Features

Sa Tan Temple (also called Ba Temple or Noi Temple) is a floating temple on Vam Thuat River in HCMC's Go Vap District.

The temple is recommended as an ideal venue for those who love ancient architecture or people looking for a peaceful place to mend their soul.

Twelve art troupes will attend the 5th Southern Khmer Ethnic Minority Cultural Festival from December 1-5.

The performances will be staged at the Xuan Bien Industrial Park in Tinh Bien district, An Giang province, announced the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the An Giang provincial People's Committee at a press briefing on November 22.

Located over 30 kilometers from Hanoi, cultural complex Viet Phu Thanh Chuong or Thanh Chuong Viet's Palace is well-known to those who love to discover Vietnamese culture and admire the quintessence of the nation.

An Giang is famous nationwide for festivals such as Ba Chua Xu, Chol Chnam Thomay and Dolta. The province is also popular for its ox racing and stunning attractions including Sam Mountain in Chau Doc, Cam Mountain in Tien Binh, Tuc Dup Hill, grottoes of Thuy Dai Son, Anh Vu Son, Co To, and Oc Eo culture.

A new television programme called "Impressive Vietnam" will be launched on VTV3 on every Sunday with an aim of introducing the country's landscapes and the unique socio-cultural features of each region.

The series will last for five years and hopefully will help develop attractive tourism products and promote sustainable tourism growth, the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism said at a press briefing in Hanoi on July 5.

Not many tourists make it to Dak Lak – Dak Nong, which is one of the reasons why it's attractive. But it's easy to get to from Saigon - eight hours by bus or 40 minutes by plane to Buon Ma Thuot, the spacious and relaxed regional capital.

Dak Lak – Dak Nong's charms are waterfalls, elephants, and the milky fermented drink called ruou can. But coffee is what's most in evidence - tall bushes growing, not in large fields, but in dense plantations clustered round small farmhouses. Vietnam is now the world's second largest coffee producer after Brazil.

A 3D film about the world's largest cave in central Vietnam will be broadcast on Japanese TV channel NHK on June 25, local authorities announced Tuesday.

The documentary featuring the Son Doong Cave will reach 60 countries in the world, according to the Quang Binh Province Department of External Affairs.

A group of filmmakers from Japan's Kyodo News, accompanied by four British cave experts, started shooting the 3D film on May 7.

Relaxing in warm mineral water and soaking in mineral mud in a serene atmosphere full of the fragrance of flowers and medicinal herbs will surely leave an unforgettable impression on every visitor to Thap Ba Hot Spring Centre in Nha Trang.

Situated about four kilometres north of downtown Nha Trang City, Khanh Hoa Province, behind the ancient and mysterious tower of Ponagar, Thap Ba Hot Spring Centre is an attractive destination for many people who visit the coastal city of Nha Trang.

The first Binh Thuan International Balloon Festival is to take place from April 26 to May 1 at the hilltop on Tieu Street in Hoa Thang Commune, Bac Binh District near the Mui Ne-Hon Rom tourist site.

The third Ben Tre Coconut Festival, themed "Ben Tre on the way of integration and development" will be held from April 4th to 9th, 2012.

The festival aims to offer opportunities for the southern province of Ben Tre and other coconut growing provinces to promote their trademark, introduce products and gradually improve coconut processing capacity.

The Huong Pagoda Festival kicked off on Saturday at Huong Son relic complex in Hanoi's My Duc District.

Nguyen Hue Flower Street 2012 on Lunar New Year takes place from January 20 (the twenty-seventh day of the lunar December) to January 26 (the fourth day of the lunar January) in HCMC's District 1.

After being overloaded by the numerous Tet parties with beer, wine and hot food, people should find something cool and healthy that brings the balance back to our bodies. And cao quy linh is an ideal food for that purpose.

Dau hu chien (deep fried tofu) is a rustic but very popular dish in Hanoi. Tofu is a vegetarian food recommended as a good source of calcium, protein and iron.

Chanh day, or passion fruit, is an egg-shaped tropical fruit which is very popular in Vietnam's highland regions.

Passion fruit is a good source of vitamins A and C, as well as potassium and iron. When eaten with the seeds, a serving is an excellent source of fiber. Therefore, passion fruit is made into many tasty dishes.

Countless articles have been written and stories told about the history and people of the Imperial City of Hue in Central Vietnam, yet one of its most overlook contributions to the country's culture is the delicious Banh Hue ( Hue cake).

Accor said in a statement Thursday it would more than double the number of hotel rooms of its Novotel brand in Vietnam in the next two years to meet rising demands.

At present, Accor is managing Novotel Halong Bay, Novotel Nha Trang and Novotel Phan Thiet Ocean Dunes & Golf Resort, all of which have a combined 500 guest rooms.

Accor said it planned to develop five other properties - Novotel Dalat, Novotel Danang Han River, Novotel Phu Quoc Resort, Novotel Saigon Center, and the newly-announced Novotel Ciputra Hanoi to meet the needs of leisure and business travelers for 4-star facilities and services.

HCMC's biggest green lung.

Ba Be Lake is part of Ba Be National Park with 21 famous eco-tourism and cultural sites in the northeastern region.

Formed more than 200 million years by three big tributary lakes: Pe Lam, Pe Lu and Pe Leng, Ba Be now covers around 500 hectares, 178m above sea level. It is 17-23 m deep, and even 29m at some points.

Being a native of An Giang I decided to go back to my roots and check out what my home province has to offer. And what better place to choose to start my step back in time than exploring part of the That Son Range (Seven Mountains).

If you are looking for tranquil and beautiful beaches, Bai Sao and Bai Dai (Star and Long) on Phu Quoc Island off Kien Giang Province are ideal destinations. Bai Sao, located south of Phu Quoc, is 25 kilometers from Duong Dong Town. However, locals call the route to the beach 'miserable' due to heavy dust and its rugged surface so if you are on a motorbike you have to wear a mask and sunglasses. However, the beach is worth the dusty 30-minute journey as it boasts an immense and peaceful space.

The recent news about the herds of Seu Dau Do, or red-headed cranes, flocking to Tram Chim National Park around this time reminds me of an unforgettable trip to the birds' sanctuary in Dong Thap Province a year ago, when I saw 10 such rare birds dancing under the scorching sunlight at noon.

Parachute-pulled canoe adventure in Nha Trang Bay in the afternoon

Recognized as one of the world's 'Most Beautiful Bays' almost a decade ago, Nha Trang is famous for its pristine beaches, splendid islands and magnificent mountains.

A woman rows her boat to sell some vegetables on Hau River, seen from a window on Le Cochinchine cruise boat.

It was a sunny morning. The Le Cochinchine cruise boat took us drifting on Hau River towards to the sea. The strong wind helped lessen the summer heat.

Solo travel can be the ultimate in self-indulgence; you can rest when you want and pour it on when you're feeling ambitious. Another benefit is that your mistakes are your own, and your triumphs all the more exciting. There's no worrying that your insistence on trekking all the way across town to a museum that was closed ruined your partner's day; it's your own day to salvage or chalk up to a learning experience.

When I was a baby, my mom and my grand mom used to sing the Vietnamese lullabies for me. It was just not to lull me to sleep but also was the way they connected to my heart. At that time, I could not understand the meaning of the lullabies but I could feel the warmth and sweetness of my mom and my grand mom. And I grew up with these lullabies...

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.

It is just simple and ordinary as its appearance. No noisy sound from engines, no obscure smoke and no spending too much for commuting. From a long time ago, Vietnamese people have thought of the cyclo as a familiar means of transportation when going out. It is not only close-knit to Vietnamese but also connected strongly with the foreigners as all of them were attracted by this unique means at the first time visiting Vietnam.

Due to Vietnam's hot and humid climate and wading days in wet rice paddies or fishing, Vietnamese people usually went barefoot. Formerly, on cold days, men and women from rural areas would don clogs made from bamboo roots when attending festivals or visiting friends. At home they wrote wooden clogs with vertical straps to protect the toes.