Tuesday, October 4, 2016

Coffee shop with a bus twist in Central Highlands

Coffee shop with a bus twist in Vietnam’s Central Highlands

A Vietnamese woman from the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak has designed a coffee shop utilizing an old bus, providing a unique experience to customers.

The Bus Coffee, located in Buon Ma Thuot City, simulates a modern-looking bus station, featuring sidewalks, stations, and road markings for buses.

The highlight of the venue is a yellow bus at its center. The vehicle’s interior has been refurbished with wooden seats and tables, giving it a retro feel.



The coffee shop design simulates a bus station. Photo: Tuoi Tre

The person behind the creation is Phan Nguyen Hoai Thu, 32, the owner of the coffee shop.

Thu said that she searched many places for a bus that fit her needs and eventually found one at a scrap trading center in the neighboring province of Dak Nong.

“The important thing was that the bus’ frame had to be in good condition for long-term safety, and that the bus was long enough to install seats and tables,” she explained.



“Passengers” enjoy drinks while viewing the surrounds from the windows. Photo: Tuoi Tre

The bus has two air-conditioners, one at each end, while its original steering wheel and driver’s seat have remained.

The original entrance and exit doors have also been retained, allowing waiters and “passengers” to board and disembark from the bus.

“As the main concept centers on the bus, a lot of the fixtures and furniture in the venue are made from parts of the vehicle,” the coffee shop owner said.

Tables and planting pots have been made from used tires.

The unique coffee venue has been welcomed by scores of young customers and received positive feedback because of its comfort and friendly atmosphere.



Tables and pot plants inside the venue are made from used tires, creating a unique experience. Photo: Tuoi Tre

“Customers can easily find a seat that suits their preference thanks to the iconic design of the bus, allowing them to enjoy a window view,” Nguyen Phan Hoai Thuong, a student of Tay Nguyen University, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper.

“Today social networking is still on the rise, which means there is a great thirst for sharing visual information among people, especially the young,” Thu said, explaining why she came up with the design.

“Thus, something familiar but unique and endearing fits what customers need, checking in on social networks or saving their moment with photos of their families and friends.”

~News courtesy of Tuoi Tre~

Monday, October 3, 2016

quán hai sản tươi sống


quán 店 shop
hai sản 海产 / 海鲜 seafood
tươi sống 新鲜 fresh



Sunday, October 2, 2016

Cấm sờ


Cấm sờ 禁止触摸 Prohibit touching
có điện 有电  Have electricity
nguy hiểm 危险 Dangerous
chết người 致人死 kills people

Thursday, September 22, 2016

Hanoi to ban vehicles around Hoan Kiem Lake to attract tourists

Hanoi to ban vehicles around Hoan Kiem Lake to attract tourists



A corner of Hoan Kiem (Sword) Lake in Hanoi. Photo: Ngoc Thang

Hanoi is set to ban all vehicles on streets around Hoan Kiem (Sword) Lake every evening from Friday to Sunday starting September 1 to make it tourist-friendly.

They will be pedestrians-only from 7 p.m. to midnight, and relevant agencies will assign personnel to regulate traffic and prevent possible congestion elsewhere as a result, according to Hanoi Transport Department.

Several bus routes will be modified to avoid the banned areas.

Around the area, there will be 18 parking lots for buses and cars and 57 for motorbikes with a capacity of more than 600 cars and 2,700 motorbikes.

The capital got its first walking-only street in 2004 when a section of Hang Dao Street was made off-limits to vehicles.

A decade later more walking streets were designated in the old quarter: like Hang Buom, Hang Giay, Luong Ngoc Quyen, Ma May, Dao Duy Tu and Ta Hien.

From September 1 the city will also lift a midnight curfew on restaurants, bars, cafés, karaoke parlors and others in another move to promote tourism.

They will be allowed to remain open until 2 a.m. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

~News courtesy of Thanh Nien~

Wednesday, September 21, 2016

Hue plans audio guides, free Wi-Fi for tourists

Hue plans audio guides, free Wi-Fi for tourists



The Nguyen Citadel in Hue. Photo: Ho Cau/VNAThe Nguyen Citadel in Hue.

The former imperial city Hue is going to install an audio guide system in five languages to serve visitors at its attractions.

Phan Thanh Hai, director of the Center for Preservation of Hue Former Citadel Relics, said audio guides are being planned for major tomb sites and the royal citadel.

Hue was the seat of the Nguyen Dynasty from 1802 until the end of feudal Vietnam in 1945.
v Hai said the system will be developed with private investment and tourists will have to pay to access the guides, apart from entrance tickets.

It is unclear when the new service will be launched and which other languages, besides English, will be chosen.
v The center is also going to introduce e-tickets and free Wi-Fi at the sites soon.

Thua Thien-Hue Province, which is known for the imperial city, pagodas and other natural attractions, received around 58,000 tourists during the National Day weekend between September 2 and 4.

Foreign visitors during the first eight months increased 36.5 percent from a year ago and accounted for more than half of nearly 1.8 million tourists coming to the province.

~News courtesy of Thanh Nien~

Monday, August 29, 2016

Shoeshine scammers target foreign tourists in downtown HCMC

Shoeshine scammers target foreign tourists in downtown HCMC



Two men polishing shoes for a foreign tourist in HCMC. Photo: Trac Rin

A 15-strong gang has been scamming tourists in downtown Ho Chi Minh City by shining their shoes without being asked before demanding an extortionate amount of money, threatening those who do not pay, a Thanh Nien investigation has found.

On August 11 for instance, two foreign men were sitting on a bench in September 23rd Park when two men suddenly approached them and polished their shoes without saying a word.

The tourists did not turn them away but were shocked to be asked VND1 million (US$45).

The two men threatened the tourists until they paid them the money.

Thanh Nien found similar incidents occurring elsewhere in the city’s downtown.

On August 11 a foreign man was about to cross Le Lai Street when a man insisted on polishing his shoes though the former said no.

A Thanh Nien reporter managed to join the shoeshine group and found there were 15 men who had moved to the city from Thanh Hoa Province.

They rent rooms on Hoang Sa Street, District 3, and usually take buses to the downtown area.

A member, who claimed he could earn VND2 million in a morning, said they often go in pairs so that they could threaten the victims easier. One would polish shoes and demand money while the other would keep an eye out for police and voluntary youths, he said.

Dinh To Hoa, deputy chief inspector of the city Department of Tourism, admitted that her agency is aware of the scam. Authorities have recorded more than 2,500 cases of hawkers and shoeshine boys hassling tourists, she said.

“[My] department has coordinated with relevant agencies to step up patrolling. They will also be punished if caught on street cameras.”

~News courtesy of Thanh Nien~

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~