AO DAI VIETNAM

When talking about traditional costumes of Vietnam, people often think of Ao Dai (long traditional dress of Vietnam). Ao Dai persists with time and becomes one of the icon for Viet people. The last Ao Dai that looks like today one appeared during 1930s in Hanoi and Saigon.

Ao dai is dress for all ages. It has become standard attire for formal occasions or National Holidays, wedding, new year, and graduation days, ect. Ao Dai is preferred because it intensifies the beauty and national pride.

Although the influence from East to West culture Ao Dai is still unique, elegant with two side cuts, with other designs. The dress represents at all major events, domestic and international beauty contests in Vietnam. Ao Dai was also selected as the outfits for leaders who attended the 2006 APEC summit in Hanoi. Ao Dai dress is more charming with palm conical hat Vietnam.

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LOTUS FLOWER IN VIETNAM

In the heart of every Vietnamese people, the beauty of lotus flower is noble, pure, and the symbol for national flower.

The flower can be gift for your mom, sister, or a woman whom you respect. This kind of flower originated from Asia long time ago and plays an important role in the culture of Buddhism. The lotus grow and live in mud but reach out of mud toward the sun without muddy polluted. Like a person who is born and lives in this world but can escape from greed, deep anger, and lust contaminated by the flow of life.
Lotus is well suited to tropical climate in Vietnam, blooms in summer time. It is also the symbol of Summer (one of 4 seasons in Vietnam).

According to Buddhism, Lotus (or Hoa Sen in Vietnamese) symbolizes the moral values, the purity and holiness, the existence and development of Buddhism, the wisdom that leads to Nirvana, and the clarity and liberation from the mud.
Lotus scent is mildly perfumed, and has many uses such as element for nutritious food and herb, and making lotus tea, ect.

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NEM RAN OR SPRING ROLL VIETNAM

Nem ran (spring roll), or called Cha gio in the South Vietnam, is very much appreciated specialty that can not be missed during new year or family parties.

Spring roll is stuffed with chopped pork meet, scented mushroom, onion leaves, duck or chicken eggs, pepper, bean sprouts, vermicelli, carrot, kohlrabi . The mix is rolled in flat rice paper then in deep fry with vegetable oil till become crispy and light chocolate color.
Nem ran is eaten with Nuoc cham or sauce that has salty, sweet, acidic, chili hot taste.

HOW TO MAKE VIETNAM SPRING ROLLS
Ingrediant
Chopped pork meat: 300 gram - 3 duck eggs - 100 gram vermicelli - 30 gram mushroom - 20 gram wood ears - 1 kohlrabi - 1 carrot - lemon - salt - sugar - some coriander leaves

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CHUNG CAKE DURING TET HOLIDAY

The custom of making Chung cake during Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday has been several thousand years in Vietnam. By the legend of Lang Lieu, a prince of the sixth Hung Dynasty, he created Chung cake and Day cake , which symbolize the Earth and the Sky. Chung cake shapes square but Day cake has a round one because the old thinking is that the earth is square and the sky is round.

Chung cake (Banh Chung) is made from glutinous rice, green been, fatty pork, fish sauce, pepper. Chung cake are one of offerings for our ancestor during the lunar new year in Vietnam. The cake is wrapped by green Dong leaves taken from forest, and boiled for over ten hours. First step is to choose the best glutinous rice and green bean. Then soak them in water overnight. Fatty pork slices are cut in small square shape. We place green beans and pork in the mid of 2 layers of rice then wrap them by Dong leaves and bamboo laces in square shape.

Lang Lieu prince and his brothers traveled near and far, to the mountain and the sea, in order to find the best food for the New year. His father, the sixth Hung King, arranged the competition that he would choose one among many his sons to become the next King if they can cook the best delicious dish for lunar new year holiday. Lang Lieu became the successor. The green leaf, green bean represent plants on earth. The pork meat represent animals, and the rice is symbol of man hard working. In the past we only have opportunity of eating Chung cake during Tet but nowadays you can taste it at any time from buying in local food market. It is the best and cozy if the families make Chung cake by them self during Tet holiday.

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FESTIVAL IN THE RED RIVER DELTA

Festival in the Red river Delta in Spring, after Tet (traditional new year)

There are thousands of villages in the area of Red river Delta in Vietnam. The land of festivals. Normally festivals are held in spring falling on Fed-Mar, after traditional New year. The cultural features reflect wet rice civilization here. Ritual ceremonies tell us the hope of villagers for their peaceful life and the coming bember rice crop. Thousands of people in and neighboring villages attend and enjoy cheering atmosphere of the festival.

Dozens of folk games and traditional singings are organised to entertain participants. The folk games are throwing a sacred ball, human chess, cock fighting, releasing pigeons, the game of dragon and snake, spinning tops, love duet singging(Hat quan ho), catching duck competition, wrestling, swinging, cheo and tuong opera, ect.

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EXPLORE FAR NORTH VIETNAM

Discover Far North Vietnam
If only stay in bustling city or lux beach resorts you never known another true Vietnam in Northern mountainous areas

NORTHWEST VIETNAM DISCOVERY 10 DAYS

Day 1: Hanoi - Lao Cai You will be picked up at 19:30 from your hotel and transferred to the train station. Here, you take a night train to Lao Cai. The night train leaves at 20:35. Overnight stay on train in a 4-berth soft sleeper cabin.(-/-/-) Day 2: Lao Cai - Sapa The train arrives at Lao Cai train station early in the morning, at around 5:30. Pick-up and transport by shared bus to Sapa (about 1 hour drive). In the morning, there will be some spare time to enjoy the fantastic view of the Sapa valley and explore the local market. In the afternoon the guide will provide with more information about the tour. After this we'll visit the Cat Cat village, where the Black H’mong people live. Overnight stay at o hotel in Sapa.(B/L/-) Day 3: Sapa - Lao Chai - Ta Van After breakfast, leaving the hotel and trekking to Lao Chai village to visit the Black H’mong people. From Lao Chai you'll continue to Ta Van village to visit the Zay people. Trekking distance: 12km.Dining and sleeping in a local homestay in the Ta Van village.(B/ L/ D) Day 4: Ta Van - Giang Ta Chai - Ban Ho Walking tour to Giang Ta Chai village to visit Red Dao people. The women of Red Dao have a very colorful red embroideries, coins on their clothing, and on their head they wear a red scarf. Some of the women have shaved off their eyebrows because a hairless face is considered, by the the Red Dao people, to be very beautiful. We then make our way to the waterfall in Giang Ta Chai. In the afternoon we'll make our way to Ban Ho, to visit the Tay people. If we arrive early there will be some spare time to go for a swim in the nearby river.(B/ L/ D) Day 5: Ban Ho - Sapa  After breakfast, trekking up to Su Pan hill (3km). Pick-up and transport back to Sapa. In the afternoon, there will be some spare time to experience the colorful Sapa market. Overnight stay at a hotel in Sapa.(B/-/-) Day 6: Sapa - Lai Chau  In the morning driving in a car to Lai Chau. On the first part of the trip we will pass the beautiful Silver Waterfall Thac Bac and Tram Ton Pass (1900m). Later there will be a chance to visit Lao, Lu, Thai, Mang and Black Dao villages. Arrival in the afternoon to Lai Chau - one of the hottest places in Vietnam during the summer months. Overnight stay at a hotel in Lai Chau. (B/-/-) Day 7: Lai Chau - Dien Bien Phu Starting the day by driving to Dien Bien Phu. While driving, one can enjoy the spectacular view of the forested hills. Making several stops on the way to visit some of the minority villages (Kho Mu, Thai and H’mong). Arrival in the noon at Dien Bien Phu in the flat Muong Thanh Valley. Dien Bien Phu was the place, where the last battle between the forces of Ho Chi Minh’s Viet Minh army and the French(1954). In the afternoon visiting the Museum in Dien Bien Phu, which gives a better understanding of the Vietnamese history. Overnight stay at a hotel in Dien Bien Phu. (B/-/-) Day 8: Dien Bien Phu - Son La Leaving Dien Bien Phu and driving to Son La. The drive is beautiful, with high mountains, limestone rocks, gorges, rice fields and small villages. Before arriving in Son La the bus makes a stop in a small village, where there will be a chance to visit the Thai people. Overnight stay in Son La.(B/-/-) Day 9: Son La - Mai Chau Leaving the hotel at 08:00 in the morning for a short trek and visiting another Thai village. Arrival late in the afternoon at Lat village in Mai chau, where we'll spend the night at local homestay at Pomcoong or Lac Village. (B/-/-) Day 10: Mai Chau - Hanoi  Leaving Mai Chau at 08:00 in the morning and heading for Hanoi. On the way to Hanoi we'll visit the Hoa Binh Hydro-Electric Power. Later in the afternoon we'll arrive in Hanoi, where the tour ends.(B/-/-) (B: Breakfast, L: Lunch, D: Dinner)

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EAT PHO IN HANOI CITY

PHO (Rice Noodle soup with beef or chicken meat)

What is PHO? Pho is one of the best famous Vietnamese specialties. It is rice noodles soup with slices of beef or chicken meet eaten with a few herbs, onion, chili sauce, lemon drops, and deep fried cake named Quay . Enjoy Pho when it is served with very hot broth. The broth is cooked from cow/ pig bones, lemon grass, ginger, cinnamon, seasonings, and others that decide the taste of Pho. The restaurants keep their owned formula how to make the broth.

Commonly Pho is eaten in the morning for breakfast. There are Pho chin (well-done Pho) and Pho tai (rare cooked beef Pho) and mix of Pho tai & chin. Pho taste is more special when we choose one along the streets then in hotels. There are some popular brand names of Pho in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh city such as Pho Thin, Pho Suong, Pho Bat Dan, Pho Ly Quoc Su, Pho 2000, and Pho 24…

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THE RED RIVER DELTA IN VIETNAM

The Red River Delta

The Red river Delta is a vast area of some 20,000 sq km, accounted for around 7% the whole Vietnam, formed by the Red River merging with Thai Binh River in Northern Vietnam.

The number of provinces inside the Delta is 11 including Hanoi Capital city, Vinh Phuc, Bac Ninh, Ha Nam, Hung Yen, Hai Duong, Hai Phong, Thai Binh, Nam Dinh, Ninh Binh, and Quang Ninh in which there are no mountain or hill in Thai Binh and Hung Yen provinces.

With the dense network of canals and rivers in the Delta creates a good condition for water transportation. Dry season is from Oct till April in coming year so the amount of water on the River is just around 20-30% . The rainy season, May till the end of September, may cause flooding and land slide. The Red river Delta is very fertile and gives farmers two productive rice crops a year . The Land is also the cradle of Viet culture dated back to 3000 years .

It is quite interesting to have a day trip around handcraft and traditional villages here. In addition we can do home stay, cycling, having farming activities with the locals, and making friendly interaction with them.

www.authenticvietnamtravel.com

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