Showing posts with label Ha Long Bay 下龙湾. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ha Long Bay 下龙湾. Show all posts
Friday, June 6, 2025
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Monday, October 31, 2022
Sunday, October 2, 2022
Friday, May 13, 2016
Newly upgraded Hai Phong airport to boost tourism
Vietnam opens newly upgraded airport to boost tourism
Senior government officials at the inauguration ceremony of Cat Bi International Airport in Hai Phong City on May 12.
A Boeing 787 Dreamliner landed at Cat Bi International Airport on Thursday morning, marking the first flight to the airport after it was upgraded for international services.
The expanded airport in the northern city of Hai Phong was also hosting an inauguration ceremony, with many new flights being scheduled on both domestic and international routes.
The new airport will have direct flights to China, South Korea, Japan, Thailand and other countries. It is expected to help boost tourism to Hai Phong, known for Do Son Beach and Cat Ba Islands and located 75 kilometers from Ha Long Bay.
It is also expected to reduce some of the pressure for Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi, which is 105 kilometers away.
Cat Bi is also launching new domestic routes to more local tourist destinations, including Hai Phong, Phu Quoc and Da Lat. There will be flights connecting the city with Nghe An and Can Tho.
The upgrade project started in 2013 with a total investment of more than VND3.6 trillion (US$161.4 million).
The airport now can serve 4 million passengers annually and is capable of receiving large aircraft like Boeing 747 and 777.
The airport served 1.3 million passengers and transported 6,300 tons of goods last year, with an average of 35 flights every day.
~News courtesy of Thanh Nien~
Senior government officials at the inauguration ceremony of Cat Bi International Airport in Hai Phong City on May 12.
A Boeing 787 Dreamliner landed at Cat Bi International Airport on Thursday morning, marking the first flight to the airport after it was upgraded for international services.
The expanded airport in the northern city of Hai Phong was also hosting an inauguration ceremony, with many new flights being scheduled on both domestic and international routes.
The new airport will have direct flights to China, South Korea, Japan, Thailand and other countries. It is expected to help boost tourism to Hai Phong, known for Do Son Beach and Cat Ba Islands and located 75 kilometers from Ha Long Bay.
It is also expected to reduce some of the pressure for Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi, which is 105 kilometers away.
Cat Bi is also launching new domestic routes to more local tourist destinations, including Hai Phong, Phu Quoc and Da Lat. There will be flights connecting the city with Nghe An and Can Tho.
The upgrade project started in 2013 with a total investment of more than VND3.6 trillion (US$161.4 million).
The airport now can serve 4 million passengers annually and is capable of receiving large aircraft like Boeing 747 and 777.
The airport served 1.3 million passengers and transported 6,300 tons of goods last year, with an average of 35 flights every day.
~News courtesy of Thanh Nien~
Tuesday, July 28, 2015
Ha Long Bay will become Asia’s emerald in 2035
Vietnam's Ha Long Bay will become Asia’s emerald in 2035
Hoang Thi Thu Nga, a 31-year-old woman from Hanoi, pictures the UNESCO-recognized Ha Long Bay, secluded in the northern province of Quang Ninh, as an Asian gem in 2035 in her submission to the “Ky Vong Viet Nam 20 Nam Toi” (“My Expectations for Vietnam in 20 Years”) writing contest.
I first visited Ha Long and fell in love with the city in 2006. Over the past nine years, I’ve always spent time each year in the gorgeous city and realized its abundant potential to take off in the future.
I aspire that in the next 20 years, Ha Long will grow into a green, dynamic city which is ranked among the world’s most worth-living cities, and an alluring tourist attraction to domestic and international tourists alike.
I’d also like to suggest “Ha Long - An emerald of Asia” as the city’s slogan.
A luxury scenic spot
Ha Long Bay is already a unique heritage and an astounding place of interest among local and foreign holidaymakers. In my dream, Ha Long in 2035 would make even more amazing breakthroughs compared to the present and turn itself into a topnotch tourist spot which draws travelers in their own aircraft and yacht.
Ha Long City would then be free from air pollution and wow tourists with its lush greenery, turquoise sea and blue sky. The space dedicated to trees would occupy up to half of the total area. The on-sea and underground space would make up between one fourth or one fifth of the city’s entire area.
Ha Long tourism would stand out for its specialities, with a system of lavish undersea system and hotels being a key highlight. Apart from current floating houses and cruisers, tourists would feel pampered inside houses boasting two submerged floors and one floating floor. Vacationers would be served delectable seafood, go fishing and diving or engage in thrill-packed adventure games.
Tours would be offered to allow tourists to explore hundreds of untouched islands within Ha Long Bay.
Adventure seekers would row their kayaks on the lakes in the islands, and scale the mountains. They would also be treated to picturesque sunsets over sand strips which stretch as far as the eyes can see. Some hundred manmade islands would also be built and scattered between Ha Long Bay and the islands of Co To, Quan Lan,and Minh Chau. Apart from culinary and entertainment delights, these islands would also be home to marine museums and commercial port models.
Visitors to Ha Long would be indulged with premium, hospitable services and benefit from dedicated, professional tour guide assistance. Rips-off would definitely be a thing of the past.
Orientations for a future green city
In 2002, the Prime Minister issued Decision 142 regarding preserving, zoning and tapping into Ha Long Bay’s values into the year 2020.
However, for Ha Long to soar in 2035, the State needs a new zoning plan, with particular orientation to turn Ha Long into a green city. Leading local and international experts in urban development would be summoned for opinions.
The key to this zoning plan is a switch from the mining and electricity industries to tourism. State and provincial budget allocation would be prioritized for the development of tourism infrastructure. The need to turn the city into a green one will be publicized to every household.
The State should also issue special policies to draw investment for the implementation of mammoth projects in the city. Major global tourism groups would also be wooed to contribute to the city’s growth by building streets and sea-crossing floating house complexes which would be scattered from Hon Gai and Bai Chay to the islands of Co To, Minh Chau and Quan Lan.
The government would keep the construction under strict surveillance to ensure that there are no adverse environmental impacts and good scheduling. The government must also request construction units to pay due respect to the bay’s natural assets and build sustainable ecological tourism.
It’s also advisable that “tourism complexes” be established, and Ha Long Bay and its core and peripheral areas be “circled” and high fees be charged to visitors to the UNESCO-recognized natural heritage. Teams of foreign reconnaisance and tourism reporters should also be set up to provide counseling on how to design unrivalled tours which are unique only to Ha Long.
Such tours may include luxury programs meant for just one or two persons or a family who would spend their time on a pristine island. There they would be pampered with lavish hotel services, along with once-in-a-lifetime experiences such as diving and coral exploring, beholding Ha Long from above, mountaineering and exploring islands, going angling at lakes, and relishing their drinks inside caverns.
Ha Long Bay’s peripheral areas, sea ports, and coastal residential areas would be zoned into clean agricultural and aquatic product raising supplies of fresh, hygienically ensured food, the tastes of which would linger in tourists’ minds.
In addition, human resources also require urgent attention. Local youth who wish to join the smokeless industry would be sent to such countries as Thailand, Singapore and Switzerland for training in tourism and hotel and catering management.
Catering and tourism services also need to be further computerized. Hotels and travel firms are supposed to have their own websites which offer specific, helpful information. Staff should also be arranged to work around the clock to receive room and tour bookings from guests the world over and be willing to pick up their feedback and provide answers to their queries.
It’s also desirable that the tourism sector organize carnivals on an annual basis to lure more international tourists to the islands. The city is also advised to facilitate the organization of other uniquely alluring tours which allow tourists to explore fishing villages, participate in traditional crafts and relish mouth-watering delicacies.
~News courtesy of Tuoi Tre~
Hoang Thi Thu Nga, a 31-year-old woman from Hanoi, pictures the UNESCO-recognized Ha Long Bay, secluded in the northern province of Quang Ninh, as an Asian gem in 2035 in her submission to the “Ky Vong Viet Nam 20 Nam Toi” (“My Expectations for Vietnam in 20 Years”) writing contest.
I first visited Ha Long and fell in love with the city in 2006. Over the past nine years, I’ve always spent time each year in the gorgeous city and realized its abundant potential to take off in the future.
I aspire that in the next 20 years, Ha Long will grow into a green, dynamic city which is ranked among the world’s most worth-living cities, and an alluring tourist attraction to domestic and international tourists alike.
I’d also like to suggest “Ha Long - An emerald of Asia” as the city’s slogan.
A luxury scenic spot
Ha Long Bay is already a unique heritage and an astounding place of interest among local and foreign holidaymakers. In my dream, Ha Long in 2035 would make even more amazing breakthroughs compared to the present and turn itself into a topnotch tourist spot which draws travelers in their own aircraft and yacht.
Ha Long City would then be free from air pollution and wow tourists with its lush greenery, turquoise sea and blue sky. The space dedicated to trees would occupy up to half of the total area. The on-sea and underground space would make up between one fourth or one fifth of the city’s entire area.
Ha Long tourism would stand out for its specialities, with a system of lavish undersea system and hotels being a key highlight. Apart from current floating houses and cruisers, tourists would feel pampered inside houses boasting two submerged floors and one floating floor. Vacationers would be served delectable seafood, go fishing and diving or engage in thrill-packed adventure games.
Tours would be offered to allow tourists to explore hundreds of untouched islands within Ha Long Bay.
Adventure seekers would row their kayaks on the lakes in the islands, and scale the mountains. They would also be treated to picturesque sunsets over sand strips which stretch as far as the eyes can see. Some hundred manmade islands would also be built and scattered between Ha Long Bay and the islands of Co To, Quan Lan,and Minh Chau. Apart from culinary and entertainment delights, these islands would also be home to marine museums and commercial port models.
Visitors to Ha Long would be indulged with premium, hospitable services and benefit from dedicated, professional tour guide assistance. Rips-off would definitely be a thing of the past.
Orientations for a future green city
In 2002, the Prime Minister issued Decision 142 regarding preserving, zoning and tapping into Ha Long Bay’s values into the year 2020.
However, for Ha Long to soar in 2035, the State needs a new zoning plan, with particular orientation to turn Ha Long into a green city. Leading local and international experts in urban development would be summoned for opinions.
The key to this zoning plan is a switch from the mining and electricity industries to tourism. State and provincial budget allocation would be prioritized for the development of tourism infrastructure. The need to turn the city into a green one will be publicized to every household.
The State should also issue special policies to draw investment for the implementation of mammoth projects in the city. Major global tourism groups would also be wooed to contribute to the city’s growth by building streets and sea-crossing floating house complexes which would be scattered from Hon Gai and Bai Chay to the islands of Co To, Minh Chau and Quan Lan.
The government would keep the construction under strict surveillance to ensure that there are no adverse environmental impacts and good scheduling. The government must also request construction units to pay due respect to the bay’s natural assets and build sustainable ecological tourism.
It’s also advisable that “tourism complexes” be established, and Ha Long Bay and its core and peripheral areas be “circled” and high fees be charged to visitors to the UNESCO-recognized natural heritage. Teams of foreign reconnaisance and tourism reporters should also be set up to provide counseling on how to design unrivalled tours which are unique only to Ha Long.
Such tours may include luxury programs meant for just one or two persons or a family who would spend their time on a pristine island. There they would be pampered with lavish hotel services, along with once-in-a-lifetime experiences such as diving and coral exploring, beholding Ha Long from above, mountaineering and exploring islands, going angling at lakes, and relishing their drinks inside caverns.
Ha Long Bay’s peripheral areas, sea ports, and coastal residential areas would be zoned into clean agricultural and aquatic product raising supplies of fresh, hygienically ensured food, the tastes of which would linger in tourists’ minds.
In addition, human resources also require urgent attention. Local youth who wish to join the smokeless industry would be sent to such countries as Thailand, Singapore and Switzerland for training in tourism and hotel and catering management.
Catering and tourism services also need to be further computerized. Hotels and travel firms are supposed to have their own websites which offer specific, helpful information. Staff should also be arranged to work around the clock to receive room and tour bookings from guests the world over and be willing to pick up their feedback and provide answers to their queries.
It’s also desirable that the tourism sector organize carnivals on an annual basis to lure more international tourists to the islands. The city is also advised to facilitate the organization of other uniquely alluring tours which allow tourists to explore fishing villages, participate in traditional crafts and relish mouth-watering delicacies.
~News courtesy of Tuoi Tre~
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Ha Long Bay - Simply wonderful
Simply wonderful
Vông Viêng Village in Ha Long Bay, the northern province of Quang Ninh, is home to 72 families who still maintain customs from the old nomadic lifestyle and the originality of a Vietnamese fishing village
It was foggy in the morning when we set off in a canoe from Bai Chay Town in the central province of Quang Ninh to Vông Viêng Village, some 30 kilometers away.
Soon, we arrived at a giant rock arch that serves as an entrance to the village that is tucked away in a corner of Ha Long Bay, the natural wonder which is Vietnam’s premier destination.
Going through the arch, we entered what looked like a lost world compared to the lively bay out there: the green mountains surrounding them seemed to have had a calm influence on the waters, as also the blue skies high above.
The houses on boats anchored along islands added to the picturesque look.
Around us, local women were rowing boats for tourists to go sightseeing. The boats moved very quietly and calmly, and we were thankful for that.
The children playing on the sampans were a lively lot, looking perfectly safe and at home on the water as they played with the oars.
Vông Viêng is home to 72 families who live on fishing. For the last few years, tourism has allowed them to augment their income after they were approached by a group of travel firms to provide services new to Ha Long Bay.
The businesses organize homestay tours to the village. During the tours, tourists live, eat and fish with local people. They also join them in traditional festivals and ceremonies when these happen.
These activities have helped visitors learn more about the culture of Vông Viêng, which was established centuries ago when nomadic fishermen living off the sea settled down here.
Locals still maintain customs from the old nomadic lifestyle as well as the originality of a Vietnamese fishing village – from the practice of worshipping sea gods, to singing old folk songs relating to the sea. That they do this in the middle of a famous destination receiving thousands of tourists a day is a welcome development.
Original fishing trip
During our stay in Vông Viêng, we were guided by Duong Van Thanh and his family.
They first took us out on a fishing trip. Initially, Thanh was at the helm of the boat, and just after it left the village’s bay, he handed the steering wheel to his youngest son, Hoang.
Just ten years old, Hoang looked more mature than other boys his age, a result of the fact that he was taught to earn a living at sea to support his family at a very young age.
After finding a good place for fishing, the boy stopped the boat and his family, namely Hoang, Thanh, and his wife, threw their net in.
Once the net was stable, they drove the boat around it for a few times while all of them continuously hit the boat’s sides with a pair of sticks in their hands.
We also joined them in the creating the drum-beat like din. Sometimes, Hoang stopped hitting and hit the water surface with a long pole to scare fish into their net.
It looked as though this original way of fishing dated back hundreds of years. We ended the fishing trip without a big catch, but the experience was exciting. Knowing that the catch would provide us the meal at Thanh’s house when we returned added edge to our appetite.
Thanh’s house is almost rectangular with each side less than four meters long, yet it was home to six people in the family. His other children were also engaged in fishing and rowing boats to show tourists around.
After the meal we were rowed to a floating raft that hosts a school with two classrooms – one for preschoolers and another for students of first grade to fifth grade. On the raft, there was also a reception area for tourists and even a small gallery.
As we were showed around the village, we became aware that in such a secluded place, people tended to bond together. Their houses were tied closely together, and we were told that it was a way to cope with storms. Whenever a storm approached, they would help each other fortifying their homes. Even generators are also shared, one serving six families.
Experiencing this sense of community was perhaps the most attractive part of our trip to Vông Viêng, not to mention their hospitality and being part of locals’ lives for a short time. Amidst a natural wonder of the world, this touch of human magic enclosed in a very simple lifestyle gave us plenty to reflect on as we returned to the chaos of our daily life.
~News courtesy of Thanh Nien~
Vông Viêng Village in Ha Long Bay, the northern province of Quang Ninh, is home to 72 families who still maintain customs from the old nomadic lifestyle and the originality of a Vietnamese fishing village
It was foggy in the morning when we set off in a canoe from Bai Chay Town in the central province of Quang Ninh to Vông Viêng Village, some 30 kilometers away.
Soon, we arrived at a giant rock arch that serves as an entrance to the village that is tucked away in a corner of Ha Long Bay, the natural wonder which is Vietnam’s premier destination.
Going through the arch, we entered what looked like a lost world compared to the lively bay out there: the green mountains surrounding them seemed to have had a calm influence on the waters, as also the blue skies high above.
The houses on boats anchored along islands added to the picturesque look.
Around us, local women were rowing boats for tourists to go sightseeing. The boats moved very quietly and calmly, and we were thankful for that.
The children playing on the sampans were a lively lot, looking perfectly safe and at home on the water as they played with the oars.
Vông Viêng is home to 72 families who live on fishing. For the last few years, tourism has allowed them to augment their income after they were approached by a group of travel firms to provide services new to Ha Long Bay.
The businesses organize homestay tours to the village. During the tours, tourists live, eat and fish with local people. They also join them in traditional festivals and ceremonies when these happen.
These activities have helped visitors learn more about the culture of Vông Viêng, which was established centuries ago when nomadic fishermen living off the sea settled down here.
Locals still maintain customs from the old nomadic lifestyle as well as the originality of a Vietnamese fishing village – from the practice of worshipping sea gods, to singing old folk songs relating to the sea. That they do this in the middle of a famous destination receiving thousands of tourists a day is a welcome development.
Original fishing trip
During our stay in Vông Viêng, we were guided by Duong Van Thanh and his family.
They first took us out on a fishing trip. Initially, Thanh was at the helm of the boat, and just after it left the village’s bay, he handed the steering wheel to his youngest son, Hoang.
Just ten years old, Hoang looked more mature than other boys his age, a result of the fact that he was taught to earn a living at sea to support his family at a very young age.
After finding a good place for fishing, the boy stopped the boat and his family, namely Hoang, Thanh, and his wife, threw their net in.
Once the net was stable, they drove the boat around it for a few times while all of them continuously hit the boat’s sides with a pair of sticks in their hands.
We also joined them in the creating the drum-beat like din. Sometimes, Hoang stopped hitting and hit the water surface with a long pole to scare fish into their net.
It looked as though this original way of fishing dated back hundreds of years. We ended the fishing trip without a big catch, but the experience was exciting. Knowing that the catch would provide us the meal at Thanh’s house when we returned added edge to our appetite.
Thanh’s house is almost rectangular with each side less than four meters long, yet it was home to six people in the family. His other children were also engaged in fishing and rowing boats to show tourists around.
After the meal we were rowed to a floating raft that hosts a school with two classrooms – one for preschoolers and another for students of first grade to fifth grade. On the raft, there was also a reception area for tourists and even a small gallery.
As we were showed around the village, we became aware that in such a secluded place, people tended to bond together. Their houses were tied closely together, and we were told that it was a way to cope with storms. Whenever a storm approached, they would help each other fortifying their homes. Even generators are also shared, one serving six families.
Experiencing this sense of community was perhaps the most attractive part of our trip to Vông Viêng, not to mention their hospitality and being part of locals’ lives for a short time. Amidst a natural wonder of the world, this touch of human magic enclosed in a very simple lifestyle gave us plenty to reflect on as we returned to the chaos of our daily life.
~News courtesy of Thanh Nien~
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