Elephant Race Festival, Dak Lak

If you have a chance to Dak Lak Province in springtime, you should not miss the Elephant Race Festival, normally celebrated in the third lunar month. Attending the festival, you will be lived in the boisterous atmosphere of the echo of gongs and the spectacular performances of the elephants from the Central Highlands forest. Vietnam travel

The Elephant Race Festival is usually held in Don Village or in forests near the Sevepoi River. In preparation for the festive day, people take their elephants to places where they can eat their fill. Apart from grass their food also includes bananas, papayas, sugar canes, corns, sweet potatoes. The elephants are free from hard work to preserve their strength. On the big day, elephants from different villages gather at Don Village. The race track is on even ground, preferably wide enough for ten elephants to stand simultaneously in a line with a length of one to two kilometres. People from near and far in their best and colourful costumes flock to the festival. 3 interesting activities in a Mekong Delta river cruise

Elephant Race Festival, Dak Lak

With the signal of of tu va (horns made into musical instruments), the mahouts command their elephants to go to the race track, standing in a row at the starting point. The leading elephant stands in front, whirling his trunk and nodding his head in greeting the spectators. Atop each elephant there are two handlers in traditional costumes for generals. The tu va signals the start of the race and the elephants rush ahead, excited by the sound of the drums, gongs, and cheering from the spectators. Upon seeing the first elephant dashing to the destination, the spectators shout boisterously amidst the echoing sound of drums and gongs. At the end of the race, the winning elephants lift their trunks above their heads to wave to the viewers, walk deliberately flapping their ears gently, gazing through half-closed eyes to receive sugarcane from their viewers. 3 outstanding features of Paradise Cruise Halong Bay
The winning elephant is given a laurel wreath. Like its owner, the elephant expresses its happiness and enjoy the sugar canes and bananas from the festival-goers. After this race, the elephants participate in the competition of swimming across the Serepok River, of tug-of-wars, or throwing balls and playing football. When the race comes to an end, the competing elephants bring back the atmosphere of the festival to their villages. Upon returning to their village, they receive warm welcome from the villagers. Very often, the elephants from Don Village win the prizes as the village has a tradition of training and tending elephants.

The elephant race is the biggest festival in the Central Highlands. Coming here, you will not only feel the martial spirit of the M'nong ethnic people, who are very famous for their bravery and skill in hunting wild elephants, but also the magnificent landscape of the Central Highlands which further stresses the grandiose characters of this traditional festival.

3 famous dish in Vietnam

Com (boiled rice)
In Vietnam, com is eaten at the main meals of the day (lunch and dinner). Rice is eaten together with a variety of different dishes and is made from different kinds of rice. Typically fragrant rice is used, such as Tam Thom and Nang Huong. An ordinary meal may consist of boiled rice and the following:
Mon an kho (meal without soup) consists of dishes of pork, fish, shrimp, and vegetable cooked in oil, as well as vegetables, pickles, etc. Vietnam Foodie 12 days
Mon canh (meal with soup) consists of a soup made with pork or spare-ribs, crab meat, and fish.
In the past several years, people in urban centers have begun to go out for lunch at the food stalls on the street. Consequently, there has been a proliferation of temporary food stalls along many sidewalks and public spaces in the cities. Some stalls are open until early in the morning to cater to regular customers. Around noon, owners can be seen arranging tables and benches along the pavement to form makeshift shop floors. After two or three hours, when there are no more customers, they begin to remove all of their wooden furniture, so that the place resumes its former appearance. A well served lunch for one is very inexpensive. Mekong & Phu Quoc island (5 days, 4 nights)
Banh Chung (Sticky Rice Cake)

3 famous dish in Vietnam

Sticky rice cakes are a Vietnamese traditional dish that must be part of Tet meals. As a matter of fact, every Vietnamese family must have sticky rice cakes among the offerings placed on the altar to their ancestors. Vietnam tours
Bang chung is made of glutinous rice, pork meat, and green beans paste wrapped in a square of bamboo leaves, giving the rice a green colour after boiling.
According to the legend, under the reign of the Hung Kings, Prince Lang Lieu created sticky rice cakes and presented them to his father. Bang chung won high acclaims from the King who awarded the prince his throne.
Making sticky rice cakes is a very meticulous job. To obtain the best cakes, rice has to soak in water for an entire day. The pork meat must include skin and fat, the green beans must be of the same size, and the bamboo leaves must be fresh. Squaring off and tying cakes with bamboo strings requires skilful hands.
Sticky rice cakes are available at any time of the year, although one is sure to enjoy them with relatives and friends during Tet. During Tet, rice cakes are served with gio lua and hanh muoi� lean meat pie and salted sour onions.

Lean pork pie is available in Vietnam only and has different names in the north and south. Foreigners as well as Vietnamese are fond of lean pork pie.
Gio lua consists of pork meat wrapped in fresh banana leaves. The little bundles are then boiled. The most delicious part of lean pork pie is the top layer since it absorbs the flavour of the banana leaves.
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Pho - Noodles
Pho is the most popular food among the Vietnamese population. Pho is commonly eaten for breakfast, although many people will have it for their lunch or dinner. Anyone feeling hungry in the small hours of the morning can also enjoy a bowl of hot and spicy pho to fill their empty stomachs.
Like hot green tea which has its particular fragrance, pho also has its special taste and smell. Preparations may vary, but when the dish is served, its smell and taste is indispensable. The grated rice noodle is made of the best variety of fragrant rice called Gao Te. The broth for Pho Bo (Pho with beef) is made by stewing the bones of cows and pigs in a large pot for a long time. Pieces of fillet mignon together with several slices of ginger are reserved for Pho Bo Tai (rare fillet). Slices of well done meat are offered to those less keen on eating rare fillets.
The soup for Pho Ga (pho with chicken meat) is made by stewing chicken and pig bones together. The white chicken meat that is usually served with Pho Ga is boneless and cut into thin slices. You could consider Pho Bo and Pho Ga Vietnam's special soups. Pho also has the added advantage of being convenient to prepare and healthy to eat.
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Cha Ca (grilled minced fish)
 Grilled minced fish has been served in Vietnam for more than 100 years. The Doan family of Cha Ca Street in Hanoi first invented this dish.
A wide variety of fish can be used in this dish including sturgeon and tuna. Tuna is low in fat, has an exquisite flavour, and few bones. The bones are separated from the meat and put into saffron water to be later used in a sauce. The fish is marinated in salt before being grilled.
What is interesting about this dish is that people can add their favourite condiments: coriander, mint, dill, shallots, and more.

Cruises in Bai Tu Long Bay

Although Halong Bay is already well known to most travellers who plan a trip to Vietnam, Bai Tu Long Bay remains a pleasant secret to those who dig deeper in the pool of travel information. The Bay is adjacent to Halong Bay and covers a vast body water with no less charming landscape. In fact, Bai Tu Long is favoured over Halong Bay by many for the more natural and less touristy feel that it creates.

About Bai Tu Long Bay

Bai Tu Long Bay lies to the northeast of Halong Bay, with the east bordering sea, the west bordering Cam Pha Town and also borders with Co To Island. With hundreds of islands of varying size, Bai Tu Long is an important attraction of the province. A few places of interest in Bai Tu Long Bay includes Van Don ecological site, white sand beaches, Hon Chong Islets, Ba Sao Islet, …

Bai Tu Long Bay has among the best beaches in the North of Vietnam such as Quan Lan and Van Don. What makes Bai Tu Long attract an increasing number of tourists is the natural feel it is able to retain.

Cruises in Bai Tu Long Bay

Cruises that take you to Bai Tu Long Bay

There are a small number of cruises currently operating in Bai Tu Long Bay, most of which departs from Hon Gai Harbour. To get to this harbor, one has to cross Bai Chay bridge – the longest central-line span of cable-stayed bridge in the world.

Indochina Junk vessels: includes Dragon Pearl, Red Dragon, Prince and Princess Junk. Indochina Junk is based on Hon Gai harbor and currently the most popular choice for tourists wanting to visit Bai Tu Long Bay. Indochina Junk offers a variety of activities and visit to main highlights in Bai Tu Long Bay. Tour length also vary from 2 day to week long tour.

Dragon Pearl Junk - 2 day 1 night tour from $125/person

Paloma cruise: consists of one 2 cabin and one 16 cabin vessel. Paloma Cruise offers luxury and comfort at a reasonable price. Paloma Cruise currently offers 2 day and 3 day tour of Bai Tu Long Bay.

Paloma Cruise - 16 cabin vessel

Bai Tu Long junk: includes Bai Tu Long junk and White Dolphin Cruise. Bai Tu Long junk has a number of vessels for budget travelers and the deluxe White Dolphin cruise.

Twin deluxe cabin on Bai Tu Long Junk

Signature Cruise: the most luxurious currently operating in Bai Tu Long Bay, Signature Cruise was launched in early November of 2013. This is a brand new cruise with all the facilities you can ask for in a 5 star hotel. Signature also covers a number of main highlights of Bai Tu Long Bay.

Fruit festival in Tien Giang

Tien Giang Province in the Mekong river cruise hosted the first ever national fruit festival in My Tho city from April 19 to 24

Tran Hoa Huy, a member of the organization board, said the festival would welcome over 100,000 guests and tourists. There are 350 rooms available for accommodation in My Tho City and in nearby provinces such as Long An, Ben Tre and HCMC. The recently opened Trung Luong Expressway makes My Tho City only a 40 minute drive from HCMC. Visit South Vietnam tours

With more than 700 stalls, the event displayed 2,000 tons of fruit from 24 provinces, including the well-known Hoa Loc mangoes, Lo Ren Vinh Kim star-apples, Chin Hoa durians and Hung Yen longans. Also, the festival features agricultural products and plant exhibitions, food fairs, firework displays and festivities at Cai Be floating market. Several national records are expected to be set during the festival too, including the largest map of Vietnam and the longest dragon made entirely of fruit.

Fruit festival in Tien Giang 

There would also be an awards ceremony to honor farmers, scientists and enterprises who have contributed to research and planting processes to deliver high-quality Vietnamese fruit to both local and global markets.VAM HO BIRD SANCTUARY

Nguyen Minh Chau, head of the Southern Fruit Research Institute, said the country, and especially the Mekong Delta, boasts a wide variety of good fruit owing to favorable climate and soil.

Vietnam has a total of 776,000 hectares under fruit cultivation and can increase competitiveness compared to leading exporters Thailand and China if it invests more into seedling research, modern techniques and brand building.

The Fruit Festival will host a series of seminars on developing trademarks for Vietnamese fruit on the global market and measures to create and strengthen links between scientists, farmers, processors and local authorities to increase value.

This festival is set to become a five-yearly event.

Discover Asia On An APT River Cruise

Winding your way past quaint riverside towns and floating markets surrounded by green fields along the Mekong Delta and its adjoining waterways is a great way to discover Asia. APT‘s Southeast Asia cruises offer beautifully furnished private suites, international cuisine and small group excursions on rickshaws and water boats. You can cruise magically through Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Thailand, discovering hidden gems not seen by land.

A visit to the Mekong Delta cruise is so special because of its unique diversity. See kids riding on water buffalo, rice workers hunched over their fields, flocks of storks at dusk and rowboats on its maze of channels. Home to over 1,000 varieties fish, 20,000 plant species and an array of wildlife, the Mekong Delta is one of the most biologically diverse areas in the world. It’s Asia’s third largest river; a comma-shaped flatland that is also known as Vietnam’s ‘rice bowl’, producing more than a third of the country’s annual food crop. Here are four countries you can explore on an APT Asian river cruise.

Discover Asia On An APT River Cruise

Otherworldly sights await at Vietnma’s Ha Long Bay
Vietnam
An APT Mekong Delta cruise can take you through the contrasts of beautiful Vietnam, from the hive of activity in its crowded cities,to the relaxed pace of the beautiful countryside. In northern Hanoi, you will find a beautiful blend of French colonial influence, with the modern pace of Asian city life before cruising onward past the spectacular mountains of Sapa and the sparkling Ha Long Bay.

Be transported further south to Saigon, where you will find a mix of soaring skyscrapers with French architecture and the energy of chaotic outdoor markets. Along the way, Australia’s revered chef, Luke Nguyen, can help you discover the culinary heritage of his home country.

See Cambodian life along the Mekong Delta
Travel to Cambodia
Channels carve a lifeline into Cambodia, a country full of history and magnificence. Visit the famous temples of Angkor Wat in Siem Reap and cruise past the beautiful Royal Palace. Located on the riverfrontm the Palace showcases classic Khmer roofs and ornate gilding.

You can experience Cambodia’s lush countryside filled with rice paddies and sugar palms, cruising along the south coast past tropical islands and beach huts.

 Lush landscapes around the Nam Song River, Laos
Travel to Laos
After years of isolation, Laos is now one of the most laid-back Southeast Asian destinations. Enjoy the well-preserved culture, stunning natural environment and friendly people. Life in Laos still revolves around tradition and you can experience riverfront life unchanged over generations. See the historic royal city of Luang Prabang where hundreds of saffron-robed monks move quietly among centuries-old monasteries.

The Mekong opens up at Si Phan Don (meaning literally ‘four thousand islands’). It’s an archipelago of tranquil islands popular with travellers for cycling, swimming, tubing, boat cruises, kayaking, and dolphin spotting.

Cruise into beautiful Bangkok
Thailand
Known as the ‘Land of Smiles’, you’re awarded the opportunity see Thailand’s famous beaches and lush mountain ranges on an APT river cruise. Stop at Bangkok for a spot of shopping in its many malls, or take in its history by visiting the ancient temples.

Heading further north, the landscape changes to dense forests, where you come face to face with hill tribes of and see village life rooted in centuries of tradition. The Mekong Delta and its distributaries are lined with natural beauty and is the perfect waterscape to discover Asia from a different perspective.

Halong cruise safety tips

Cruising on such a magnificent bay like Halong bay travel is undoubted a fantastic experience that you will never want it to be spoiled by any slight unfortunate accident. It is highly recommended to follow cruise ship safety instructions.

After boarding, the very first and basic thing that any reliable and responsive crew member would do is giving passengers a tour around the ship help you become familiar with escape routes and emergency exits. Crew member should also show you where to get life jackets and how to secure them properly. Please pay your fullest attention to this valuable instruction in case of emergency. In emergency situations, you will easily recognize by the evacuation signal (the most international standardized is seven short horn blasts followed with one long horn blast). 5 BEST CRUISES IN HALONG BAY

Halong cruise safety tips

Even when your boat has signs of sinking, please remain calm and follow instructions of the crew members to take lifebuoy or life jacket and head to rescue boat to escape safely from the cruise. Jumping into the sea is only suggested when there are no crew members around. A QUICK LOOK ON HALONG BAY MAP

If an emergency arises, please keep calm and listen to important announcements such as instructions guiding you to the exits and evacuation lifeboats.

Leave your valuable items like necklaces, rings, accessories home or in a safe for security reason.

Watch out for strong wind while walking on decks, wear comfortable walking shoes with good traction, and never stay on the decks during a heavy rain or stormy weather.

Drink an acceptable amount. Although some luxury cruise ships offer high quality wines, drinking excessively can impair your judgment and lead you to unexpected incidents.

You can avoid catching illnesses and viruses by washing your hands frequently. It is also advisable to carry extra hand sanitizer and sanitizing wipes for better protection.

Although it is an interesting experience to cruise alone, try to form a group of 3 to 5 friends and families members so that you can take good care of each other.

Nuôi hươu nai lấy nhung dễ hay khó?

Ông Nguyễn Công Hà ở ấp Miễu, xã Phước Tân (huyện Long Thành) - một người nổi tiếng trong nghề nuôi hươu, nai lấy nhung cho biết: "Nuôi hươu, nai chăm sóc rất dễ, vì chúng vốn là động vật hoang dã nên sức đề kháng cao, ít khi bị bệnh. Thức ăn của chúng là tất cả các loại lá cây và cỏ. Một con hươu trưởng thành ăn 5 ký cỏ hoặc lá/ngày và nai là 10 ký/ngày. Vào mùa cắt nhung hươu, nếu cho chúng ăn thêm tinh bột khoảng 300-500gam/ngày và những lá cây có nhiều nhựa như sung, mít, đu đủ... thì chất lượng nhung sẽ tốt hơn".

Nuôi hươu nai lấy nhung dễ hay khó?

Được biết, sau 2 năm nuôi, thì hươu giống và nai giống đực bắt đầu mọc sừng non màu hồng nhạt trông rất mịn được dân gian gọi là nhung. Nhung từ khi mọc đến khi cắt khoảng 50-55 ngày. Nhung nai tốt nhất là khi cao khoảng 26cm và hươu là 22cm. Khi cắt nhung phải dùng dụng cụ sắc và được khử trùng cẩn thận, cắt xong phải tiến hành cầm máu nhanh để tránh mất sức cho hươu, nai. Sau đó cho hươu, nai ăn 3 lần vào sáng, trưa, tối và bổ sung thêm thức ăn tinh bột như: cám gạo, cám ngô để giúp chúng nhanh hồi sức. Bình quân mỗi con hươu một năm thu được 0,5 - 1 ký nhung và nai 1,5 - 3 ký nhung. Hiện tại giá bán ngay tại các trang trại là 450 ngàn đồng/100gam nhung nai và 850 ngàn đồng/100gam nhung hươu. Hươu, nai nếu chăm sóc tốt có thể cho nhung đến 30 năm. Nhung hươu, nai từ xưa đã được coi là loại dược liệu quý hiếm, bổ dưỡng dùng cho người thiếu máu, người già...


Theo các chủ trại chuyên nuôi hươu, nai lấy nhung, nhu cầu mua nhung trên thị trường hiện nay lượng cung không đủ cầu. Nếu muốn mua nhung với số lượng lớn, khách hàng phải đặt hàng từ đầu mùa thu hoạch.


Không chỉ nuôi hươu, nai lấy nhung, các trại chủ thường nuôi thêm hươu, nai cái sinh sản để tự cung cấp nguồn giống, đồng thời việc bán con giống cũng cho họ khoản thu không thua kém gì nhung. Hươu, nai phối giống tự nhiên và nuôi con bằng sữa mẹ đến 4 tháng tuổi mới tách ra nuôi riêng. Nai 3 năm sinh sản hai lần và hươu một năm sinh sản một lần. Nai giống khoảng 6 tháng tuổi hiện nay có giá 50 triệu đồng/cặp và hươu 15 triệu đồng/cặp. Chuồng trại để nuôi hươu, nai tương đối đơn giản, mỗi con chỉ cần diện tích khoảng 5m2 và  xung quanh được quây bằng lưới B40 cao 2m. Chi phí chăm sóc, mua thức ăn cho hươu, nai chỉ khoảng 2-3 triệu đồng/con/năm.

* Để mua được nhung thật

Bà Đào Thị Thìn ở xã Bắc Sơn (huyện Trảng Bom) một người có thâm niên gần 30 năm trong nghề nuôi hươu, nai lấy nhung cho biết: "Cách tốt nhất để tránh mua phải nhung giả là người mua trực tiếp đến tận trang trại và đợi người ta cắt nhung xong thì mua. Trong trường hợp không có mặt tại chỗ khi người ta cắt nhung, thì khi mua nên cắt ra xem thật kỹ, nhung còn tươi có màu hồng nhạt, mềm và bên ngoài có lớp lông măng mịn như nhung. Còn nhung giả, bên trong thường được làm bằng thạch cao". Ông Hà ở ấp Miễu, xã Phước Tân cũng cho biết, nhung thật khi sấy khô có màu xám đen và rất cứng, nhung giả sấy khô thường mềm. Song, người không quen rất dễ nhầm lẫn, tốt nhất là khi mua nhung nên chờ cắt xong là lấy về, làm như vậy nhung sẽ đảm bảo về chất lượng.

Những người nuôi hươu, nai còn cho biết thêm, nhung hươu, nai tươi bảo quản trong ngăn đá của tủ lạnh có thể để được từ 2-3 tháng. Cách dùng tốt nhất là thái nát hoặc nghiền nhỏ nấu cháo, ngoài ra có thể dùng ngâm rượu. Nếu muốn để lâu nên sấy khô, nhưng chỉ sấy ở nhiệt độ 50 độ C, nhiệt độ cao quá sẽ mất đi chất bổ dưỡng trong nhung.

Halong Bay nightlife

Nightlife in Halong has drawn locals as well as visitors to spend their vacation here. Halong is the popular tourist destination of Vietnam, which seldom goes to sleep.

Halong Bay nightlife

This beautiful city of Vietnam beams with large number of activities even at the odd hours of the city. The residents as well as the tourists to this city of Halong indulge themselves in various kinds of fun and merriment especially at night. There are large options of nightspots in the city, which are worth paying a visit. The dazzling and happening Nightlife in Halong is really worth mentioning. Visit Halong with 5 best cruises in Halong Bay

You will come across plethora of nightspots that are scattered throughout the city. Party-hoppers of different age groups visit these night spots of Halong with their pals and relatives. There are ample of options for night entertainment at this city. Some of the fashionable nightspots of the city are bars, pubs, nightclubs as well as casinos. There are many nightclubs in Halong. Read more: halong bay map

Most of the nightclubs of the city remain open for the visitors till late hours. The college-goers visit the nightclubs usually in groups. The nightclubs of Halong remain packed with locals and visitors even at the wee hours of the day. The main attraction of these nightclubs are it excellent sound system and spacious dance floor. In the nightclubs of Halong the DJs belts out some heart pulsing music including rock music to jazz. Some of the deluxe hotels of Halong like, the Saigon Halong Hotel have an onsite nightclub. Visit Halong with Vietnam tours

Talking about the Nightlife in Halong we cannot afford to miss out the bars and pubs of Halong. The bars and pubs in Halong offers relaxing ambience to sip your liked drinks. You can try out wide varieties of local as well as international drinks in these venues. Nightlife in Halong also includes casinos. Royal International Gaming Club-casino is one of the popular casinos of Halong.

Cat Ba National Park

Cat Ba National Park in located 15km north - west of Cat Ba Town in Cat Ba Island - Hai Phong Province. It was established in 1986. It spans an area of 15,200ha, of which 9,800ha are forest, and contains lots of particularly interesting caves. The original tropical forest spans an area of 570ha, with extremely varied wildlife and vegetation.

Cat Ba National Park in located 15km north - west of Cat Ba Town. It was established in 1986. It spans an area of 15,200ha, of which 9,800ha are forest, and contains lots of particularly interesting caves. The original tropical forest spans an area of 570ha, with extremely varied wildlife and vegetation. Visit Cat Ba Island with Hanoi & Halong Bay 4 days

Cat Ba National Park is situated in Cat Ba Island and on several smaller islands nearby. The park currently comprises 98km2 of total land are, 54km2 of inshore waters. The National Park was Vietnam’s first national park to included both terrestrial and marine ecosystems. It is recognized nationally and internationally for its importance in biodiversity conservation, as it contains many different types of ecosystem and habitat. The Park has a great variety of plant and animal species. With Paradise Cruise

Cat Ba National Park

The golden–headed langur or Cat Ba langur is a rare and a precious animal and exists only in Cat Ba island. A special type of tree called “Cay Kim Giao” is unique to Cat Ba. In ancient times, kings and nobles would eat only with chopsticks made from this timber, as the light coloured wood was reputed to turn to black when it touched anything poisonous. There are 745 species of plants recorded on Cat Ba, including 118 timber species and 160 plants with medicinal value.

The national park is home to 32 types of mammals and more than 70 species of birds have been sighted. There is a beautiful lake inside the national park called Frog Lake, with a water forest and amazing landscape. Read more: Halong Bay map

How to get to Cat Ba island from Halong bay?

There are 3 ways:

1. Take a overnight cruises, after visiting Sung Sot Cave you can catch a day boat to Cat Ba island. Need to arrange in advance

2. Start from Tuan Chau Island - Halong bay harbor, get on a ferry to Cat Ba Island. Ferry start every 2 hours from 8.00 am to 17.00 pm.

3. Join a 3 days 2 nights package tour (1 night on boat and 1 night in Cat Ba Island)

Tips for cruising with children in Halong Bay

It is a great experience when your family can spend time travelling together. However, travelling with children can cause some difficulties for parents. Here are some tips that parents should know when joining a cruise in Halong Bay:

Preparation

• Clothes: make sure that you bring warm clothes in the winter and comfortable clothes in the summer for the children.
• Others: you also should bring some medicine in case your children are not fine.

Safety on board

• The safety on board is very important, especially for children, parents should:
• Always take notice of the children, keep them in your sight.
• Make sure that children do not climb on the handrail or the railing on boat. Children are not allowed to stand on the bow.
• Ask the staffs on board to show you the life vests for children. 

• Paradise Cruise

• Jasmine Cruise

• Indochina Sails

Activities on board

• Children can join the activities on board like: cave visiting, kayaking, swimming or fishing village but they need their parents’ attention. Before each activity, children need to be told in advance about the safety so that they are more careful to follow the instructions.

Tips for cruising with children in Halong Bay

• Children also need to be well- equipped with life vests during all the activities.
• The role of the tour guide and staffs on board
• Take care more, playing and chatting with them.
• Ask the parents if the children need to have dinner early as they need to go to bed earlier than adults.
• Check with the parents if the menu for adults is also suitable with children; otherwise, the alternative food should be prepared.
• Prepare some games for children.

Hon Chong travel guide

Whatever the tourist brochures tell you, Hon Chong is not the Halong Bay tours of the south -- it is as simple as that.

A few rock pinnacles and limestone karsts do not a Ha Long make.

That doesn't mean that it isn't a worthwhile destination in its own right, however. A welcoming seaside village set on a rugged coastline, Hon Chong makes for a decent R&R stop on any Mekong tour. This is especially the case if you're headed towards Cambodia for the overland crossing with Kep. Read more: V'spirit cruise Halong bay

Though it sees a flood of Vietnamese holidaymakers around Tet, it can feel practically deserted for the rest of the year, making it the ideal locale to lay back in a hammock and unwind.

Hon Chong travel guide

Though the town's sole road fronts along a lovely pine-tree fringed beach, the swimming in Hon Chong isn't very good. The sand is too slimy, and the water too shallow -- those fisherman walking 20m from shore? They aren't on stilts. Read more: Vietnam tours

But the sand is still great for getting some sun, or enjoying a seafood lunch. You feel more active than this, the Chua Hang Grotto makes for a worthwhile afternoon out.

Orientation
Hon Chong consists of only one beachfront road, along which all the town's hotels and restaurants are located. There is no hospital, bank or post office here, though on a good day, Ha Tien is only a few hours away over a dreadful road.

Internet doesn't seem to have quite made a splash in Hon Chong yet. For the moment, An Hai Son Resort has WiFi available in their restaurant, and you may be able to convince them to let you use one of the computers in their office.

Halong Carnival

"Halong Carnival" is the biggest annual festival in Halong which attracts a huge number of tourists each year. Tourists coming to Halong Bay will be dazzled by colorful and bustling atmosphere of this carnival festival. Halong Carnival has become an excellent tourism product in Halong bay cruise.

The festival is joined by thousands of actors (actresses), dancers, singers, musicians as well as students. Almost of them are the local residents of Halong Bay. Each year, Halong Carnival has a different theme which honors traditional & natural values of Halong Bay as well as the achievements of tourism in Halong. Joining the festival, tourists will have chance to dip in magical music background of a great musical party. The highlight of Halong Carnival is joyous street parades with variety of colorful costumes and dance on wide streets along the coast. Moreover, a laser, sound and water performance combining with a sparkling aerial firework show is an amazing party of light and color which tourists shouldn’t miss at the festival. This high-tech lighting show will give tourists an impressive image of sparkling Halong by night. Read more: Indochina Sails cruise

Beside the performance of local residents and professional artists, Halong Carnival also has enthusiastic participations of international artistic troupes from neighboring countries like Philippines, China, etc.

Halong Carnival is the heart of the series of events within the schedule of Halong Tourism Week. Halong Tourism Week is a tourism promotional celebration which has been held yearly for six years. It’s usually taken place in a week in late-April to early-May. The tourism week is featured with various cultural activities such as Halong Bay Photo Exhibition, Halong Cuisine Festival, and Classical Music Concert as well as diverse sport activities (including Open Tennis and Football Tournament, Beach Volleyball Tournament, Open Dance Sports Tournament).Read more: travel to Vietnam

Halong Carnival is a good occasion to make tourists closer to Halong’s cultural identities as well as natural beauty. Especially, on the occasion of the 6th celebration in 2012, Halong bay was officially recognized as one of New 7 Wonders of Nature of the world by the New7Wonder Organization.

Vinh Long travel guide

The roughly oblong-shaped province of Vinh Long sits on a long Delta island, with the Tien Giang Mekong river cruises running along its northern border and the Hau Giang (Bassac) river running to its south. Lush and heavily cultivated with both rice and fruit orchards, the province is criss-crossed with canals and tributaries all flowing into the teeming rivers that form its borders. It’s not surprising that the name Vinh Long translates to "eternal prosperity".

Most travellers will spend their time in the eponymous provincial capital. While a medium-sized town, most points of interest in Vinh Long town sit in the northeast corner where the Co Chien river meets the Long Ho canal. This corner of town is also a popular spot for locals to sit back, slurp coffee and scoff banh mi while the chocolate brown river waters roar past (and it does roar here). This area also hosts a large wet market that borders a bustling central market, some gold shops and plenty of eating opportunities. Read more: Mango cruise

Vinh Long travel guide

Vinh Long is used as a base for those visiting the floating market at Cai Be (which is actually in Tien Giang province) and is known for its homestays on An Binh island to the north. While just a trickle of foreign travellers come through, compared to My Tho further downriver, the boat trips here are more affordable and the homestays offer a terrific opportunity to experience Mekong life firsthand – it's worth stopping here. The tours operating out of Saigon often hop, skip and jump through, combining a trip to Cai Be on the way to Can Tho so very few people overnight here -- don't be surprised when you're the only Westerner in the town's sole disco. Read more: Centre Vietnam Packages

The Vinh Long tourist office can organise homestays and boat trips but both are significantly more expensive than organising something on a more freelance basis -- walk up to the ferry to An Binh island and don't be surprised to be approached for a homestay or boat trip at lower prices. While the tourist office warns, "Using an outside operator carries no insurance should very bad things happen", we didn't find anything very bad happening.

Unlike other floating markets, Cai Be operates well into the day, so if you're in a rush, it's feasible to arrive in Vinh Long early in the morning (say from My Tho), do a boat trip out to the market and returning to Vinh Long by early afternoon with plenty of time to push onto Can Tho. Most trips to Cai Be run for at least three hours as the trip there takes about 45 minutes each way (depending on the route taken and the boat used).

Aside from the river trips and the homestays, Vinh Long isn't screaming out with grade A tourist attractions -- it's other claim to fame is Van Thanh Mieu pagoda, a sprawling complex set in a tranquil garden setting. About 20 kilometres west of Vinh Long lies Sa Dec, a pretty riverside town that was the backdrop to 1991 French movie The Lover.

Vinh Long doesn’t have the tourism infrastructure of My Tho or Can Tho so expect to rough it a bit. However, the city has a certain charm and the homestays in An Binh are refreshingly hassle-free and worth a night or two. Also, if you have your own transport, getting out into the surrounding countryside is well worthwhile.

From the Vinh Long river bank, if you look to the west you can see the twin towers of the My Thuan bridge jutting into the sky. Built with financial assistance from Australia, the bridge did away with the ferries and greatly improved access to the greater Delta from Saigon. One does wonder why it is so high -- perhaps the AusAID officials in Saigon wanted to be able to point out its spires from their offices.

Orientation
The riverside corner of town houses the post office (14 Hoang Thai Hieu) and most corners around the central market have ATMs. The hospital is a bit out of town on Tran Phu and unless it’s an emergency, we suggest making the trip to Ho Chi Minh City where medical care is better.

Image Cruise 3 Day - 2 Night

Image Cruise Halong bay is the result of a subtle combination between the quintessential definition of traditional shipbuilding and modern western comfort. The Cruise has 9 luxury rooms; each room is fully equipped with contemporary amenities and sophisticated traditional oriental style decorations. 

The journey with Image Cruise will take you to many beautiful sites of Halong Bay. And Luon Cave – situated on Bo Hon Island is one of the most attractive destinations. Appear out of a fairy tale scene, this is where the cliffs stretch vertically out of the pure blue ocean. Rowing boat or kayaking here will bring the most astonishing and unforgettable memories to you and your travel partners. Read more: Alova Gold cruise halong bay, Calypso Cruise halong bay

Image Cruise 3 Day - 2 Night

Day 1: Hanoi - Halong (-/L/D)

12:00 – 12:30: Check in on board, at Ha Long Wharf. Enjoy a Welcome drink.

13:00-15:30: Have a Vietnamese lunch as Image Ha Long Cruise heads to

Da Chong islet, passing by areas of Vung Dai, Ba Cua, Cay Tao, Con Vit islet.

15:30 – 17:00: Visit Suprise cave. Then having swimming by Titov beach.

17:00-19:00: Image Ha Long Cruise through the Bay to its overnight anchorage near Ho Dong Tien or Trong Cave.

19:00: Have a dinner on board

21:00: Retire to your cabin or join the fishing program.

Accommodation: Image Halong Cruise.

Day 2: Halong - Image Halong Cruise (B/L/D)

7h00: Wake up

7h30: Have a breakfast.

8h30: Transfer to a day trip boat passing by fishing village ( Van Gia or Vung Vieng ). Continue cruising to Ho Ba Ham area.

12h00: Lunch is served

13h30: Visit Ho Ba Ham

16h30: Bach to the boat then cruise to Ho Dong Tien or Trong Cave. Transfer back to Image Ha Long overnight.

19h00: Have a dinner.

Accommodation: Image Halong Cruise.

Day 3: Halong - Hanoi (B/L/-)

6:30: Wake up

7:00: Have a breakfast

7:45: Transfer to a small bamboo to visit Luon Cave

8h30: Back to the boat and continues cruising. Pass by Hoa Cuong area, Fingers Islet, Ga Choi islet, Lu Huong islet, Ba Hang area, Dog islet.

10h45: Lunch is serverd.

11h30: Check out then disembark.

Cruise and program ends.

16:00 - 16:30: Arrive in Hanoi. End all services.

6 LƯU Ý SỬ DỤNG ĐIỀU HÒA CHO TRẺ NHỎ

Dưới đây là 6 nguyên tắc dùng điều hòa đúng cách cho trẻ nhỏ

Vệ sinh máy lạnh thường xuyên

Lưu ý quan trọng đầu tiên là bạn hãy vệ sinh máy lạnh định kỳ. Có rất nhiều loại nấm mốc, mầm bệnh, bụi bẩn lưu trú trong máy điều hòa. Chắc bạn không muốn con bạn bị lây nhiễm bệnh từ luồng khí mát thổi xuống.
Ngay cả không gian trong phòng cũng phải thường xuyên được dọn dẹp sạch sẽ, đảm bảo độ thông thoáng khí khi không sử dụng điều hòa.

Cài đặt nhiệt độ hợp lý

Để an toàn cho trẻ khi sử dụng máy điều hòa tủ đứng , bạn nên cài đặt nhiệt độ lý tưởng là 25 – 27 độ C. Theo chuyên gia chăm sóc trẻ nhỏ thì với trẻ con cần phải duy trì nhiệt độc chênh lệch trong nhà và ngoài nhà không quá 7 độ C.

Thời gian sử dụng điều hòa

Với trẻ nhỏ việc ngồi trong phòng điều hòa suốt ngày không thực sự tốt. Bởi thời gian ngồi điều hòa càng lâu sẽ khiến cho khô da và khô họng trẻ. Tốt nhất cứ khoảng 2 – 3 giờ, mẹ nên cho bé ra ngoài nhiệt độ bình thường một lần.  Mẹ không nên để trẻ trong phòng điều hòa liên tục 4 giờ.
Nên lưu ý trước khi ra khỏi phòng 30 phút, hãy tắt điều hòa và mở cửa phòng để cho không khí được lưu thông và để cơ thể bé thích nghi dần với nhiệt độ bên ngoài.

Tránh sự thay đổi đột ngột

6 LƯU Ý SỬ DỤNG ĐIỀU HÒA CHO TRẺ NHỎ

 Với trẻ nhỏ việc thay đổi nhiệt độ đột ngột rất nguy hiểm. Khi trẻ đi ngoài nắng về, mồ hôi nhiều, bạn không nên cho trẻ vào ngay phòng điều hòa âm trần giá rẻ quá lạnh. Hãy lau mồ hôi cho trẻ và để trẻ nghỉ ngơi một lúc. Khi mở phòng điều hòa, bạn hãy cho bé đứng ở cửa một vài phút cho quen với môi trường mát lạnh ở trong, rồi mới cho trẻ vào.
Nhiều trẻ hiếu động, chạy ra chạy vào phòng điều hòa. Bạn nên hạn chế trẻ đi ra đi vào ở nơi có nhiệt độ chênh lệch.
Ngoài ra trong phòng điều hòa không khí khô, bạn nên dùng máy tạo ẩm. Nhưng cũng chỉ sử dụng làm ẩm nhẹ, nếu không lại tạo ra độ ẩm lớn dễ làm trẻ viêm đường hô hấp hơn.

Uống nước

Nhiều trẻ chơi trong phòng điều hòa mát mẻ nên quên cả uống nước. Thực ra càng ở phòng điều hòa, bạn càng phải khuyến khích trẻ uống nhiều nước để tránh hiện tượng mất nước. Hiện tượng mất nước ở trẻ nhỏ sẽ làm suy giảm cơ chế bảo vệ tại chỗ vệ sinh đường thở.

Nên bật quạt thông gió khi sử dụng điều hòa

Không nên để hướng điều hoà thổi thẳng vào mặt, đầu trẻ vì sẽ khiến trẻ bị ngạt mũi, khó thở và mắc các bệnh về hô hấp, viêm họng.
Sử dụng thêm quạt thông gió khi bật điều hòa sẽ giúp không khí được cân bằng tự nhiên hơn.
Tuy nhiên, nếu thời tiết không nóng bức thì không cần thiết phải cho em bé sử dụng điều hòa. Gió và khí trời tự nhiên, thậm chí là gió quạt vẫn là tốt nhất cho bé và tất cả chúng ta.

Lưu ý khi chăm con trong phòng điều hòa

- Để tránh khô mũi, bạn nên thường xuyên nhỏ mũi cho bé bằng dung dịch nước muối sinh lý để giữ độ ẩm cần thiết trong cơ thể.
- Cho bé ăn những loại thức ăn, đồ uống giải nhiệt như nước cam nước chanh, nước cam...
- Khi trẻ ngủ, hãy đắp một tấm chăn mỏng, đặc biệt che kín vùng bụng, tránh lỗ chân lông giãn nở dễ dẫn tới bị cảm lạnh. Cần chọn cho trẻ những bộ quần áo thấm mồ hôi tốt như đồ cotton.

Indochina Sails Reviews

The cruise is loaded with excellent facilities. It has shower, massage parlours, bars, salons, air conditioned cabins, telephone service, and hence every kind of accommodation. You will not feel like regretting your decision of travelling through the Indochina sails halong bay. The services offered are excellent, the food served is great and the natural beauty is worth watching. You can capture the most beautiful moments of your life by spending your time in the Indochina sails. Read more: Paradise cruise, Violet cruise Cruise Description:

Indochina Sails cruise Halong bay

If you want to see the natural beauty of Vietnam closely, then you must experience it by travelling through Indochina sails cruise. The Cruise services are managed by Indochina sails Cruise Company and are regarded as the most appreciable service providers in Halong Bay. You can spend luxurious nights and marvellous days by selecting the number one Cruise service of Indochina sails along the Halong Bay. The Cruises of Indochina sails are excellently designed and beautifully decorated. The services offered at the cruises are of very high quality. The cabins, decks and rooms depict the traditional and modern version of Vietnam. No other option can be better than seeing the spectacular beauty of the marvellous Halong Bay by sitting at the vast deck of Indochina Cruise. If you want to spend some most memorable moments of your life, then you must experience travelling through the Indochina Cruises. You will definitely love the experience and will surely mark it as the most beautiful and enjoyable journey of your life. So, if you ever plan to visit Vietnam, do plan to give at least two days to the beauty of the Halong Bay. Cruise itinerary: One day package of the Cruise includes exciting and adventurous sail. The Cruise starts the journey at midday and takes you along the exciting and beautiful islands situated along Halong Bay. The sceneries during the entire journey are spectacular. The lunch is served by the Cruise crew including fresh sea food. Besides this, several other services are also offered during the journey which can be enjoyed by the travellers. You can go for swimming, fishing and kayaking during the journey as well. Sunbathing is also relished by most of the people sailing on the Indochina Cruise. The Cruise takes you to the nearby villages of the Halong Bay, where you can interact with the local residents of the area. Mostly, fishermen live there who can give you valuable information about the entire area. So, besides being explicit and enjoyable, the trip can also provide you some awareness about the beautiful Halong Bay of Vietnam. Dinner is also served by the crew in the dining halls. You will definitely love the fresh sea food of the cruise. This will definitely be the best experience of your life. Who will enjoy: Equipped with loads of explicit accommodations, the Indochina sails are considered the best for families, friends and couples as well. The Cruise provides you with the opportunity of swimming, drinking, sunbathing, kayaking and fresh healthy eating. So, plan out the best trip of your life by travelling through the Halong Bay in the most exquisite Indochina Sails.