Vietnam Information - Discover the beauty of Vietnam through Culture, Cuisine, People and Travel

Discovery of longest lava cave in Southeast Asia

2016-07-17T22:20:00.001+07:00

A system of lava caves including one considered as the longest lava cave of Southeast Asia has been discovered in the southern province of Dong Nai, according to researcher Truong Ba Vuong of the Vietnam's Institute of Tropical Biology.

Researchers from the institute and Germany's Berlin Speleoclub have surveyed and discovered the system of 11 caves for two months and found the caves formed after an eruption.

Bac Ninh and its specialty

2016-04-03T14:44:00.000+07:00

Regarded as the cradles of Vietnam civilization and bring itself a lot of culture and tradition of Vietnam, Bac Ninh is one of the special and wonderful place to travel and discover the specilaty of Vietnam.

Bac Ninh is located in the lowlands and hills of North Vietnam. It is also a province with a lot of feature in culture and custom. Recalling Bac Ninh, everyone knows the traditional and unique folk-song Quan Ho. It is one of the attractions in Bac Ninh and which is one of the traditional songs of Vietnam. Coming here, tourists and especially foreign tourists who are very interested in enjoying the folk-song Quan Ho. There are sisters and brothers in traditional clothes of Quan Ho performing famous songs in sweet and gentle voice attracting the interest of all audiences. Getting to know more about the tradition of Vietnam will make you understand more about the culture and specialty of the country.

BÚN MĂNG VỊT - DUCK NOODLE SOUP W/ BAMBOO SHOOT

2015-12-27T20:22:00.000+07:00

BÚN MĂNG VỊT - DUCK NOODLE SOUP W/ BAMBOO SHOOT

Video by: Helen

Chanel Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/HelenRecipes

A vacation to Phan Thiet

2015-12-13T11:36:00.000+07:00

Traveling is always seemed the best way to relax and discover the life around us. As a result, we often plan to go to visit the most attractive and beautiful places that we want to take a trip to. One of the places attacks a lot of visitors in the country and all over the world that is Phan Thiet.

Phan Thiet is famous for the destination of natural landscapes and attractions to visit. It is referred to be the ideal place to visit and discover the wild and stunning beauty of Vietnam. Mui Ne is known as the most famous and popular centre of travelling in Phan Thiet. Visiting Mui Ne, tourists will go to visit the Sand Dunes which is very well-known and featuring in Phan Thiet. The sand dunes are immense and wild, it makes visitors feel like they are in Sahara desert. It is so wonderful and exciting to experience Sahara desert in Vietnam. Furthermore, there are two main colours of sand dunes being white and red sand dunes. This brings us the feelings of immersing into the destiny and leaving all of the concerns and sadness behind. We only need to enjoy the immense landscape and take part in interesting activities here such as kite surfing and dune surfing with wonderful experience.

Salt Fields in Hon Khoi

2015-12-06T21:25:00.001+07:00

Hon Khoi in Ninh Hoa District, Khanh Hoa Province is famous for not only long and beautiful beaches, but also making salt. Covering about 400ha, it is considered one of the largest salt fields nationwide.

Making salt in Hon Khoi lasts from March to July every year. In recent years, the locals have produced two new types of salt – canvas covered salt and Japanese refined salt to meet the demand of the market.

During the harvest, salt piles look like snow mountains on the fields.

Traditional Music Classes

2015-11-27T21:28:00.000+07:00

Established in 2005 in a small house near the ancient communal house of Hao Nam, the Vietnam Music Development Centre has organised many classes to teach traditional Vietnamese musical forms, involving the participation of a large number of people.

In a cultural space of the serene ancient communal house, students of different ages are engulfed in lessons on playing traditional musical instruments and singing Ca Tru (ceremonial singing), Xam (an art form which has existed for centuries and was very popular in the rural areas of the northern plains in the past) and Quan ho (love duet) taught by People’s Artist Pham Dinh Khang and artist Thao Giang who founded and run the centre.

With a desire to preserve and bequeath the traditional Vietnamese folk music genres to younger generations, artists Pham Dinh Khang and Thao Giang established the Vietnam Music Development Centre where students are taught to perform with drums, flutes and castanets and singing folk music with a different method – without any manuals but approaching music directly in a natural and easy to understand manner.

Artist Thao Giang shows his students how to use Senh (clappers) in Xam singing. Photo: Trinh Van Bo/VNP

Recipe: Mini-Pancakes with Meatball sauce

2015-11-22T22:13:00.000+07:00

It is a mini-pancake topped with a quail egg, served with pork meatballs and a sweet fish-sauce based dipping sauce. Unlike Banh Khot, Banh Can is not fried but cooked in batches over a low-heat charcoal on what looks like a giant cupcake tray made from clay with cute little lids over each cake. It’s not at all greasy but still crispy on the outside and soft and fragrant on the inside.

Video by: Helen

Chanel Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/HelenRecipes

Ingredients

1 cup rice
1/2 cup cooked rice
500 g pork minced
1 tbsp shallots minced
1 tbsp garlic minced
pepper
1 tsp chicken stock
2 tbsp Fish sauce
spring onion chopped
vegetable oil

Instructions

Wash a cup of rice and then soak in water for at least 24 hours. Drain well and transfer to a blender and blend rice with 1/2 cup of cooked rice and 1 1/2 cup of water and 1/2 tsp salt.
To make meatballs, season 500 g minced pork with 1 tbsp minced shallots, 1 tbsp minced garlic, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1 tsp chicken stock and 2 tbsp fish sauce. Then mix well and set aside for 15 mins.
Grease a deep plate with some with some vegetable oil, then shape the seasoned minced meat into small balls and place onto the plate. Steam for about 15-20 mins until you see no pink water coming out when you poke the meatballs with a chopstick.
Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a small saucepan and fry some minced garlic and shallots until fragrant. Then add a cup of water, 1 tsp chicken stock and transfer the meatballs into the saucepan. Add the juice, some chili flakes and bring to a boil.
To make extra dipping sauce, dissolve a quarter cup of sugar in 1 cup of water, 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tsp chicken stock. Stir well over medium heat until everything is well dissolved. Then add 1-2 tbsp fish sauce.
Grease the metal mini-pancake pan with some vegetable oil. When the pan is really hot, stir up the batter and pour into the holes. Swirl the pan in a circular motion to distribute the batter evenly. Cover and cook until they turn crispy.
To make scallion oil, heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a small pan and fry the white parts of the spring onion shredded until quite golden, then add the chopped green onion and turn off the heat.
Flip the pancakes over for 1 minute to cook the top completely. Beat some eggs and add to the top of the cakes. To serve, add some dipping sauce to a small bowl and ladle the meatballs into it, together with some scallion oil. Sprinkle with some pepper and chili sauce.

The most popular Vietnamese dishes to attract foreign tourists

2015-11-09T20:37:00.000+07:00

Vietnamese cuisine shows its simplicity that many of the most popular dishes can be made and found not only in restaurant but also on the side of the road. Vietnam has a special culture – the street food one.

Pho is one of the most quintessential dish of Vietnam

“ Xam” – A Tale of Vietnamese Folk Music

2015-10-19T23:18:00.001+07:00

“Xam” is known in Vietnam as folk music usually performed by blind street singers to earn their living. As it originated from the working class and poor people, “Xam” has become an intellectual part of the commoners’ cultural life. Its most distinctive trait lies in the simplicity and popularity of its lyrics and the earthliness but profoundness of daily life in the songs’ lyrics, which often narrate daily-life stories, satirizing and criticizing severely the social evils while highly praising education and humanitarian values.

Therefore, “Xam” doesn’t care so much about costumes and stages like other types of traditional arts. “Xam” singing can be performed anywhere, on any street or corner where large numbers of people pass. It is so simple that anyone can sing some verses to express their inner feelings on life.

After a long period of decline, “Xam” has been recently revitalised through a program titled “Tale of ‘Xam’ ” performed by master artists of Vietnamese traditional music, especially People’s Artist Thanh Hoai and People’s Artist Xuan Hoach, who have fully and vividly revitalised the life and soul of “ Hat Xam” (Xam singing) through their beautiful vocals and talented musical skills.

The “ Tale of Xam” program is organised in Manzi Art Space at 14 Phan Huy Ich Street, Hanoi.

Ba Vi – a complex of interesting and wonderful sites

2015-10-04T09:42:00.001+07:00

Ba Vi National Park is one of the wonderful and fascinating parks located in Ba Vi district. It is very suitable for those who are nature lovers and wish to discover the landscapes and nature on the mountains. Let’s come to Ba Vi to admire and learn more about the lung of Hanoi capital.

Visiting Ba Vi National Park, visitors will have many things to see, discover and experience. In the first place, Ba Vi national park is a famous landscape that you can not neglect when coming to Ba Vi. Visitors will enjoy the spectacular natural scenery of the mountain and discover a lot of rare plants and animals here. There are 63 species of mammals, 1209 species of plants and 21 of them are rare plant listed in the Vietnam Red Book such as Bach xanh, Sen mat, Phi ba mui, De tung so trang, Hoa tien,ect. Ba Vi National Park is considered the lung of Hanoi capital. In addition, when coming to Ba Vi National Park, visitors can have a chance to discover the orchid garden and bird garden in the Park. Visiting the park will help you learn more about rare animals and plants and admire orchid garden and bird garden with different types of birds.

IMPERIAL OMELETTE ROLL - CHẢ PHỤNG

2015-09-27T16:07:00.001+07:00

Recipe: Imperial Omelette Roll – Chả phụng

Video by: Helen

Chanel Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/HelenRecipes

Ingredients

3 eggs
300 g pork paste 10.5 oz
2 sheets seaweed
6 strings green beans
1 bell pepper cut into sticks
1 carrot cut into sticks
vegetable oil

Instructions

Steam the vegetables for 5 mins or put it into a microwave for 3-5 mins to roughly cook them first
Crack the 3 eggs into a bowl, then season with some salt and pepper and beat well
Keep the pan on medium heat and add just a little bit of oil and use a piece of paper towel to wipe it off. Pour the egg mixture and swirl the pan in a circular motion to cover the base and pour the remaining of the eggs out. Wait for about 5 secs when the edge of the omelette is losing out, you can flip it over for 1 second and then take it out. Then continue with the next omelette without using the oil again

Touring Hanoi by Cyclo

2015-09-13T10:52:00.000+07:00

These days, one can see the most modern vehicles on Hanoi’s streets but the three-wheel cyclos are still a familiar image of the thousand-year-old city for many local residents as well as visitors to the charming capital of Vietnam.

To learn more about cyclos, we called on the man who is dubbed “the king of cyclos in Hanoi”. Do Anh Thu is the owner of Sans Souci cyclo, the earliest cyclo company founded in Hanoi.

Thu said that Sans Souci is a French word meaning “carefree”. He hoped that both the drivers and the customers of his cyclo company have an optimistic and leisurly outlook on life. At the present time, Sans Souci is the biggest cyclo company in Hanoi with over 160 cyclos in action.

A cyclo is a human-powered form of transportation with a seat in the front for passengers and the driver sitting on a seat and pedalling in the back. It was originally inspired by rickshaws pulled by humans that were used to carry French and local mandarins during the French colonial period. The cyclo first appeared in Hanoi in 1939 and was the popular means of transportation for Hanoians in the past. In the early 20^th century, only the elite or rich people could afford cyclo rides.

Cyclos, a popular means of transport of Hanoians in the past, are now used mainly for serving tourists.
Photo: Tat Son/VNP

Foreign tourists enjoy a tour around Hanoi by cyclo. Photo: Tat Son/VNP

Massive parade marks 70 years of independence

2015-09-04T22:06:00.002+07:00

At least 30,000 troops and civilian units marched through Ba Dinh Square, the same historic place that witnessed the establishment of a free and independent Viet Nam following the victory of the August Revolution (August 19, 1945) against fascism in World War II. — VNA/VNS Photo

HA NOI (VNS) — The largest-ever parade in the country was held this morning in Ha Noi to commemorate 70 years since the day late President Ho Chi Minh made the Independence Declaration.
At least 30,000 troops and civilian units marched through Ba Dinh Square, the same historic place that witnessed the establishment of a free and independent Viet Nam following the victory of the August Revolution (August 19, 1945) against fascism in World War II.

Stork island in Chi Lăng Nam

2015-08-30T21:46:00.000+07:00

The stork island is located in Chi Lăng Nam commune, Thanh Miện district and stays about 25km far from Hải Dương city. Its pen name is An Dương by nature. It is called the stork village because the village has a small island located in the middle of broad lake with ten thousands of storks and herons residing and nesting. With an area of more than 3,000m2, the stork island is home to 15,000 storks and more than 5,000 herons of various kinds and such rare and precious birds as pelicans and teals residing together.

The country - The Vietnamese monochord

2015-08-26T23:01:00.004+07:00

"“My country…gently dropping monochord soundings..”Whenever I hear this song, my deepen sentiment is vibrated with very tormented, fretty feelings, the obsessive memory of the soul and childhood in my very first school that when my teacher taught me to write two words “ Viet Nam” and called “ Country” reminded my mind. I understood this in vague, it is like something great and very precious. And now when time has passed very fast and it also brings my childhood away and after reading through so many verses as well as witnessing changes of Vietnam, I have been penetrated that the word “ Country” - the vague memory in my childhood has such a holy meaning. And, it is when the melody of the song: “ The Country” by composer Pham Minh Tuan spreads that my sensation seems to overflow, which helps me figure the image of my country that is: simple and bright; gentle and compassionate; poor but formidable.

"Gat gu", a strange pancake

2015-08-20T16:24:00.000+07:00

If you ate it once time, you would never forget it as well as Quang Ninh.

Quang Ninh cuisine’s style has the characteristics of people here - fishers, and it is very special.

“Gat Gu” pancake is similar with steamed rolled rice pancake. It is made from rice flour. When making this kind of cake, the maker have a secret to make it more delicious by adding cold rice. After being done, when we take this kind of cake, it nods repeatedly.

Tua Chua Karst Plateau

2015-08-09T10:30:00.001+07:00

Tua Chua Karst Plateau in Tua Chua District of northwestern Dien Bien Province is located at a height of 1,500m above sea level. There are various rugged rocky plates placed on one another and shaped into citadels and mounts with different names such as To Cu Nhe, Chung Khoa, Chung Si Seng, Vang Long, and others. Such a natural magnificent landscape has attracted many visitors, both domestic and foreign, to the northwestern region of Vietnam.

Tua Chua Karst Plateau, located about 130km from downtown Dien Bien in the northwestern region of Vietnam, has three-fourths of its area rugged rocky land. It is rated as the country’s second “Dong Van Karst Plateau” (which was recognised by UNESCO as a Global Geo-park in 2010).

From downtown Tua Chua, we travelled along provincial Road 129, driving about 30km of curving roads, over high mountains and deep passes before arriving at the Tua Chua Karst Plateau. Our reward after the difficult trip was enjoying the natural magnificent views of the northwestern forests and mountains.

Tua Chua Karst Plateau belongs to the two communes of Sin Chai and Ta Phin. The rugged karst rocks here are not as high as those in Dong Van Karst Plateau in Ha Giang Province, but they are formed into hills, running up and down, and are scattered along provincial Road 129. The local weather is not harsh and it favours local people in a developing economy. They can grow corn, rice and fruit trees such as plum and peach.

We met Ha Mac and his wife from Seo Phin Hamlet when they were plowing the narrow land between the rugged rocky land. The husband rode the buffalo to plow the soil into rows in front while his wife walked behind to sow the corn seeds. Sometimes, the animal stopped for a while, then continued working.

Mac said that the buffaloes on this highland plateau are sensitive. They would stop walking if the plow hit some stones, and thanks to that the local people’s tool would rarely be damaged.

Watching the ethnic couple working hard in the rocky land to sow the seeds (being their hope for life), we truly acknowledged how hard the life of the local people is, but what a good co-existence between man and nature it is.

Part of the Tua Chua Karst Plateau seen from high above.

Pumpkin Soup (Vegan) - Canh bí đỏ

2015-07-18T21:21:00.001+07:00

Recipe: Pumpkin Soup (Vegan) – Canh bí đỏ chay

Video by: Helen

Chanel Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/HelenRecipes

Ingredients

100 g straw mushrooms soaked in salted water
500 g pumpkin cut into large cubes
70 g raw peanuts
1 tbsp the white part spring onion minced
1 tps mushroom seasonings or vegetable stock
pepper, salt
vegetable oil
green onion
cilantro

Instructions

“The valley of light” in Tuyen Quang

2015-07-10T21:30:00.001+07:00

The residents in Tuyen Quang Province are proud of their native land and its development. Over the past half a century, the province where people of 22 ethnic groups live together has experienced great socio-economic changes that brought a better life to the locals and changed the thinking and working habits of the authorities and people in the new period of time.

Traveling to snake museum in Tien Giang

2015-06-27T22:07:00.001+07:00

Exciting journeys on coconut-lined creeks, enjoying My Tho noodles or swimming in the sea of Go Cong ... are among interesting things that tourists can do in the southern province of Tien Giang
.

A unique destination that not many tourists know when they come to Tien Giang, is the Dong Tam snake farm, which is recognized as the first snake museum of Vietnam.

Visiting the snake farm, you will be given the opportunity to explore the lifestyle and activities of these familiar but dangerous reptiles. In addition, you also have the opportunity to admire the collection of specimens of snakes, see how people take snake venom or learn about the method of creating vaccines or medicines for snakebite.

Enjoy cha ruoi in Hanoi

2015-06-19T21:05:00.002+07:00

Cha ruoi is a popular meal in Hanoi when the autumn leaves turn yellow.

Cha ruoi is not available all year round. Ruoi is a type of sand worm that can only be found from the end of September to the middle of October. The short season is why Hanoians regard cha ruoi as a special but expensive gift from nature.

GRILLED EGGPLANT - Cà tím nướng mỡ hành

2015-06-08T20:15:00.000+07:00

GRILLED EGGPLANT - Cà tím nướng mỡ hành

Video by: Helen

Chanel Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/HelenRecipes

Ingredients

3 eggplants
2 cloves garlic
2 chilis
2.5 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp fish sauce
1 bunch green onion chopped
3 tbsp vegetable oil
bamboo skewers or toothpick

Instructions

Use a skewer or a toothpick to poke all over the eggplants. This helps speed up the cooking time and also infuse the flesh of the eggplants with a smoky flavor after grilled. Put on the open-flame grill (char-coal is the best). Keep rotating until the skin of the eggplants turn completely brown or even charred. It will take about 15-20 minutes.

Food file: Ho Chi Minh City

2015-05-31T21:13:00.000+07:00

Vietnam's buzzing southern capital offers a taste of the spice of life.

Favourite flavours

Vietnamese cuisine is regional, so while you're in Ho Chi Minh City, be sure to try local southern specialties. Many dishes use similar ingredients but add different flavours. For instance, delicious banh xeo, or pancakes, come stuffed with pork, prawns and bean sprouts; hu tieu soup is also heavy on pork and prawns but the addition of crab, garlic, chives and other goodies changes the taste entirely. Fish fans will enjoy canh chua, a fish soup with tamarind, and ca kho to, which is fish caramelised in a clay pot.

Thien Hau Pagoda- one of the favorite tour attractions in Ho Chi Minh City

2015-05-25T21:50:00.000+07:00

Built by the Cantonese Congregation in the 19th century and dedicated to the Thien Hau god and always has a mix of worshippers mingling beneath large coils of incense suspended overhead. The Pagoda is also one of the favorite tour attractions in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

When tourists visit HCM City you will see there are a lot of churches, pagodas and mosques sprinkled throughout the city. Most are of the newer variety, there are some pagodas that have stood for hundreds of years. Although older pagodas are spreaded throughout HCM city, a high concentration of them can be found in Cholon, which is the city's Chinatown that is Thien Hau Pagoda.

Visiting Nguom Ngao Cave to admire masterpiece in stone

2015-05-20T19:31:00.001+07:00

Nguom Ngao Cave in Gun village, Dam Thuy Commune, Trung Khanh District, Cao Bang Province is blessed with the pristine and magic beauty that enchants every visitors coming here.

Nguom Ngao is a really stunning cave, huge and attractive with various shaped stalactites. Some stalactites can also create echo. In comparing this cave with Thien Cung Cave in Ha Long Bay, it is certain that you truly think Nguom Ngao is more beautiful and majestic.

In the language of the local Tay ethnic minority “Nguom Ngao” means “tiger’s cave”. It is said that a long time ago, many fierce tigers sheltered in the cave and would enter the nearby village to hunt for livestock and even humans.