A meeting to discuss urgent measures to attract international tourists was hold by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on Dec. 10, 2008, in Hanoi. Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hoang Tuan Anh presided at the conference.

Attending the conference are leaders of Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) and representatives of the Ministry of Planning and Investment, Ministry of Finance, High Command of Border Guard…; General Director of Viet Nam Airlines and a number of foreign representative offices, leaders from 12 tourism departments in the cities and provinces which have big tourism potential and representatives of many travel companies, hotels, and other tourism-related companies; leaders of departments of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and VNAT; many journalists, reporters of the central and local magazines and televisions.

By the end of November, 2008 Vietnam had received only 3.9 million foreign tourists, making it hard for the country to achieve its target of welcoming 4.8-5 million foreign visitors this year. Face with this situation, tourism-related sectors need to have immediate solutions to attract more tourists. The solutions will be implemented in 2009.

The delegates proposed several solutions for the short and long-terms in order to solve the difficulties and obstacles which effect directly or indirectly to the process of attracting, serving tourists come to Vietnam.

Stimulating domestic demand is one of the most important solutions to mitigate the global financial crisis’s impacts on tourism. Other measures include promotional activities, tax policies, and human resources and infrastructure development.

(Source: Tourism Information Technology Center)

Banh khuc is a traditional cake of Vietnam and so delicious!

The cake is a rice ball made of glutinous rice mixed with cudweed (khuc)-most important ingredient and filled with green bean paste, pork, and spices.

Cudweed grows during lunar January and February, when the drizzling rain lasts all day, and it can be found along the edges of rice fields. There are two kinds: “nep” and “te”. The latter is more flexible and fragrant and is preferred for making the cake.

First, the cudweed is washed, ground and then mixed with husked glutinous rice. Green beans, that are flayed and turned into paste after being cooked, are then added to the mixture. Finally, the cakes are sprinkled with grains of glutinous steamed rice.

As time goes by it is increasingly difficult to find cudweed as fields are eaten up by development. For now, you still can find “banh khuc” in Hanoi. However, some bakers may not be using cudweed and may substitute it with cabbage or water morning glory.

Wishing to have the chance to satisfy your hunger for “banh khuc”, you can visit cake stall at 69 Nguyen Cong Tru Street, that has been churning out “banh khuc” for years. Ms. Nguyen Thi Lan, the seller, has to hire locals in rural areas in Hanoi or in neighbouring provinces to seek out the elusive cudweed. In winter, it grows in abundance so enough has to be collected to last the summer. The surplus will be dried and stored.

If you are in the old quarter of Hanoi, you might hear someone cry “Ai banh khuc nong day?” (who wants hot “banh khuc”?). You can stop them and ask if the “banh khuc” is from Ngoai Hoang village in Ha Noi, a place that is famous for having the most delicious and tasty “banh khuc”. Then, you can buy one for tasting. The cake should be served hot and dipped into a mixture of roasted and crushed sesame seeds and salt…

The Da Lat Festival 2008 will be held from Dec. 4-7, 2008 at the Bao Loc town in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong, which is an area known for its tea production.

The festival, which will focus on “Tea Culture”, will open with a ceremony highlighting the history and development of tea processing, with the help of 700 actors.

The event will be divided into parts, including the Jubilant Festival and exhibitions on Vietnamese brands of tea.

A beauty contest will also be held to respect the intellectual beauty, grace and morals of girls living in the realm of tea.

Tourists who attend the tea-drinking festival will have the opportunity to learn about the “tea drinking culture”. During the festival, tea will be popularized in different contexts, including the experience of drinking tea with flowers, poetry, music and painting.

A ceremony commemorating Da Lat City’s 115th anniversary will be held from December 17-21, 2008.

Nearly 350,000 domestic and foreign tourists attended the first Tea Festival held in 2006, according to the provincial Department of Commerce and Tourism.

The Culture-Tourism Festival Ba Ria – Vung Tau 2009, scheduled from January 26 to February 4, 2009 will focus on cultural, tourist and daily life activities.

The major venues are Loc An Wharf, the monument of “the Ho Chi Minh Trail on the sea” in Xuyen Moc District, and Con Dao District.

Numerous cultural, sports and tourist events will be held during the festival, including beach volleyball, beach football, Chinese chess competition, folk games, art performances, human chess, exhibitions of calligraphy and tourist photos.

Especially, five Vietnam’s records in Ba Ria – Vung Tau will be announced.

(Source: Vietnam Government Portal)

The Khmer ethnic people annually celebrated their traditional Ok Om Bok Festival on the full-moon day (15th day) of the middle Winter to shows their gratitude to the Moon Goddess for giving them a bumper harvest and rich aquatic sources.

Ok Om Bok is now a popular festival celebrated not only in Soc Trang but also in other Mekong Delta provinces of Vinh Long, Tra Vinh, Can Tho, Kien Giang and An Giang. In the Khmer belief, the Moon Goddess is the one who cares for the crops, aquatic sources and human life. Also called Festival of Worshipping the Moon, the Ok Om Bok Festival of each village takes place on the yard of a local pagoda, and the whole province’s Ok Om Bok Festival takes place at Ba Om Pond. The festival is one of the three typical festivals of the Khmer in the circle of one year. more…

The UNESCO Vietnam association has announced the launch of two new awards, named “Vietnam’s cultural and tourism heritage” and “In support of the preservation and development of Vietnam’s cultural heritage”.

The association’s General Secretary Nguyen Xuan Thang said on Nov. 27, 2008 the annual awards were launched in response to Vietnam’s Heritage Law and UNESCO’s Convention concerning the protection of the world cultural and natural heritage.

They aim to encourage people to discover and vote for Vietnam’s tangible and non-tangible cultural heritages, and recognize the work of organizations and individuals who have contributed to the preservation and development of them.

They also offer a chance for localities and ministries to highlight and promote Vietnam’s unique culture, tourism and heritage.

(Source: Vietnamtoursim.com)

For a country that is only a little larger than Italy, Vietnam has immense geographic and cultural diversity. Its varied climate and landscape range from four seasons of the mountainous north to year-round tropical temperatures of the lush south.

Vietnam’s cultural diversity stems from its intriguing history dating back more than 4,000 years. Its historical legacy includes a century of Chinese occupation, which has left a very strong foreign cultural influence, evident in the pagodas, local cuisine, and continuing practice of Confucianism. Vietnam’s regal past can be revisited in the former capital city of Hue, where the Citadel and Royal Tombs represent an era of cultural renaissance. The French colonial legacy is still evident in many parts of Vietnam, as illustrated by the distinctive yellow pastel-colored architecture of its villas and administrative buildings.

In Vietnam you can discover unspoiled beaches along the coastline stretching 3,200km north to south and mountainous regions where hill tribe people continue to live isolated from mainstream society. There are also pastoral landscapes of lush rice paddies and fresh vegetation, offering ample opportunities to observe the agrarian lifestyle of eighty percent of Vietnam’s population. Today, most of the country remains relatively unchanged although in major cities you will discover modern infrastructure and technology. Visitors can choose to travel at various levels of comfort, staying in anything from budget to deluxe accommodations, using public or private transportation, and dining local style or in the finer Vietnamese and international restaurants. If you are in for a cultural exploration, picturesque landscapes, warm hospitality, or an adventure of a lifetime – Vietnam is your destination!