This morning, ASEAN tourism forum (ATF) has been opening ceremony in Hanoi with the participation of Minister of Tourism from 10 countries in the region. The first session discussed about broadcasting the images of ASEAN to the world and agreements of mutual recognition among the countries.

10 countries attended ATF includes Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.

First session was chaired by Mr. Tran Chien Thang, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Culture and Information and Tourism. The delegates discussed measures to promote a stronger image of ASEAN tourism while the number of international visitors to the area is declining.

According to the discussion, the countries will coordinate with the U.S Agency of International Development to implement project for strengthening ASEAN competitiveness. The MOU will be signed at the tour seminar on January 10.

Particularly, the meeting adopted the final draft Agreements of mutual recognition in tourism so that Ministers can sign on January 9. This text will give favorable conditions for ASEAN citizens when travelling, developing human resource in the region.

The delegates also discussed about the construction of tourism investment corridor, the list of bases in residents’ house, assessing the performance in 2008. The delegates also proposed projects implemented in 2009 on all fields of marketing, human resources, investment, tourism standards, information of tourism crisis and cruise, etc.

In the morning of January 5, 2009, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has announced a discount campaign for 99 tours, from 30% – 50%, that is named “Impressive Vietnam”. 114 travel companies, hotels participate the promotion that is the biggest one to date.

This is the biggest reduction in comparison with most countries in Southeast Asia. 37 international travel companies and 55 three-star or five-star hotels, 2 passenger carriers pledged to reduce the cost by 30%-50%, equivalent to the discount level for ticket of Vietnam Airlines on international and domestic flights. 6 hotels accepted the reduction of 5%-30% for the agreement signed with the travel companies or applied other promotions. In addition, 14 shopping points in HCM City has also registered to join the program, giving priority to passengers who buy the promotional tours.

According to Mr. Tran Chien Thang, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, five market groups – France, Western Europe, Japan, Asean, Australia and New Zealand will be the major partners of the discount programs. General Department of Tourism will establish four market groups more in North America, Russia and Eastern Europe, Northern Europe and South Korea to continue the implementation.

Although international visitors are strongly declining, Mr.Trinh Hong Quang, Deputy General Director of Vietnam Airlines, said that in 2009, they will maintain the direct flights to Russia, Australia, France and expect to increase market share in Laos, Cambodia to help Vietnam’s travel companies in connecting tours for international vvisitors to the two countries. Especially, in January, Vietnam Airlines has decided to test package tour of Seoul – Da Nang – Siemriep with ticket of low price.

General Department of Tourism will coordinate with Vietnam Airlines, travel companies, some embassies to promote in this market and offer promotional products. Moreover, there is also a series of measures such as inviting travel companies, newspapers from major markets to involve in the survey, create international tours to China and ASEAN countries, negotiate with the tourism management of some countries to strengthen tourist exchange.

Center for Tourism News will launch the website of the campaign, continuously updating information and link to promotional tours of travel companies involved. Promotion activities ram expressly in ASEAN Tourism Forum and Travex Fair taking place in Hanoi from January 6 to January 12.

“Tour discount and keeping the quality” is confirmed by Mr. Vu The Binh, Director of Tourism, General Department of Tourism. Each Vietnam’s travel company involves in the program must be potential and have prestige to reduce the cost of tour but remaining service quality. Monitoring the implementation according to the commitment of the business has been assigned to the local offices in collaboration with the Association of Tourism by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

According to Vice Minister Tran Chien Thang, it has been impossible to declare that the campaign will attract many tourists and earn much money, but clearly that it has improved competitiveness in Vietnam’s tourism. It is worthy that in the most difficult context, enterprises has been responsible for creating their own power.

In 2008, Vietnam welcomed about 4.1 million of international tourists, has not achieved the target of 4.8 to 5 million visitors as proposed.

In the morning of January 5, 2009, in Hanoi, General Department of Tourism held a press conference about solutions for increasing the number of international tourists international tourists to Vietnam.

Mr. Tran Chien Thang, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Director of General Department of Tourism chaired the meeting report. Attending the conference also reported Mr. Nguyen Manh Cuong, Deputy Director of General Department of Tourism, Mr. Vu The Binh, from Department of Tourism; leaders of Units of Tourism and many journalists, editors from local and central newspapers.

Because of negative impacts of global financial crisis for the world’s tourism in general and Vietnam’s tourism in particular, to block the declining, attract international visitors to Vietnam and promote domestic tourism, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has issued the Decision No.5476/QD-BVHTTDL on December 31, 2008 – Approval of the Action Programs of Tourism. Mr. Vu The Binh, from Department of Tourism, presented the major contents of the action program in order to attract international visitors and promote domestic tourism, including:

- The nationwide promotional tour. Announced a batch of 37 international travel companies, 61 hotels, 3 carriers, 14 shops to register for discounts from 30% to 50%, from now to September, 2009 with 99 tours.

- Broadcasting promotional campaign called “Vietnam Impressive”, with the participation of media in and outside the country, especially in key markets; General Department of Tourism has built a website for promotions to the domain: www.promotour.gov.vn; organized Famtrip and Presstrip groups for travel companies and foreign press to Vietnam.

- Establishing nine market groups, including international travel companies and Vietnam Airlines, with the participation of some hotels, restaurants and shops. This is the core for developing the promotion.

- Creating new tourism products. This is a long-term solution, to give favoured conditions for sustainable development of Vietnam’s tourism, as a base to attract international visitors and promote domestic tourism.

After the exchange and answering questions by journalists, Mr. Tran Chien Thang thanked the attention and encouragement from newspapers and radio reports for Vietnam’s tourism. In the spirit of connection, close cooperation between enterprises of tourism and service; administrative tourism in the central and locality, active support from newspapers and radio reports, Vietnam’s tourism strives to restore the growth of visitors in 2009 and in the coming time.

Known as the city of love and romance, Da Lat has often been compared to a graceful girl of the Highlands. The city is most impressive for many kinds of beautiful flowers…

Da  Lat  rose is much favored not only in Da Lat itself, but also nationwide. Da Lat sells lots of its roses to the bigger cities, such as Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh City. You can find many Da Lat roses in Da Lat markets. The flower comes in all sorts of colors and shades, such as red, pink, velvet and yellow. The yellow roses, which bears the name of Josephine, wife of  the French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, are much valued in Europe. They are also quite abundant in Da Lat. Da Lat brides love to decorate their weddings with the local white roses. Some other roses bear the names of  movie stars, such as Princess Grace of  Monacc (Actress Grace Kelly) because they have the colors of the dresses worn by these personalities. Some of Da Lat’s roses can last from seven to 15 days in vases.

The peach blossom is a sentimental symbol of Da Lat. It reminds many natives of springtime in northern Viet Nam. Though

slender, the peach blossom branch also exudes the solemnity and determination of the Vietnamese people. Flower connoisseurs often prefer peach blossoms that are bright red as rubies. Years ago, Da Lat used to have an entire forest of peach trees. Up until the 1970′s, one could walk along Cam Ly Springs. It flowed slowly from Xuan Huong Lake in the west to a cliff and dropped abruptly to make a majestic waterfall. Tourists could then see the brilliantly red shawl of peach blossoms up on the Da Cat Hill each spring. That forest now only remains in the memory of Da Lat elders and older tourists, as deforestation has nearly wiped it out completely. Fortunately, there are still quite a few peach trees grown near Xuan Huong Lake. They blossom during the Vietnamese Lunar New Year (January-February).

Mimosa is popular in Da Lat not only because it appears in many places in town, but also because it has found itself into the hearts of locals and visitors through the lyrics of songwriter Tran Kiet Tuong: “Dear Darling Mimosa, where do you come from? Da Lat’s mountains and hills wave majestically… Da Lat with immense sky and water…”
The mimosa, which originally came from Australia, is three to six meters tall. It has bright yellow flowers and leaves that are green with a silvery luster. The tree blossoms two or three times each year and flourishes during the sunny seasons. Da Lat has two types of mimosa trees: long and short-leafed. Its scientific name is Acacia Podaly-riaefolia Cunn, Mimosaceae. According to folklore, Da Lat girls often like to place the mimosa between the pages of a book, then send it to their boyfriends. The flower retains its sweet scent, which is a reminder of her affection.

Jacaranda Acutifolia, also known as purple flamboyant or flame tree, is another special feature of Da Lat, because its flowers are purple instead of the characteristic red color of its brother in northern Viet Nam. The tree’s scientific name is Jacaranda

Acutifolia. belonging to the Bignoniaceae family. Since its leaves are very similar to those of the mimosa, the purple flame tree is also called J. Mimosaefolia. Moreover, as its leaves bear the shape of an egg, the tree is also called J. Ovalifolia. The purple flame trees in Oa Lat blossom toward the end of winter and through spring. In the past, the entire town had only four purple flame trees, including three in the town’s flower park and one on Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street leading to Da Lat Market (in front of Thuy Ta Restaurant).
The purple flame tree came from Brazil. It is widely grown for ornamental purposes on roadsides and in parks in South America, Africa and Oceania. Vietnamese engineer Luong Van Sau was the first person to bring the purple flame tree to -Da Lat and grew it here. Mr. Luong Van Sau was also a member of the Societe Francaise des Roses. After him, other growers multiplied the purple flame tree in Da Lat.

Hydrangea is grown in  many places  in Da Lat, especially in private gardens, at offices and in parks. The flower has been associated with an old Roman story. According to legend, in southern Europe, a beautiful Roman princess had reached marital age. But she rejected all the proposals from the most noble and wealthy men. One day, while she was making an excursion outside the town, she saw a general being cheered by a crowd. She threw the flower she was holding in her hand, and it landed on the general. That’s how she selected her husband. The flower is shaped like a ball. Its four colors change with each cycle of growth. When it first appears, the flower is white. Then it changes into light green, then dark green and finally purple.

Orchid is another Da Lat attraction. Named “queen of the world of flowers,” the orchid is a common sight wherever you go in Da Lat. Among the world’s 100,000 species of orchids, Viet Nam already has many of which grow in Da Lat. Da Lat grows all four types of orchids found worldwide, including those on other plants and trees as parasites, those on high rocks and cliffs. Those in leaves and mud. Those on other kinds of vegetation.

Lang Biang and Da Lat have a very interesting kind of orchid, Ian hai. In Vietnamese, “hai” is a beautifully embroidered shoe that used to be worn by noble ladies. The flower is so named as it has the shape of a “hai”. It originates from the species P. Delnatii. The flower received attention and praise at an international orchid exhibition in 1995 in Tokyo, Japan.

Gladiolus is very popular among growers in Da Lat because it is easy to grow and yields high returns. As legend has it, a Roman general captured two  young prisoners and kept them in his house. His two daughters fell in love with   the   two   prisoners. When the  general  discovered this situation, he became   angry and made the two prisoners fight each  other  in a duel. However, the two young men  refused  to fight and fixed their swords into the ground. The general ordered them beheaded. Strangely enough, as soon as their heads touched the ground,   the   two swords turned into flowers the shape of a sword. In Latin, “gladiolus”  means  a  short sword.  Da Lat’s gladiolus has several colors ranging from white, yellow, to purple. However, the most abundant is red and the most valued is the same red as  Bordeaux wine. Da Lat sells its gladioli throughout the entire country, especially during the Vietnamese Lunar New Year (January-February). The Vietnamese believe it symbolizes promise and love.

Pansy is popular in Da Lat not only because it adapts well to the local climate, but it adds to the romanticism that locals hold dear to their hearts. The flower has been grown in Da Lat since the French colonial days. Young sweethearts give each other the flower to express their warm feelings, just as its French name “pensee” suggests. The pansies are grown widely, especially around villas which bear its name such as Pensee 1, Pensee 2 and Pensee 6.

Wild sunflowers grow abundantly along Road No. 20, the passes of Bao Loc and Prenn and in valleys around the town of Da Lat. The

flowers also grow plentifully in other provinces of the Central Highlands on the western side of the Truong Son Range, such as Kontum, Gia Lai and Daklak. They are thus considered the typical wild flower of the Highlands of southern central Viet Nam. The wild sunflower tree is one to two meters tall. Its flower is bright yellow and has a diameter of 10 centimeters. The tree begins to flower toward the end of the rainy season and blossoms profusely in the dry season. One can say the dry season has begun in the Highlands when you see lots of wild sunflowers outside.

Do Quyen flower is grown in gardens or pots. It doesn’t shed its leaves. Its flower grows at the far end of the branch and has 3-cm long petals. Da Lat has four varieties of Do quyen: white, pink, red and orange. The most numerous are pink. Most of the do quyen varieties sold at the market are imported from overseas. However, the red one is native to Lang Biang Mountains.

Nature has granted Da Lat a graceful beauty making it an ideal tourist destination, of which land scape exudes a sweet fragrance and shows off var colors all year round.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has announced the top ten culture, sports and tourism events in 2008.

1. The activities of cultural exchanges were held successfully, creating echoes and leaving a positive impression on international friends.

2. April 19 was considered as the Cultural Day of ethnic Vietnamese people under a decision signed by the Prime Minister. Days of culture, sports and tourism in 2008 were also held successfully across the country.

3. The Miss Universe Pageant ?08 was held for the first time in five major cities in Vietnam, with the participation of 81 beauty queens from 81 countries and territories across the globe.

4. The Hue Festival ?08, the Tay Son ? Binh Dinh Festival, the first fireworks display contest in Da Nang City and the Buon Ma Thuot Coffee Festival ?08 were organised.

5. Cultural activities on the UN Day of VESAK 2008 in Viet Nam and the grand ceremony of commemorate the 700th anniversary of the death of King Tran Nhan Tong who abdicated his throne and founded the Truc Lam sect to practice a religious life.

6. The film Bao Gio Cho Den Thang Muoi (The Love Doesn?t Come Back) was selected as one of the 18 best Asian films of all times. The collection of photos featuring the cultural traditions of ethnic minority groups in the Central Highlands won the World Cup of the 29th Black and White Photographic Art Contest.

7. Vietnam ranked 71st among 200 countries and territories taking part in the Beijing Olympic Games ?08 in China with a silver medal in the weightlifting. 8. Vietnam organized and competed successfully the World Junior Chess Championships, won 4 gold, 5 silver and 3 bronze medals and ranked second among 81 countries and territories.

9. The national U22 football team won the trophy of the Merdeka Cup held in Malaysia. Vietnam qualified for the Southeast Asian Football Championship (AFF) Suzuki Cup ?08. Vietnamese mountaineers conquered Everest Mount peak.

10. Vietnam launched voting campaigns for Ha Long Bay, Phong Nha – Ke Bang national park and Mount Fansipan as new world natural wonders. It also successfully organised activities in the framework of the Year of National Tourism in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho.

(Source: TITC)

Artistic and floral creations will be on display, bringing colour to a 600-metre long street in the centre of Hanoi from Dec 28, three days before the festival officially begins to kick off the New Year’s celebrations. The five-day event, which will take place in Dinh Tien Hoang Street at Hoan Kiem Lake (Sword Lake), will gather purveyors of flowers and floral artisans from Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Lam Dong province’s Da Lat city, as well as craftsmen from Hanoi’s traditional villages.

According to Nguyen Thi Hoa, deputy director of the Vietnam Culture and Art Exhibition Centre, some 5,000 flowerpots and 20,000 cut flowers will be used for decoration at the event. Works of art will be created from flowers, or from a combination of flowers and traditional products, such as bird cages, wind bells, masks, drums and unicorns, Hoa said.

Two prominent works, a 9-metre fan made entirely of flowers and a 50-metre pottery street, a reproduction of 200 tiled-roof houses in the Old Quarter, are expected to be recognised as Vietnamese records during the event.

The festival has been organised as the opening event in a series of activities to mark the 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long – Hanoi.

(Source: VietnamPlus)

The number of international visitors to Vietnam in comparison with previous years is decreasing, the growth rate accounts for only 1%, tourism made hundreds of products at a discount. However, in many hotels, many people are not sure that the project is feasible or not.

“The discounts also cause immediate difficulties for tourism, but if we do not have a promotional strategy, in the future though we want to have foreign tourists to reduce cost but threre will be no one any more,” Mr. Nguyen Manh Cuong, Deputy of Vietnam Tourism have said at the meeting recently. Mr. Cuong also said that reduction strategy may be extended in the coming year to help Vietnam’s tourism to be recovered.

Vietnam Tourism expect that in the beginning of 2009, they will officially publish a package promotion tour for foreign tourists and officially introduce to the travel companies, partnerships and foreign media in the ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF). It is expected that they will select 15-20 major travel enterprises to construct more than 100 promotional tours committing the discount rate of 30-50%.

However, General Director of Majestic Saigon Hotel, Mr. Tao Van Nghe, said: “When applying hotel discount, we must consider the revenue gains, hotels can only register to participate, but commiting at the rate of 30-50% is so difficult. “

Representatives of Rex Hotel – Mrs. Mac Kim Thuy Huong – confirmed that: “The plan is suggested by Vietnam Tourism, that has put us to the commitment for implementing. Because this is the common strategy. However, we will select one of the suitable markets to commit discount applying while ensuring revenue for the hotel.”

“If travel companies do not agree to discount, hotels or a group of business partners do not participate, they will make the package discount tour incompleted”, Mr. Cuong emphatized.

Beside building product promotion system, Vietnam Tourism also proposed a series of methods to cope with the situation of tourism in Vietnam during economy crisis, such as: promoting the implementation of tourism advertisement campaign for Vietnam promotion, inviting delegations like Famtrip and Presstrip to visit the country, promoting the new destinations in Vietnam, attracting visitors from a number of important market, promoting the domestic markets and so on.

In Vietnam, Christmas was celebrated joyously with people thronging city roads right from Christmas Eve, which is often more important than Christmas Day!

Famous Cathedral in Hanoi

Christmas is one of the four most important festivals of the Vietnamese year, including the birthday of Buddha, the New Year and the Mid-autumn Festival. Although the Christians observed the religious rituals of Christmas.

Traditional Vietnamese religions are Buddhism and the Chinese philosophies of Taoism and Confucianism. However, during French rule, many people became Christians, that occupy 8 to 10 percent of whose population. This is because the Vietnamese are a fun-loving, sociable people and the various Vietnam festivals and events are actually occasions for them to a gala time, all together. Christmas in Vietnam is a grand party.

History Of Christmas In Vietnam

Christmas in Vietnam has had a tumultuous history. The Catholics are a minority in Vietnam but they used to celebrate Christmas in Vietnam quite in peace right from the days of the French rule. That is until the Communists took over political power in 1975. The church-state relations soured during that time and the Catholics were relegated to celebrating Jesus’s birthday in privacy.

Since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975, church-state relations have not always been smooth. However, they have been improving since the introduction of economic reforms in the late 1980s. Liberalist policies adopted since the 1980s saw Vietnam warming up to western influences and ideals and Christmas in Vietnam came back triumphantly. Now Christmas is one of the major festivals in Vietnam, celebrated with much fanfare by all religious communities.

Phat Diem Cathedral in Ninh Binh Province is considered the spiritual home for the seven million Catholics who live in Vietnam, a predominantly Buddhist nation. Hundreds of Catholics gather for Christmas Eve Mass in the northern city of Phat Diem. Children staged a nativity play to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ – or Kito, as he is known in Vietnamese — in front of the city’s cathedral, built in 1891.

Christmas In Vietnam

Christmas in Vietnam is a huge event, especially in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and the Vietnamese Christmas celebrations here are like any other city in the western world. The Christians in Vietnam attend a Midnight mass on Christmas Eve and return home to a sumptuous Christmas dinner. The Christmas dinner usually consists of chicken soup while wealthier people eat turkey and Christmas pudding.

Christmas tree at Fortuna Hotel (Hanoi)

On Christmas Eve, Vietnamese people in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, especially young people, like to go into the city centre, where there is a Catholic Cathedral. The streets are crowded with people on Christmas Eve and in the city centre cars are not allowed for the night.

People celebrate by throwing confetti, taking pictures and enjoying the Christmas decorations and lights of big hotels and department stores. Lots of cafes and restaurants are open for people to enjoy a snack!

Vietnam used to be part of the French Empire and there are still French influences in the Christmas traditions. Many Catholic churches have a big nativity crib scene or ‘creche’ with nearly life size statues of Mary, Joesph, baby Jesus, the shepherds and animals. In some areas of Ho Chi Minh City, usually in Catholic parishes, people have big crib scenes in front of their houses and decorate the whole street, turning it into a Christmas area! These are popular for people to visit and look at the scenes.

Also like in France, the special Christmas Eve meal is called ‘reveillon’   and has a ‘bûche de Noël’ (a chocolate cake in the shape of a log) for desert. Vietnamese people like to give presents of food and at Christmas a bûche de Noël is a popular gift. Other Christmas presents are not very common, although some young people like to exchange Christmas cards.

The Yuletide spirit of giving and sharing has been embraced with an earnest by the Vietnamese. Generous as they are, the Vietnamese give out gifts and presents in plenty during the Christmas celebrations in Vietnam. However, the children are more keen to have their stockings and shoes stuffed in with goodies from Santa’s bulging sack. The European customs of Santa Claus and the Christmas tree were popular and children would leave their shoes out on Christmas Eve.

Tet Nguyen Dan, more commonly known by its shortened name Tet, is the most important and popular holiday in Vietnam. It is a relaxing and special occasion for everyone to think about the achievements of the past year and plan for the New Year. A “Mam Ngu Qua” (five-fruit tray) on the ancestral altar during Tet holiday symbolizes the admiration and gratitude of the Vietnamese to Heaven and Earth and their ancestors, and demonstrates their aspiration for prosperity.

For a long time, together with horizontal lacquered boards engraved with Chinese characters, parallel sentences written on crimson paper, ornamental kumquat and peach trees, and popular Hang Trong and Dong Ho pictures, the five‑fruit tray prepared for Tet has transcended its material value to become a spiritual symbol, an original national product in the spiritual life of the Vietnamese. At present, while many of the ancient spiritual values have sunk into oblivion, the custom of arranging the five‑fruit tray on the altar during the lunar New Year days is being jealously preserved as a fine legacy of Vietnam’s traditional culture. The buying of votive offerings and the decoration of ancestral altars during the traditional New Year days are closely connected with the rituals of worship practiced by the Vietnamese towards their ancestors. During these New Year days, in addition to such national dishes and products as “Fat pork, salted onions, parallel sentences written on red paper. Long bamboo poles planted upright, strings of firecrackers, and square glutinous rice cakes”, it is indispensable for each Vietnamese family to display a five‑fruit tray on the ancestral altar for Tet.

No matter whether rich or poor, on New Year’s Eve, it is also very important for the Vietnamese to select the best five-fruit tray. The fruits are placed on a red-lacquered wooden tray and arranged in a balanced cone and in harmonious colours. Fruits that may be laid out on the tray include bananas, finger citrons, watermelons, oranges, kumquats, coconuts, apples, persimmons or tomatoes, and chilis. Each kind of fruit has its own indication. A hand of green bananas or a finger citron, for example, symbolises one’s wish for the protection of supernatural powers and ancestors, pomelos and watermelons indicate fertility, and kumquats or persimmons connote wealth and prosperity.

Custom of the five‑fruit tray…

One theory says that the five fruits are symbolic of the five basic elements of oriental philosophy – metal, wood, water, fire and soil. Other theories regard the tray as symbolic of the fruits of a family’s hard work throughout the past year, which are consecrated to heaven and earth and their ancestors as sign of respect and gratitude.

A five-fruit tray, though varying from one region to another due to differences in climate and fruit crops, light up altars with their ample colours. In northern areas, five-fruit trays ornamented with pomelos, peaches, kumquats, bananas and persimmons are relatively smaller than those in southern areas with pairs of watermelons, coconuts, papayas, custard apples, mangos, and figs. Improvements in people’s living conditions in recent years have led to a greater sophistication in choosing fruits for the altar for the Tet holiday. A tray may contain more expensive, rarer fruits like grapes and pears, but all in all it is still a five-fruit tray, a nice offering of the Vietnamese people to their ancestors. It not only displays a life-long tradition but also sends a message of hope for happiness, good luck and prosperity for the new year.

The custom of displaying the five‑fruit tray as votive offerings at the holy place of the house has been reflected in many popular legends and tales. It has originated from ancient popular beliefs observed from one generation to another in their worship towards their forefathers. To this day, the Vietnamese still observe a long‑standing custom of placing the first ripe fruits harvested from the home garden on the altar and burning incense sticks in memory of their ancestors.

Preparation for a five‑fruit tray

Like other popular rituals, the preparation of a five‑fruit tray for Tet has become an established convention. Although it is called a five‑fruit tray, it does not necessarily contain exactly five kinds of fruit. Arranging fruits on the crimson, hourglass‑shaped wooden tray is really an art. One has to combine the colours and shapes of the different fruits in arranging them on the tray to make it look like a still life picture.

To ensure balance on the tray, one usually places the hand of bananas in the middle with the bananas pointing upright and the pomelo on the concave surface of the hand of bananas. Then one puts the oranges, sapodilla plums, apples, etc. in the gaps between the bananas and the pomelo. The last little gaps are filled in with little kumquats to create a full, compact tray of fruits. In colours, the fruit‑tray presents a harmonious combination of the different colours of fruits: dark green of banana, light yellow of pomelo, deep red of persimmon, reddish‑yellow of orange and kumquat, light green of apple, and dark brown of sapodilla plum. To complete the picture, the fruit‑tray will be covered here and there with some small, fresh leaves of kumquat.

The “Mam Ngu Qua” in Tet festival represent the quintessence that Heaven and Earth bless humans. This is one of the general perceptions of life of the Vietnamese, which is “Ăn quả nhớ kẻ trồng cây” (“When taking fruit, you should think of the grower”)

The three-day Vietnamese traditional martial arts festival in central Binh Dinh Province, father land of the “Viet Vo Dao”, is not only a way to popularize the Viet’s martial arts, but also a reflection of its prestige in the world.

Vietnamese traditional martial arts have been learnt in 100 countries and territories by hundreds of thousands of followers. It is now one of the world’s most popular sports.

Central Binh Dinh Province is the cradle of Vietnam’s martial arts and recognised as the birthplace of traditional martial arts in Vietnam from the time of the Tay Son-Binh Dinh martial arts school in the 18th century. It has proudly continued the tradition of producing some of the country’s best talent in the discipline.

The traditional martial arts festival begins with performances at Quy Nhon Town, the capital of Binh Dinh, and surrounding areas including King Quang Trung Museum, Hoang De (Emperor) Citadel and Nhon Hoi Economic Zone – which is symbolic of central Vietnam’s economic development.

“Viet Vo Dao”

“Viet Vo Dao”, based on the principle of harmony between hard and soft, was founded by grandmaster Nguyen Loc less than a hundred years ago during French colonization in Vietnam. Mr. Loc developed the martial arts mainly for self defense that uses force and reaction of the opponent to fight against him.

“Viet Vo Dao” is not just a way for health training, moral refinement, human sense of loving, but the martial arts also reflects the generosity of a heroic and sporting people. Vietnamese traditional martial arts attracted people of all generation to train. “Viet Vo Dao” techniques invovle kicks, throws, escape and levering, wrestling, punching, kicking, and even employ swords, sticks, and knives.

The founder Truong Thanh Dang spent  his whole life to understand, practice, research and consolidate the cultural heritage  and the martial  arts treasure into a unique, creative system.

Spectacular martial arts displays

With the will of a free independent country and their invincible  patriotism,  the Vietnamese  have developed a strong fighting spirit, which can be seen in the decisive  wars : “To escape from the humiliating misery and hardships of  slavery. They have to win  the enemies”

The Vietnamese traditional martial arts which is very rich in forms, was developed  based  on  the   bloody experiences acquired during  the courageous  fights to protect their country and  people .

Binh Dinh Province is famous for Vo Tay Son, also known as Vo Binh Dinh, an ancient martial art that was developed in the area. Ten out of 11 districts in the province have established martial arts training centres with nearly 100 clubs. The provincial traditional martial arts association manages 80 masters and attracts approximately 1,000 students in regular training courses.

Coming to Binh Dinh and attending the festival, you can join local teams and witness the showcase for their talent in martial arts, as well as Binh Dinh’s scenic beauty and distinctive, appealing culture. Participants demonstrated their various performances at the villages, allowing everyone to imbibe the unique aspects of martial arts in different cultures.

Moreover, the participants can also visit the province’s martial arts villages such as An Thai and An Vinh, where they can learn about the time-honored arts from successors of martial arts forefathers. The festival features enthralling events including battle drumming, international martial arts competitions and a beauty pageant with some of Vietnam’s most dangerous women.

Battle drum

Tay Son battle drumming has always been close to locals hearts. It is said that during battle, Nguyen Hue, who later became Emperor Quang Trung, used a 12 drum

system, which symbolized Asia’s 12 zodiac signs, to give battle commands, boost his soldiers’ morale and convert his enemies to good causes.

According to Tran Dinh Ky, director of King Quang Trung museum in Quy Nhon Town, Tay Son battle drumming is a special genre which blends military and artistic elements and is based on the traditional sound systems such as ho, xang and xe.

It is extremely difficult to express the “soul” of Tay Son battle drumming, which explains why few artists can perform it well.

A member of the King Quang Trung museum’s martial music troupe, Hoang Mai, a girl in her early twenties, has been selected as the main festival drummer and an icon to popularize the genre.

Beauty pageant

In the festival, beauties from martial arts schools in almost 40 countries participate in a beauty pageant titled “Hoa hau nhung mien dat vo” (Beauties from the Lands of Martial Arts).

“Female general Bui Thi Xuan, one of the leading figures in the Tay Son uprising who possessed both charms and great martial art skills, was chosen as the image of the contest,” a member of the organizing board said. “The contestants not only compete in physical attractiveness; they also show off their mental and physical strength by displaying their martial arts skills,” he added.

Tuong (Vietnamese classical drama) and particularly tuong from the province’s Dao Tan tuong theater, one of Vietnam’s tuong cradles, is also a part of the contest. In Binh Dinh tuong and martial arts share some of the same movements giving them a close connection.

Other highlights

The festival begins with a procession and flower offering, at King Quang Trung museum at 8 a.m, to honor Emperor Quang Trung, a shrewd king and a great national hero.

On the next day, tourists can ride in 22 sailboats, which symbolize 22 years of “doi moi” (economic reform), and let loose flower garlands and colored lanterns at Thi Nai Bay and Thi Nai Bridge.

There is also superb fireworks shows and traditional musical performances by local and international artists throughout the festival.

Another highlight is a traditional handicraft fair, with many stalls at the central park in Quy Nhon Town.

Visitors can also relish specialties such as the very strong Bau Da wine and Phu My nem (fermented pork roll) at the fair. An ornamental plant fair and competition featuring a wide variety of rare plants and bonsai from across the country is organized at the province’s Labor Cultural House.

Impression on the first national martial arts festival

The first national martial arts festival was held in Binh Dinh in 2006. Many domestic and foreign-based masters of “Viet Vo Dao” together with some 500 other enthusiasts across the world have come to the festival to take part in the return to the sport’s ancestral land to attending the first “Viet Vo Dao” festival.

Phan Tho, a “Viet Vo Dao” master permanently living in Binh Dinh, expressed that he feels satisfied to see the festival held in his homeland. He said this is his biggest happiness after spending some 70 years of training “Viet Vo Dao”.

Many other “Viet Vo Dao” masters as Tran Tien and Ho Hoa Hue and foreign-based masters are pleased with the festival.

The number of delegations and artists to join the year 2007’s festival almost doubles the year 2006’s numbers, which means traditional Vietnamese martial arts have grown in stature on the world scene…