Con Dao- Beautiful place dips in my memory

Con Dao with shivering historical prisons and breath-taking natural scenery will leave deep impression with any tourists once coming right here. It will be an some unforgettable experience in life.

There are two methods for getting to Con Dao from Vung Tau Town: by plane or ship. We chose the second. After a night by sailing, we landed at Ben Dam of Con Dao when the sun had just risen.

Con Son Beach

Source: Panoramio

Con Dao appeared in front of our eyes in a green shirt of coconut trees and coastal casuarinas. On the way from the port to the center, I had the opportunity to contemplate the picturesque beauty of Con Dao City. On the right of my hand were spotless white sandy beaches and the deep blue sea. On the left were superb green forests, fresh young grass and red-roofed houses hidden in the early morning mist. The natural picture with refresh colors and pure air of Con Dao quickly helped me to forget the tiredness of a night with seasick.

Con Dao National Park

Source: Panoramio

The roads of Con Dao City were covered with hundreds-of-years tropical almond trees. The first place I visited was an ancient house of French architectural style in Le Duan Street. After 113 years used as a place to live and work of 53 Island Lord, the house became the Con Dao Gallery of historic revolution. We visited Con Dao prison system after that. The relic was a huge area which consisted of 127 rooms, 42 cells, 504 tiger cages and many other areas. Therefore, we were taken to visit three main prisons which were Phu Hai, Phu Son and Phu Truong. Although 30 years passed, I was still shivered when taking a firsthand look at atrocities of the enemy in prisons. On the way out, we visited Hang Duong Cemetery, the resting place of more than 20 thousand revolutionary soldiers including anonymous ones.

Ben Dam port

Source: Panoramio

Con Dao also had many beautiful natural landscapes, however. In the next days, we visited Con Dao National Park, which was recognized as one of the most diverse biological reserve in the world. It was truly an enormous land with a wide variety of animal and plant species, many of which I had never seen before. In the afternoon, we took a ship to a minor beach, not far away from Dam Trau Bay. There, after being tired of swimming, we climbed cliffs, visiting wild freshwater lake behind the bay and diving to watch the undersea world of splendid corals and colorful fishes. Then we wandered in primeval forest to watch rare animals which could be found nowhere apart from Con Dao such as Nicoba pigeons, or fire storks.

Former Prison

When the sun was going down, we gathered with the beach to contemplate an exciting natural phenomenon: purple sunset. The purple sunset was so strange and fantastic which it created many different feelings inside me. It was also our last image of Con Dao. Regardless of having been many destinations in Vietnam and also on earth, it seems that nowhere results in deep impression in me such as Con Dao Island.

Cu Chi Tunnels Wonderful maze underground

The desire of visiting one of the primary works in Vietnam War constantly urges me. Cu Chi Tunnels is where I chose to discover in my holiday in Ho Chi Minh City. I had a chance to know more about the hardest lifetime in war of Vietnamese.

Meeting Space

The Vietnam War is always there in my mind, even before I decided to travel Vietnam. Like other visitors, I was captivated by the wonderful beauty of such destinations as Mui Ne beaches, I also have a dip in the cool water in Cat Ba Island, was traveling through the road from Hanoi to Lao border. However, the idea to visit one of the greatest works in the Vietnam War was always inspire me. I do not know how, but I was very interested in a war that it began and ended even before I was born.

With this attention, I traveled to Cu Chi Tunnels. Tunnels of this relic were built in 1940s as a camouflage protecting Vietnamese soldiers in the struggles against French colonists. Local people and soldiers together gradually extended the tunnels. They just used simple tools and bare hands to create the maze of tunnels. This work is particularly significant in the period of Vietnam War and the escalation of the United States in 1960s. Cu Chi Tunnels is not simply an underground tunnel system. It looks like a complicated maze existing under Cu Chi ground, or a town with a strong vitality. I believe that Chu Chi Tunnels is not just important for its role in Vietnam War, but it is also a great symbol of Vietnamese volition to live and to fight. 

Field Hospital

As being one of the unique Ho Chi Minh City attractions, Cu Chi Tunnels is about 70 km to the northwest of the city. I travelled to this place by bus, which is favored by most of tourists as its cheap price. With only US$4, I entered Cu Chi Tunnels. I was so astonished at the system of three floors with nooks and crannies like a cobweb. The first floor is able to against tanks and artillery. While, the second floor of five-meter depth can avoid small bombs. The last floor, the deepest one (from 8 to 10 meters), can withstand bombs with a large-scale destruction. In the tunnel, there are areas for living, meeting, and fighting with a total length of over 200 kilometers. Interestingly, there was no support of machines in constructing this tunnel, with simple tools as hoes and spades for exception. It is an important work of Vietnamese soldiers in 30-year fierce resistance to regain independence.

Cu Chi Tunnels

I spent nearly all of time touring around the tunnel and taking photos. However, I did not dare go further for that fear of meeting traps unexplored. Though I had no chance to visit all around the tunnel, but the image from it is beyond my imagination. Only by moving down a shorter distance in this tunnel do I understand the true reason for the victory of Vietnam, a little country that defeated a strong country. Apart from visiting the actual tunnel, I also tasted local tapioca in the natives. This dish has been popular considering that the wartime. In addition, I had time to see documentary films about the actual tunnel. I collected a wide range of interesting information about history, which allows you clarify my questions about Vietnam in the war. I was so pleased, as finally I reached essentially the most stunning defensive system in the entire world, witnessed an underground city however existing, and understand more in regards to the patriotism of Vietnamese.

Ninh Binh stand by for United nation Day of Vesak Vietnam 2014

With the press conference on United Nations around the world Day of Vesak Vietnam 2014 from Bai Dinh Pagoda, authorities of Ninh Binh province declared that most preparations for Vesak 2014 were being completed.


Vesak is a holiday organized traditionally by Buddhists in many countries world wide, informally called “Buddha’s Birthday”. That actually commemorates the birth, enlightenment as well as the death of Buddha. The official dates with this year Vesak last from May possibly 8th to 10th.

At in 2010 Vesak, Ninh Binh expectedly welcomes critical national and international representatives of government and organizations with the United Nations, thousands of Buddhists and tourists as well. Accordingly, preparations including security, flame prevention, and traffic management are completed for the opening ceremony of Vesak which will take place on May 9th. In addition, organizers have also finished evaluating the content of programs, licensing art activities, exhibitions, fairs, and preparing intended for procession.

Previously, the health agencies have tested the water supply for delegates, Buddhists in addition to tourists. Bai Dinh Pagoda and nineteen hotels where official delegates stay are disinfected to prevent a myriad of disease. 3 groups responsible for overseeing food safety and 10 mobile emergency groups are established. Provincial hospitals have fully prepared medicines, emergency equipments in addition to beds to promptly handle almost all incidents.

By May 7th, the guts hall in possession of 3, 500 seats continues to be basically completed. Xuan Truong Construction Company is rushing to accentuate toilets, technical areas, and guests rooms. The center hall involves 4 halls which have full equipments for symposiums, 54 green rooms for delegates. The company also arranges electric powered vehicles serving transportation demand of Buddhists and tourists absolutely free. Maps and traffic signposts inside pagoda are organized to help the transportation and reduce visitors congestion.


The organization of Vesak Vietnam 2014 possesses lately completed the decoration upon main roads in Ninh Binh Town and on roadsides of Trang A road towards Bai Dinh Pagoda. Sanitation Companies of Ninh Binh have increased their amount of workers and vehicles to often collect and process domestic waste products in areas where main activities with the celebration take place.
This could be the second time Vietnam hosts Vesak. The former which also was the 5th Us Day of Vesak was held in May 2008 at the National Conference Center of Vietnam. It left a greatly heavy impression on international tourists regarding the culture, people and religious living in Vietnam. This year celebration is also the anniversary of 15 years of Us Day of Vesak. It is organized by Vietnam Sangha of Buddhism within the auspices of Government of Vietnam, from Bai Dinh Pagoda in Ninh Binh State, the largest Buddhist Pagoda in Southeast Asia.

Kayaking in Halong Bay discovers fascinating landscapes

Halong Bay has for a protracted time been well-known collectively of the wondrous bays within the world. Kayaking in Halong Bay is really an ideal thanks to explore this gorgeous motherland of the  ocean and islands.

Taking part in Halong tour, beside international delegations coming back from America, Australia, France, Spain, Sweden,we tend to departed the journey discovering charming Halong Bay. Kayaking on the bay was truly an exciting expertise. Scenery of mountains together with the blue water surface, beside the ocean breeze processing into Halong luxury yachts dispel all the hot of the summer. Enjoying exciting Halong Bay scenery created U.S. A sensea of absolutely immersing during a distinctive natural landscape. Sitting on the deck, sipping a cool fruit crush, we tend to gave the impression to be  tiny once standing before the spectacular natural scenery.

Halong Bay cruise brought us pass over limestone mountains which are named after their natural shape, such as Ga Choi Islet, Mai Nha Islet, Dinh Huong Islet. There are also thousands of large and small limestone islands with abundance of sizes and shapes for tourists’ exploration.
Maybe most attractive and exciting experiences when the yacht parked next to the fishing village. We were comfortable to kayak or wave along the blue sea water. Wondrous beauty of the nature through a unique imagery of thousands of limestone islands, caves with stalactites in Halong Bay had completely enchanted us. However, to experience all the grandeur of the nature and explore cliffs, contemplate birds passing over protruding ledges or touch thousand year old stones, the best way was by kayaking. Under the specific guidance of our instructors, the sailing became extremely simple and attractive. Each kayak had 2 passengers with 2 kayak paddles. When mastering the paddle, we were really excited when boating ourselves to visit the fishing village, contemplate activities of fishermen in their own village and admire the limestone islands. In addition, kayaking the paddle along the foot of the rocky mountains to explore new experiences was one of the most favorite pastimes of the large number of tourists going to Halong . When the kayak crept through the unnamed islands, we completely admired the beauty of coral reefs, the tiny fishes and the plenty of other interesting scenery. Islands, namely Hang Luon Cave, Ba Ham, Ba Trai Dao, Ba Ham, Dau Be, Hang Co...were appropriate spots for kayaking. Yet going to low caves, we had eventually to lie on the boat, using our hands pushing into the cave’ ceiling to enter. This feeling is actually memorable.
Especially, once connection the Halong Bay nightlong tour, we have a tendency to had an opportunity to fancy the quiet atmosphere between the Brobdingnagian ocean. Having finished the trip and gone back on our yacht in our boat, most folks were excited and pleased with fun crammed experiences. Additionally, the afternoon’s dinner on the yacht was additionally exciting.Getting ready for dinner, the cook ready ingredients for egg roll– a preferred dish in Vietnam cookery as well as meat, vermicelli, black mushrooms, carrots, spices, eggs chicken, and paper. They were additionally prepared and happy to guide USA to form this ancient dish.Curiously, companion USA within the cruise, foreign friends were truly excited handy egg roll by themselves. We have a tendency to all were happy to arrange along and revel in the meal.Once the sun went down, the ocean was embellished with shimmering lights from the yachts in Halong Bay conveyance mysterious beauty.So once the primary rays appeared on the horizon, it absolutely was an indication for USA the top of the exciting journey. Yet, we have a tendency to browse every other's eyes a precise promise that we might come Halong Bay  a lot of times - a pride of Vietnam nature within the eyes of international friends.

Thu Thiem New Urban Area opens more roads

Along with four main boulevards being constructed, two main roads will be opened in Thu Thiem New Urban Area to attract more investors. The authorities of HCMC proposed the Central Government for investment project of constructing new routes.

Thu Thiem New Urban Area is a highlight in the new appearance of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). It belongs to wards of Anh Khanh, Thu Thiem, An Loi Dong, and parts of Binh An, Binh Khanh wards and is divided into eight functional areas. Each region has its own characteristics of mixed use, density private building, public spaces and landmark buildings.
According to the proposal of Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, there are two new projects of roads conducted in the northern residential area (the functional areas no.3 and no. 4). They are projects on construction of North-South transport hub from Thu Thiem Bridge 1 to Mai Chi Tho Road, and a bridge connecting the North-South axis to functional area no.6. Simultaneously, the committee hoped to specify investors implementing these projects itself.

Thu Thiem New Urban Area in construction - Source: Image from Panoramio

The local authority assessed that the investment in construction and infrastructure development, especially in infrastructure of northern residential area, is an essential requirement for attracting investors, contributing to the development and formation the Thu Thiem New Urban Area in accordance with the approved plans. In the early year, four main boulevards of Thu Thiem New Urban Area (Arc Avenue, Lakeside Avenue, Riverside Avenue, and a subway connecting eight functional areas in Thu Thiem), the four main transport hubs of the urban area, started being constructed with a total capital of VND12,000 billion. The project of these four roads is expected to complete by 2017.
Relating to the construction of infrastructure in District 2, one of the most important Ho Chi Minh districts, the People's Committee of this city has approved the project of upgrading and expanding Tran Nao Street. The street will have the width of 30 meters. At the same time, the whole technique and infrastructure system will be constructed under the ground. For sidewalks of over 5 meters, the construction of public works such as trees and bus shelters will be taken into consideration.

Whole view Thu Thiem Bridge - Source: Image from Flickr

Besides, this city also asked the Department of Transportation to upgrade Luong Dinh Cua Street in this August, and to finish projects of Tran Nao and Luong Dinh Cua streets in 2015. Luong Dinh Cua is an important route in District 2. This street links east-west road to Thu Thiem Bridge to enter the city center. At the same time, the department was required to break ground to construct a route connecting Nguyen Van Huong Street to Hanoi Highway in this April. This project is predicted to finish in 2015. Apart from constructing new routes in Thu Thiem New Urban Area, many projects are being implemented in Thu Thiem such as projects of residential area, 6200 resettlement apartments, multi-functional tower, and international convention center. These projects are seen as highlight points to stimulate real estate market to recover, and change the appearance of the city toward civilization and modernism.
The system of roads and infrastructure in Thu Thiem New Urban Area is planned according to an open orientation with four main boulevards. These four main boulevards construction with a total investment of over VND10, 000 billion in the form of build – transfer (BT), expected to be completed in 2016, is considered a prerequisite for construction and development of Thu Thiem Peninsula.

Vietnam Airlines orders Airbus latest aircrafts

According to the report of Airbus on April 23rd, Vietnam Airlines has become the first airline in Asia to use the latest advanced type of aircraft of this company named A350 XWB. The first A350 XWB will land at Vietnam airport in mid 2015.

Mr. Alan Pardoe, Chief Marketing Officer of Airbus has said that there are 3 versions of A350 XWB: A350-800 with carriage of 270 passengers in there-classes design, A350-900 with carriage of 314 passengers and A350-1000 with carriage of 350 ones. Thanks to the application of advanced technologies, the new plane type of Airbus reduces operating cost up to 20% per passenger seat, uses fuel more efficiently than same planes types on the market, especially Boeing 777-200 ER. In addition, A350 has outstanding advantages of wide seat, noise reduction, and air filter application on planes. As planned, Vietnam Airlines will have fourteen A350-900 aircrafts, of which ten units are directly ordered from Airbus and the rest 4 units are hired. This is really good news of Vietnam Airlines. With this project, Vietnam Airlines fleet expects to improve its services and reduce its cost of fuel with the aim of lowering price for passengers.

A350-800 of Vietnam Airlines in future - Source: Image from Wikimedia Commons

Also at the press conference in Hanoi, it was stated that Airbus, the leading aircraft manufacturer in the world had chose Nikkiso Vietnam Company to produce composite vertical bars of wings and Sharklet’s armor plates for 320s under sub-contract with main supplier Sharklet – the Korean Air Aerospace Division (KAL-ASD). Sharklet is a wing tip device which has been introduced in 2009 by Airbus. It is designed to enhance the payload-range performance of the A320 Family. Sharklets, a retrofit option, are expected to reduce fuel burn of up to 4% over longer sectors, which may correspond to annual CO2 reduction of around 700 tones per aircraft. With 4,280 aircrafts of A320 type which will be delivered to customers all over the world, this contract is expected to ensure a long-term work for Nikkiso Vietnam.
Mr. Jean Francois Laval, Executive Vice President of Airbus in Asia said that the company chose Vietnam to produce aircraft’s components because the aviation market of Vietnam was growing fast, the cost of production was low and Airbus received favorable supports from Vietnamese Government. The company is also researching to expand the scale of production and increase the number of factories in Vietnam in the future.

A350-800 on its flight - Source: Image from Wikimedia Commons

Earlier this year, another airline in Vietnam named Vietjet Air currently operates ten A320 Airbus aircrafts and has ordered over 100 A320 aircrafts including firm orders for 63 A320s, plus 30 purchase rights and more 7 lease aircrafts. Jetstar Pacific Airlines, with two main shareholders: Vietnam Airlines and Qantas Group, is being operated totally by Airbus aircrafts, with 6 A320s which are serving for domestic routes at present. 

Phu Quoc calls on investment from Singapore

At a meeting forum held in Singapore on April 28, the Minister of Planning and Investment, Bui Quang Vinh called on Singapore’s investment in Vietnam to construct Phu Quoc into a high-end tourist center in Vietnam and Southeast Asia.

The Minister of Planning and Investment, Bui Quang Vinh announced that Vietnamese Prime Minister and the Prime Minister of Singapore have agreed to cooperate and create the most favorable conditions of environment, policies and destinations of investment to encourage Singapore companies to invest in Phu Quoc Island in the near future.
The Minister of Planning and Investment expressed his wish that Singapore with experience in planning and developing tourist destinations, will assist in planning Phu Quoc Island. Singapore, also, has a right to propose incentives that Vietnam needs to develop as well as the limitations and difficulties that need solving in order to build Phu Quoc into a tourist and resort center in the region in years to come. Mr. Nguyen Thanh Nghi, Deputy Secretary of Party Committee as well as Vice Chairman of People's Committee of Kien Giang Province, on behalf of the delegation of Kien Giang had a talk with Singapore’s businesses in the Forum on investment in Vietnam promotion. He said that Vietnam’s government is building the project on “Development of Phu Quoc Island Model Economic Zone” with the highest level of incentives to invest, which is firstly applied. In addition, improvements of transport infrastructure system, modern synchronous energy combined with the inherent potential of geography are implemented. According to Mr. Nguyen Thanh Nghi, Singaporean businesses’ investment in Phu Quoc can focus on eco-tourism zones, scientist urban areas, and high-tech industrial zones of about 4,000 hectares in Phu Quoc Island.

A new project in Phu Quoc - Source: Image from evnspc.vn

In the meeting dated April 28 with a number of Singaporean businesses like Sunray Woodcraft Construction Pte Ltd and Centurion Properties Pte Ltd, the delegation of Kien Giang province said that when investing in Phu Quoc, businesses could enjoy investment incentives at the highest level for the first time of application. For example, there will be incentives of land policies and preferential policies for corporate income tax, income tax for high-income earners and tax import. After working with leaders of Kien Giang province, said Jason Lien, the Project Director Centurion Properties Pte Ltd, told that Phu Quoc had great potentials of nature to develop tourism and economy. Recently, Vietnamese government expanded and upgraded airports with international and regional standards to shorten flight time to other countries in the region like Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. “Phu Quoc is a wonderful place for relaxation with beautiful places, beaches, and it is an ideal destination to invest in resorts and hotels”, Mr. Jason said.
According to Mr. Chia Keng Tech, the representative of Arcanum Associates, LLT, a Singapore’s company specializing in providing consulting services of business and investment, that a large area of land in Phu Quoc will be spent to develop is a good news for foreign investors. He said, “I think that Phu Quoc is an island possessing many great opportunities” and “I would recommend businesses in Singapore to invest in Phu Quoc quickly”. Along with the view of Mr. Chia Keng Tech, Mr. Tan Soon Kim, the assistant of Chief Executive Operator of IE Singapore (International Enterprise Singapore), confirmed that IE Singapore will encourage Singapore companies to invest in Kien Giang province.

Phu Quoc Beach - Source: Image from Flickr

The Chairman of People's Committee of Kien Giang province, Mr. Le Van Thi, said Vietnam and Singapore has built a strategic partnership partly based on similarities to natural and geographical conditions of Phu Quoc and Singapore. By virtue of this, Singapore enterprises who invest in Phu Quoc will have more advantages than other investors will. According to the Chairman of Kien Giang province, at the 10th Ministerial Conference on Vietnam - Singapore economic connections held at Singapore on April 29, the delegation of Kien Giang will have a speech to introduce potentials, advantageous position of Phu Quoc to investors as well as the management agencies of Singapore. In the near future, investment in Phu Quoc in particular and investment in Vietnam in general will be boosted significantly by Singaporean investors.