Central Vietnam destinations join forces in unique tourism project

Central Vietnam destinations join forces in unique tourism project



A corner of Hoi An Town in Quang Nam Province. Photo credit: Dao Loan/The Saigon Times

The website The Essence of Vietnam was launched Friday to promote tourism in Quang Nam, Da Nang and Thua Thien-Hue in the first joint campaign among the favorite localities.

It was part of a well-coordinated project backed by the EU to boost tourism in the central coast destinations, known for the UNESCO World Heritage sites of Hue Citadel, Hoi An Ancient Town and My Son Sanctuary, as well as tropical beaches and national parks.

“We chose the name The Essence of Vietnam because the area is located in the central region and is home to world heritage sites and beautiful beaches,” Tran Chi Cuong, deputy director of Da Nang Tourism Department, was quoted by The Saigon Times as saying. Da Nang, Quang Nam and Thua Thien-Hue have been sharing stalls at several travel fairs recently, he added.

Cuong said the new project will also connect nearby localities and promised there will be "new and diverse tourism products." According to the General Statistics Office of Vietnam, the country attracted nearly 900,000 international visitors in August, up 34.4 percent from a year ago.

Nearly 6.5 million visitors have come to Vietnam so far this year, an increase of 25.4 percent from the same period last year. Significant increases were reported from major source markets including Hong Kong, China, South Korea, Thailand, Laos, New Zealand, Russia, Sweden and Japan.

~News courtesy of Thanh Nien~

Reasons to visit Hoi An, in French photographer’s opinion

Reasons to visit Hoi An, in French photographer’s opinion

A French photographer living in central Vietnam has recently caught the attention of foreign tourists and photo lovers with his beautiful shots published on an international website.

Hoi An-based Rehahn C, who is known for his huge collection of photos of Vietnam, especially portraits of minority people, recently had his work displayed at http://www.boredpanda.com/, which has more than two million followers on Facebook.

Several photos capturing Hoi An, in the central province of Quang Nam, and its people by Rehahn have been showcased in a post titled “15 photos that will make you want to visit Hoi An.”

The Frenchman, who has lived in Vietnam for more than three years, told Tuoi Tre News that tourists said they visit Hoi An because the town is not noisy or crowded and they can appreciate the food, traditional lifestyle and old architecture there.

“I meet tourists every day, and 99 percent of them love Hoi An more than other cities,” he said. “They can ride bicycles around without any danger. Some international magazines call Hoi An the Venice of Asia.”

Rehahn added that he has captured 10,000 photos of Hoi An and is thinking about publishing a book on the town in the future.

“I like the lifestyle and the peaceful daily life here,” he said. “Yellow walls make a perfect background.”

He said Hoi An is an open air studio where each person is a potential model, calling it a paradise for photographers.

“My favorite models are the old people in small villages around here,” he added.

Last year, he released a book titled “Vietnam – Mosaic of Contrasts,” featuring 150 of the best portraits of people across Vietnam among the 30,000 Rehahn said he has taken over the last six years.

In March, Rehahn held his first exhibition in Ho Chi Minh City, starting his world tour through France, Toronto, San Francisco, London and other locations.

Besides putting his works in exhibitions and books, Rehahn also displays his photos on his Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Rehahn.Photography, where he has more than 217,000 followers.

Below are photos of Hoi An provided by Rehahn:



A street vendor walks by a yellow wall, the typical feature of Hoi An.



Hoi An's Cua Dai Beach



A hidden smile from Hoi An. This photo has been used on the cover of Rehahn's book "Vietnam – Mosaic of Contrasts"



Hoi An seen from the sky



Beautiful lanterns in Hoi An



Morning sunlight



Morning work



Old couple



Sunset



Sunset in Hoi An



Hoi An's Tra Que Village



A woman dressed in “ao dai” walks by a yellow wall, the typical feature of Hoi An



Tranquility



Rehahn's gallery in Hoi An

~News courtesy of Tuoi Tre~

My Son Sanctuary delays plan to hike entrance fees

My Son Sanctuary delays plan to hike entrance fees amid criticism


Tourists visit My Son in the central province of Quang Nam.

Tourism firms concerned over entrance fee hike at My Son Relic

The management of My Son Sanctuary has delayed a plan to increase entrance fees following complaints from tourism agencies that send tourists to the UNESCO heritage site in central Vietnam.

Huynh Tan Lap, who manages the site, said the popular tourist destination with a cluster of 4th century Hindu temples needs more money to improve infrastructure and services.

“We will increase ticket prices in September, two months later than previously planned,” he said.

My Son in Duy Xuyen District is some 40 kilometers from Hoi An, an old town and another favorite place in Quang Nam Province and nearly 70 kilometers southwest of Da Nang.

Last month, the management of My Son announced that it would increase entrance fees by up to 70 percent from July. Accordingly, the fees would go from VND100,000 (US$4.60) to VND150,000 for foreigners, and from VND60,000 to VND100,000 for locals.

Many tourism agencies have complained about the short notice, arguing that such a hike is unreasonable considering the unimproved services.

Lap said his team is carrying out a VND20 billion project to improve relevant services, including preserving a church, building roads, ticket booths, toilets, buying electric vehicles and hiring Cham music performers.

My Son welcomed 132,000 tourists in the first half of this year, a 4.8 percent increase over last year.

The site, which was recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1999, is expected to attract 250,000 tourists this year.

~News courtesy of Thanh Nien~

Tourism firms concerned over entrance fee hike at My Son Relic

Tourism firms concerned over entrance fee hike at My Son Relic


Tourists visiting the My Son Relic in the central province of Quang Nam. 

Tourism companies have complained about a sudden hike in entrance fees at the My Son Relic, an ancient Hindu religious site recognised as a UNESCO heritage site and a popular tourist destination in central Vietnam.

The My Son Relic management this week notified many tourism companies that it would increase by up to 70 percent ticket prices for the cluster of Hindu temples built in the 4th century some 40km from modern-day Hoi An.

From July the fees will go up from VND100,000 (US$4.6) to VND150,000 for foreigners and from VND60,000 to VND100,000 for locals.

“The hike is high and on short notice while the destination has no new products or services” the director of a tourism company in Hoi An, who wanted to remain unnamed, said.

“There should have been a gradual increase under a carefully considered plan. Tourism companies now have to pay the difference for tours already booked.”

Another tourism company director in Quang Nam, who too asked for anonymity, said the site management should have discussed with tourism companies before increasing entrance fees, just like Hoi An town does.

“A plan to increase the entrance fee to Cham Island off Hoi An by VND20,000 has been delayed due to criticism following a survey of tourism firms.”


The My Son relics complex is a cluster of ancient Hindu temples dating back to the 4th century.

Not the right time

Many experts said it is not the right time to increase the entrance fee at My Son, which has already been criticized for not attracting many tourists like other nearby UNESCO heritage sites in Vietnam like Hue and Hoi An.

According to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT), Vietnam received 7.87 million international visitors last year, a 4 percent increase over 2013.

However, the number of arrivals in the first five months this year dropped by nearly 13 percent to 3.27 million.

Nguyen Van Tuan, VNAT director, said the ticket price increase at My Son is unreasonable.

“Generally, entrance fees at destinations in Vietnam are much lower than at many places abroad and can be adjusted.

“However, the adjustment needs to be made at the right time, with improved services and under a rod map with prior notice of at least six months.”

VNAT has recommended careful consideration before increasing entrance fees at UNESCO heritage sites, he said.

“Increasing the fee at this time when the sector faces difficulty in attracting tourists is not reasonable. They have the authority to hike the fee but will be responsible for it.”

~News courtesy of Thanh Nien~

Hoi An to restore ancient wells for tourism

Hoi An to restore ancient wells for tourism


Culture authorities in a central Vietnamese province, where a UNESCO-recognized ancient town is located, have decided to restore its system of ancient wells and tap into them for tourism purposes.

The government of Hoi An City in Quang Nam Province have made the decision to bring its age-old Cham wells back to life.

According to statistics provided by the Hoi An Center for Cultural Heritage Management Preservation, the city is currently home to around 80 century-old wells, which lie mostly along the northern bank of the De Vong River, within Hoi An Ancient Town, which sits entirely in Minh An Ward of the city, and scattered along rivers in the vicinity.

Many of the wells, which boast diverse shapes, were built around the 15th century.

Only a handful of such wells are still used by locals to fetch water from, according to Nguyen Chi Trung, the center’s director. The remaining wells have long been rendered useless and turned shabby with luxuriant weeds and moss.

Most of them have become ruins or even vanished without a trace.

“In archeological archives, the land is believed to be the cradle of wells built by ethnic Cham people ages ago. There’s one approximately every 50 meters. However, a lack of care and speedy urbanization have plunged the artifacts into such dilapidation,” he added.

Truong Van Bay, vice chair of the Hoi An City People’s Committee, said his committee has assigned the Hoi An Center for Cultural Heritage Management Preservation to work out a conservation project.

The committee also plans to turn the wells into tourist attractions in the near future, Bay added.

Trung, of the heritage center, stressed the restoration process will be divided into several phases.

To begin with, the center plans to renovate eight wells located mostly in Hoi An City’s downtown area, including Kazik Park, Nguyen Tuong Lineage Shrine, and Ong Voi (Elephant) Temple, he elaborated.

Quang Nam Province received nearly 3.7 million visits in 2014, a seven percent year-on-year rise and almost four percent higher than the target, officials reported at a meeting late last year.

This year the province expects to welcome over 3.85 million visits, including over one million international tourist visits with myriad activities and discount programs.

In 1999, Hoi An Ancient Town was declared a world heritage site by UNESCO for being a well-preserved example of a Southeast Asian trading port from the 15th to 19th centuries, and for housing buildings with a unique blend of local and foreign influences.

Since then, the culturally rich town has been voted one of the top tourist destinations in the world by several major tourism magazines.

~News courtesy of Tuoi Tre News~

Iconic tourist night to be organized twice monthly in Hoi An Ancient Town

Iconic tourist night to be organized twice monthly in Hoi An Ancient Town



Authorities in central Vietnam will double the number of performances of an iconic program in UNESCO-recognized Hoi An Ancient Town to cater to burgeoning tourist demand.

The People’s Committee in the central province of Quang Nam have announced that they are poised to increase the frequency of the “Dem Pho Co” (Ancient Town Night) program from once to twice a lunar month.

The program, which is currently held in the ancient town on the 14th day of every lunar month, offers tourists a wide array of alluring activities including dining at cuisine sections, setting free lit flower lanterns on the town’s Hoai River, and strolling through a night market.

The committee has decided that the program will be held twice monthly, on the first and 14th days of every lunar month, starting next month.

Today, January 16, is the 26th day of the eleventh month in the lunar calendar.

The organizer will then take into consideration the possibility of running the program once every week based on the program’s appeal.

The committee also assigned the local Culture-Sports Center to diversify the program’s content and improve its appeal as a hallmark tourist product.

Improvements are to be made regarding sound and lighting systems and local peddlers’ attitudes and price listing.

The “Dem Pho Co” program was introduced in 1998.

Over the past 16 years, over 200 nights have been organized to attract a large number of local and international tourists.

According to statistics released in October 2014 by the Office of Trade and Tourism of Hoi An City, which is home to the ancient town, the city saw an increase of roughly 263 percent in the number of tourists spending time at local hotels every month in and around the time “Dem Pho Co” was held.

In 1999, Hoi An Ancient Town was declared a world heritage site by UNESCO for being a well-preserved example of a Southeast Asian trading port from the 15th to 19th centuries, and for housing buildings with a unique blend of local and foreign influences.

Since then, the culturally rich town has been voted one of the top tourist destinations in the world by several major tourism magazines.

Quang Nam Province received nearly 3.7 million visits in 2014, a seven percent year-on-year rise and almost four percent higher than the target, officials said at a meeting in late December last year.

The province expects to welcome over 3.85 million visitors this year.

~News courtesy of Tuoi Tre~

Vietnam ancient town to expand pedestrian area

Vietnam ancient town to expand pedestrian area

Tourists stroll the pedestrian area in Hoi An

Tourism authorities in the central province of Quang Nam have announced that Hoi An's pedestrian zone will be expanded in size and be enforced for longer hours beginning April 1.

According to the Hoi An Center for Culture and Sports, the 2-square-kilometer historic neighborhood in Minh An Ward will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m., and then from 3 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

At night, the walking zone will be expanded to cover sites like the 17th-century temple Tuy Tien Duong Minh Huong, the Cam Pho Temple, and a gallery of XQ embroidery paintings. Currently the area is open from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m., 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., and 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

According to Quang Nam Department of Tourism, Culture and Sports, the province attracted over 3.4 million tourists last year, an increase of more than 20 percent from 2012.

~News courtesy of Thanh Nien News~

English-speaking cops to protect foreign tourists in Hoi An

English-speaking cops to protect foreign tourists in Hoi An



Tourists in Hoi An town in the central province of Quang Nam

Police officers who speak English and are personable will be stationed in areas frequented by foreign tourists in the central province of Quang Nam, home to Hoi An, to protect them from robbers and harassment by beggars and vendors.

The People’s Committee of Quang Nam admitted recently that foreigners are harassed on the province's streets.

The police recently busted gangs of robbers on motorbikes who would strike mainly around noon and at 10-11 p.m.

Robberies happen often on routes to An Bang and Cua Dai beaches, local authorities said.

The province Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism reported earlier this month that more than three million tourists, 50 percent of them foreign, have visited the province this year.

This is nearly 10 percent higher than in the same period last year.

~News courtesy of Thanh Nien~

Hoi An gets tourist rest stop

Vietnam heritage town gets tourist rest stop



The popular tourist town of Hoi An

A rest-stop with a tourist information center and photo and painting exhibitions has opened in Hoi An town.

In the two-story building, paintings of Hoi An created by local and foreign artists are on display on the ground floor.

The first floor has an exhibition of photos of Hoi An in the past and now.

Le Thi Thu Thuy of the Hoi An Center for Cultural Heritage Management and Preservation said an office to provide information and brochures to tourists also functions at the rest stop, which is at 57 Tran Phu Street.

According to town authorities, the place was opened to coincide with the 14th anniversary of Hoi An being recognized as a world heritage site by UNESCO.

Other cultural activities too were organized to mark the event.

In October one of the world’s leading travel magazines, Condé Nast Traveler, ranked Hoi An as the second most popular city in Asia after Japan’s Kyoto based on a readers’ poll.

The town attracted more than 2.6 million tourists in the first nine months of the year, up 19.3 percent year-on-year.

~News courtesy of Thanh Nien~

Triem Tay Ecotourism Village opens in Quang Nam

Triem Tay Ecotourism Village opens in Quang Nam Province

The Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism in Quang Nam Province, the People's Committee of Dien Ban District, and the Hoi An Craft Village Conservation and Development Company jointly inaugurated the Triem Tay Ecotourism Village in Dien Phuong Commune in Dien Ban District on June 25.

Triem Tay Ecotourism Village was built in June 2009 over 13.447 square meters, preserving the village architecture of Quang Nam Province.

There are many ancient wooden houses there and boat services take visitors across the Thu Bon River.

In Triem West Village about 147 households and residents live mainly by farming and weaving mats and hence many will benefit through the Triem Tay Ecotourism Village.

~News courtesy of SGGP~