Assembly Hall of Cantonese Chinese Congregation

 Assembly Hall of Cantonese Chinese Congregation or Hội Quán Quảng Đông in Vietnamese is situated at 176 Tran Phu street, near Japanese covered Bridge. The Hall was built in 1855 by Cantonese community coming from China and doing business in Hoian. 

Photo ST

The Hall was restore in 1915 and again in 1990. The main construction, in the middle compartment, is used to worship Quan Cong - a famous General who lived in 3rd century in China, who is respected by 5 noble characters that real and success traders must follow. On 2 other sides are altars of Saints.

The Hall is ornamented colorfully and attractively by motifs of dragon, phoenix, jade glazed ceramics, paintings...Many ancient objects still remain inside including 4 horizontal lacquered boards, incense burner with the height of 1.6m high and 0.6m wide.

                                                                                   Photo ST

Annual ceremony praying for peace and lucks is taken place at the Hall on 15th day of January, Lunar Calendar. If you attend the Temple this day you you learn lots of cultural features of Chinese Community in Hoian.  

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Japanese Covered Bridge in Hoian

 Four hundred years ago, 17th century, Japanese community in Hoian town, Quang Nam province built the roofed bridge across Hoai river connecting with Thu Bon river. Later on they built a pagoda on  northern side so that it was call Pagoda bridge.

Photo - Zing news

It has been maintained over 6 times but the architecture is still intact as the beginning with Japanese influence. The wooden bridge under the tiled roof is fixed by wooden panels. Statutes of dogs and monkeys are placed on two ends of the bridge may mean that the bridge was built in the year of monkey and fined in the year of dog, or just they are beloved animals in Japanese culture. 

The Saint in pagoda protect sailors when they are on long journey of trading to Vietnam. Legendary, the construction of Japanese Pagoda Bridge is like an obstacle to control the harm from sea monster, and bring happiness and peace to the locals and traders.  

VIETINDO TRAVEL

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Discovering community-based tourism village Kon Kơ Tu in Kon Tum

As an ancient village in a mountainous area, the Kon Kơ Tu community-based tourism village in Kon Tum City attracts visitors because of the pristine beauty of the local Ba Na ethnic culture.

The village is located on the banks of the Đăk Bla River and is one of the oldest villages in Kon Tum City in the province of the same name.

Coming here, we admired the Rông long house soaring in the blue sky which is a community house for the common activities of villagers such as meetings, festivals, or welcoming, and also immersed ourselves in xoang dances, participated in hand-loom weaving and danced with the people to the sound of gongs.

On the way, we saw the winding paths along the legendary Đăk Bla River. The two sides of the road to the village are full of pink grass. In the distance are sandy beaches adorned with light purple sugarcane mixed with overlapping mountains to create a peaceful village scene.

Entering the village, we felt a peace different from the noisy life outside. The fun and refreshing laughter of the children mixed with the sound of weaving and the sound of carving statues to create a beautiful old village.

Currently, Kon Kơ Tu Village has 92 households with 530 Ba Na people. Because the village was formed very early, it still retains its ancient, wild and majestic natural beauty.

Photo - hovi.vn

Standing in Kon Kơ Tu and looking to the east, we could see the top of Kong Muk Mountain reflected on the Đăk Bla River. About 5km along the bank of the river is a flat, sandy beach that embraces the ancient village like a mother holding her child in her heart.

Pristine architecture

Although it is the oldest village in the city, Kon Kơ Tu still retains the pristine beauty of a Ba Na village.

Surrounding the long communal house is a system of stilt houses facing the south as in the local traditions, this is a favourable direction to improve the luck and lives of the villagers.

The village still has more than 20 stilt houses built in the traditional style. A Ba Na stilt house is characterised by a rectangular model with an average length of about 10m. Each house consists of 12 pillars and is divided equally by six pillars on each side to create stability and balance for the house. The Ba Na often set up pillars of houses made of various kinds of wood. The stairs of the house are usually made of wood and meticulously carved.

In the long stilt houses, there will usually be three to four generations of the Ba Na living together.

The Kon Kơ Tu villagers are very hospitable. In addition to cultural exchange and getting acquainted with folk songs and traditional musical instruments of gongs, we participated in the new rice festival.

In the afternoon, we rented boats to admire the romantic Đăk Bla River and enjoy the clear, fresh air of the mountains and rivers here.

At night, we enjoyed rượu cần (wine drunk out of a jar through pipes) of the Ba Na people and heard them talk about their lives, as well as the cultural customs in the region. And of course, we enjoyed the local food like fried forest bamboo shoots, grilled chicken with salt and pepper and river fish.

The Kon Kơ Tu community-based tourism village just debuted in July last year.

According to Kon Kơ Tu villager A Kâm, local tourism has grown in recent years but local people were mostly disorganised. After the People's Committee of Kon Tum City launched a project to support the development of community-based tourism in villages last year, tourism in the locality has developed even further.

With the support of the municipal People's Committee and preferential loans, many households have invested in building and upgrading houses, rooms and campuses. They have also offered new kinds of tours with different experiences to attract tourists.

With the unique architecture and cultural features of the Ba Na, Kon Kơ Tu Village is an attractive destination in Kon Tum.

Source: VNS

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“Wife stealing” custom of H’Mong people

As spring arrives in the northwestern region, it is the time when young H’Mong men ask their friends to help them to “steal or pull a wife”, an established local custom.

It works like this: during the day, the young couple arranges to have a date in the forest, on the road or in a marketplace. In late afternoon, the young man asks some of their friends to go to the dating place where they will help him to drag his girlfriends to his house.

Although they love each other and promise to live with each other their whole lives, no girl will willingly step into her boyfriend’s house. That’s why the man has to organize “a stealing event” so she will come to live in his house. The more friends that participate in such an event and the more determinedly they pull the girl, the happier the couple will be, the longer they will live, the more children they will have and the richer they will be.

Like young couples everywhere, when a H’Mong couple fall in love, they will tell their families. If everything goes well, the man’s family will send a matchmaker to the girl’s family to talk about the affair. Then they will carry out engagement rituals and the wedding. The wedding is normally held in spring when the weather is mild and things reproduce.

However, many couples cannot get married because the girl’s parents do not agree with the wedding.

The “wife stealing or pulling” custom is an effective solution. On the designated day, the man meets his girlfriend in a particular place. Before that, he secretly asks his friends and relatives to go there and pull the girl to his house. Even though the girl is aware of the custom, she must still act surprised and cry out for help.

Photo - Internet

The girl believed to be bad if she does not cry out when being pulled. The two families and her neighbors will definitely look down on her. When her family runs to her rescue with sticks in their hands, the man’s friends will stand in between and receive all the beatings so the man can take the girl to his house. As a matter of custom, the man’s people are not allowed to fight back.

The stealing or pulling must be carried out skillfully so the girl’s legs do not touch the ground and she does not fight back or bite the man and most importantly, she does not get hurt. When they are near the man’s house, one of the man’s friends will run to his house first and tell waiting people there, such as the man’s parent, uncles or aunts, to prepare two chickens, one young male and one young female, to stand in the main door. When the girl arrives, they will carry out rituals involving the chicken. Only after that can be girl be brought inside the house.

The H’Mong people believe that once the girl has entered the man’s house after the chicken rituals, she will not be accepted back to her parents’ house. She is now a member the man’s family. When she dies, her spirit will also belong to that family.

Before treating those friends who have helped with the theft to food, the man’s family will send someone to go to the girl’s family and tell them that the man’s family has stolen their daughter and that she is now married. The girl’s family will agree even if the theft has happened without their consent.

When the girl has entered the man’s house, she will sleep with the man’s sisters for the first three nights. The next morning, the man’s family will make rice cakes and take the girl back to her parent’s house. When arriving at the girl’s house, her husband and his parents and relatives will kneel down in front of the girl’s family as a token of their friendship.

The girl’s family will cook a meal and invite the man’s family to stay and eat. At the meal, a representative of her family will ask her if she can spend the rest of her life with the man’s family. If the answer is positive, they will pack her personal belongings so she can take them to her husband’s house. Preparations for a wedding now begin. When returning to her parents’ house, if the girl cries and tells them that she does not want to return to the man’s house, then the marriage is cancelled.

That the girl lives in the man’s house for three days allows her to get used to the set-up in his family. During that period, if she likes it there, then the couple will officially become husband and wife.

Vietnam Cultural Window/ VOV.VN

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Traditional boat racing in Phan Thiet city

 Traditional boat racing festival of Binh Thuan is arranged on 2nd day of Lunar New Year on Ca Ty river (Phan Thiet city)

Photo - Internet

The racing includes sampan and basket boat on the river. Spring sunshine spreads on peaceful river but it quickly being filled up with the shouts and laughs from audience and boat racers who are fishermen coming from different groups from nearby villages.

                                                                       Photo - Internet

The boat racing is like a happy melody to welcome new year arrival at Phan Thiet city. 

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Brocade knitting village of Cham people

Brocade weaving of Cham community being gathered mainly at Phan Hoa and Phan Thanh communes in Bac Binh district, 80 km away from Phan Thiet city northward. According to legend, the mother of Polnu Nagar taught Cham women how to weave to honor beauty. 

Photo Internet

The book "Van Dai Loai Ngu" of Le Quy Don wrote that "At Lam Ap there is Cat Boi tree whose flowers like goose feathers. Thread drawn from these flowers are used to embroider scarves, costumes with images of Cham dragons and Garuda birds to serve the King and court". Currently, brocade weaving village of Phan Hoa still maintain wooden weaving frame by rosewood made hundreds of years ago.

Wanting to create models of patterns the skilled artisan can catch the flakes with stylized motifs of cultural identity of Cham. From four traditional patterns: green, yellow, white, and black on red background, the artisans can create many kinds of products like handbags, wallets, scarf, belt matching to the needs of tourists and consumers.  

Binh Thuan Tourism

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Tay's culture and belief

(VOVworld) – With around 1.7 million people, the Tay are the biggest ethnic minority group in Vietnam. They live mainly in Vietnam’s northern and northwestern provinces - Cao Bang, Bac Can, Lang Son, Ha Giang, Thai Nguyen, and Lao Cai. They live along rivers in mountain foothills.

The Tay build their villages in valleys, on mountainsides, or in the highlands. A Tay village has from 20 to over a hundred households. They live in wooden stilt houses with tile or palm leaf roofs.



Both men and women wear clothes made of hand-woven cotton, dyed with indigo. Women wear high collared, waist- or knee-length shirts buttoned on the right side. Their pants have roomy legs and a wide belt. Tay women enjoy wearing jewelry, particularly silver necklaces and arm and wrist bracelets. Men’s clothing is similar to that of women. Hoang Thi Xoan, a white Tay woman in Xuan Giang commune, Ha Giang province, said: “The Tay include black Tay, white Tay, and Thai-Tay branches. We identify each other mainly by the color of our costume. The white Tay wear indigo headscarf, shirt, pants, and belt. The black Tay wear a black shirt and long dress. We all wear silver necklaces. The white Tay make up 80% of the population in Xuan Giang. The black Tay live in Xin Man, Ha Giang province.”

Like many other Vietnamese ethnic groups, the Tay practice polytheism and believe that supernatural powers have impacts on their life. Worshiping their ancestors is the most sacred ritual of the Tay. The ancestral altar is placed in the center of the house. In front of the altar is a bed on which visitors are not allowed to sit or lie. The Tay have many taboos, like: people may not step on the edge of the stove, after attending a funeral people must take a bath before tending the cattle and poultry, and new mothers are not allowed to stay near the altar.

Every Tay house in Lang Son has a stone dog at the gate. The Tay believe the stone dog will help the owners take care of the house and chase away bad luck. Vy Van Co of Loc Binh, Lang Son province, said: “Our ancestors told us that if the house is built on hard soil or if the house faces a bad direction, a brook, a lane, or a hill, we should place a stone dog at the gate to protect the house and its contents, preserve peace, and promote production. The stone dog will inform our ancestors of any evil coming to our house.”

dantocviet.vn

The Tay have developed a rich culture of poems, songs, epics, tales, funny stories, and dance. Popular folk singing genres of the Tay are call-and-response singing, lullaby, Then, and wedding and funeral singing. Then is sung at events such as worshiping at the ancestral altar, praying for sick people, praying for a couple to have children, at family get-togethers, to welcome guests, and at a “going to the field” festival held in the first month of the new year. Then is an indispensable part of the spiritual and religious life of the Tay.

Lan Anh

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Can Cau - largest buffalo market in Vietnam's North West

(VOVWORLD) - The largest buffalo market in Vietnam’s northwestern region convenes every Saturday morning in Can Cau village, Si Ma Cai district, Lao Cai province. This authentic and bustling market attracts hundreds of ethnic minority people who come to sell cattle and local products.
Can Cau market opens along the side of Road 153, 30 kilometers from Bac Ha town. It is surrounded by terraced rice fields and a view of rugged terrain that is truly awesome. On display are colorful handmade brocades, wild meats, fresh bamboo sprouts from the forest, farm produce, and farming equipment.


                                     The buffalo trading lot at Can Cau market (Photo: VOV)

On a large trading lot, hundreds of buffalos are for sale from different districts of Lao Cai and far-flung regions of Ha Giang, Vietnam’s northern-most province. They are sold for breeding, ploughing, or for meat. Sellers and buyers bargain good-naturedly and vigorously.

It may take several market sessions for a buyer to find the buffalo that meets his requirements. A seller may not sell any buffalo when the market is closed. Lu Van Dao takes his herd of buffalos to Can Cau from Bac Ha town at 4am. He has been a buffalo trader for 20 years. He may sell as many as 20 buffalos at a single market session. Ethnic people sell their buffalos in order to build a house, pay for their child’s marriage, or buy a new vehicle.

“The number of buffalos traded last year declined as a result of COVID-19. But it has bounced back this year. I’ve never missed a market session in the last 20 years. Ethnic people consider buffalos a treasure, the foundation of their business. Only when they desperately need money do they sell their buffalos,” said Dao.

From shortly after dawn until noon, the Can Cau market promotes ethnic culture. Mong, Black Dao, Tay, Nung, and Day ethnic minority people dress in their traditional costumes and sell their typical food specialties.


                                     The buffalo trading lot at Can Cau market (Photo: VOV)

Tran Thanh Linh, a tourist from Hai Duong province, said, “Can Cau market is unique. It’s less noisy than Bac Ha market. I come here not to buy buffalos but to look at everything, admire the beautiful ethnic women in their eye-catching clothes, and try the local food. Today I had buckwheat cakes, corn rice cakes, and ‘thang co’ - a soup made of horse meat and organs. The people here also invited me to drink some wine.”

Ethnic girls and boys come to Can Cau market to find a partner or at least a date. They sing and dance to the panpipes and play a spinning top to give pique to a partner’s interest. Many ethnic people have found the love of their life in Can Cau market.

Theo vovworld.vn

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Lighthouse of Ke ga

 Khe Ga Light house also called Ke Ga Light house, is away from Phan Thiet city about 30 km to the south. This designation due to the fact that the light house is located on a headland protruding out to the coast about 500m - like the head of a chicken.

Photo internet

Khe Ga light house was built from 1897 to 1899, designed by French architect Chnavat, and is made entirely by marble materials with 65 m height above the sea. The light house is considered as one of the oldest and highest lighthouses in Vietnam and South east Asia. The 2000w lamp on the lighthouse is the construction signal for shipping.

                                                                              Photo internet

At night, the lamp lights up to 22 knots. Below is a square house with each side of 40 m, and 3 m deep of system water to serve for those guarding the tower. There are 184 steel spiral stairs leading to the top of the lighthouse. Today the Lighthouse is not only an unique architectural monument but also combined with Khe Ga island to form a stunning attraction for tourists.   

Binh thuan Tourism

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10 best golf courses in Hanoi

In recent years Vietnam become popular destination in Asia. In addition, Vietnam is also ranked as the one of best attractive Golf destinations in Asia and the world in 2019.

In total Vietnam has over 80 golf courses across the country, in which 32 are at international level. We figure out that the number of country golfers reach 300,000 in 2025. Many golfers from EU, Korea, Japan, and South East Asia choose Vietnam for holiday and combine with golf play.

Come to Hanoi capital you can spend one day at one of top 10 golf courses in the suburb of Hanoi city as the followings:

Epga Ecopark - Long Bien Golf Course - Van Tri Golf Course - Hanoi Golf Course - Dai Lai Star Golf - Kings' Island Golf - Dam Vac Golf - Sky Lake Golf Club - Tam Dao Golf and Resort - Legend Hill Golf Course

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HISTORICAL HOUSE OF 48 HANG NGANG STREET

 The house at 48 Hang Ngang street become famous historical house in Hanoi, where president Ho Chi Minh drafted the Declaration of Independence for the Democratic Republic of Vietnam in 1945.

                                                                            Photo Internet

By the end of August 1945, after returning from mountainous area of Tan Trao, the resistant base of Viet Minh, Ho Chi Minh chose the house as one of his meeting places. 

                                                                           Photo Internet

The living room is the place where he received representatives of domestic and foreign visitors. Next to the living room is a small room with humble furnishing of a wardrobe, a sofa, a round table, and an armchair, where the President composed the Declaration of Independence. 

                                                                              Photo Internet

The houe number 48 Hang Ngang street is situated right in the heart of Old Quarter Hanoi, and becomes one  of National Heritages

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HALONG BAY - TOP WORLD PLACES FOR WATCHING SUNRISE

 

Halong Bay is listed as one of 7 New Wonders of Nature in the world. Halong Bay consists of about 3000 lime stone islets. 

Halong is famous for cruise holiday in Asia. You can buy 2-3 day trip staying overnight on cruises. Sunrise is important moments starting new day, so it is quite fascinating to watch sunrise at beautiful tourist sites.

Halong bay is ranked top places for watching sunrise in the world, listed by Love Exploring. Come to Vietnam and make your meaningful holiday in Halong Bay.

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MERCURE LA GARE HOTEL HANOI

 Mercure La Gare hotel is situated at 94 Ly Thuong Kiet street, inside French Old Quarter, near Hanoi train station. 

Hotel has 102 rooms of different kinds, restaurant, outdoor cafe. Staff in hotel are friendly and professional. 

You can take a walk around hotel to visit Temple of Literature (the 1st university of Vietnam), Rail station, former "Hanoi Hilton" or Hoa Lo prison, Hanoi Cathedral....

Please email to Hanoi Stay for the best rate. 

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HANG DAO STREET IN OLD QUARTER HANOI

 Hang Dao and Hang Ngang streets connect with Hang Duong, Dong Xuan, and Hang Giay streets deriving from Hoan Kiem Lake in Old center of Hanoi capital city.

Formerly, Hang Dao street inside Thang Long citadel was a hamlet for the artisans immigrated from Hai Duong city. In the old days, the dwellers made their owned living by the job of dying cloth and sold red silk. The street name was taken since 19th century. Nowadays, people sell clothing and watches.

Photo Internet

Next to Hang Dao is Hang Ngang street, where family traders sell clothes - fashion for kids and women. The building numbered 48 is the place where President Ho Chi Minh drafted Independent speech for Vietnam in 1945.

The connecting street is Hang Duong (sugar street) where you can find shops selling Vietnamese dried fruits. Going further we will meet Dong Xuan street and market as well as Hang Giay street. 

                                                                                Photo Internet

These streets situated in the mid-old quarter Hanoi where city people run their private business inherited from families. Houses in here long and narrow with 2 - 5 floors. It is quite interesting to have a short walk and explore daily life there. 

Source Hanoi Stay

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DONG XUAN TRADITIONAL MARKET HANOI

Dong Xuan market is situated in the mid-Old Quarter Hanoi. It is the largest market among 10 ones in the capital city such as Mo, Hom, Cua Nam, and Ngoc Ha....Dong Xuan market was founded in 1889. It used to be an open-air market but later was rebuilt with five iron arches and the roof made of zinc-coated iron sheets. Dong Xuan covers an area of 6500 sqm. 

                                                                            Photo internet

Dong Xuan is for wholesale and retail market Favorited by people in Hanoi and in Northern Vietnam. People can find essential goods such as clothing, fabric, shoes, dried food, hats, souvenirs... Today it is one of the best attractive shopping places for domestic and international tourists. It opens from 7:00AM to 5:00PM everyday. 

                                                                            Photo internet

Very closed to Dong Xuan market there are some nice places to visit such as old Long Bien bridge built by French, Masjid Al Noor Hanoi, street food place, electrical car stop by the entrance, Quan Thanh Park and old water tower. 

At the weekend, Friday to Sunday night, an open air night market gathered with the length of 400 meters from Hoan Kiem Lake to Dong Xuan market. Nice to come and buy souvenirs and t-shirts made in Vietnam

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DONG HO PAINTING VILLAGE

Dong Ho village belongs to Song Ho commune, Bac Ninh province, about 30 km away from Hanoi center. Dong Ho village is situated by Duong river, in the mid of the Red river Delta.

Source: Internet

Dong Ho is famous for traditional painting village. The artisans use those to make folk paintings such as wooden printing panels, Do paper made from Do’s tree bark and oyster powder, many kinds of natural colors. They have to follow many strict steps of making the paintings. The quality of the color and paper exist hundreds of years.

Source: Internet

The art conveys daily life of the people in the Red River Delta, the wish for happiness as well as the good ways of living. Painting market days are 5 times a month and before Tet or traditional New year holiday. You can do one day trip from Hanoi to visit Dong Ho village, ancient Dau pagoda, and But Thap pagoda.

VIETINDO TRAVEL

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THO HA COMMUNAL HOUSE IN BAC GIANG

The Communal House of Tho Ha is situated at Tho Ha village, Viet Yen District, Bac Giang province. The Communal House was constructed under Le Dynasty, in 1692, and on the land of about 3000 sq meter. The construction is the place worshiping the God of the village and discussion village affairs.

The construction is 27 meter long and 16 meter wide. The architecture of Tho Ha communal house is very impressive. The roof is covered with ancient crescent shaped tiles. Four corners of the roof curve up that look like scimitar sword blades.

The Communal House is supported by 48 huge pillars made of hard iron wood. The floor in Communal House is paved with blue stones. The inside decoration are beautiful motifs on pillars and frames such as dragons, clouds, lion cubs, ladies who wear long dress riding phoenix… The wood carving art is extremely marvelous reflecting the art during Le Dynasty in 17^th century.

Tho Ha Communal House, one of the best known in Northern Vietnam, was listed as National Heritage in 1964 by Ministry of Culture. The village is 60 km from Hanoi. You can do Tho Ha one day trip from Hanoi. Visit Tho Ha Communal House, old houses in the village, and how the locals still maintain traditional job of making skin for spring rolls, pottery, and Vietnamese rice wine.

One day tour Tho Ha village, Vietindo Travel

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HANG KENH COMMUNAL HOUSE HAI PHONG

Where is Hang Kenh communal House?

Hang Kenh Communal House is 2 km from Hai Phong city center. It was constructed during 17-18^th century under Le Dynasty. Hang Kenh Communal House is typical architecture for the construction during Le Dynasty. The Communal house is not only the place for worshiping village God but also for discussion village affairs.

The architecture of Hang Kenh Communal House

The construction was built in the complex of 6000 sq meter large, has 2 layer of tile roof, and 2 dragons protecting the sun on top of the roof. Front roof sides are curved shapes that look like the link between the earth and the sky.

The Communal House is 32 meter long and 13.5 meter wide, has 32 huge iron wood pillars, of which one is 2m in diameter. The base under each pillar is made of stone carved with lotus motif. Ngo Quyen King is worshiped in here. The King who vanquished Chinese invasion from the battle that was on Bach Dang River in the year 938.

Wood carvings in the construction are masterpiece created by skillful artisans under Le Dynasty in 17-18 century. All 308 carved dragons in mass of clouds are still well preserved. Dragon is one of 4 holy animals in Vietnamese Culture.

Every year, from 16^th – 18^th of second lunar month, ritual festival is held in the village. They arrange traditional games and arts such as chess, wrestling, singing folk songs at the Communal house.

Tour to Halong Bay we can stop here, Hai Phong city, for visit Hang Kenh Communal house. You pay entrance ticket. Vietindo Travel

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HIEN ANCIENT STREETS OR PHO HIEN IN HUNG YEN PROVINCE

Where is Hien streets or Pho Hien?

Pho Hien is 60 km from Hanoi center, once was prosperous international river port during 17-18^th century. You can reach Pho Hien by following National Road 5, then provincial road 39A. In olden days Pho Hien was popularly known by people saying: best known is Thang Long or today Hanoi, then second known is Pho Hien.

Why did Pho Hien become popular?

Since 15^th century Pho Hien became River commercial port, and reach top prosperity in 17^th century. Trading boats were from China, Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, Holland, Great Britain, and France. There were shops, markets, international trade representatives at Pho Hien by that time.

The business of Pho Hien came down due to domestic politics and history, international history, and the river was silt up so that in the late 19^th century the international trade port was built in Hai Phong city.

What were popular for tourism at Hien Streets?

The ancient architecture at Pho Hien is harmony of Vietnam, China, and Europe in blend. There are about hundred vestiges and historical building preserved at Pho Hien including Xich Dang Temple of literature, Pho Hien Pagoga, Chuong Pagoda, Pho Hien Church, Chinese Temples, May Temple, General Tran Hung Dao Temple, and ancient houses.

Pho Hien is also very popular for a kind of delicious longan fruit so that the farmers have to protect their fruit on the trees by bamboo basket from birds.

You can visit Pho Hien by one day trip, tour from Hanoi by bus, or by cruise along the Red River.

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CAT BA NATIONAL PARK ABD LAN HA BAY

How and where is Cat Ba island?

Cat Ba National Park, about 200 km² large, and Lan Ha Bay are under management of Hai Phong city. Cat Ba National Park was established in 1986 by Government. It is about 30 miles from Hai Phong city, isolated by the sea.

The Park mainly consists of limestone mountains with grottoes, caves, and mini beaches with soft sand. The average height of mountains are from 50 – 200 meter in which the highest peak is 322m. Some caves on the island used to be home to pre-historic men dated back 6000- 7000 years such as Trung Trang cave.

The Park and surrounded islets are characterized by lovely natural scenery and abundant fauna and flora as well as sea resources. There are 620 species of plants, 32 species of mammals, 69 species of birds, and 20 species of reptiles and amphibians in the park. Especially there are endangered white headed Vooc, or a kind of monkey, listed in world natural red book.

Why come to and tour on Cat Ba island?

Cat Ba was recognized as World Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO.

Lan Ha Bay covers the area of 7000 hectares, of which over 5400 hectares is managed by Cat Ba National Park. The Bay consists of approximately 400 limestone islets that create very gulf shaped bay. The area also divided into other small bays, lagoons. There are grottoes, caves with nice stalagmites and stalactites falling down. The bay is quite and also dotted by over hundred mini soft sand beaches  

Tourism and activities in Cat Ba National Park and Lan Ha Bay?

You can chose some meaningful activities when spending couple of days here such as swimming, kayaking, cruising around by wooden junk, cycling, trekking. There are many luxury cruises with comfortable accommodation arrange 2- 3 day tours in the area.

Vietindo Travel and Halong Bay cruise trip

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