Vietnam and Cambodia

Funny Names - Vung Tau Bars

2012-02-08T11:06:00.001+07:00

They say it's all in a name and with names like Hot Lips, Whispers and Bar Cucumber, punters would be excused for standing with their backs to the wall!

Seen any other funny names for bars? Leave a comment and give us a laugh!

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Gold rush at Angkor

2012-02-06T10:36:00.001+07:00

Below is an interesting article from the Phnom Penh Post

An anonymous Cambodian tour guide reveals the scams of his trade

I became a tour guide in 2005 and deeply regret that I did not start that business earlier. I had no idea how much money a German, French, Spanish, Italian or Russian-speaking tour guide can make in Cambodia.

I learned German in the late 1980s, when I was an exchange worker in the German Democratic Republic. I completed an apprenticeship as an electrical engineer and earned good money afterwards. Later I took English lessons, and when I returned to Cambodia I became a tour guide.

When I lead German-speaking groups, the agencies pay me $40 to $70 dollars per day. That’s what a good waitress or factory worker makes in a month. I also receive tips and commissions, of course.

US tourists are the most popular, because they spend a lot of money on their holidays. Although Americans have less money than Germans, they give better tips. Australians are also very popular, and even Englishmen too. Among all Europeans, Spanish tourists give the least. And Israelis are unpopular, because they are very demanding and give very little in the way of tips.

It is not hard to get an official license as a tour guide, but it is expensive. Quite often you must bribe an officer from the Ministry of Tourism up to $1,000.

Of course you have to pass an exam, but that’s a joke. They check your language and historical knowledge in a mock exam, but in order to get the title as a tour guide you have to pay. I would not pay in the beginning and failed twice. The officer did not even look at my test sheet. After paying $1,000, I passed the test. Many of my colleagues had the same experience.

We must buy the official logo of the Ministry of Tourism for $2-$3. Then we buy the shirts and sew the logo onto them.

Travel agencies know the good and the bad tour guides. They hand out questionnaires to their clients, and if you receive too many bad reviews, they will not book you again. All agencies have their favourite guides and want to book them, but if they are unavailable, the agencies must decide for their second, third or, in the peak season, their 100th choice.

Agencies always choose the best guides for large groups. Many tourists assume that by booking a more expensive private tour, they will automatically have a great tour guide. This is wrong. If a couple on a private tour is dissatisfied with their guide, only two people complain about him. If a whole group is angry, the agency has to deal with 20 or even 30 complaints.

Angkor Wat is the most important cash cow in Cambodia. The temples make us rich. When tourism returned to Cambodia more than a decade ago, we had our little tricks to make a fortune, in particular by keeping money from the tickets for ourselves.

The three-day ticket is $40, but now, as well as in those days, the one-day ticket is $20. The agencies gave us $40, but we paid only $20 at the box office. We knew the police officers and security guards, and they did not care about the invalid one-day tickets on day two and three because we had a 50-50 deal: $10 for them, $10 for us. That means I made an additional profit of $300 with a busload of 30 tourists. At that time we bought new motorcycles, cars, houses, and had a great life filled with women, alcohol and cigarettes.

But since Apsara sold the concessions to the Sokha company, tour guides cannot make extra money with the tickets any more. All profits go to other people now, mainly in the government.

German customers, travelling with Studiosus or DerTour, often give tips of up to $5, and clients of Meiers give about $2 per day. I had only two clients who did not give a tip at all. One of them said, “I have money, but I want you to be my friend while travelling together.”

I make good money from commissions paid by restaurants and souvenir shops. I take my tourists to a restaurant opposite Angkor Wat, and for each client who orders a meal, I get $2. Foreigners pay much higher prices than locals. I get my food there for free, even if my clients do not want to eat anything. That is fine for the restaurant, since I will return with a larger group next time.

Souvenir shops pay me $1 per visitor, whether the clients buy anything or not. I remain outside the shop. When a girl comes to serve me coffee, she brings my commission. Sometimes I get the commission a few days later.

Sometimes I honestly tell my tourists a shop is expensive, they had better look only at the stuff and buy the same items cheaper on the market tomorrow. Then I suggest spending my commission on bottles of beer for everybody in the evening, but in most cases the clients refrain from it because they are so pleased about my honesty.

If I convince my clients to have dinner at a buffet restaurant with traditional dance performances, I make really good money. Tickets cost around $12, and when I bring my clients, I receive $6 per person.

The restaurant still makes a good profit since a buffet is much cheaper than an individual dinner, and all clients have to pay rather high prices for their drinks on top.

Article Source - Phnom Penh Post

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Cheap Flights - Vietnam to Thailand

2012-02-03T11:30:00.000+07:00

Right now it's easy and cheap to get from Vietnam to Bangkok!

For the next week or so, Air Asia are selling one tickets (All-in) as follows:

HCMC - BKK for around 1.1 million VND
Hanoi to BKK for approx. 1.25 million VND

As always it's first in, first served so don't delay, head over to Airasia.com and find yourself a cheap flight. And make sure you tuck into some of these funky and tasty eats found on most Thai corners!

Top 10 Street Foods to Taste in Bangkok

Thailand is a country known for its beaches and its diverse culture. Included in this culture is the importance of the overall culinary experience that one can find while visiting Thailand. The choices in food are amazing and appealing to the palate. If you are considering a holiday in Thailand, take some time and research all of the mouthwatering choices not only in restaurants but also in the food stalls located in the capital city of Bangkok.

What do you look for in a street food vendor? First, the location should be clean. If the vendor has a tray set out with ketchup, mustard and various other condiments and that tray is clean, then the rest of the kitchen and prep area will, most likely, be just as clean. Look for a street food vendor that has a lot of customers, meaning that the food is not going to sit around for long periods of time. Thai cuisine uses very different spices, Thai spices, which may not be used in other Asian countries. Thai food can be hot, or somewhat spicy, sweet and tangy at the same time. Consider the location of the food stall and figure out what is locally offered in that area. Most of the time, keeping your choices local will be your best bet.
The following are some great choices for the top ten list of street food in Bangkok:

1. Som Tam - This well known dish is a spicy salad, made from shredded un-ripened papaya. This dish includes four main flavors; lime, palm sugar, salty fish and hot chili spice. It is customary for this dish to be made to order, to suit the individual customer.

2. Khao Mun Gai Tod - This Thai dish is also referred to as Chinese chicken rice. The rice is cooked in chicken broth and the chicken fried and served over the rice. The fried chicken is cooked in several types of sauces and then cut into bite sized pieces.

3. Rat Naa - Although the spelling of the name of this dish may turn off a few customers, this dish consists of noodles and pork in thick gravy. The gravy base also has kale in it.
4. Ba Mee Nam - this Thai dish is a soup, made from egg noodles with wonton. The soup includes pork, shrimp, bean sprouts and other delectable items.

5. Pad Thai - This Thai dish is very well known and very popular. It consists of stir fried rice noodles in combination with pork, shrimp, tofu or chicken, or all four of them. The meat is combined with various sauces for a very authentic Thai meal. Also included are peanuts and in some cases parts of the banana flower.

6. Johk - This meal is like porridge and many individuals eat this for their breakfast. It is made from rice and is very thick. It also includes pork.

7. Pad See EW - the main part of this dish is using pan fried rice noodles. Broccoli and small pieces of the meat of your choice are also a component of this traditional dish.

8. Khao Pad - This dish is simply the Thai version of fried rice. It includes much of the same components as traditional Chinese fried rice only using Thai Jasmine rice in the place of the long grain rice. Other ingredients include various meats traditional to the Thai people.

9. Moo Pad Krapow - this dish is a spicy pork meal fried in Thai basil.

10. Khao Moo Daeng - this dish is red pork with rice. Oyster and soy sauces is a key ingredient.

As you can easily see, the options for the best street food in Bangkok are limitless. On your next visit to this unique city, stop at any of the food stalls and try out a few of these traditional Thai dishes. You are bound to find many that please your palate.

Article Source: Marco_Fuso

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Hue’s 98 ancient houses wiped out

2012-02-03T11:15:00.001+07:00

Ninety eight ancient garden houses, typical of Hue’s age-old tradition and sophisticated architecture have ‘disappeared’ over the past six years, a report from Hue People’s Committee meeting last December revealed.

The shocking report stated that only 52 of a total of 150 estates, which were listed as provincial heritages in need of protection by local government, still retained their original shape and structure.

Hue’s garden houses, normally a large wooden house surrounded by a spacious garden, embody symbolic values of the old capital’s culture, architecture, history, religion and art and have been designated as tourist attractions.

However, over the past six years, 98 of these 150 houses have either been dismantled, destroyed, or their gardens appropriated for other purposes, despite the adoption of a governmental project in 2006 to preserve these structures.

The revelation comes as an irony as in 2012, Hue will play host to the national Northern Central Tourism Campaign to promote heritage tourism in the region.

Among many reasons that force its owners to damage the original architecture is the growing need for living spaces, as the family size of the houses’ heirs keep growing through time.

A garden house built in 1932 and located at 38/3 Le Thanh Ton street (Hue) lost its entire surrounding garden to two modern two-storey buildings put up on both sides.

“Our family has ten people, we can’t just live cramped in the old wooden house forever,” the owner’s son told Tuoi Tre.

The nobleman Tuy An’s house at 96 Nguyen Chi Thanh Street, which was constructed in 1844, is another example of badly preserved heritages in Hue.

Located in Gia Hoi ancient town, once famously home to many members of the Nguyen Royal family, the main wooden house is now surrounded not by spacious gardens, but 14 new small houses occupied by their descendants.

Other houses that can stand the erosion of time and human habitation have now closed their doors to curious foreign tourists who know the sites through their travel guidebooks or local tour operators.

Nguyen Thi Minh Trang, owner of the garden house at 1 Phu Mong, Kim Long, complained that though the government’s preservation project was authorized nearly six years ago, it failed to provide any financial support to owners like her who opened their doors to tourists.

“Every day I had to dress up nicely, make tea for the tourists and then sit to answer hundreds of their questions without making any money.
“I have to support myself so I decided to close the house to have time to work,” Trang said.

Although most of the estates’ owners turned their guests away, some still, unwillingly, operated as tourist attractions since local tour operators kept taking tourists to their doors.

Hue’s government issued a decision to protect these heritages in 2006, which led to an authorized preservation project for 150 garden houses in need of safeguarding.

However, the project had, until recently, got stuck in the bureaucratic labyrinth and its implementation fell far too short of local demands.

Ngo Anh Tuan, deputy head of Hue’s People Committee said excessive bureaucracy and a lack of coordination among related agencies were to blame.

Source - tuoitrenews.vn (English)

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Find Tours and Hotels in Vietnam and Cambodia

2012-01-31T18:01:00.000+07:00

If you're looking for great tours and deals on accommodation then make sure you check out the funky website
cambodiaandvietnam.com
Full of great travel deals from around Vietnam and Cambodia! Take advantage of it now, everyone else!

Cheers and Beers!

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Escorted Tour of Cambodia

2012-01-31T16:20:00.000+07:00

Phnom Penh - Cambodia

In a café in Phnom Penh, on the banks of the mighty Mekong River, I sat and sipped an ice cold glass of water and watched as the world went by in a colourful blur.

Looking back on the previous 14 days, I realised that I had just enjoyed one of the best holidays I had ever experienced.

Flying from Edinburgh, my girlfriend and I had first flown to London Heathrow and then on to Qatar. After a nine hour stopover in Qatar airport, we excitedly boarded the plane to our final destination, Cambodia.

At the airport we were met by our escorted holiday tour guide, Paul, who took care of our luggage and provided us with transport to our hotel. On the way to the hotel we witnessed an absolutely incredible storm. In an instant the sky turned from bright blue to a deep purple, there was a huge clap of thunder, the sky was illuminated by magnificent fork lighting and the heavens opened. Within five minutes the storm had stopped and the blue skies had returned.

During our two week holiday we enjoyed a range of escorted tours that allowed us to understand and appreciate the history of this beautiful and, at the same time, tragic country.

The first trip we took was to the Royal Palace of Phnom Penh which was built in 1866 is still the official residence of the King of Cambodia. The palace is divided into three main compounds and is surrounded by lush gardens.

One of the most memorable trips of the holiday was to the Angkor Wat temples just outside Siem Reap. The temples were built in the early 12th century for King Suryavarman II and acted as his state temple and capital city. We arrived at the temples around 5am to catch the magnificent sunrise over the main temple of Angkor. We then spent the rest of the day wandering around the numerous other temples with our guide.

One of the most memorable trips we took was to the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum in Phnom Penh. This former high school was transformed into the notorious Security Prison 21 by the Khmer Rouge regime. Between 1975 and 1979, an estimated 17,000 people were imprisoned and tortured at Tuol Sleng. The museum gives a truly shocking insight into the terrible atrocities that were committed during this time.

We finished our holiday with a couple of days by the beach at the resort of Sihanouokville. Relaxing by the water was the perfect to a unique holiday.

Sitting in the café on the banks of the Mekong before our flight home, I felt deeply sad to be leaving this unique country. Cambodia and in particular the people of Cambodia had made an enduring impression on me.

Riviera Travel offer an extensive range of escorted tour holidays. They have been carefully creating unique escorted tours and guided tours for over 27 years.

Article Source: Graham_George_Urquhart

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Worldwide Arms Museum - Vung Tau

2012-01-30T08:10:00.000+07:00

World Wide Arms Museum - Vung Tau

On a recent trip to the coastal town of Vung Tau, my family and I headed to the newly opened Worldwide Museum for a look. And lets just say everyone - my wife and 5 y/o son included - loved it!

Founder, Robert (Bob) Taylor and his wife, Ms Bong, have set about filling this 1,500 sqm museum into what I would say is one of, if not, the best museum I have seen in Vietnam!
Bob has collected items from around the globe for the past 40 odd years. Now owning several thousand weapons and uniforms, you will see items covering everything from the vikings and knights to various Military Groups from around the world including Europe, Africa, China, Persia, Netherlands and much more.
It's fair to say that even the most hardy of historians will be mesmerized ! And to make it easy, all displays have explanations in both English and Vietnamese
Along with all the military gear, Bob also has a dozen or so monkeys which he has rescued from around the local area. Now keept at the rear of the museum in huge funky enclosures, the monkey's can be seen swinging playfully from the roof top terrace.
Entrance to the museum is 100,000VND per person including a local guide to show you around. There is also a roof top cafe where you can eat and drink while taking in the stunning views over Vung Tau or watch the monkeys run a muck!.
You can find the Worldwide Arms Museum at 14 Hai Dang Street, P2, Vung Tau (on the road heading to the lighthouse) or give them a call on (064) 385 0352.
Overall Bob and Bong have done a tremendous job in setting up this museum. If you're looking for a great day out of HCMC or looking for something to do in Vung Tau, this place is highly recommended.
See images from the museum below and then do yourself a favor - go there!

World Wide Arms Museum - Vung Tau

Displays have English and Vietnamese write up's!

North African Jezail - 1840.

World Wide Arms Museum - Vung Tau

Russian PPS - 43 Sub-machine Gun

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Vung Tau Images

2012-01-28T17:02:00.000+07:00

Balloons for sale at a Vung Tau Park

Some call it art, some don't!

Vung Tau City

More balloons for sale

Vung Tau fishing boats

Red and Yellow Flowers at local flower show

Pepsi with ice

One of Vung Tau's Beaches

Yellow Flowers

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Reflections From My Tour of Phnom Penh, Cambodia

2012-01-20T14:37:00.000+07:00

36 years later, across the street from the Royal Palace's gate, on a public square, a dozen young children were playing. Their parents, mostly in their twenties, had not yet been born when the horrible Khmer Rouge event took place. They looked as cheerful and as innocent as their kids. Time has healed, life has moved on.

Sunset over the National Museum, Phnom Penh - Cambodia

Phnom Penh rose to become the capital of the Khmer kingdom in the 15th century, replacing much regretted Angkor. Legend has it that an old woman named Penh found four Buddha images that had come to rest on the bank of the Tongle river. A city grew up around the hill where she housed them for worship and came to be known as Phnom Penh (Hill of Penh)

For centuries, Phnom Penh struggled to survive from repeated attacks of its two powerful neighbors, the Vietnamese and the Thais, until the arrival of the French in 1863, who made Cambodia a protectorate, and actually protected it from foreign invasions until their departure in 1953.

The French gave the city the layout that we know today. Phnom Penh has therefore a specific colonial feel: large boulevards bordered with old trees, elegant villas surrounded by lush gardens; however, a new visage of the capital seems to have been formed, as some modern structures are being built, a landmark of the modernity that the country is striving for.

The capital indeed appears to enjoy a clearly higher standard of living than the rest of the country: large suv's abound, the safe deposit box business is a huge success as people find ways to store their new wealth and international schools are filled with children of local wealthy families. Of course, that image doesn't represent the majority of Phnom Penh's inhabitants. The working class is certainly still much concerned with their daily earnings. Nonetheless, an impression of ease and of abundance is quite characteristic of the city today.

I decided to walk to the riverside in front of the Royal Palace. It is a place where you can meet Cambodians from all walks of life: monks, intellectuals, businessmen, housewives, food vendors and beggars, drawn by the river's fresh air and healing effect. At one corner, there was a small Buddhist shrine, where devotees offered candles and lotus flowers fixed on a fresh coconut. I noticed a middle-aged couple who was ceremoniously shaving the head of their young son. The later was sitting on a chair, eyes closed, hands joined in a gesture of reverence. Apparently, he was preparing to enter monkshood to fulfill his duty as a man and a son, bringing merit to his family, a tradition shared in all Theravada countries such as Thailand, Laos and Burma.

For all Phnom Penh's interesting sightseeing tours, its easy-going markets, bars, restaurants and the seemingly carefree laughter of its youth, I could still not forget the tragic events that have killed one quarter of this country's population less then half a century ago. I entered a bicycle shop to to rent a bike and take a ride. The shop keeper, a young girl in her early twenties didn't know how to get to my destination. She had never been to the Choeung Ek Killing Field, a museum of her country's past genocide just 13km away, it's probably a part of history she prefers not to know.

Choeung Ek Killing Field was surrounded by serene rice fields and villages. At first glance, the gracious memorial tower situated at the center of the site didn't appear horrible at all, until I saw the pyramid of skulls with thousands of victims who had been killed at this site during the Khmer Rouge's regime. My audio guide led me through all the spots of mass graves then back to the memorial tower. There were no words to describe the feeling resulting from touring the site. The entire site was a frightening display of the darkest side of human psyche, where circumstances turned people into killing machines, incapable of connecting with the most basic human conscience: that of the value of life.

"The choice of the divine bird Garuda and the divine serpent Naga on the roof of the memorial tower is symbolically very significant" said the tour guide. "In mythology, they are eternal enemies. Therefore, when they are used together as ornaments, they stand for a strong desire for reconciliation and peace."

Indeed, this reconciliation spirit had been an attitude adopted by Cambodians in order to be able to move on, keep their smiles and rebuild their country. That's how Phnom Penh has managed to put traumatized memories into museums and books, looking ahead to the future, and living life to the fullest now.

Brad loves traveling Southeast Asia as a writer for Exotic Voyages; a Vietnam based tour operator that provides Luxury and Adventure Travel Tours throughout Southeast Asia including Vietnam Luxury Travel, Laos Luxury Travel, Cambodia Luxury Travel and Thailand.

Article Source: Brad_Ruoho

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Tet Flowers

2012-01-19T14:29:00.000+07:00

When ever Tet New Year arrives in Vietnam, it also means the flowers are out and the show begins! Right now one of the biggest Flower Shows in the city is on in District 1's Tao Dan Park (enter on Truong Dinh Street) until a week or so after Tet.

Today I headed down to check out some of the 7000 odd bonsai's and orchids on display and you won't be disappointing! Plenty of variety, color and displays to keep you interested! Tickets are only 20,000VND per person, which around 1USD. So get down there, fight the crowds and enjoy some flowers!

Orchids on display

Punters wonder the park

Photographers galore!

Sunflower

Fruit dragon

Young and old enjoying the show

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Hue Royal Citadel to open free for Tet holiday

2012-01-18T10:01:00.001+07:00

Urns - Hue Citadel

Visitors will be offered entry free of charge when they visit all relics in the Hue Ancient Citadel complex during the Lunar New Year 2012 (Tet holiday), reported the Centre for Preservation of Hue Relics.

From the first day to the third day of Tet holiday, relics in Hue such as Dai Noi (Royal Palace), An Dinh Palace, Tu Duc, Minh Mang and Khai Dinh Tombs will be opened free for visitors.

Currently, prices of tickets to the Hue Royal Citadel are VND 30,000-50,000 ($1.5-2.5) for each local visitor and VND 55,000 ($2.6) for each foreign visitor. For An Dinh Palace, ticket prices are VND 100,000 ($4.8).

On the occasion of Tet holiday, for the first time, Thua Thien Hue Province will organise a firework show in one of the world's best bays, Lang Co Bay in Phu Loc District on the New Year's Eve.

Source - Oratrip.com

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Sihanoukville: The Beach Side of Cambodia

2012-01-17T14:37:00.000+07:00

If you want to discover Cambodia beyond its heritage sites, why not choose to stay at a resort in Sihanoukville? A province and port city in southern Cambodia, Sihanoukville offers travelers beach and marine attractions - something very different from what you can see in cities such as Phnom Penh. Here, you'll come across a host of beaches where you can enjoy a superb tropical getaway. Below, you'll find 5 of the must-see coastlines in Sihanoukville:

* Serendipity Beach - Located on the east side of the port city, it's where you'll stumble upon Cambodian beach resorts that are right along the shore. Serendipity Beach also features plenty of bars and restaurants serving Western cuisine, as well as clothing boutiques, Internet shops, and electronic stores. It is considered as Sihanoukville's shopping and leisure haven.

* Ocheteaul Beach - This, along with Serendipity Beach, is the most popular beach area in Sihanoukville. In this 5-km-long beach, you'll find quite a number of dining options, from bamboo beach shacks to first-class seafood restaurants. There's also a 9-hole mini-golf course and the Ocean Water Park in its vicinity. Water sport activities like jet skiing and banana boat riding can be enjoyed here.

* Victory Beach - One of the more famous coastlines in the west side of Sihanoukville. A short walk from Victory Hill, it offers a mix of accommodation and leisure options. In its shores, you'll find restaurants serving fresh seafood, some hotels, and the full service Golden Sea Casino. Victory Beach also has a pier that serves as a starting point to exciting island boat trips.

* Sokha Beach - A kilometer and a half long, Sokha Beach is a stretch of fine white sand and pristine waters with a shallow drop off. This beach is pretty much well-maintained primarily because it is a private beach. But there is a portion of it that is still open to the public.

* Independence Beach - Named after Independence Hotel that sits atop its headland, it's one of the quieter beaches in Sihanoukville even with a number of restaurants and bars located in the area. Its shores are a bit narrower compared to the other beaches in the port city, that's why it's better to come here to lie on the sand during low tide.

Indeed, Sihanoukville provides guests with a different view of Cambodia. So if you wish to see another side of the country, go and book a Sihanoukville resort in any of the beaches mentioned above.

Michelle Roldan has extensive experience in writing, having created print advertisements and press releases for various clients in the past. On the side, she is an active blogger who posts about myriad topics ranging from current events, pop culture, and even weddings. She presently works as a web copywriter for DirectWithHotels, a company based in the Philippines that specializes on assisting accommodation providers to increase their direct bookings online.

Article Source: Michelle_Roldan

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Gearing Up For Tet - The Crescent, Phu My Hung

2012-01-16T10:56:00.000+07:00

With the Vietnamese New Year - Tet - just around the corner the city's landscape is changing quickly! Varies areas around Saigon are being transformed into gardens, pieces of art and more. The images below were taken yesterday at The Crescent, a recently opened area in Phu My Hung.
The Crescent is a great place to hang out and is growing in popularity with expats and locals. Bars, restaurants and a newly opened department store gives visitors plenty to do. If that's to much for you, head down at sunset and enjoy a stroll around the area! But from now until after Tet, The Crescent will be packed with folks celebrating the Year of the Dragon! Learn more about Tet by reading my earlier post - Tet - Vietnamese Lunar New Year

Local fishing boats on display

Once there was a road, now there's rice!

The Crescent - Serviced apartments, gym and more

Bonsai on display

Punters stroll through the The Crescent

Looking across the rice to Boomerang - great spot for a cold beer and a huge feed!

Flowers, rice and birds cover the road

Gearing up for Tet. The first day of the Lunar New Year is on the 23rd Jan.

The Crescent

Just like the farm really!

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Preparations on Nguyen Hue Flower Street kick off

2012-01-16T07:53:00.000+07:00

The preparations on Nguyen Hue Flower Street kicked off on January 10, to present to the public the City’s most spectacular display of fresh flowers, which will be officially opened on January 21.

(Photo: KK)

This year’s theme “Vietnam, my country” will be presented in four sections. Uncle Ho’s yellow apricot garden; Dragon statues; Flowers and Vietnamese traditional cakes ‘Banh Tet’ (cylindrical glutinous rice cake) and ‘Banh Chung’ (square glutinous rice cake); and a couple of giant dragons made of bamboo and knitted and braided dried water hyacinths.

Each dragon will be 26 metres long and 5 metres high. Colorful flowers and gold coins will shower from their mouths, welcoming a beautiful and prosperous Tet Lunar New Year.

Various entertainment activities such as musical performances and puppetry will take place around the flower street.

The HCMC Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs in cooperation with Dam Sen Park will organize the ‘Banh Tet’ festival from January 18-21. The event will open with a ‘Banh Tet’ cake making competition, in which 10,000 cakes will be baked and then distributed to poor families, disadvantaged workers and children in HCMC, Binh Duong and Binh Phuoc Provinces.

Tet Lunar New Year Festival 2012 opened at the HCMC Youth Cultural House on January 12 with a series of cultural activities such as a photo exhibition on the country’s achievements and developments, Tet festivities and daily life in the city; display of newspapers and magazines; music and ‘Cai Luong’ performances; and an ‘Ong Do’ (calligrapher) Street.

‘Ong Do’ (calligrapher) Street will also be held at the HCMC Labor and Cultural Palace from January 12-22. Vietnamese people traditionally enjoy auspicious words written in calligraphy in the hope of bringing good luck to their homes as well as a form of decoration during Tet New Year.

A food fair titled “My homeland festival” featuring special dishes from various regions of the country was held at the Binh Quoi Tourist Area from January 11-12.

Source - www.saigon-gpdaily.com.vn

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Tet - Vietnamese Lunar New Year

2012-01-13T09:11:00.000+07:00

Tết Nguyên Đán, more commonly known by its shortened name Tết or "Vietnamese Lunar New Year", is the most important and popular holiday and festival in Vietnam. It is the Vietnamese New Year marking the arrival of spring based on the Chinese calendar, a lunisolar calendar. The name Tết Nguyên Đán is Sino-Vietnamese for Feast of the First Morning, derived from the Hán nômcharacters 節元旦.

Tết is celebrated on the same day as Chinese New Year, though exceptions arise due to the one-hour time difference between Hanoi and Beijing resulting in the alternate calculation of the new moon. It takes place from the first day of the first month of the Lunar calendar (around late January or early February) until at least the third day. Many Vietnamese prepare for Tết by cooking special holiday foods and cleaning the house. There are a lot of customs practiced during Tết, such as visiting a person's house on the first day of the new year (xông nhà), ancestral worshipping, wishing New Year's greetings, giving lucky money to children and elderly people, and opening a shop.

Tết is also an occasion for pilgrims and family reunions. During Tết, Vietnamese visit their relatives and temples, forgetting about the troubles of the past year and hoping for a better upcoming year. They consider Tết to be the first day of spring and the festival is often called Hội xuân (spring festival).

Greetings

The traditional greetings are "chúc mừng năm mới" (Happy New Year) and "cung chúc tân xuân" (gracious wishes of the new spring). People also wish each other prosperity and luck.

Common wishes for Tết include:

Sống lâu trăm tuổi (Long life of 100 years): used by children for elders. Traditionally, everyone is one year older on Tết, so children would wish their grandparents health and longevity in exchange formừng tuổi or lì xì利是.
An khang thịnh vượng （安康興旺）(Security, good health, and prosperity)
Vạn sự như ý （萬事如意）(May myriad things go according to your will)
Sức khỏe dồi dào (Plenty of health)
Cung hỉ phát tài, from the Cantonese Gung hy fat choy (恭喜发财, 恭喜發財) (Congratulations and be prosperous)
Tiền vô như nước (May money flow in like water): used informally

Food

In Vietnamese language, to celebrate Tết is to ăn Tết, literally meaning "Tết eating", showing the importance of food in its celebration. Some of the food is also eaten year-round, while other dishes are only eaten during Tết. Also, some of the food is vegetarian since it is believed to be good luck to eat vegetarian on Tết. Some traditional food on Tết are:

Bánh chưng and bánh dầy: essentially tightly packed sticky rice with meat or bean fillings wrapped in Dong (Phrynium placentarium) leaves. When these leaves are unavailable banana leaves can be used as a subtitute. Bánh chưng (rectangular to represent Earth) and bánh dầy (circular to represent Sky) are symbolically connected with Tết and are essential in any Tết celebration. Preparation is time-consuming, and can take days to cook. The story of their origins and their connection with Tết is often recounted to children while cooking them overnight.
Hạt Dưa: roasted watermelon seeds, also eaten during Tết.
Dưa Hành: pickled onion and pickled cabbage.
Củ Kiệu: pickled small leeks.
Mứt: These dried candied fruits are rarely eaten at any time besides Tết.
Cầu Dừa Đủ Xoài - In southern Vietnam, popular fruits used for offerings at the family altar in fruit arranging art are the custard-apple/sugar-apple/soursop (mãng cầu), coconut (dừa),papaya (đu đủ), and mango (xoài), since they sound like "cầu vừa đủ xài" ([We] pray for enough [money] to spend) in the southern dialect of Vietnamese.
Thịt Kho Nước Dừa Meaning "Meat Stewed in Coconut Juice", it is a traditional dish of fatty pork stomach and medium boiled eggs stewed in a broth-like sauce made overnight of young coconut juice and nuoc mam. It is often eaten with pickled bean sprouts and chives, and white rice.

....To learn more about the Vietnamese New Year keep reading at Wikipedia!

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Kids of Cambodia

2012-01-12T17:30:00.000+07:00

Below is small collection of images I have taken from various trips to Cambodia.If you're thinking of heading to the Kingdom, make sure you do it sooner than later! It's wicked place to travel and full of great people!

Images taken by Adam Hurley. More of Adam's photography can be seen at Streets of Saigon

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Discounted Camera / Camcorder - Perfect for Travelers

2012-01-11T11:03:00.000+07:00

Are you looking around for a new camcorder? New digital camera? Then be sure to check out the latest promo from Cameta Camera. There selling factory demo's giving you huge savings. And you even get a 1yr warranty!

Canon Vixia HF M301 Flash Memory HD Digital Video Camcorder - Factory Demo $219.95 + Free shipping & includes a 1 Year Warranty.

Olympus PEN E-PL1 Micro 4/3 Digital Camera & 14-42mm Lens (Black/Black) - Factory Demo $229.95 + 1 Year Warranty.

Stock is limited. Conditions apply.

For more info, click the links or photos. Otherwise head to the Cameta Camera Website for the full range of photography equipment!

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Arts at the Boomerang

2012-01-10T17:54:00.000+07:00

If you're looking for something to do in Saigon this weekend, look no further!

Head down to the funky and always popular Boomerang Bistro in Phu My Hung for a Visual and Performing Arts extravaganza! Art, dance, poetry and music, all at one of the funkiest places in town!

Showing some photography, will be Saigon Unseen's own Adam Martin. And if you have seen any of Adam's photography, you'll be arriving early to beat the crowds! (click here if you haven't!)

See below for details and contact info (click to enlarge)

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Vietnam Swans Helping Vietnam

2012-01-09T17:25:00.000+07:00

Below is a great innitive by the Vietnam Swans - Vietnam's Aussie Rules Footy Team. Read below for details and should you need more info or want tot get involved head to vietnamswans.com or contact the National Prez - Mr Phil on the email below!

Dear Swannies, Sponsors and Supporters

Yesterday, the Swannies kicked off our 2012 season with the Inaugural Vietnam-Australian Friendship Match against the Southern Dragons (congratulations to the Dragons for winning a keenly contested match).

I was delighted to announce during the after match presentations that Montgomeire Links, Danang, and the Swannies have decided to make a splash with respect to the upcoming 2^nd Annual Swing to Swim Charity Golf Day and Dinner Fundraiser which will be held on 17 March, 2012.

Montgomerie Links has very generously donated a Corporate Golf Package to the cause that includes:

·        Complimentary 18 hole Green Fees for 20 players
·        $100 F&B Credit
·        Free Driving Range balls before round.
·        12 month validity
·        Conditions: Not Redeemable on weekends before 11am or on the Swing to Swim Charity Golf Day.
·        Value: $2300.

This package could be yours for just $501! We are currently accepting bids for this golf package until 5pm on Monday 16 January. Please email me at vietnamswans@gmail.com Obviously, the highest bidder will win the package. The Swannies have kicked off proceedings with a bid of $500.

Where does the money go?

All money raised will be shared equally between Swim Vietnam and Swim Safe (Royal Life Saving Society of Australia). As you will be aware, more children die in this country from drowning than road accidents. These two organisations are doing a special job in teaching kids to not only survive but thrive in the inland waters and long shore line of this country. (Please see Swim Vietnam’s attached document, “A skill for life to help save a life.”)

Details of the 2012 Swing to Swim Charity Golf Day and Dinner Fundraiser

The Swing to Swim Charity Golf Day and Dinner will be held on 17 March 2012 at Montgomerie Links. Like last year, there will be loads of competitions, prizes and fun on the golf course during the day. For those of you who think golf is “a good walk ruined”, don’t worry. It will all come together for you when the sun starts to set and the band starts up in the evening. We’ll be seated outdoors overlooking the magnificent fairways and greens of Montgomerie when a sumptuous dinner will be served. We will also have an auction of some amazing items to raise further funds to support the swimming. Last year, auctioneer, Micky Francis provided some hilarious entertainment during the proceedings. It was an absolute highlight of the evening.

Full details are still to be announced but as a guide, please see last year’s Swing to Swim Golf Fundraiser (see attached).

Registrations of interest for sponsorship and/or attending Swing to Swim

If you would like to register your interest in being a sponsor and/or playing in the Swing to Swim event, then please email Jon Tomlinson at Montgomerie Links on jon.tomlinson@montgomerielinks.com or me.

Remember, just $501 for $2,300 of golfing value at Montgomerie Links!

The Swannies have placed a bid of $500 for Montgomerie Links Corporate Golf Package for 20 players (that’s just $25 per player!). $501 will beat it. The auction will close at 5pm Vietnam time on Monday 16 January. For the latest bidding information, please check www.vietnamswans.com

Closing thought

Are you living in Australia and considering coming out for the ANZAC Dawn Service (25 April) and the Vietnam Swans’ ANZAC Friendship Match (on 21 April)? Perhaps you could also consider a side trip to Danang/Hoi An and Montgomerie Links… And help save a life.

Regards

Phil

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The Forbidden Purple City of Vietnam

2012-01-07T15:41:00.000+07:00

The Forbidden Purple City is more than a tourist attraction; it is a striking contrast between grandeur and war, opulence and ruin. Most stunning, though, is the incredible beauty that has survived and which buries itself in the mind of travelers and residents alike. The citadel within a citadel within a citadel now allows you to walk where only royalty were meant to tread and witness a city trying to reclaim itself from the jungle.

The Forbidden City and its guards lie in Hue, former capital of Vietnam. Built for the Nguyen dynasty, the entire compound is surrounded by a 10km moat and 10 gates. The first citadel measured 10km x 10km and it was peopled by non-royals. This surrounded another citadel measuring 2km x 2km, where important ceremonies were performed. Finally, at the center, surrounded by another set of walls and moat, was the Purple Forbidden City. Besides the royal family, the only ones allowed in this inner sanctum were eunuchs who attended to the family and the emperor's concubines.

Built in the early 19th Century, the palace and grounds were informed by geomancers, or feng shui experts for optimal energy flow. The structures were also meant to resemble the Forbidden City of Beijing. Throughout the 19th and midway through the 20th Century, the Forbidden City grew to include hundreds of rooms and scores of pavilions, and while intended as a smaller scale replica of its Beijing counterpart, it was, nonetheless, imposing and vast.

What termites and typhoons weakened, war destroyed. The Forbidden City was bombed and nearly decimated. Only a few buildings remained after the war with the United States. Today, the earth has healed from the bomb scares and nature has taken over. Much of the once-formidable City is covered in rice fields.

Even though the imperial city was badly damaged, it is still very possible to see Vietnam's take on Chinese architecture, and the remaining buildings retain their sense of dignity. Today, a handful of the structures have been restored, and efforts continue to bring the city back to its former glory. The sense of bringing the city back to life is pervasive and impressive.

Vietnam is full of treasures, and the imperial city is chief among them. It is well worth a visit, the ruins and rebirth of the Purple Forbidden City offer a striking, haunting, and ultimately hopeful portrait of Vietnamese culture, life, and history.

Enid Glasgow is a travel writer who recently visited Vietnam.

Article Source: Enid_Glasgow

Images: Vietnam Travel Notes @ Flickr

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Moto Foto - Shooting Saigon

2012-01-05T16:50:00.000+07:00

Today I headed out with Australian photographer Mark Stennett, from Drift Photography on one of his super cool photography tours - Moto Foto.

Traveling by motor bike, Mark takes travelers around the streets, lanes and alleys of Saigon, where he teaches and explains (in simple terms!) what exposure, ISO, F-stops, depth of fields etc actually mean and do, helping you improve your photography!

In short it's a wicked day out, the perfect way to explore the unseen while getting photography tips and tuition from a pro!

Check out the Drift website for full details. And before you go, check out my images below - all from today!

Three lads hanging out along the Saigon River

Feet control

The blurry streets of Saigon

Candle in one of the many pagoda's scattered through out the city

Markets friends

Vietnamese work horse

Motor bike parking

Shouldn't he watch the road?

Xe Om (motor bike taxi) waiting for a fare

Moto Photo works with Saigon Unseen in Vietnam's largest city, Ho Chi Minh City! .Subscribe to Vietnam and Cambodia by Email Follow Us On Twitter Join In Tour of Vietnam - 9 Days by Exotissimo Vietnam - Set Departures Special Prices from $750.

How to Plan Your Next Vietnam Travel Tour

2012-01-05T15:32:00.000+07:00

Traveling to Vietnam

Halong Bay - Vietnam

Vietnam holds a special place in my heart, everytime I visit, I thoroughly enjoy the culture and people that make Vietnam what it is. Traveling to Northern Vietnam and exploring the countryside while staying with locals in their homes is a particular favorite of mine. If you haven't tried a homestay before, I would recommend finding a good Vietnam tour company to assist you. These companies work with the local villages and help bring them tourists which help improve the locals standard of living and provide an income source for their families. When you're looking for a Vietnam Tour company, be sure to see how they help the communities you travel to. Finding a tour company that gives back to their communities is very important. Some of the larger tour companies send bus loads of people to the main attractions and shuttle them out before they can really get to know the people. Traveling in Vietnam with a tour company that will provide small custom tours, is a much more personal experience and usually with a little research, these companies give a lot back to the communities they help serve.

The average income in Vietnam is under $300 per month and lots of families rely on income from tourists to help them get ahead in life and put their children through school. To me, there is nothing better then being able to help a family on your trip as they go out of their way to show you a good time and let you have a glimpse of their culture and lifestyle. So on your next trip to Vietnam, consider planning a homestay.

Now I understand most travelers, don't want a homestay for their entire vacation, there are many incredible hotels and resorts to stay at and place to experience. Here are some of my top favorites.

1. Ha Long Bay Cruise

Taking a cruise on Ha Long Bay is a must do activity if you are traveling to Vietnam, This UNESCO World Heritage site is an incredible place to see and experience. Taking a 2 - 3 day cruise on Ha Long Bay is a great way to get to see all that it has to offer.

2. Hanoi City Tour

West Lake - Hanoi

Visiting Hanoi is an excellent way to experience the busy city life of Northern Vietnam. There are many wonderful attractions and places to visit and shopping in Hanoi's old quarter is a very unique experience, you just have to try. There are also dozens of incredible restaurants in Hanoi, some tucked back in alleys and very hard to find. Don't be afraid to try new things, but keep in mind that our western lifestyles aren't used to the drinking water, so try to drink bottled water unless you like living on the edge.

3. Hue, Vietnam

Hue, Vietnam is a special city with a lot of history in central Vietnam, there are lots of wonderful cultural events in this area and lots of great history. Visiting the Hue Citadel is a must do activity if you're in Hue, also having lunch at a monastery is a great way to experience the culture and enjoy a unique tasty meal.

4. Hoi An, Vietnam

This special beach city is a great way to enjoy the beaches of Central Vietnam and pamper yourself. Some of the finest resorts in the world are located in Hoi An, including the Nam Hai an incredible 6 star hotel which provides a luxurious experience you'll be hard pressed to find anywhere else in the world. The beaches are great and it's a nice way to relax from your trip and spend a few days exploring the town and some of the local attractions.

5. Saigon, Vietnam

Saigon Bia - Saigon

If you're in Southern Vietnam, you'll have to visit Saigon, officially known as Ho Chi Minh City, many people still refer to this city as Saigon. This city has been more westernized then others in Vietnam, but you can still experience a lot of very unique culture and there are hundreds of incredible attractions to visit while staying here. There are some beautiful hotels that are very affordable to stay at. Usually Saigon is a great starting and ending point for a Southern Vietnam tour. There are lots of incredible small towns around Saigon that have the small personal experience many are looking for, but you can still enjoy big city resorts and amazing dining options if you aren't up to spending all your time in smaller villages.

Well, there are a lot more incredible places to see when you travel to Vietnam, but there are some of the top 5. To learn more about Vietnam Travel and all that there is to see and do in this wonderful country, check out our website at http://www.evietnamtravel.com. We provide tips and tricks when traveling to Vietnam as well as destination reviews and tour companies to consider when visiting Vietnam. I hope this article was helpful to you and that you can enjoy your next trip to Vietnam.

Brad is an active Travel Blogger for iTravel.net, a community travel site that shares travel information for exotic places all around the world. He loves traveling abroad and sharing his experiences with others. Visit him at iTravel to learn more about him and where he has been.

Article Source: Brad_Ruoho

Images By Streets of Saigon

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Most expensive dining experiences in Vietnam

2012-01-04T17:03:00.001+07:00

These expensive dishes may cost a few months’ salary for an average Vietnamese but the upscale restaurants catering them are always crowded with people trying to get a seat to savor these high-class dishes made from carefully chosen ingredients by renowned chefs

Is the money spent on these dishes worth their promised health and nutrient value or is it just for the glamour of dining in fancy places? Only insiders can answer.

1. Appetizers fetch $750, an everyday occurrence for the rich

At S.H. restaurant on Ly Thuong Kiet Street, 50 kg of lobsters are consumed every day. Though it costs VND3.2 million ($150) a kilogram, lobster is one of the favorite dishes here. Some customers spend dozens of millions of dong just on this.

T., a waitress at the restaurant, says it happens ever day. She lists some expensive appetizers like red snapper fin and crab-roe soup (VND1.5 million), bird’s nest and shark fin soup (VND1 million), and Australian abalone soup (VND1 million). A meal for six could cost $1,500 without drinks. Wines cost $1,000. Customers can bring their own drinks, but corkage is $15 for wine and $20 for booze. The waitress says hundreds of customers come every day, with weekdays being busier than weekends.

“They usually come to talk business.

Since they pay a bill of $1,500 without batting an eyelid, I guess they are not spending their own money," said the waitress.

2. A bowl of pho costs 100 kilos of rice

A bowl of pho costs $34, as much as 100 kg of unhusked rice - yet the dish has been warmly received and eagerly consumed by many customers, said Mr. To Lam, General Director of the Hanoi-based Capital Garden (Vuon Thu Do) Restaurant, where this special and shockingly priced beef noodle is served.

The place offers mainly two kinds of beef noodle: the VND650,000 ($34) Sagagyu beef noodle served in fine china gold gilded bowls with curved spoons, and the VND125,000 ($6.5) American beef noodle served in normal bowls with straight spoons. The service is also more elaborate: broth and noodle is served in one bowl, and machine sliced beef served in a separate dish. The VND500,000 ($26) Kobe beef, or the VND220,000 ($11) Wagu beef are also available here.

Prohibitive as it is, the dish is in such a demand that his three restaurants, accommodating 150 guests, are often overloaded – guests are mostly businessmen and wealthy families.

A man is tasting the expensive pho at Capital garden

3. Hundred-dollar beefsteaks

My Way restaurant on Hanoi’s Ly Thai To street serves beefsteak made from expensive Japanese Kobe beef at VND1.9 million (US$90) for tenderloin and VND1.7 ($80) for strip loin. Each dish includes a 200g steak, mashed potato, bread, salads and a choice of five different sauces: green pepper, red wine, BBQ, cherry tomatoes and mushroom cream. At lower prices, customers can choose Japanese Wagyu for VND1.28 million (US$500) or American and Australian beef starting from VND380,000 ($20). The reason for such high prices is due to the high costs of the ingredients and the complexity of the preparing and cooking process.

Ho Toan Thang, the restaurant chef, said about 20 guests visit the restaurant to savor the steaks every day. Besides curious people who wished to try the expensive dishes once, 70 percent of the guests are frequenters who take family, friends and partners to the restaurant. There are also reservations for a table for two with candle lights, Kobe beefsteaks and Spanish wine for a sweet proposal night.

4. Drinking gold wine to prevent HIV/AIDS

A gold wine brand called G. is said to contain 22 carats of pure gold to help increase iron levels in blood, decompose stones inside organs and increase energy. Each 500ml bottle is sold for VND1.5 million (US$75).

At the same price, consumers can buy a set of three bottles of Korean gold wine, which is said to help prolong lifespan, brighten skin and prevent HIV.

“My husband bought them during his business trip to Korea,” said a gold wine seller in Ho Chi Minh City.

“Take one glass before each meal and you’ll see the effect in a week.”

Doctor Do Thi Ngoc Diep, director of the HCMC nutrition, said no research had shown gold to have any benefit to human health. It is not listed as a healthy nutrient.

“There is no need to eat gold,” Diep said. “On the contrary, overeating can cause poisoning since gold is a heavy metal.”

5. Eating golden turtle to cure heart diseases

If you think these Hanoi restaurants and their patrons are decadent, they pale in comparison to what goes on the Mong Cai border in Quang Ninh, where rich people feast on golden turtles.

According to a rich man living here, golden turtles are very precious and rare. Since they live in high mountain habitats, they breathe the freshest air and are very nourishing.
Eating them can improve one’s health and wine mixed with turtle blood or gall can help cure heart disease, he claims.

Their price? A turtle no larger than a cup costs VND50 million ($2,400).

6. Local chef, local ingredients, international price

Chef Vo Quoc’s high-class catering has got popular by word of mouth, and he does not pay for marketing or advertising, but instead lets his clients find him.

Every time he receives an order to cater at a house or company party, Quoc introduces his clients to three simple courses with five dishes each. Depending on the quality, each course can cost VND2-8 million (US$100-400) per guest. At the highest price, the menu includes fresh seafood, abalone and shark fin.

An abalone dish prepared by Vu Quoc

Quoc caters six luxurious parties like this each month.

“Parties I cater cost more than usual because I pledge not to use salt, sugar, MSG or any other addictives,” Quoc said.

Quoc said that other than Australian beef and Japanese abalone, he uses mostly local produce.

“I buy vegetables and spices at Ben Thanh Market. There are two stands that sell fresh vegetables from Hoc Mon District. Seafood can be found in Cu Market on Ham Nghi Street. Their prawns, crabs and squid are fresher than those in any other market.”

When asked who is willing to pay such a high price for a party, especially in these troubling economic times, Quoc said, “I cannot reveal clients’ information. What I can say is that they are high-class and very gastronomic.”

7. Dining like an emperor, paying like a millionaire

Long Dinh restaurant (Hanoi) is renowned for its “golden room,” an unabashedly decadent place that gives its customers the impression of dining in a royal palace. Its gold inlaid tableware sparkle on a perfect white table.

But to dine like an emperor does not come cheap – it could cost a person US$1,000, the same as Vietnam’s per capita income. An appetizer like a bird’s nest and crab-roe soup costs $46, bird’s nest and chicken soup is $65, while South African abalone soup comes at $96.

“We have 300 dishes here for the equivalent of a few quintals of rice,” a waitress says.
Even a small pack of cashew costs VND800,000 ($40).

Considering the high prices, you would think few people go there, right? Wrong. Long Dinh is always packed, and one needs to book in advance to get a table.

Article and Images @ Tuoi Tre News (English)

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A Review of Vietnam - A History by Stanley Karnow

2012-01-04T15:23:00.000+07:00

At around 270,000 words, Stanley Karnow's Vietnam - A History is something of a monster, as is its subject. Even those who did not live through the era when reports of the conflict dominated most international news, the title itself is still probably recognised as something iconic, something that sums up the third quarter of the twentieth century. The word iconic would be inaccurate, however. Icons are small images that suggest something bigger. Vietnam, as a subject, as a reality, was always a big issue. It was fought over for thirty years, toppled US Presidents, claimed untold thousands of lives and effectively involved the whole world. This was superpower conflict by proxy.

Stanley Karnow's book is replete with detail, analysis, fact, some fiction and much posturing. It benefits from being written largely from experience. The author was a respected journalist who covered the war at its height and his encounters with political elites, combatants and victims bring the story of death and destruction to life, if that phrase is not in bad taste.

This was no minor skirmish, confined to a far corner of the North American world view. World War Two devastated Europe and significant other parts of the world. And yet a greater tonnage of explosives was dropped in the Vietnam War than in all the Second World War's theatres of conflict combined. It's worth taking a moment to reflect on that. In addition, chemical weapons, defoliants and napalm were sprayed around with apparent abandon before the United States, defeated, left for their territorially unaffected, unattacked home.

There are those who thought the war was counter-productive. There were those who still think that the war was fought by a USA that had one hand tied behind its back. An all-out onslaught would have brought decisive victory. But, given the above, what would that victory have looked like? Just how close did the world come to a second nuclear war?

Stanley Karnow reminds us how truth becomes a casualty. He describes how US officials, civilian and military alike dared not communicate negative messages or attitudes about the war. To do so was seen as defeatism and there were no promotions for defeatists, no opportunities for pessimists, their positions being interpreted as merely unpatriotic. In contrast, positive reports were rewarded, even if they bore little resemblance to reality. And the author's portrait of Walt Rostow, a prominent member of LBJ's team, casts him squarely in the role of anti-communist hawk, a guise in which we should view him when today we approach his still respected work on economic change and development.

But what is perhaps most troubling was the ease with which those in power used the mechanisms of their state to hound dissenters, to tap their phones, block their careers. And, it has to be remembered, this culture did lead - though perhaps indirectly - to the near impeachment and actual removal from office of an elected US President.

Stanley Karnow's book captures the conflict ideologically, historically and politically. Alongside Gabriel Kolko's book on the same subject, it ought to be required reading for anyone left in the world who thinks that war can solve conflict.

Philip Spires
Author of Mission and A Fool's Knot, African novels set in Kenya
http://www.philipspires.co.uk

Migwani is a small town in Kitui District, eastern Kenya. My books examine how social and economic change impact on the lives of ordinary people. They portray characters whose identity is bound up with their home area, but whose futures are determined by the globaised world in which they live.

Article Source: Philip_Spires

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Vietnam Tour Operator Guide: Read This If You Wish To Stay Away From The Crowd

2012-01-03T14:59:00.000+07:00

Vietnam is quickly transforming into a centre for tourism in Southeast Asia. Although not as heavily commercialised as Thailand and Malaysia, there's no doubt it's getting there with the increasing volume of tourist arrivals each year. While some of you might despair at the idea of throngs of people spoiling your holidays, it will be good to find out that Vietnam still has a lot of places that are off the beaten path. Similarly there are several ways to steer clear of the heavy crowd in more popular places during your vacation. Listed here are some places you can visit with the help of your Vietnam tour operator.

Sa Pa

Situated in Vietnam's remote north-western mountain region, Sa Pa is known for its wonderful and rugged scenery, and cultural diversity. The area hosts numerous hill tribes, rice terraces, and thick vegetation. It's very close to Vietnam's highest peak, Fan Si Pan, which is 3,142 metres high. While the town itself may get packed at times (particularly on weekends) this can be avoided by exploring the countryside areas, that will need more than a day's walk to get to.

My Son

Found 43 miles (69 kilometres) southwest of Da Nang, My Son has the ruins of the Champa civilisation, that have been known to exist between the 4th and 14th centuries. The Hindu-influenced complex was utilised for religious ceremonies for kings. It was also a burial site for members of Cham royalty along with their national heroes. Beholding the most ancient structures still seen in the country should be a fun excursion for history enthusiasts. Keep in mind that the area can get a bit packed so you should try going there very early in the day (preferably at dawn) if you wish to beat the crowd and heat.

Bai Tu Long National Park

Situated next to its more popular counterpart, Ha Long Bay, the area also has Ha Long's gorgeous scenery of islands, seas, and rocks. The sole difference is, it is not as crowded. Furthermore, the park is home to five distinct ecosystems: Rain Broad Leaves Forest, Limestone Forest, Littoral Ecosystem, Corals, and Shallow Water. Some areas, particularly the Shallow Water area, haven't yet been fully researched by researchers.

Bach Ma National Park

If you want a little bit of untamed Vietnamese nature, this place is good for you. Found some 56 miles (90 kilometres) north of Hoi An, the park is a model for biodiversity with its jungles, vegetation-filled valleys, and spectacular views of the beaches. Remember to bring enough bottled water, a hat, plus a rain jacket during the hike since the place is among the rainiest in Vietnam.

There are lots of more places you could visit that are not very packed, and ways to steer clear of too many visitors in more popular areas. It helps to do some research before your trip, check information on the web for suggestions and travelers' info. You should consider asking your Vietnam tour operator or other people you know who were there, they'll be the best people to offer you first-hand reports on what you should expect when you get to your destination.

Final Tips

Before going, become aware of some important things to ensure a smooth holiday. Vietnam visitors should take care to dress modestly, avoid upsetting your hosts or be too camera-happy. Avoid bringing up political topics, specially those concerning the Vietnam War. Finally, remember to avoid flaunting your wealth as it's rude to them, and it can make you a hot target for snatchers. Don't forget these things and you'll most likely enjoy your holiday.

Amaury Quirion is a travel agent who has links to various Vietnam tour operator. For more details on how to get the most from your visit to Vietnam, read about holidays Vietnam.

Article Source: Amaury_Quirion

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