National Maternal Nutrition Guideline launch - A pioneer act in enhancing healthcare for mothers CISCO helps Vietnamese firms in digital transformation Investor group to strengthen Sacombank "Fire proves gold, adversity proves men." Rich experiences accumulated over two decades, adhering to the philosophy of doing business with one's heart, and strategic vision have helped the BIM Group build a prestigious name for itself. The growth and rise of any firm goes hand in hand with unforgettable lessons and valuable experiences, which are intangible but precious assets for a company, and that's the case for the BIM Group too. Among one of the few groups in Việt Nam with a development history of more than 20 years, the company has seen its share of ups and downs, but overall it has been the case of: "fire proves gold, adversity proves men". With three major pillars in its development strategy - tourism development, property investment, and agriculture and trade and services - the brand … [Read more...]

The Hanoitimes - Beaches near Hanoi is the best ideal getaways for those in need of some fresh air during their stay in the capital city of Vietnam when summer come. Do Son Beach Do Son is one of the popular beaches among domestic tourists in the north of Vietnam, 20km southwest of Hai Phong City and 105km East of Hanoi. Do Son peninsula situated on the ancient continent, 22.5km in length along the coast from Cam river mouth to Van Uc river mouth. Do Son is often visualized as the head of a Dragon reaching toward a precious stone (Hon Dau isle), whisking its tail to go to sea that forms Bach Long Vi Island. Do Son beach is often packed with local tourists in the summer. After August until April of the following year, Do Son returns to its original beauty. With 2,450m of coastline filled with fine sand, shaded by thousands of sandalwood trees and surrounded by mountains and pine hills. Do Son beach seems to be an ideal beach for visitors from near to far. Interestingly, it has a … [Read more...]

Saigon-Rach Gia Hotel: an ideal get-away destination Anh Tien Saigon-Rach Gia Hotel of Saigontourist Holding Co. is the only four-star hotel in Rach Gia City, Kien Giang Province. The Saigon-Rach Gia is in the heart of this Mekong Delta city. It takes about 10 minutes from the hotel to Rach Gia Airport, the wharf for boats bound for Phu Quoc Island, the city's entertainment quarter and the project to reclaim land from the sea, and Nguyen Trung Truc Temple. From HCMC, guests can reach Rach Gia by air (50 minutes) or by car (5-6 hours). The most luxury hotel in Rach Gia Covering ​​nearly 16,000 square meters, the hotel has 90 bedrooms with high-class facilities and conference rooms for 200 to 500 guests, apart from luxury restaurants, bars, a fitness center, an outdoor swimming pool and free airport transfer services. Bedrooms in the hotel are fully equipped with modern facilities while its interior is wooden. The hotel has seven types of room-Deluxe, Premium Deluxe, Executive … [Read more...]

An islet in Ly Son, an emerging retreat in the central province of Quang Ngai, has become a magnet for visitors in recent times, prompting islanders to take courses in tourism. An islet in Ly Son, an emerging retreat in the central province of Quang Ngai, has become a magnet for visitors in recent times, prompting islanders to take courses in tourism. ‘Be’ (meaning small), Islet is part of the Ly Son Island District in Quang Ngai Province. Ly Son Island has recently become popular for its stunning landscapes formed by volcanic eruptions millions of years ago. The island has also long been known as a “kingdom of garlic” as well. Vacationers who have made it to Be Islet have said that a trip to Ly Son isn’t complete without spending some time there. The islet, which has retained its pristine charm and tranquility, and whose residents are as hospitable and caring as ever, offers holidaymakers an authentic and harmonious experience. The area received a … [Read more...]

Soldiers help residents of Pierrefonds after heavy flooding caused by unrelenting rain. – AFP/VNA Photo Viet Nam News MONTREAL, Canada – With heavy rains persisting and waters still rising over much of waterlogged eastern Canada, the nation’s military on Sunday tripled the number of troops urgently working to evacuate thousands of residents. New evacuations were ordered in Pierrefonds, on the northwestern shore of the Island of Montreal, after three temporary dikes ruptured, quickly sending water levels higher. Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre declared a state of emergency for his city, particularly four western neighborhoods. That measure allows the city to order mandatory evacuations from threatened areas. "The next 48 hours will be decisive," Coderre told reporters. A combination of torrential rains and runoff from melting snow has caused rivers to overflow their banks from Ottawa to Montreal, posing critical challenges for people already exhausted by weeks of … [Read more...]

The south-central province of Ninh Thuan has been known for Thap Cham (Cham Towers), Hang Rai (Rai Cave) and Vinh Hy Bay. However, a new destination, the pristine, romantic and peaceful Hon Do coral island was recently recommended. Hon Do, around 20km from the city’s centre, is a new destination in NinhThuan. It still preserves a pristine natural beauty with clean beaches, gold dust, green trees and salt marsh. Corals in different shapes Visitors can experience daily life of local fishermen. When the tide ebbs away, visitors can hunt for crabs, snails and seaweed. You can visit the old tunnel, the jar tombs and the tomb of Cham King Che Man (Jaya Simhavarman III), and study the history of ancient Champa Kingdom and the legend of Hon Do coral island. You should not miss tasting grey mullet – a speciality of Hon Do. Garlic is also a speciality of Hon Do. Hon Do is ideal for groups of friends to go fishing and camping. Zing/VOV … [Read more...]

The chairman of Con Dao Island, located off the southern Vietnamese province of Ba Ria- Vung Tau, was killed after crashing his BMW into a tree Wednesday night. The chairman of Con Dao Island, located off the southern Vietnamese province of Ba Ria- Vung Tau, was killed after crashing his BMW into a tree Wednesday night. The accident happened at the Hoa Long Roundabout in the provincial capital of Ba Ria, a source close to Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper affirmed Thursday morning, adding that the victim was identified as Nguyen Thanh Chinh, 59, chairman of the Con Dao People’s Committee. According to witnesses, the vehicle swerved onto the left side of the street before ramming into the tree. Chinh was driving from the city’s center to his private house in Hoa Long District, VnExpress reported. Following the collision, the airbag was deployed, and the head of the car was heavily damaged, though its windshield remained intact. Chinh was immediately brought to a nearby … [Read more...]

With booming golf resort development across the country, Vietnam has come a world-class destination for golf tourism. Bich Thuy reports. Golf convention will spotlight Danang’s luxury travel appeal Nguyen Van Minh, a 45-year resident in Hanoi, is planning to start playing golf soon after months of consideration. “In the past, golf was a luxurious sport, but now it has become a popular and favoured sport among Vietnamese like me thanks to rising incomes, more leisure time, and easier means of transport,” Minh said. Like Minh, many of his friends are now members of golf clubs. Golf is an increasingly attractive sport in many parts of Vietnam, regardless of a fall in golf’s popularity in other international markets. “Reductions in golfers will generally occur in well-established markets, where trends change and people have many recreational activities on offer to choose from. Vietnam goes against this trend as the game is still growing here both … [Read more...]

Tet, the largest and most widely-celebrated national holiday in Vietnam, is traditionally a time for family togetherness and the value of everyone and everyone a person may hold dear. It’s a happy time for all Vietnamese. Of course, there are always the foreign nationals living and working in Vietnam, and in IS-VNU in particular, who also look forward to the holiday as well. IS will close for two weeks in 2011 for the Tet holiday, and several foreign nationals working at the university are planning to join in the local festivities by visiting the hometowns and families of their closest colleagues and students. Many of them will even have the privilege of being the New Year’s first visitor. Many permanent expatriates, married with children, are also looking forward to a family holiday in Vietnam, putting a comfortable twist of their own on Vietnamese tradition. Lecturer Mike Beard from IS-VNU said he was planning on celebrating Tet the Vietnamese way: with his wife and … [Read more...]

Professor Phan Huy Le, Chairman of the Vietnam History Science Association said since 1974 after the Paracel Islands controlled by the then Saigon administration, was invaded by China, Dr. Han Nguyen Nguyen Nha became much interested in this topic. "In recent years, Dr. Nha has written many articles about Vietnam's sovereignty over the two archipelagoes of Hoang Sa and Truong Sa and attended many domestic and international seminars on the East Sea. Dr. Han Nguyen Nguyen Nha is one of the Vietnamese leading experts on Hoang Sa-Truong Sa with nearly 40 years of East Sea research experience "Pro. Phan Huy Le said Works on historical evidence of Vietnam's sovereignty over the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa islands published by the Vietnam Education Publishing House are a dedicated research and collection by the author over the past 40 years based on his PhD thesis in 2003 and updated study results. Plentiful and diverse documents of the author’s research come from not only the … [Read more...]

The 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck off Ecuador's Pacific coast and was felt hundreds of miles (km) away in the capital of Quito as well as in the large commercial city of Guayaquil, where rubble lay strewn in the streets and some buildings were cracked or partially collapsed. A bridge in the city collapsed on top of car, crushing it. The earthquake was Ecuador's worst in decades and officials said the death toll was likely to rise even higher as rescue teams headed into the hardest-hit areas. "It was terrifying, we were all scared and we're still out in the streets because we're worried about aftershocks," said Guayaquil security guard Fernando Garcia. "Everything is damaged." The areas worst affected include Pedernales, which draws tourists with beaches lined with palm-trees and tropical thatch-hut restaurants, as well as nearby Cojimies. "There are villages that are totally devastated," Pedernales' mayor, Gabriel Alcivar, said in a radio interview. "What happened here in Pedernales … [Read more...]

A shot 40-minute drive from Danang International Airport, Palm Garden greets guests with a cocktail, a cool towel, and friendly smiles from the moment you drive in. Elegantly decorated rooms done in a "tropical style" boast a variety of local materials, like silk, pottery, tiles, bricks, and soothing, natural open-air baths. Just a few steps away is a 220-metre shoreline stretching along Cua Dai Beach, over which the sun rises majestically. Late in the afternoon, guests have the option of a leisurely bike ride from the garden to the ancient streets of Hoi An. This quaint central Vietnam getaway is famous for its beautiful and quickly made silk apparel, sold in stores, with tailors who speak French and English. Visitors may also join a traditional lantern workshop, or order stunning European-style silver jewelry at remarkably low prices. Sports fans will relish Palm Garden’s beach volleyball, sailing to Cu Lao Cham (Cham Island) to observe the ancient landscape, and diving for a … [Read more...]

Attractive summer beaches in Vietnam Vietnam one of top 10 best destinations for 2012 Visitors to Cua Lo beach have an excellent opportunity to see beautiful natural scenery, enjoy unique tourist activities and taste seafood on the sand dunes near the crystal clear blue water. Tourists can travel more than 350km to Cua Lo from Hanoi by car or train to escape the heat and noise of the city. Cua Lo is famous for its 10-km beach, good accommodation and delicious seafood. Not far from Cua Lo are three small islands, called Hon Ngu, Hon Chu, and Hon Mat, which are dazzlingly breath taking. Hotels on one side and pine and coconut trees on the other of the main road running along Cua Lo beach as well as the stands of trees growing as a natural barrier against beach erosion provide cool cover for sun-soaked tourists. In Cua Lo, tourists have the chance to see a number of famous historical sites such as the tomb of King Mai Hac De and Kim Lien village - the hometown of President Ho … [Read more...]

Sitting entirely in Minh An Ward of the central province’s Hoi An City, the town is endowed with picturesque landscapes of land, sea, and rivers. In 1999, the town was declared a world heritage site by UNESCO for being a well-preserved example of a Southeast Asian trading port from the 15th to 19th centuries, and for housing buildings which ingeniously fuse local and foreign influences. Since then, the culturally rich place has been voted one of the top tourist destinations in the world by several major tourism magazines. Tuoi Tre News suggests several ways for tourists to indulge themselves in what the retreat has to offer. Formed around the 17th century, Hoi An Ancient Town is home to many alleys, most of which face its signature Hoai River and retain their tranquility. The alleys, which boast weather-beaten, mossy walls, are ideal for tourists to take a leisure stroll. Travelers can also rent a bike and ride it to pagodas and time-honored houses within the town, the … [Read more...]

Whilst hotels and resorts are primarily built for leisure, many properties are seeing the strongest growth in the MICE (meeting, incentive, cooperation and exhibition) segment. In Nha Trang, luxury city hotel groups including Sheraton, Intercontinental and Best Western Havana are leading the way in MICE. Potential for MICE tourism Nha Trang, the capital of Khanh Hoa province, is the political, economic and cultural centre of the province. Long stretches of pristine sand and clear water offer sun-kissed relaxation in this bustling coastal town. Tran Phu beach fronts the Tran Phu Boulevard, a 7km-long stretch of golden sand. The beach is set against a backdrop of forested mountains and a border of palm trees and vibrant flowers and boasts a range of beach side facilities including lively bars and restaurants. According to figures from the Nha Trang Khanh Hoa tourism department, the province currently has 601 accommodation establishments, with a total of 19,936 rooms, including nine … [Read more...]

At an emergency meeting of the Central Committee for Flood and Storm Prevention in Hanoi on October 13, Mr Hai asked the committee to monitor the number of vessels still at sea and force fishermen to leave their vessels and fishing cages for safer areas. At 17.00 the storm, packing sustained winds of 89 and 117 km/h near its centre, was heading towards the coastal provinces between Nghe An and Quang Ninh. It is forecast to make landfall late at night and to bring heavy rains of between 100-200mm before weakening into a tropical depression on October 14. The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Cao Duc Phat, reported that Hai Phong City and Quang Ninh, Hung Yen, Ninh Binh, Thanh Hoa and Thai Binh provinces have mobilised soldiers, border guards and militia to evacuate residents from danger areas and reinforce sea dykes. This morning, the storm swept across Bach Long Vi Island District of Hai Phong City, bringing down many big trees and blowing roofs off houses. A … [Read more...]

Nguyen van Le, deputy head of the district committee for flood and storm control, said that there was no big loss to property as islanders had reinforced their homes and public works before the storm made landfall. However, more than 40 hectares of newly transplanted garlic were completely destroyed by the strong winds. Quang Ngai province evacuated 450,000 residents from low-lying areas to safe zones. It also asked all primary and secondary schools in flood-prone districts to close until the storm moves further inland and weakens into a tropical depression. Experts fear that the torrential rains that began on November 1 could trigger widespread flooding in the region. Mirinae, which produced sustained winds of 100km/h, tore off thousands of roofs, snapped power lines and brought down trees in Phu Yen province. It also lashed the coastal districts of Tuy An, Song Cau, Dong Hoa and Tuy Hoa city with heavy rains. Torrential rains plus rising flood tiles submerged many parts of the … [Read more...]

Chung cakes in the making Islanders are sprucing up their houses, making Banh Chung (square cake) and displaying trays of fruit on their ancestral altars. Though peach and kumquat trees are sent from the mainland, they have usually withered by the time they arrive due to a long trip and harsh weather. Necessity is the mother of invention. To enjoy an authentic Tet atmosphere, the soldiers simulate new peach and kumquat trees using branches of phong ba trees – trees that can withstand strong winds and powerful storms – and silk flowers. Pigs are slaughtered to make holiday dishes such as chung cake. The wrapping of chung cake is often done in the evening of the 29th day of the 12th lunar month or the next morning so that the cake can be taken out of the boiler just before midnight – a sacred moment for Vietnamese people. The cake is made of sticky rice, green bean, pork and pepper, but has a distinctive taste because it is wrapped in discoloured and … [Read more...]

The gifts included 21 tropical almond trees and 21 coral stones, which symbolise the nation’s sovereignty over its seas and islands. Speaking at the ceremony, Admiral Pham Ngoc Chan, Political Director of the Naval Force, said this was a practical activity to educate Vietnamese people and their descendants on protecting the nation’s territorial integrity. The gifts represented naval soldiers’ warm sentiments towards the Khanh Hoa authorities and people, he added. “The presence of the souvenirs of Truong Sa, which is one of the province’s nine administrative units, will remind us to look towards and act in the interests of Truong Sa, a sacred territorial part of the nation,” said Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Le Xuan Than. The participants at the ceremony laid the coral stones and planted the tropical almond trees at Bach Dang Park, Vinh Nguyen ward, Nha Trang city. On the same day, a similar ceremony was held in the … [Read more...]

Vietnam is known as a global biodiversity microcosm which possesses such diverse ecological systems as forests, wetlands, seas and limestone outcrops. It is home to a large number of wild and endemic species of fauna and flora many of which can be found nowhere else in the world. Its tropical landscape has a particularly valuable diversity of medicinal herbs, flower varieties, and ornamental trees. However, Vietnam is facing a rapid degradation of biodiversity as the acreage of natural ecological land has been steadily shrinking in recent years. Primeval forests have been reduced to just 0.57 million ha, mostly now in the Central Highland, South-eastern and North-central regions. About 62 percent of mangrove forests are newly planted. Meanwhile, the number of species and the populations of wild species are both declining significantly. A few extremely wild species are on the brink of extinction. According to the Vietnam Red Book released in 2007, the country had 882 endangered … [Read more...]