa facilities, allowing the ethnic Red Dao people to better commercialise their herbal remedies and improve their livelihoods

With a grant, social enterprise Sapanapro was able to upgrade its spa facilities, allowing the ethnic Red Dao people to better commercialise their herbal remedies and improve their livelihoods

Positive effects of using Red Dao herbal bath

According to the wisdom of the Red Dao people, an herbal spa is especially helpful for physical and mental fatigue, as it relaxes your body and renews your energy by enhancing overall circulation, soothing your daily tensions. For women, the herbal bath promotes skin beauty by opening pores, removing dead skin and impurities, and leaving the skin soft, clean, and silky smooth. The bath also relieves some chronic illnesses including rheumatism and joint pain. Herbal bath can help customers, with essential oil of local herbs, reduce negative effects of alcohol in the body, musculoskeletal pain, rheumatism and improve their health. On top of that, Sapa herbs can also a simple natural treatment for skin disease such as ulcer, acnes and psoriasis, etc.

Such a beautiful view from bathroom ^_^

Instruction for bath with traditional medicines (or herbal bath):

First Step: Please soak slowly your feet into water get familiar with temperature, and then put slowly your body until the water surface touch your chest. (Effects of traditional medicines will decrease if you put more water to decline temperature)

During bath time: You can use small bucket or towel to pour water to the part of body above water surface. (Eg: head and shoulder). You can use bathing water to wash your face and hair. You will sweat after 5-7 minutes to soak into water, especially in period 7-10 minutes. (Don’t worry, it’s normal sign)

Final Step: After 15-20 minutes, when your heartbeat and breathing rate increase. Please out of the bathtub, dry your body. (Don’t bath again by other water because it will decrease effects of traditional medicines).

Note: Careful control of temperature and time herbal bath in the following cases:

– You have gotten heart diseases or high blood pressure.

– You get drunk or drink too much alcohol.

– Pregnant women

If you soak your body in bathing water too long (more than 25 minutes), you can lose your balance in some minutes or being sleepy. This phenomenon is called “medicines drunk”. In this case, just call receptionists or staffs to help you. After 5-10 minutes, you will be fine.

Made from longstanding types of herb in Sapa, this service of Red Dao people is a must to any tourist. If you have a chance to visit Sapa, consider giving this amazing bath a try. It’s relaxing indeed.

 

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Tam Thanh Mural Village

It’s hard to find anywhere in Vietnam that is as diverse, colorful, and easy-going as Hoian. For hundreds of years, it has remained the same, sitting on the banks of Hoian river, with its ancient mossy roofs and peaceful pace of life.

If you interest, you can click: Vietnam travel and tours

Hoian is an extremely safe for solo traveller like me and you won’t be lonely in this ancient city. I like to roam the streets, try dozens of foods or sit for hours in a small café to watch people across streets, and activities. Wander around one of the local markets to shop for leaf hats, wooden clogs, silk, sand pictures, embroidery items, bamboo flutes, and other handicrafts and souvenirs. After a fun day of activities, savor such delightful Vietnamese cuisine as fresh local seafood, noodle soup, and prawn pancakes, which are served at a variety of restaurants.

Overview from Cua Dai Bridge in Hoian

Follow the river, and head down to Cua Dai bridge to enjoy the sun and the wind, visit Tam Thanh fishing village on the coast of centre Vietnam. Riding about an hour south from Hoi An (42 kilometers from Hoi An) along the coastal road, I arrived in Tam Thanh village, the Mural village of Tam Thanh now is a home to some quaint mural village, which tell stories about ordinary villagers and their way of life in the mountains and coastal regions of the country. Coastal people are always generous, they will spend hours showing you around the village. They will show you every mosaic on the walls, tell you about their boats, the sea, the net and their family.

You can see more:

The beauty of Hoian in the flood season

Early morning – Hoian ancient town

Road into Tam Thanh Village

Tam Thanh explodes out of pastoral sepias into pinks and blues, yellows and deep violets. The main street is a regular kaleidoscope where every house has its own unique color and character. Murals of local people decorate the larger walls and smaller paintings trail down the alleyways inviting visitors to explore.

With the tagline ‘art for a better community,’ the mural village project has started an important discourse in Vietnam about the accessibility of art in everyday life regardless of one’s socioeconomic background. Inspired by Korean mural villages, the Tam Thanh Mural Village is a joint initiative by the Korean Community Art Exchange Program and the Vietnamese People’s Committee of Quang Nam Province to bring art to the people.  The murals are meant to reflect the local culture, people, and nature. With the blessing of the local people, the volunteer artists have been able to turn garden-variety construction into a cohesive work of living art.

On the other than that, I loved the beach here which is the home to untouched seaside, local villages, and amazing countryside landscapes. That is a great place to just sit down, chill and relax with a bicycle ride around the beautiful Tam Thanh Mural village. If you like, you may stay one night here to avoid the crowds of beaches in Hoian and Danang. Tam Thanh Beach Resort and Spa will provide nice accommodation with the natural living by the peaceful of beach. Offering the view of Tam Thanh beach, a-step-to-the-beach restaurant, front beach bar, swimming pool with sea view, spa services are completely near by.

Explore natural landscapes that have retained their untamed beauty!
_Lucas_

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Binh Lieu in Quang Ninh Province – a less-touristic version of “Sapa” (Part 01)

Are you an adventure and discovery lover? Are you interested in new places? Are you finding a less touristic mountainous area? If you are, I believe that you are reading the right post. To get more information, you can click: Vietnam tours from uk

I am a real adventurous traveller and love the mountainous area. Last month, I plan to visit Sapa again after a long time not getting there. However, I had problems of choosing the suitable budgeted hotel/homestay for my trip (I spend most of my time for travelling not in accommodation, so homestay will be a good choice). It was a trip to Sapa on the last minutes. As you know, now, Sapa is a famous mountainous area and there is many tourists reaching to this places everyday. After searching and asking some friends who have the same passion and many experiences of discovering mountainous area, Binh Lieu was highly recommend to me. I found that this place seems to meet my desire because there is not much information about it on the Internet and there is no guide for this places. After a few hours, to use google map and find a good rental motor-bike. I decided to travel to this places with my special companion.

On the first part, I just want to show some nice picture and general information about Bin Lieu Town. The detailed itinerary, guide and the story of my trip will be shown on the next parts, so do not forget to follow our blog and wait for my next post.

Binh Lieu is a small and poor district of Quang Ninh Province. Most of you just hear about Halong bay in Quang Ninh Province only. This district is located in northeastern Quang Ninh Province; The North borders Ninh Van, Sung Ta and Chongqing, and Chengdu City (Guangxi – China); To the west, Dinh Lap district (Lang Son province); It borders Hai Ha district, Tien Yen district and Dam Ha district to the east (Quang Ninh province). Binh Lieu is a mountainous district located in the northern part of the province (21 ° 27 ‘to 21 ° 39’ north latitude and 107 ° 17 ‘to 107 ° 36’ east) 108 km, Tien Yen town 28 km; The north has 42,999 km of border with China. Total area is only 471.4 Squarekilometer and total population is around nearly 30,000 people with density 56. The enthinc group is Tày, Sán chỉ – one of the rare ethnic minority people in the world with very small number of population, Kinh, Dao, and a little bit of Chinese people

Most of people living here is DAO people – a minority ethnic people of Vietnam. All of people farm the rice on terraces as Sapa or herd the buffalo. Then, they will sell their agriculture product/buffalo meat to earn the money. Because of distance, lack of transportation; lack of investment from government and geography characteristics, all of people have to live based on the agriculture. They are very poor people with the limitation on electricity and high technology. This make me think about the Sapa 20 years ago.

 

View from the Binh Lieu Town

You cannot find a homestay there but you can speak Vietnamese or DAO language, you can deal with the local for a night stay at the home with a very small fee (around USD 2-5 per person). They will be happy to share their local food for you without money. Besides, you want to have special experiences; you can bring camp and find the suitable place for camping to over-night. However, I will not highly recommend you to do that because it seems to be unsafe to go camping in the less touristic and mountainous area. When we drive across small villages, every people wave their hand as greetings and give us beautiful smiles. Tourism really do not effect on this places yet. However, you can find two basic hotel and one hotel in the center of Binh Lieu Town.

There are some highlights you must visit in Binh Lieu which I will list here with picture and share to you more about the itinerary on the next part:

Our brief itinerary:

Day 1: Hanoi – Halong city – over-night in the Halong city (we visit some beautiful places and ancient pagoda on the way from Hanoi to Halong city). 3, 5 driving hours for185 km on this day

Day 2: Halong – Tien Yen – Binh Lieu Town – visit the central market –  Ngàn Vàng, Ngàn Chuồng, Pắc phe villages. We have to drive around nearly 4 hours for 120km from Halong – Tien Yen District – Arrive in Binh Lieu because of rain, uphill road (14%), narrow path and pass.

Day 3: Binh Lieu – Visting Vietnamese and Chinese Border Points: 1300, 1302, 1305 – the best view point I have been, and 1327

Day 4: Binh Lieu – Khe Van Water Fall – Na Lang Village – Na Nhai village – Acrossing the Na Lang “hanging bridge” to back to Binh Lieu Town

Day 5: I planned to finish the trip in this day but after 3 days in Binh Lieu, I realized that Na Nhai Village is the poorest village in Binh Lieu, so I decided to back there to give some small gifts for the children there.

Now, I want to share some nice shots I took during the trips. More pictures will be shared on the next part:

On the way to get Boder Points

One of boder point – #1302 Point Vietnam – China

New green terrance in Na Nhai Village of Binh Lieu in July

Shy DAO boy received small snack packs from me. He can not speak Vietnamese and did not have chance to go to school but he is really a good boy when he show his respectation to my small gift by taking it by two hands with smily face.

Na Lang Village – one of the nearest village from Binh Lieu Town

Another nice view on the way from Tien Yen District to Binh Lieu

My rental motor-bike for this trip . Her name is Little Princess 😀 She did very well. Thank you so much for amazing trip with us, my Little Princess!

Ancient Houses in a small village which I forgot the name but it is very beautiful and authentic

The type of road we drove during this trip. It is very difficult for new biker as me but “Little Princess” supported me so much.

Our dinner on the first night in Binh Lieu Town. After a long travelling day without any places for lunch, it was absolutely one of the most delicious BBQ I have tried.

Enjoy the some of my photoshots and try to find if you can have any information about this place on the Internet? If you can not find anything, please follow our blog and wait for my next part with very detailed itinerary and how many difficulties we have been through together.

 

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Say “Mingalabar” to paradise – NGAPALI BEACH

Myanmar, stretching 2,500 kilometers from the eastern Himalayas in the north to palm-lined beaches of the Andaman Sea, Pagodas are encountered at every step. Not only Yangon’s 2500-year old Shwedagon Pagoda or ancient Bagan with more than 2,000 Buddhist monuments tower over green plains, but also beautiful Ngapali destination (pronounced Napally and said to be named after the Italian city of Naples).To get further information, you can click: Indochina tour

With its pristine, palm-tree-fringed white sand, the clear waters of the Bay of Bengal, and a host of sophisticated accommodation, Ngapali is premier beach getaway

With its pristine, palm-tree-fringed white sand, the clear waters of the Bay of Bengal, and a host of sophisticated accommodation, Ngapali is premier beach getaway

Ngapali is located on the Bay of Bengal coast in Rakhine State, its main feature is an idyllic stretch of white sand and palm tree-lined coast, with a number of resorts spread out next to traditional fishing villages. The beach stretches about 3 km with soft white sand fringed by coconut palms. Unlike today’s beaches of Asia, it is free of noisy beachside bars, crowded people and hawkers persuading you to buy their things. There are only natural scenic beauty of the blue sea, white sand and the lovely sun. The sea is cobalt blue, without any dangerous marine animals and clean.

Do you like peace and tranquility, and visit places “far from the madding crowds?” As many of us now live in crowded cities with the stress and strain of over-population, we need periods of relaxation away from urban areas, and go back closer to nature. We just take a short 45-minutes flight from Yangon and 9 km (6 mile) drive by private transfer from Thandwe Airport to Mya Pyin Village. Renowned for its beauty, Ngapali Bay offers a warm tropical climate throughout the year. Escape to paradise on the soft white sands of our vast beach facing the bay of Bengal, with dark green forested hills as a patchwork backdrop of paddy fields. It serves as the best ground for sunbathing and recreation such as beach strolling, cycling and so on.

Ngapali is pronounced Napally and said to be named after the Italian city of Naples

Ngapali is pronounced Napally and said to be named after the Italian city of Naples

The best time to visit  

The best time to go to Ngapali beach is from October to May. From June to September (monsoon season): It is raining a lot, really a lot. During the monsoon season the weather can be very rough, the sea is not very quiet and the rain can be also 24hours. Most of hotels and small restaurants are closed during this period. Please be aware as well of the limited flight schedule between May and September.

How to Get to Ngapali Beach

By Air: Thandwe Airport is located about eight kilometers north of Ngapali Beach and is a 10 minute car journey away from most of the area’s resorts and hotels. Daily flights connect Ngapali and Yangon — the journey takes about 50 minutes.

Thandwe Airport is a domestic airport with no international flights. If you’re travelling from any other Southeast Asian country, you’ll need to travel to Yangon first before making your way to Ngapali Beach.

By Bus: Ngapali Beach is accessible by bus from Yangon. The journey takes about 14 hours and can be quite bumpy and comfortable due to Myanmar’s road network. Most travellers to Ngapali Beach travel from Yangon to Thandwe by air due to the far shorter travel time.

Ngapali Beach is in Rakhine State, Western Myanmar. This is flight from Yangon to Ngapali

Where to stay

Ngapali has the biggest number of luxury beachfront resorts. Room-renting services here are diverse. You can choose from a small hut on the beach to luxury villas. The number of mid-range or budget beach hotels is now shrinking as the new international tourism boom entices owners to redevelop older hotels to meet the more exacting standards of the international market – and thus collect the much higher room rates. Both room rates and standards in Ngapali are already well above other beaches in Myanmar and as this beach continues its up-market march, it is destined to remain the country’s premier beach destination for some years to come.

There are many hotels, resorts in Ngapali with prices ranging from luxurious to budget for your choice.

Here is the map of Ngapali beach so you can get an idea of where each hotel, resort is.

Activities

Ngapali is about relaxing and enjoying the sun, but other activities include taking trips on local fishing boats; kayaking; snorkeling or scuba diving amongst the brightly coloured fish; and cycling or motor biking down the beach and around some of the local villages. This place offers a wide range of activities and adventures, including private boat trips to Pearl Island, snorkeling, e-bicycle rentals for exploring nearby villages, excursions to Kin Pun Chone Village where the Elephant camp is located, visits to local art galleries and Thandwe Market.

Scenic view on Ngapali beach at sunset

• Relaxing: Indulge yourself by sitting back and unwinding with ice cold beer or a tropical cocktail while enjoying the sun. You also can take a traditional bullock cart ride along the beach.

• Kayaking; snorkeling or scuba diving: Explore many bays and mangroves, dance along with large schools of brightly colored fish.

• Bird watching around Nghet Pyaw Chaung Lake. There are 30 species of birds in this area.

• Playing golf: Ngapali has a beautiful 9-hole golf course located some kilometers North of the beach, between main beach resorts and the airport.

• Visiting fishing villages: There are two fishing villages here; one in the South of the hotels, and another further South into the next bay. You can delve into traditional local life in these villages. The first one can be reached by foot; you can explore the other by using a bicycle, motorbike or being in a fishing boat tour.

• Visiting Thandwe: If you like some time away from the beach, then visit Thandwe. Located 7 km from the beach, this little town has 3 interesting pagodas, a bustling market, a traditional longyi-weaving factory.

• Visiting a dead monk: Salone Monastery is the home to a late Buddhist monk who put himself in the meditative state of death over 10 years ago. Since then, his mummy has been kept under glass.

• Have hot air balloon ride: You can get on a hot air balloon for amazing views of Myanmar’s wildest and least-known reaches.

Fishing Village

Local women in fishing villages on Ngapali beach

Travelers called Ngapali Beach “a touch of paradise,” rating the stretch of sand for its relaxing atmosphere, gorgeous sunsets, and local village feel.

Come to see its charm where you will find serenity and peace of mind amidst beautiful scenery.

_lucas_

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Visa for tourists to Myanmar

Do you need a Visa when traveling to Myanmar?

Except for citizens of countries in the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), tourists from other countries are required to apply for Visa when they want to enter to Myanmar.

Myanmar visa policy map

How is E-visa process working?

The Government of Burma’s E – visa program allows tourists to apply for a visa online rather than physically applying at an embassy or consulate. The system is launched on 1 September 2014.

E- visas are issued online for tourism within 3 working days. 90 days before from departure date, travelers can start to apply for the E-visa. Do not apply too soon because the E-visa is only valid and needs to be used within 3 months. The fee for a tourist costs US$50.

The official Government Website for applying is evisa.moip.gov.mm.  Be aware that non-official websites may be the scam.

Holders of E-Visas must enter from one of the following ports of entry:

• Yangon International Airport
• Naypyidaw Airport
• Mandalay International Airport
• Tachileik Land Border Checkpoint
• Myawaddy Land Border Checkpoint
• Kawthaung Land Border Checkpoint

Needed documents

You will need the following before you apply:

1. Your passport validity must have at least (6) months.
2. You have to upload one COLOR PHOTO (4.8 cm X 3.8 cm) taking during last (3) months.
3. Visa, Master, American Express or JCB credit cards for the payment of USD 50.00.

After applying, you can check your E-visa status online

E Visa Myanmar – Approval Letter Sample

On arrival

When arriving at the Airport/Check point,  proceed straight to immigration counter. Tourists with E-visa don’t need to queue at Visa on Arrival desk. Present the E-visa approval letter and your passport to the Immigration officer and get the passport stamped. No stamping fees required.

Show your passport to the Immigration Officer to get it stamped

Useful contacts

Official Government Website for applying Myanmar E-visa: evisa.moip.gov.mm

Embassy of Myanmar in Washington, D.C.

Address: 2300 S St NW, Washington, DC 20008, USA – Phone: +1 202-332-3344

Embassy of The Republic of The Union of Myanmar in Canada:

Address: 336 Island Park Dr, Ottawa, ON K1Y 0A7, Canada – Phone: +1 613-232-9990

Embassy of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar in Australia:

Address: 22 Arkana St, Yarralumla ACT 2600, Australia – Phone: +61 2 6273 3811

In the UK: Embassy of Myanmar, London

Address: 19 Charles St, Mayfair, London W1J 5DT, UK – Phone: +44 20 7148 0740

Myanmar Embassy in India:

Address: 3/50F, Nyaya Marg, Chanakyapuri,, New Delhi, Delhi 110021, India- Phone: +91 11 2467 8822.

To get further information, you can view: Indochina itinerary

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QUY NHON BEACH

A large, prosperous coastal city, Quy Nhon boasts a terrific beach-blessed shoreline and grand boulevards. Its seaside appeal and tidy, litter-free streets make it the kind of place that affluent Vietnamese couples choose to retire to, spending their final days ocean-gazing and promenade-walking

If you are looking for a beach and you willing to get off the beaten track will enjoy Quy Nhon, a lively and pleasant coastal city in Bình Định Province in central Vietnam, virtually half way between the popular cities of Nha Trang and Hoi An. The city is known for its beautiful surroundings, Cham temples, and nearby beaches.

Easily reached by plane, bus and train, it’s surprising that more people don’t choose to spend more than the absolute minimum in Qui Nhon. It has a noteworthy beach in its own right, without any of the hustle or crowds. Visitors will have opportunity of breathing the pure fresh air from the sea, mountains and forests, feeling the caress of sea breezes and hot embrace of tropical sun, watching the skilled  craftsmen hand making beautiful artifacts, and tasting the peculiar specialities. But first and foremost they will be pleased with the warm welcome from the local folks.

Quy Nhon is certainly a good spot to sample some fresh seafood, but for most foreign visitors the city’s attractions are less obvious

Vast sapphire skies and fresh ocean breezes draw visitors to Quy Nhon, where you can enjoy empty beaches and the area’s rugged natural beauty. The public beach is immaculate and so far, development directly on the beach has been limited to only a few hotels and resorts on the south end of the strip. Besides, tourists who explore Eo Gio, Ky Co beach, Trung Luong and near by fishing villages discover both serenity and excitement.

To get more experience about Quy Nhon beach, you can click: Indochina travel packages

Ky Co beach is arguably the most impressive beach in the region. Located 25km from down town, Ky Co is special because it bends like a sickle. Backed by mountains on three sides, the beach faces the deep blue sea. Visitors can travel here by boat, admiring the rocky and picturesque coastal landscape on the way. Another option is to reach Eo Gio (Windy Straight) by motorbike and board a small boat to Ky Co beach. We come here to swim in the crystal water, relax on the beach and enjoy seafood. There are also some caves to explore. Pineapple Beach offers colourful coral. Eo Gio is also worth visiting, blessed with a harmonious landscape of rocks, sky, cloud and water.

Ky Co Beach is nestled snugly in Nhon Ly Commune, 25 kilometers northeast of Quy Nhon City

Ghenh Rang ( Rang Rapid) is one of the most spectacular natural gifts bestowed upon this city. Lying 3km south down town, Rang Rapid consists of a series of rocky walls set near the sea. Ghenh Rang is a work by Mother Nature with a cluster of stones running along the seaside and undulating rock mountains, forming caves, dales with white sand on one side and the emerald sea of rustling waves on the other. After dark the rocks appear even more mysterious. Set below high mountains, the rocks and sea shine silver in the light of the moon and stars twinkle in the clear dark sky. These all creates a pristine Ghenh Rang, a charming spectacular and romantic painting.

Ghenh Rang is one of the most attractive destinations in Quy Nhon, located 3km south east of the city

Another natural marvel is known as the Queen Beach – a rocky beach covered with large rocks in strange rounded shapes. Visitors like to walk barefoot on these rocks, which resemble giant eggs. The colors are striking-white, red, grey or patterned…This rocky beach has an otherworldly beauty.

Hungry from exploring Quy Nhon’s spectacular landscape, visitors will enjoy this region’s famed fresh seafood and local dishes. The town has lots of cafés where you can relax, watch the sea and recharge in preparation for your next adventure.

Trung Luong

Eo Gio

Eo Gio

Trung Luong

Trung Luong beach

Enjoy fresh coconut while visiting Trung Luong – Quy Nhon Beach

Eo Gio is the best place to take photos

Beach at down town of Quy Nhon city

_lucas_

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Summer Calling with Company Trip

In Vietnam, when the summer comes it’s time for companies to have holiday or company trip. Every year, companies have planned and searched for great locations/destinations for employees’ summer vacation.This is a great opportunity for whole team to know more each other and strengthen the bonds of friendship from different teams and departments, and also to charge energy, because happy workers can contribute more for the company.

The objectives for company annual trip are our executives can escape for a while from busy and stressful environment at the office. In this trip someone can relax their  body and mind and in the same time can spend a good quality time with their family. It’s also can strengthening a good relationship between executives and their family. Other benefit of this trip is our executive can work more focus and keep motivated to do they daily works. That mean happy worker can contribute more for the company.

Hai Hoa beach has white sand and blue water

This year, Indochina Voyages Team has planned an annual trip for our company in May. This trip involves the company executives with the spouse and children. We decided to visit Hai Hoa beach, is a well-known beach in the North of Vietnam. With the literal meaning of its name, Hai Hoa (means “Peaceful” ) beach in the north-central province of Thanh Hoa boasts the serenity that only beautiful natural scenery can provide (It is located  at Hai Hoa Commune, Tinh Gia District, Thanh Hoa Province, around 200 km from Hanoi). Its tiny white-capped summer waves attract thousands of local tourists in peak season.

Bai Dong

The reason why we choose this destination because unlike other noisy and commercialized tourist hubs, visitors to Hai Hoa Beach enjoy the peaceful atmosphere of its stunning landscape and the fresh taste of its seafood. As it is quieter than some other beaches in the central region such as Sam Son beach, Hai Hoa is a boom for local people, the beach still possesses white sandy dunes and green, forested ranges near crystal clear blue waters.

On the first two days, we went to Bai Dong, a new beach in Thanh Hoa province, 30km from Hai Hoa. This place is not as crowded as other popular beaches. With peaceful scenery and  blue sea and white sand, the beach is still wild and naturally beautiful.

Hai Hoa beach in the morning

The second day was a fun-filled time for Hai Hoa beach. We swam, played football, and climbed up to the mountain. Apart from sunbathing or relaxing on the beach, drinking coconut juice, and chatting with friends over a glass of beer and savory snacks of seafood. Before dawn there is a flurry of activity that involves everyone, both young and old, after fishing boats return to their shores. Nets are gathered and washed as conversations continue, women weigh and sell fresh fish and children play cheerfully around.

Seafood market in the morning

Hai Hoa beach in the afternoon

At dawn, the beach is seemingly lit by a ball of fire that bounces off the ocean’s surface. Small fishing boats dock at the beach to sell fish, crab, and shrimp from their overnight catch. You can also surf the waves that surround the pristine island of Hon Me, not far away from the beach or  you can try to fish for cuttlefish at night.

In the summer morning, we did not miss the chance to catch the sunrise over the sea. Just at 5am, many people noisily call each other to wake up and run to the sea. The dawn is “dyed” a reddish purple in the horizon. It is a great feeling when you inhale the salty taste of sea and walking on the flat sand, seeing the fishing boats returning to the wharf in the early shimmering sunbeam.

Coming to Hai Hoa, you can also find Hon Me island offshore, and Soi mountain and Chay mountain in the South of the beach. Not far away from Hai Hoa, there are many other beaches, such as Hai Thuong beach, Nghi Son beach or Bai Dong beach…

We had great time together there. When leaving Hai Hoa, it is sure that we will eagerly wish for coming here again to return to the nature, and to immerse ourselves in the wild and poetic sea.

If you want to get more information about Hai Hoa beach, please view: Indochina tours Vietnam

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How to avoid scams during your holiday in Vietnam? (Part 2)

Part 2: Others scams

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2.1 Street Vendors of All Kind

Say it again: Overall, Vietnam holidays deals is a relatively safe in however like most countries, it has its share of traveller annoyances such as books sellers, ladies with fruit baskets, shoeshine boys…

They are some vendors who sell books in boxes at cheap prices but those books are photocopies. You would not know as these “books” are wrapped up. Some of those are also of low quality – errors in pages, etc.

They are ladies with fruit baskets: Walking in the Old quarter in Hanoi, meet a lady with her fruit basket? There are other vendors who will invite you to take a photo with them. Once taken, they will demand a fee, a tip, or a purchase of their products. Want a photo? being handed the baskets for you to try putting onto your shoulder to have a photo taken? Hey, a few dollars will be asked or they going to keep yelling at you. What a nuisance! It is a set scenario made by a group of women. They are of course a fake fruit basket women. Real ones will never have that light loads. Action: Ignore, and you will be hounded until you pay. Get away from them. If they approach, you stay back. If they put the baskets on your shoulder, just say NO, detour them and keep on ( this is popular in Hanoi old quarter).

They are shoe repairer. Some guy approaches you out of nowhere and applies glue to your shoes. Next, he would take out a thread and tell you that your shoes are about to fall apart, which he can repair for $1. If you didn’t realize, that glue is actually a solvent that dissolves stitches. Should you say yes, he would then proceed. However, the trouble does not end when the job is completed, as he will be demanding $10 or more.

⇒ How to avoid:

– A firm but polite “No” to the vendors. In certain circumstances, just pretend you do not listen and walk away.

– Do not open your purse or wallet in public. If you want to buy something, keep your wallet close, know exactly how much you need so you can take it out quickly, and put your money straight away afterwards.

2.2 Overcharging and Confusing Currency

This is common around the world, but it is much more easily implemented here due to the large note denomination.

Confusing Currency: There are so many damn denominations in Vietnam, notes range from the virtually worthless 200 VND up to the 500,000VD note. There are 10 denominations in total.  At the current rate of exchange, 1 US dollar is worth 22,500VND.  So imagine your surprise when you exchange $1000. It makes you feel as though you are one of the wealthiest people on earth. As a newcomer to the country you must be very careful to check the money you are handling as some of the bill colours are quite similar.  For example, you’re in a dark club and you hand a blue note thinking you’ve paid for your 110,000VND cocktail only to be embarrassed that you’ve given the waitress a 20,000vnd bill instead of a 500,000. A very valuable tip is  try to keep your money in different places on your persons when out and about.  You make yourself an appealing target to thieves and pick pockets if you pull out a wad of cash.

Overcharging can occur in many different forms, such as over conversion of currency, giving less change by rounding up/down, not giving any change by insisting on a tip, or even changing the fare once the service is completed. After choosing goods in the shop, you need to make sure the price before taking it. There are many cases fake prices higher than the real value of goods, especially in markets, some shops. The solution for this situation is bargain lower cost many reduce a haft of a price they said. Maybe you conflict others currency between USD and “dong”, let’s check carefully. Some restaurants in Vietnam have the scam list their price doesn’t appear on the menu. If guests ask about the price, they usually avoid the answer or answer vaguely. When meals end, the staff in the restaurant will give bills for customers, the price is usually unacceptable, which is so much expensive compared to the quality of food and the market price. Tourists cannot declare to them as they ate the food already and must pay the bills to leave.

Many places also quote in USD to make overcharging easier for them – either by rounding up to USD (which is higher than the value in Vietnamese Dong) or by demanding payment in Dong while using an unacceptable exchange rate. Also beware when a vendor tells you 10, it could mean 10 USD, 10,000 Dong or even something else! Besides this, always ensure that the fee is for everyone in the group and not for each individual.

Finally, be extremely careful with the cash in your wallet, keep them out of sight from the public and from the shopkeepers.

⇒ How to avoid:

– Always exchange you money in legal money exchange rate counter rather than with individuals on the street. Be ridiculously meticulous with counting (and holding on) to currency you’re not familiar with.

– Before you enter Vietnam it’s very important to know exchange rates and a rough estimate of how much things should cost. Double check how much money you’ve had exchanged and don’t just pay for things without already knowing about how much it should be. Carrying a small calculator or using the calculator on your mobile phone is a good choice.

– Always carry a range of bills, the smaller the better, so that they have no chance to short change you.

– Always confirm what currency a price is in and pay in the currency they’ve quoted. If a price is quoted in dollars and you choose to pay in Vietnamese dong, always double check the exchange rate used to make the conversion.

– Be meticulous with counting any time money change hands and never accept torn or damaged bills which are usually difficult to spend later.

– Get familiar with Vietnamese dong. Even though all the denominations are different sizes and colors, it can still be hard to differentiate the similar ones. For instance, the 200,000 and 50,000 denominations are slightly varied shades of red.

Do not let list of scam scare you. Vietnam is an extremely safe place to travel and its people are overwhelmingly hospitable, friendly and honest. Please remember that tourist scams occurs in tourist areas, even though it seems like there are a lot to be afraid of, these will just ensure you enjoy your time in Vietnam to the fullest. So go visit, just with these tips in mind.

You can see more: How to avoid scams during your holiday in Vietnam? Part I

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Travelling to Can Tho, do not forget to visit these 5 places

Located in the heart of Mekong Delta region, Can Tho is a unique place which brings you many exciting travel experiences. It takes at least four hour to drive from Saigon city center to Can Tho then you are highly recommended to spend at least two days one night there. Here below are some must-see attractions:

Cai Rang Floating Market

Can Tho has long been well known as the home of the famous Cai Rang floating market. Each year, thousands of travellers do not mind spend hours travelling on coach from Saigon to Can Tho, just to attend this early morning activity – where you can see the daily life and local people selling their products on boats.

Cai Rang Floating Market- source: internet

The best time to visit Cai Rang Floating Market is early morning, around 5am to 8am when it is most bustling and crowded. Photo opportunities are endless, my camera memory card was full after just about 3 hours visit the market

Can Tho bridge

Can Tho bridge crossing Hau river, connects Can Tho city to Vinh Long province. It is a newly built cable-stayed bridge which was finished in 2010. If you have chance to visit Can Tho during weekend or some holidays, the bridge is lightened with thousands of colorful lights. Embark a boat at Ninh Kieu pier and sail down the river to view the whole bridge at night is also a lovely experience.

Can Tho bridge- source: internet

Binh Thuy Ancient House

Binh Thuy ancient house in Can Tho attracts people with its ancient look and unique architecture. This old house was built in 1807 and owned and well preserved by Duong family. For those who are interested in architecture, this location is definitely worth to check out.

Binh Thuy Ancient House- source: internet

Ninh Kieu Pier

If Hanoians are proud of their One Pillar Pagoda, Hoan Kiem Lake with Turtle Tower; Hue has imperial tombs, Can Tho people must be happy as they have Ninh Kieu pier which is now called Ninh Kieu Park – a cultural tourist attraction. Recently, night market and restaurants are operated nearby the pier where you can discover the cuisine of Mekong Delta at night.

Ninh Kieu Pier- source: internet

My Khanh Orchard

With more than twenty trees are planted along the walkway including plum, rambutan, jackfruit, mango, strawberry, durian, etc, always lush, laden with fruits, the orchard is definitely a paradise for those who love tropical fruit.

My Khanh Orchard- source: internet

Follow above suggestions, trust that you will enjoy an interesting time in Can Tho and discover most highlights of Mekong Delta tours Vietnam.

If you interest this post,  you can access: private-3-days-cai-be-vinh-long-sadec-can-tho to get more useful information

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The daily activities occur on the Long Bien bridge

Leaving the crowded, bustling, busy life of the Hanoi centre in peak hours, we look to a peaceful and serene places in the afternoon. The old Long Bien bridge where we want to visit. This bridge was a connected the life of local people around Red river.

Long Bien bridge-source: internet

It is considered a historical witness for more than a century. Apparently, the image of ancient Long Bien bridge has become a symbol of the Hanoi capital.
This bridge is the first steel bridge across the Red River, which connects the two districts of Hoan Kiem with Long Bien district,it was built by the French (1898-1902), named for Doumer, under the name of the Governor General of Indochina Paul Doumer. This bridge is linked to the history of two wars against the French and American peoples, witnessed many changes of Hanoi. The values of the past as still deposited on each bridge.

Long Bien bridge- source: internet

Every day, the busiest line of people has the reverse sweep back and forth line across this bridge. It is especially unique bridge opposite direction in Vietnam. This bridge consists of lanes for pedestrians, bicycles, motorcycles and trains.
Walk along the bridge, you will see green mudflats with banana trees, strawberry garden. A ordinary life of the people along the Red River. Located about 2km central Hanoi, but the life of the local people is so idyllic and rustic. Everyday, they grow vegetables, fruits and go fish.

Banana field near Long Bien bridge- source: internet

In the afternoon, We easily see the street vendors where is selling gifts like fruit native toad, guava, or bunch of shrimp , bunch of fish which brought up by the local people.

Long Bien bridge in afternoon- source: internet

When it is really dark, rows of iced tea, lemon tea laid out with a few simple mats. You will find a sense of peace, interspersed bit dim. That contrasted with the Chuong Duong bridge bustling, sparkling lights, symbolizing the modern lifestyle.

Long Bien bridge in night- source: internet

Conclusion, The daily activities occur frequently and repeated on the old Long Bien bridge. If you interest this post, please click  Hanoi cycling tour to get more information.

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