Vietnam Travel Depot

Surrounded by more than 40 km of white beaches decorated with coconut palms, Phu Quoc Island – Vietnam’s largest island is situated in the Gulf of Thailand near the Cambodian border. It is closer to Cambodia than the closest mainland town of Ha Tien in Vietnam in the Kien Giang Province, which is 46 km away. Its western coastline is sparsely populated while the interior is largely covered with jungle and mainly deserted.

Phu Quoc Island is an almost unknown destination in Vietnam Tourism. International tourists and Vietnamese alike just recently discovered Phu Quoc Island.

It is really a peaceful tropical paradise with turquoise waters, untouched natural environment, relaxed atmosphere, friendly locals… It is not hard to see why many travelers in Vietnam travel are boasting of the splendid natural beauty and untouched remote beaches of this spectacular tropical island.

Although Phu Quoc Island is a new holiday destination, in the first quarter of 2007, about 50,000 visitors came to the island of which 50 per cent were foreign tourists.  According to new targets released by the Government, Phu Quoc Island is aiming to attract 2 – 3 million visitors annually by 2020, with a larger portion of foreign tourists.

Phu Quoc Island is blessed with favorable natural environment like the virgin forest of over 37,000 hectares, white sandy beaches, coral gardens offshore, varieties of wildlife species, so it is not hard to see why the island has great tourist potential.

Tourists will start to explore the island in Duong Dong, the biggest town on the island (west of Phu Quoc), where most of hotels and resorts are located. Going south, travelers can drive along Bai Truong (Long Beach) – a spectacular beach with 20 km long. Visitors will see two pearl farms on the right; the second is worth a visit. At the end of the road, travelers should not miss to turn left and follow the signs; you will reach the fisherman village An Thoi and the An Thoi pier, the island’s southern tip. From here the An Thoi Islands, a very nice snorkeling and diving area consisting of 15 small islands and islets surrounded by coral reefs in crystal clear water, can be visited by boat.

Continue travel to north – east, tourists will see a sign to Bai Sao Beach (the sign is somewhat hidden, around 1 km away from the main road). Bai Sao Beach, with its marvelous white sand and green-turquoise water, is one of the most beautiful, quite untouched beaches on Phu Quoc Island. There are a number of simple, on-the-sand restaurants with tasty, fresh seafood in this area.

Before going back to Duong Dong, there are some recommendable springs and falls such as Tranh Stream and Da Ban Stream. Tranh Stream (about 10 km north of Bai Sao Beach) is a stream connecting tiny ponds at different levels through small waterfalls. Da Ban Stream (a stony surface stream, north-east of Duong Dong) is an easily accessible white – water creek, gracefully flowing down huge granite boulders and some natural pools are waiting for a refreshing swim.

A stay on Phu Quoc Island would not be complete without visiting one of the factories producing fish sauce, one of the most popular ingredients of the Vietnamese cooking as well as one of the pearl farms with panels describing the formation of pearls and shops selling pearl jewelry.

This island has a unique species of dogs, the Phu Quoc Ridgeback, which has a ridge of hair that runs along its back in the opposite direction to the rest of the coat. Much of this island’s nature is still protected. Around 70% of the island, an area of 31,422 hectares became a national park in 2001. The rainy season on Phu Quoc is from July to November and the peak season for tourism is midwinter, when the sky is blue and the sea is calm.

If you are excited to travel to Phu Quoc Island please visit www.vietnamjeeptours.com or contact direct adventure@vietnamjeeptours.com / hotline: +84 909 602 370.

For more information about accommodation in Phu Quoc, click here.

Related programs to Phu Quoc:
Exploring Phu Quoc Island
Fishing Trip at Thailand Gulf (Phu Quoc Island)
Full day – Snorkeling Boat Trip at An Thoi Archipelago
Full Day Trekking Phu Quoc National Park

Nowadays, more and more tourists choose Vietnam as their destination. There are many ways to discover this beautiful S-shape country via motorbike tours, trekking tours, biking tours, etc. and the easy way to discover Vietnam is biking deep into the countryside and villages of Vietnam. The cycling tour programs vary with levels of difficulty.

The most interesting areas for biking tours to explore Vietnam are highly recommended as below:

Far North West of Vietnam– undoubtedly the great place to cycling or motorcycling in the country. The landscape is stunning, amazing karstic rock formations, stilted houses with thatched roofs, mountains nestled between limestone outcrops and the highest concentration of hill – tribe people in the country.

This expedition to Sapa District – located in Lao Cai province, 350 km from Hanoi, close to the border with China. Most of visitors travel to Sapa, especially for the first time are anxious of having a memorable vacation, an opportunity to explore this remote part of the country with its hidden values, admiring beauty of the rich nature, meeting local ethnic minority peoples with their interesting culture,… all should be realized in a proper way as what they wished.

Next, Ha Giang is a province in northeastern Vietnam. It is located in the far north of the country, and contains Vietnam’s northernmost point. When visit Ha Giang, travelers should not miss to visit Hoang Su Phi, where tourist will be charmed by the pristine of wild mountains and authentic culture of Ethnic Minority people. Come to Hoang Su Phi travelers will ride through the gorgeous terraced fields, to some colorful villages, then climb up to green tea – plant hills, cross to some old bamboo forest.

The nearest mountainous village from Hanoi is Mai Chau. The first sighting of Mai Chau, where the gorgeous terraced fields and thatched stilt houses is particularly striking during winter and autumn days when they are shrouded in fog and clouds. Mai Chau is a little village surrounded by green mountains and dotted with lakes, paddy fields, rivers and houses on stilts of the local Thai people. Biking from Ha Noi to other remote areas, most travelers would stop at the entrance to Mai Chau, which offers the breathtaking panoramic view of mountains, valleys, sugarcane farms, rice paddies, tea plantations and peaceful villages.

Next, Central of Vietnam – Pedaling on quiet streets, along the river, crossing the hundred year old bridges, on the rice field, in contact with soft, calm and friendly locals is the real explore Hue Citadel, Thien Mu Pagoda, Royal Tomb of King. Travelers will face the most highlight challenge of cycling from Hue to Hoi An via Danang or vice versa is Hai Van (Ocean Cloud) Pass (bike from Hue– Danang – Hoi An) which is renowned for its scenic beauty. Presenter Jeremy Clarkson, host of the BBC Top Gear featured the pass during the show’s 2008, Vietnam Special calling the road “a deserted ribbon of perfection – one of the best coast roads in the world, but once you have overcome the challenges; you will be rewarded with a tranquil and tantalizing setting of paddy fields and eucalyptus forests. Then arrive Hoi An Ancient Town, we will leave our bike or motorbike to walk deep into the heart of Hoi An in narrow streets to observe and photo-hunt the tiled – roof houses constructed of rare timbers and decorated with lacquer panels engraved with Chinese characters and pillars carved with ornamental designs. The original structure of some of these streets is still virtually intact.

Continue ride through the Central Highlands: Kon Tum – Buon Ma Thuoc –Lak Lake– Dalat. Kon Tum – Buon Ma Thuoc and Lak Lake are home to ethnic minority people and with the old traditions is well kept. While winding across the plantations of rubber, pepper, tea and coffee, fields and flowers farms around Central Highland towns and villages, riders will find local unique communal houses – they made from wood, bamboo, cane, or rattan.

Traveling into Vietnam Central Highland – the homeland of Vietnamese coffee and tea, the visitors should not miss a cozy morning of tasting cups of finest coffee or tea then a memorable night of home-staying in Ethnic Stilt house and sharing the traditional dance with a local ethnic group by the fire.

Then arrive to Dalat, where is considered as the highland city of thousand flowers. Da Lat is characterized by pine forests, lakes, waterfalls, beautiful flower fields and French architecture. Traveling in Da Lat visitors can not only adore the fresh nature beauty and the temperate climate but also the colorful legends of ethnic people. For those that seek more adventures, riders may pedal to trail head of forests belonged to Lang Biang Mountain then on foot climb up to reach this mountain summit and the winners will get a reward of the amazing panoramic of Lang Biang Mountain for their victory. Another interesting choice for travelers is enjoying the water abseiling and canyoning at the great Datanla Waterfall.

After that, our riding trip will bring you through the charming hide-away beaches of Nha Trang, Phan Thiet, and Mui Ne which connected the southern coastal lines of Vietnam. Nha Trang is well known for its pristine beaches and excellent scuba diving and is fast becoming a popular destination for international tourists, attracting large numbers of backpackers as well as more affluent travelers on the Southeast Asia circuit. It is already very popular with Vietnamese tourists. Beside wonderful beach, tourists will have chance to enjoy many activities when coming to Nha Trang as wind–surfing and rafting.

Ride ahead southward, travelers will arrive at Phan Thiet City– located in Binh Thuan Province. Phan Thiet – Mui Ne has long been considered as the “Hawaii” of Vietnam. It boasts shady roads under coconut trees, a beautiful beach and cliffs battered by the waves of the sea. The typical scenery of Mui Ne lies in the moving lines of golden sand caused by the wind and when they are seen from afar they look like moving waves. The scenery looks more fascinating at dawn, when young Cham girls in green dresses go to work. That’s why no photographer fails to visit this area.

Mui Ne is an ideal place for rest and relaxation. Visitors can certainly enjoy swimming in the blue water of the sea, climbing the sand dunes or relaxing by a swimming pool. In fact this oasis enters – people of all ages, and furthermore, provides an endless inspiration to the artists’ creation.

Vung Tau Beach City– Is also famous for the huge statue of Jesus Christ lies on the top of Tao Phung Mountain. On the top of this mountain, scenery is so beautiful. You can take photograph here and enjoys the fresh air while having a look at the statue. Everyone come here cannot resist the curious feeling to go inside the statue and climb up the hand of it, where you can see the whole beach of Vung Tau. Then leave those beaches to Ho Chi Minh City, on the way you will have chance to experience the busy traffic of Vietnam via Cat Lai Ferry where hundreds of motorbikes, cars, bicycles crossing the river on the ferry at one time. You will also witness one of the busiest ports of Vietnam at this point.

Arrive Ho Chi Minh City– the largest city in Vietnam, where is bustling with activities from morning to night. Then cycling or motorcycling through the countryside and sleepy villages of the Mekong Delta, this journey will takes you deep into the agricultural of the country, visit the countryside, fruitful orchard gardens, and discover daily lives of local on the waterfront when we stay overnight at their places and enjoy the hospitality with the families. Life in the Mekong Delta revolves much around the river, and many of the villages are often accessible by rivers and canals rather than by road. The region is home to “Don ca tai tu” – a form of Vietnamese folk opera. Preparing the dinner together and sharing the life experience with people whose lives are as simple as in the old time will give us so many thoughts about lives, people and culture which in the busy daily life we might have missed.

Travel through the length of Vietnam from Northern to Southern via the beaches, small town and central coast. Travelers will discover the real daily life of Vietnamese in the countryside. The Mountain bikers will love these biking trips for the variety of trails – from good single track paths, undulating rough jeep trails to some climbs that are rewarded with ultimate descents.

There is no neither ideal nor bad time to visit Vietnam as there are distinct regional weather variations between the Northern, Central and Southern regions.

Vietnam Jeep Tours offers many bike and motorbike tours from North to South of Vietnam. For more information about those tours, click here or contact via adventure@vietnamjeeptours.com / hotline: +84 909 602 370.

Related biking programs inVietnam:
Biking to explore My Tho (Mekong Delta)
Full Day – Biking Off-road to South of Dalat
2 Days Discover Ancient Phuoc Tich Village on Bike
Biking Through The Ancient Paths – Hue & Hoi An
Biking Hidden Paths of Mai Chau & Ninh Binh
9 Days Bike North Vietnam
19 Days on Bike from Saigon to Hanoi

Related motorcycling programs inVietnam:
Full Day – Explore Mekong Delta by Motorbikes
3 Days Taste of Ho Chi Minh Trail
2 Days 1 Night Explore Rural Mekong Delta on Motorcycles
5 Days Southern Coastal Lines on Motorbikes
5 Days Motorcycling West to East Northern
11 Days Motorcycling the Ho Chi Minh Trail – Half Challenge
14 Days Motorcycling Adventure in Northern Vietnam

Vietnam has two big deltas, the Red River Delta in the North, and Mekong Delta in the South. The Vietnamese name for the Mekong is Cuu Long which means “nine dragons” and this is represented by the nine exit points of the Mekong River as it flows into the sea.

The Mekong Delta was once part of the Khmer kingdom, and was the last region of modern-day Vietnam to be annexed and settled by the Vietnamese.

Life in the Mekong Delta revolves much around the river, and many of the villages are often accessible by rivers and canals rather than by road. The region is home to “Don ca tai tu” – a form of Vietnamese folk opera.

The Mekong Delta is a great place for travelers to visit by bicycle and motorbike. The terrain is flat and the roads are well-maintained. Traffic is not too heavy, especially on back roads off Highway 1A.

Cycling through rice paddies, orchards, along and over a myriad of small irrigation canals will let you see a rural Mekong delta. Along the roads, you will see farmers working their fields and walking their buffalos and ducks back home in the evening. People dry rice, coconut husks, lemongrass and other spices on the side of the road. Thus, you also can smell the rice and straw that is the characteristic of the countryside.

On the way exploring rustic Mekong Delta, travelers will have some stops for boarding a few boats along the mighty Mekong River and its tributaries to view the daily lives of people who work and play on the waterways of the Mekong Delta.

The highlight of any Vietnam trip to the Mekong Delta is experience a home-stay with the friendly local hosts. Hence, you will get a taste of local custom by sharing a home-cooked meal and possibly a few glass of rice wine after your dinner.

The uniquely southern charm with its welcoming introduction to life along the river is the real draw, and travelers can explore quaint riverside towns, sample fruits trade in the colorful floating markets or dine and stay at local hosts.

Besides, one of the great rewards of traveling through the Mekong is sampling the extraordinary array of fruits available at markets, orchards and street stalls all over the region such as Buoi (pomelo), Du Du (papaya), Chom Chom (rambutan), Dua (pineapple), and so on.

The most renowned places in the Mekong Delta are My Tho and Cai Be near Ho Chi Minh City, then, more to the heart of the region, Vinh Long, Sa Đec, and Can Tho, whence it is possible to reach the remotest confines of the delta, South towards the mangroves and the South China Sea, North towards Chau Đoc, or West towards the island of Phu Quoc.

Vietnam Jeep Tours organizes bike tours and motorbike tours to Mekong Delta around the year for travelers who want to discover the real Vietnam. Hence, Come to enjoy and discover the spectacular nature, the friendliness of the local people and relax at the home-stay with our package tours.

Nowadays, Mekong Delta is a must-see destination and attracts not only the local people but also foreign visitors who love explore the countryside and enjoy at home-stay with the local hosts when touring in Vietnam.

For more information and advices about those tours please contact Vietnam Jeep Tours at www.vietnamjeeptours.com and www.bikemekong.com or contact via adventure@vietnamjeeptours.com / hotline: +84 909 602 370.

Da Dia (Stone Plate) Rapids are located in Tuy An District, Phu Yen Province, Vietnam. With strange rock formations, foamy rapids, a fissure with multi-colored fish and a deep cave, etc. Da Dia Rapids was listed as a National Heritage Site by the Ministry of Culture and Information.

Da Dia Rapids is a baffling and beautiful riddle of Nature, and set in stone for all time. It’s like a giant jigsaw, irritatingly made of the same shaped pieces, and forming a solidified structure that has proved more than just a curiosity for thousands.

The stones in Da Dia Rapids are bazan stones of dark black and light yellow. There are large stones of tons and small stones with different shapes such as round, pentagon, and polygon and so on.

Standing on the top of the Rapids, you can see fishing villages with many rows of coconut trees along the Xuan Dai Gulf and in front of you – where the boats are smoothly sleeping on the sea. Hence, visitors also can see the local people pass through the rapids to do their daily job on the sea.

In the middle of the rapids, there is a small fissure filled with rain water and sea water. In this fissure, rocks stick out at odd angles. Hence, when travel to this area, visitors can also enjoy the fresh air and refresh after a long drive.

However, visiting Da Dia Rapids – you will have chance to learn about many species of marine creatures, especially jam seaweed is a type of kelp which is sticks to the stones, looking like a network and the local use it as a special food.

Besides, a must-see destination nearby Da Dia Rapids is Mang Lang Church with the ancient architecture. Mang Lang Church is small but it owns a large yard with many green trees, and the best time to visit the Church is from noon till early afternoon, when tourists can see or attend the local noon mass.

When touring to Da Dia Rapids, travelers should not miss a pause at Xuan Dai Bay – it is over 45 km from the North of Tuy Hoa City, Phu Yen Province. The National Highway 1A runs along the western bank of Xuan Dai Bay, to the North and to the South, on arriving at the top of Doc Gang slope, visitors can easily enjoy a partial view of Xuan Dai Bay.

Vietnam Jeep Tours has posted a topic about Xuan Dai Bay. You can find more information at http://www.vietnamjeeptours.com/travelblog/2011/09/travel-attraction-xuan-dai-bay-in-phu-yen/

This site is quite difficult to be reach, as the landscape is still wild and primitive. Visitors can visit Da Dia Rapids from November to April.

Travelers can reach Da Dia Rapids by motorbike. From Tuy Hoa city, Phu Yen Province you drive on Highway No. 1 for 31 kilometers to the north at Ngan Son bridge. Then you follow a 12 kilometer-road leading to the Da Dia Rapids.

Nowadays, Da Dia Rapids, Mang Lang Church and Xuan Dai Bay become famous destination which attracts not only the local people but also the foreign travelers who love relaxing, camping and more outdoor activities in the wild.

Vietnam Jeep Tours organizes biking tours from North to South of Vietnam with stops to visit at above destinations. If you are excited to travel to Da Dia Rapids in Phu Yen Province, please visit Vietnam Jeep Tours or contact via adventure@vietnamjeeptours.com / hotline: +84 909 602 370 for more details and advices.

Mai Chau District is located in Hoa Binh Province in the Northwestern part of Vietnam, approximately 160 km from Hanoi. There is an estimated 48,570 inhabitants including 7 Ethnic Minority groups such as White Thai, H’Mong, Zao, Muong, Tay, Hoa, and Viet. Mai Chau consist mainly of the White Thai people.

Stepping out of the mini bus, surrounded by huge hills and lush green fields stretching as far as the eyes can see, the first thing I noticed was the significant improvement in the air quality. Although there are still many motorbikes darting about, I felt as if I could once again breathe!

As you approach Mai Chau you will have the chance to view the village from afar. From the top of Cun Mountain you will be blown away with the superb panorama of Mai Chau, nestled, snugly between two towering cliffs and surrounded by lush emerald green paddy fields, the sight is truly enchanting so make sure you have cameras at the ready.

If you are looking for a get away from the busy and crowded hustle of Hanoi, you may have just found it. Mai Chau would be ideal for travellers seeking an authentic Vietnamese experience with the option of home-stay, which is available in two of the White Thai villages nearby. Ban Pom Coong and Ban Lac are both run by the ethnic minority families. I did however find Ban Lac to be the more developed of the two as Ban Lac boasts more gift shops and a busier.

The house is traditional wooden buildings sat on top of stilts. For your home-stay, you can expect large communal rooms on the second floor where mats will be laid down on top of the squeaky, split bamboo flooring. The White Thai are very conscious of hygiene and cleanliness so remember to leave footwear outside at all times. Although it is very basic and simple accommodation, you will find western style toilets, hot water and in some houses satellite television installed. The cost will set you back around 150,000VND and for this price you will enjoy an evening meal prepared and cooked for you by the local hosts, a bed for the night and also breakfast the following morning. Sitting down for dinner with the White Thai is a truly warming experience, their hospitality really is second to none.

While living with the locals you will be sure to see some of their old traditions and customs. Green tea would be offered to guests, especially by the man of the house and it would be common for the female (usually an older lady).

It offers you the chance to blacken your teeth by chewing “Betel” – A betel chew is made up of several ingredients: betel leaf, slivers of areca palm nut and a bit of lime paste. The pieces of nut covered with lime paste are wrapped in a leaf of the betel pepper vine, making a tiny package that fits neatly into the pouch of the cheek. Although teeth look unsightly to us, tooth blackening prevents tooth decay. Those who have had their teeth blackened maintain a full set of teeth longer than those who have not undergone the process. Teeth blackening may prolong life by maintaining the capacity to enjoy a wholesome diet.

An elegant building with 16 beautifully designed and decorated rooms located in the heart of the village looking out onto a spectacular view from every possible angle, whether it is towards the mountains or the valley. When entry I was greeted warmly by the staff. Rest assured, while staying at the lodge that you can see they always serve you friendly with a cosy smile and that is what a traveller expect.

A mix of local specialties and world cuisines meet in the middle creating a memorable dining experience. You also have the choice of a fine selection of wines and spirits or if you are really set on experiencing all things traditional throughout your stay, go for a bottle of locally produced rice wine.

Although in the middle of this basic and undeveloped, picturesque paradise, you will enjoy comforts including; en-suite bathrooms, hair dryers, air conditioning, satellite television, telephones and free unlimited internet connection.

After a day of wandering around the local market and seeing the many weird and wonderful things for sale or traditional clothing being skilfully woven operated by the Thai women are using fascinating homemade machines, I really enjoyed a dip in the lodges’ swimming pool, a soak in the Jacuzzi and a steam bath before sprucing up for the evening.

When visiting Mai Chau, I would recommend an overnight in the home-stay with the locals to quench your thirst for Vietnamese culture in a peaceful and comfortable atmosphere at the lodge.

For the travellers who visit to Vietnam at the first time, I highly recommended you to book those adventure packages at Vietnam Jeep Tours. They offer many tours to Mai Chau for you to experience overnight in home-stay. For more information and advices about those tours, you can direct contact via adventure@vietnamjeeptours.com or hotline: +84 909 602 370.

Related program to Mai Chau:

• Biking Mai Chau
• Biking Hidden Paths of Mai Chau & Ninh Binh
• 5 Days Motorcycling West to East Northern
• 7 Days Motorcycling Northwestern Trails

After exploring My Son Sanctuary and the ancient town of Hoi An, the two World Cultural Heritage sites in Quang Nam Province, tourists should stop by Phu Ninh Lake to enjoy a peaceful and tranquil atmosphere.

What is special about this lake? It has dense forests and magnificent waterfalls. The path to the lake runs along the mountainside of Quang Nam Province’s in Tam Ky Town and both sides of the path are lined with green trees, which provide much-needed shades for people to move around the lake.

A cruise around the lake is highly recommended as the site gives visitors a sense of being close to nature. The attractiveness of the lake greatly increases thanks to around 30 islets, including Su (rubber), Khi (monkey) and Rua (tortoise). Small bays, streams, rocks and trees add a fascinating ambiance to the experience.

At noon, visitors can go fishing and use it for your lunch.

Afternoon is an ideal time to ask forest rangers for an exploration on the Phu Ninh protective forest. The forest covers over 15,770 hectares and has a biodiversity with 34 animals, 26 reptiles and 70 species of plants.

The highly recommended when tourists visit to Phu Ninh Lake is joining a camp fire overnight on Su Islet would be an amazing experience. Without electric lighting, the moon and stars will make an unforgettable stay.

This time of year is a flooding season, so the lake is very beautiful with cool weather, green rice fields around, and flocks of birds hovering in the skies.

If you are excited to travel to Phu Ninh Lake in Quang Nam Province, please contact Vietnam Jeep Tours via www.vietnamjeeptours.com or adventure@vietnamjeeptours.com / hotline: +84 909 602 370 for more information and advices.

Ca Tru is a Vietnamese religious music genre which belongs to tradition in northern Vietnam; mother hand ca tru is also such as a sung genre of chamber music. Already in the 15th century ca tru was played for ceremonies and early 20th century ca tru was cracked down on the village communal houses where it was performed, quickening its demise. The musical knowledge had to remove to the big city and it was played for entertainment “hat chơi”, in singing houses and private homes.

By the 1950s the genre had become associated with disrepute (opium, girl serve wine and misunderstandings about ca tru singers). From the late 1950s to the late 1980s, ca tru performances were rare, and a lot of the musical knowledge was lost. Despite renewed public interest and a spate of recent revitalization initiatives, there are still few regular performance contexts. The few remaining competent ca tru musicians are mostly very elderly. In the countryside, the ceremonial part of the ca tru repertoire, “hat cua dinh”, was still cherished for festivals and ancestral work-ship ceremonies.

In September 2009, ca tru was inscribed in the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Urgent Need of Safeguarding.

Giao Phường Ca Tru Thang Long is a voluntary, non-profit group of ca tru musicians founded in 2006. The group is based in Hanoi. It has about 15 members, most of them aged between 10 and early 30s. Giao Phường Ca Tru Thang Long was set up by two elderly master musicians, Nguyen Thi Chuc and Nguyen Phu Đẹ, with Phạm Thị Huệ, who is a teacher of traditional Vietnamese music at the National Academy of Music in Hanoi.

The term “Giao Phường” refers to the old system of “guilds” that supported ca tru artists up until the early twentieth century. These days, groups like Giao Phường Ca Tru Thang Long are the most common way for young people to learn ca tru. For this reason, the work of Giao Phường Ca Tru Thăng Long is very important in keeping ca tru alive for future generations to explore and enjoy.

Giao Phường Ca Tru Thăng Long has grown to be one of the most active of ca tru clubs in North Vietnam, especially in teaching the genre to young people, performing publicly, increasing audience engagement, and generally raising the profile of the genre.

Vietnam Jeep Tours organizes private show for tourists to explore the traditional music “ca tru” of Vietnam when tourists visit to Hanoi. For more information about Vietnam Jeep Tours, please visit www.vietnamjeeptours.com or contact via adventure@vietnamjeeptours.com / hotline: +84 909 602 370.

Nowadays, home-stay in traditional stilt houses owned by ethnic minority people is more attractive to foreign tourists when travel to Vietnam.

As well as being somewhere to eat, entertain and sleep, stilt house is the place for them to remember ancestors and do their daily works such as weaving and embroidery. The most important room is the kitchen which is usually set in the centre of the house and serves as a meeting place where the family gathers at the end of the day.

Stilt houses are available in Central of Vietnam and North of Vietnam. It is made from wood, bamboo, cane, or rattan. A traditional stilt house typically has an area for drying rice, set one or two steps below the main level. The area under the house is either unused or used as a pen for livestock.

It is the truth that when you travel to other countries and if you just stay in the deluxe hotels with the international standards, the interesting difference and specialities of those countries cannot be seen clearly or even cannot be found. Hence, if you really want to have a real exploration Vietnam and understand more about the daily lives of the local people as well as their special culture & customs, then there really is no substitute for spending a few days as a home-stay guest.

Of course, this style of travel is not for everyone… Conditions can be fairly basic – home is often a simple wooden construction with mats on the floor to sleep on, cold-water showers and definitely no air-conditioning… but if you are up for a little bit of an adventure and come with an open-mind, you will soon find that the minor discomforts are far out-weighed by the benefits of this unique experience.

Then quickly you will also figure out that home-stays are actually a two-way cultural exchange as your hosts are very likely to be as interested in your culture as you are in theirs… Do not forget to bring some pictures of your home and prepare to arrive as a guest but to leave as a friend…

Travel with Vietnam Jeep Tours, tourists will have chance to get experience by your own as culture discovery, learn how is the daily live of ethnic minority people, join to cook dinner with the local hosts and enjoy overnight home-stay.

Vietnam Jeep Tours offers unique trips, including home-stay overnights for adventure enthusiasts to explore a real & wild Vietnam Northern.  Please visit www.vietnamjeeptours.com or directly contact via adventure@vietnamjeeptours.com / hotline: +84 909 602 370 for more advices and information.

Quat Lam beach is located in Giao Thuy district – Nam Dinh Province. Centre to form two natural lakes, each lake is about 10ha. Future reservoir embankment road to be fenced and allowed to build hotels, restaurants, fishing, boating and water parks offer…

Quat Lam Beach is a magnet for foreign tourists as it is just 100 kilometres from Hanoi. The road to the beach, located 40 kilometres from Quat Lam Town in Giao Thuy District, Nam Dinh City, is smooth so tourists can negotiate their way no problem and once they arrive they will realize that the simple things in life have to enjoyed, chilling out on the beach.

Local authorities developed the beach after 1997 and thus the beach area, coconut forests, peanut farms and watermelon farms have made way for hotels, restaurants and tourist services. They are close together under shades of sea pine lines, creating a bustling urban area along the beach.

Quat Lam beach to the sea, you will be satisfied with the sea specialties that natural gift for the waters here with much cheaper price compared to other beach resorts in the country such as shrimp – crab – squid … is processed into various specialties bring bold style of Nam Dinh.

Quat Lam is also famous for its indigenous watermelon which is well-known for its red colour and sweet taste. Quat Lam salt field is also a destination that visitors to Nam Dinh should not miss.

If things get too hot tourists can go for a swim or sit in the shade and enjoy some seafood. Tourists also have the option of visiting Xuan Thuy National Park, which is home to numerous animals, birds, flowers and a huge primeval forest. Vietnam Jeep Tours have offered tour Explore The Nature Beauty of Xuan Thuy National Park for tourists when you visit Quat Lam Beach. For more information about Xuan Thuy National Park, click here.

If you are excited to travel to Quat Lam Beach in Nam Dinh Province, you can visit www.vietnamjeeptours.com for more information or contact via adventure@vietnamjeeptours.com / hotline: +84 909 602 370.

The lagoon is in Tra Loc Hamlet, Hai Xuan Commune, Hai Lang District. From Quang Tri ancient citadel, tourists can find Tra Loc by two different ways. The first is heading on National Highway 1 then turning left into the immense cajuput forest, the second method is by crossing over a canal located at the end of Quang Tri Township.

Quang Tri may have a military history but now it is a place where tourists seek some beautiful spots in the peaceful province – with Tra Loc Lagoon the best destination.

Some years ago local authorities in Hai Lang District concreted the path to the tourist site so travellers have an easier passage.

Thousands of cajuput trees jostle to reach the sky and their leaves weave together like house roofs that even sun rays find it hard to breach. The forest is home to many kinds of birds and every year the forest management releases numerous birds, snakes and animals into the forest.

Amidst the 100 – hectare primeval forest,Tra Loc Lakelies gently among the vast sand area. The lake is about 10 hectares and has an abundance of fish. The lake is now a tranquil venue for tourists to sit and relax on grass plots, cottage houses or stilt houses along the lake as they take in the rustic scenery and fresh air. There is a bridge leading to a trap to catch fish, so guests can choose their desired fish then locals will make a meal on demand. There is also a bridge linking a canal to the lake, with immense rice fields and lotus ponds that will leave unforgettable memories for travellers.

Nature lovers will say Tra Loc is still keeping primitive beauty alive without too much intervention by humans. Meanwhile, there are those who want more investment in Tra Loc needs to offer more attractive tourist services to attract more visitors.

Nowadays, Tra Loc Lagoon is a gorgeous eco-tourist area and is a must-see destination for tourists.

If you are excited to travel to Tra Loc Lagoon in Quang Tri Province, please contact Vietnam Jeep Tours for more information, click here or contact via adventure@vietnamjeeptours.com / hotline: +84 909 602 370.

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