Dawn on Queen (Hoang Hau) Beach, located on Ghenh Rang Hill, two kilometers from downtown Quy Nhon. According to the locals, Queen Nam Phuong, consort of Bao Dai, Vietnam’s last king, chose the spot for a private holiday with her husband in 1927, thus giving the beach its name. A unique, distinct feature of the beach is the presence of hundreds of round stones like giant bird’s eggs. The poet’s grave lies on Thi Nhan Hill in Ghenh Ranh Tourism Area, a few minutes’ walk from Hoang Hau Beach. The beach is not far from the tomb of Han Mac Tu, a talented Vietnamese poet who tragically died young. Tu’s poems emerged during the 1920s-30s as the heartbroken voice of a young soul. He contracted leprosy, then an incurable disease, in 1937 and spent the rest of his life at Quy Hoa Leprosy Village, established in 1929 by a French priest named Paul Maheu. He died two years later, just 28 years old. Photo by Ngoc … [Read more...] about 7 Quy Nhon summer travel experiences to enjoy from dawn till dusk
Enjoying forest sounds
International solidarity in Bambari
For Major Nguyen Van Hien, who is a member of the Bambari Operation Team, and his colleagues, it is the sincere support and sharing of international friends that have motivated them to overcome all difficulties and hardships to complete missions entrusted by the Party, State, and military. Recalling his first days in Bambari, a town in Ouaka of the Central African Republic, Major Hien said that although he had been well-prepared before being deployed to the area, he was still shocked at the harsh weather conditions which is filled with red soil and gravels. Dozens of families live in small cottages. On the way to the central area of Ouaka, he did not see any sign of medical, education, electricity, and water systems. Everything was far beyond the imagination of the Vietnamese blue beret soldier. Difficulties piled up when food and necessities transported by air from Vietnam could not reach the Central African Republic due to the complicated security situation. Meanwhile, local food … [Read more...] about International solidarity in Bambari
Natural outdoor adventure abounds at Tien Cave
The journey to Tien Cave in Coc Ly Commune, Bac Ha District, follows a miniature path resembling the flow of the Chay River. The river originates at tributaries in the western Ha Giang Province and then meanders through Lao Cai and Yen Bai before merging with the Lo River in Phu Tho. According to the Lao Cai Tourism Information and Promotion Center, Tien Cave is a natural cave that has not been developed for tourism yet. While it has been a passing sight on Bao Nhai - Coc Ly Market tours, its popularity among domestic tourists has grown steadily since early 2023. Tien Cave offers a captivating scene reminiscent of Ha Giang's renowned Tu San Pass, which stands as one of Southeast Asia's most magnificent canyons. At Tien, visitors can camp in the cave and engage in various water activities on the river. The landscape at Tien Cave in Lao Cai Province. Photos by Dung Nguyen Local tour guide Dung Nguyen explains that reaching Tien Cave requires a journey to Bao Nhai … [Read more...] about Natural outdoor adventure abounds at Tien Cave
Hai Duong’s armed forces implement natural disasters response missions
The event was chaired by Second-in-Command and Deputy Chief of Staff of the Hai Duong provincial Military Command Senior Colonel Nguyen Trong Hung. Over the past time, units under the provincial military command have strictly observed combat readiness regulations and guard duties; ensured personnel, equipment, and vehicles for missions. In 2022, the provincial armed forces cooperated with local units to mobilize 600 troops to help locals respond to dike-related incidents, fires and explosions, and forest fires and overcome their consequences. At the conference, delegates discussed and proposed measures to enhance the efficiency of the work in the coming time. In particular, the province’s armed forces will continue to study and strictly carry out documents on responding to disasters, incidents, natural disasters, and carrying out search and rescue operations; focus on dissemination and education to enhance troops’ awareness and responsibility. Senior Colonel Nguyen Trong Hung … [Read more...] about Hai Duong’s armed forces implement natural disasters response missions
Top-to-bottom changes needed to save Mekong Delta from erosion
The 78-year-old farmer’s "used-to" means around 10 years ago. "The river was healthy and gentle, now it’s like a starving person who keeps eating into the bank." Erosion has occurred regularly along both the Hau and the Tien rivers, two tributaries of the Mekong, and many smaller river branches in the Mekong Delta. A report by the World Wide Fund for Nature in Vietnam and the Department of Natural Disasters Prevention at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said that by the end of 2021, the Mekong Delta had 621 major erosion areas that stretched for a total of around 610 km. Around 500 ha of land in the delta is lost to erosion every year, the report estimated. Erosion in the delta is not new, it’s just getting more serious. While climate change can be blamed as a natural cause, there are many man-made causes, from the construction of hydropower dams upstream along the Mekong, to the destruction of mangrove forests and sand mining. Nearly 40 million tons of … [Read more...] about Top-to-bottom changes needed to save Mekong Delta from erosion