VIETNAM TOURISM KING WENT TO CHARITY IN COMPASSIONATE HOME

Playing With The Orphans

On 31^st of Dec, 2011, Vietnam Tourism King Delegation paid a visit to the Compassionate Home of Dieu Giac Pogada at 177 Tran Nao street, Binh An Ward, District 2, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam to welcome the New Year with more than 100 orphaned children are being raised here.

Coming to this place, we are so surprised by the heart of the nuns for children who are just a few months and older and some of them are disabilities. All children are taken care of nuns’ love. In this pagoda, we have met a young Australian in the costume of nun and taking care of the children. Through a brief conversation, we know that she is a doctor who came to this pagoda to live with unlucky children and take care of them two years ago. Only some minutes of talking but it’s enough for us to feel her warmth and her love for children here.

Director of Vietnam Tourism King talking to the Voluntary Australian Doctor

Coming to this place, we brought things such as clothes, noodles, candies, cookies, milk, rice ... with just a desire to be contributing a meal for them and contribute a set of clothes when it's cold. Give them a small candy packages and feel joy in their eyes and we also get back great feeling of love from the children.

When leaving the pagoda, we still think of the children’s life here and found that what we bring to them is too little. We hope that all of them are always healthy; the nuns are always healthy to care for the children. And we also expect more donors jointly take care of the children here.

SEE MORE VIETNAM DESTINATIONS

ANGELINA JOLIE BRINGS HER SIX CHILDREN TO VIETNAM FOR HOLIDAY

Brad Pitt & Angelia at Tan Son Nhat Airport, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam

This is the first time the "big family" Brad Pitt - Angelina Jolie went to Vietnam. In 2006, this power couple in Hollywood had travelled to Vietnam. Two world-famous actor sitting on a motorcycle and walk around HoChiMinh City.

Brad Pitt & Angelia going around HCMC by motorbike

Angelina Jolie keeps quite the busy travel schedule. And though it's often for work, her current trip is in line with her desire to keep her adopted children familiar with their roots.

Brad Pitt & Angelia going around with their children

"We owe Vietnam a visit, because Pax is due," Jolie, 36, told the Financial Times in July, adding of her six children with Brad Pitt: "They are all learning about each other's cultures as well as being proud of their own. They all have their flags over their beds and their individual pride." 

Brad Pitt & Angelia going on their trip in ConDao, Vietnam

They choose Con Dao – A famous Island of Vietnam for their vacation.

YES, I GO TO VIETNAM, TOO

LOCALS CELEBRATE HA LONG BAY’S NEW STATUS

Halong Grotto - Vietnam

Ha Long Bay of Vietnam has just obtained the temporary status as the World’s New 7 Wonders of Nature

Local officials, residents and tourists yesterday celebrated Ha Long Bay’s temporary status as the World’s New 7 Wonders of Nature.

On the evening of November 11, authorities in Quang Ninh Province stayed up late to wait for the announcement from the New Open World Corporation, an associate of the Swiss corporation New 7 Wonders Foundation which selects the Wonders of the World based on public voting.

The good news made many people burst into tears.

“I would like to thank everyone in the country and overseas who have voted for Vietnam,” Pham Minh Chinh, Secretary of Quang Ninh Province’s Party Committee, told Dan Tri Newswire after receiving the news.

Chinh said he wanted to send special thanks to foreign friends in other countries who voted for Ha Long and the New Open World Corporation for organizing a fair and honest campaign.

On Saturday morning at Bay Chay Tourist Wharf in Ha Long Bay, there were happy smiles on the faces of staffs and tourists.

Leading a group of foreign tourists, Ian Richards from Australia said he arrived on Friday afternoon and saw banners everywhere urging people to vote for Ha Long Bay.

So he asked his group to come to the wharf to celebrate and share the joy with locals and other tourists.

“I have visited Ha Long Bay several times and am stunned by the natural beauty here. After this trip, I will go back to my country and tell friends and family so that they will book a tour to Ha Long Bay as soon as possible,” he said.

Nguyen Quang Tuan, a tourist from Hanoi said he and his friends had been texting to support Ha Long Bay.

“We arrived yesterday and registered a tour to visit Ha Long Bay today. On knowing that the Bay had been listed as a new natural wonder, we went straight to the wharf to celebrate,” Tuan said.

Ha Quang Long, Director of the provincial Department of Culture, Sports said this was an initial success for long-term efforts of local authorities and residents in Quang Ninh.

“Ha Long Bay deserves to be one of the world’s new seven wonders of nature,” Long said.

The selection of the new seven wonders was made based on preliminary results of the voting of 400 wonders from more than 200 countries and territories that ended at 11:11 pm on November 11, 2011.

Final results will be announced early next year.

(Source:Tuoitrenews)

2011 VIETNAM RICE FESTIVAL TO BE HELD IN SOC TRANG

The second Vietnam Rice Festival will take place in the Mekong Delta province of Soc Trang from November 8-11, announced the event’s organizing board on October 24.

The festival aims to advertise Vietnamese rice and honour outstanding farmers, rice exporters and scientists who have contributed to the country’s rice production. It will also promote a trademark for Vietnamese rice and boosting tourism and socio-economic development in Soc Trang province.

The event coincides with the much anticipated Khmer “Ngo Boat Race” in the Mekong Delta, which is part of the annual Ooc Om Boc Festival – the ethnic minority group’s most important festival of the year.

Soc Trang expects to attract a large number of tourists for the occasion where they can take part in folk games, enjoy traditional food and learn more about the province’s cultural identity.

(Source: VOV)

12 NATIONAL RECORDS SET IN BA RIA - VUNG TAU

The Vietnam Record Book Centre (Vietkings) on October 20 unveiled 12 Vietnamese records set in Ba Ria - Vung Tau province.

This is a result of the search for Vietnamese records that have been broken since 2009.

These new records include: Vietnam’s first tourism city in Vung Tau; the first and biggest oil and gas centre in Vung Tau; the first dictionary which explains ethnic languages in Vietnamese script; a project to install new solar energy light bulbs in the provincial Martyr Cemetery; the biggest national flag-shaped kite; a locality with the most sea port systems; the biggest private ancient weapon museum; an island with the longest history of revolutionary struggle in Con Dao; the biggest marine defense platform DK1; the biggest deep-water port; the longest gas pipeline; and the eco-tourism resort with the largest artificial mountain lake.

VietKings has co-operated with the province to compile Ba Ria - Vung Tau Record Book from 2009-2011 which lists 108 World and 12 Vietnamese records in the areas of human, nature, historical events, culture-tourism, festivals, art, architecture, construction works, economics, science and technology, education-health-sports, and social life.

(Source: VOV)

CONDE NAST TRAVELER HAILS SEVEN VIETNAMESE RESORTS AND HOTELS

Seven of Vietnam’s top hotels and resorts gained recognition in the 2011 Readers’ Choice Awards, published by one of the world’s most renowned travel publication, Conde Nast Traveler.

The country’s resorts which made the greatest impression on travellers were Life Heritage Resort Hoi An, The Nam Hai, La Residence Hotel & Spa Hue and Evason Hideaway, which each scored top-20 finishes in the Asian region. Only one other Asian destination - Bali - boasted as many resorts in the top-20 list.

In the hotel category, the Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi and Park Hyatt in Ho Chi Minh City each ranked among Asia’s top 100. The Majestic in Saigon ranked among the top 125 hotels.

The Readers' Choice Awards polled 28,876 responses from readers who rated resorts and hotels across a range of categories, including food and dining, location and overall design.

With its top-20 finish, La Residence Hotel & Spa in Hue earned its first listing in the vaunted Readers’ Choice Awards. Life Heritage Resort Hoi An again cracked the top 10, claiming the No. 9 spot on a list that included a Four Seasons hotel at No. 10.

None of Vietnam’s cities made the grade as one of Asia’s top 10 city destinations, though Luang Prabang in Laos came in at No. 8. Likewise, none of Vietnam’s islands won a place in the top 10.

(Source: CPV)