Category: Vietnam culture

From Buon Don, Sré Pok River flows backward in western direction through Cambodia, pours in the Sea Lake and follows the downstream to Eastern Sea through Vietnam’s Cuu Long River. Coming to the upper of this river, tourists will have chance to hear the magical-ish stories in the middle of the nature and the wild… Buon Don District is located about 42 kilometers distant from Buon Ma Thuot in northen west direction. It’s covered by mature accumulative forests and is the homeland of hunting down and domesticating wild elephants. Buon Don is the connecting place of Ede, Gia Rai and M’Nong minority group’s cultures; it particularly is the residence for a part of Laotians. A while back, after conquering and pacifying the highlands, at the beginning of 1899, French colonialists established Dak Lak province to be self-ruling, placing the headquarter in Ban Don (it was called Ban Don because there were many Laotians); it was moved to Buon Ma Thuot 5 years later. Apart from famous tourist destinations like Yok Don national forest, Dak Min River, Cu Min mature forest, royal tombs of Khunsunop – the elephant hunting king, chain-bridge across Sré Pok River… Buon Don has amazed many tourists with an ancient house on stilts hidden between the high trees which spread along Sré Pok River, Ban Don. From Buon Don, Sré Pok River flows backward in western direction through Cambodia Bun Dong is the 6th generation’s maternal grandchild (matriarchy) of Khunsunop – the elephant hunting king. His great grandfather moved to Vietnam at the age of 18, started hunting elephants at the age of 24 and when he hunted down 18 elephants, he started to build his house. The house was finished constructing on February 19th, 1885, after 16 months executing the work. To build the house, his great grandfather had to mobilize18 elephants to exploit and pull the wood, 14 professional building workers among which Tha Vi Vong Kham – a Laotian sculptor was the

“Spathe rice with salted peanut” was originally a very simple dish of Vietnam farmers. It was permanently present at the meals of farmers, hired harvesters or at the school bags of old generations of students. Areca tree – a country inspiration, has supplied immaculate white spathes. These spathes have two layers of sheaths. The outer sheath is light blue, turning into dark green afterwards; the inner sheath is supple and has ivory-white color. These unique structures along with the gentle fragrance make it perfect to wrap rice up. Areca spathes are smooth but hard to be torn, covering neatly a ball of cooked rice. When wrapping them up, areca spathes fragrance mixed the smell of rice, creating a stunning flavor. Salted peanut is a common food; it makes austere meals become tastier. My mother used to wake up in early morning, kindling a fire to roast peanuts. With her hands rhythmically turning over and over, the peanuts crackle, making up a sweet smell. Not to mention that, when the peanuts get ripen, my mother smashes them; the smell spreads out to all corners of the house. A ball of white cooked rice lying in the spathes, rice steam sparkly remains in each of them. Taking a small pinch of rice, dipping in the salted peanut, gradually chewing and experiencing the sweet country flavor with the buttery taste of salted peanut, altogether makes a significant taste on my tongue. Like this, spathe rice gets in full; salted peanut gets dried; farmers planting rice, students passing examinations. Nowadays, life more or less has been changed; the old kids have left the small towns, moving to big cities. To those who live far from home, spathe rice with salted peanut – the plain simple dish reminds them of the country flavor, the memories

In the central highland of A Luoi (Thua Thien – Hue), the harvesting and agriculture work are usually finished in the middle of winter. This is the time when mountain villages (Paco people) celebrate their very important event: Aza Tet (or “New rice” Tet).

A new flowering season is different from previous ones since each flower has its own beauty and charm. It usually begins in winter and blooms in spring. Each region in the country has its own special flower, so adventurers are advised to come to the right place to see it. The Central Highlands provinces feature a special species of wildflower, which is simple yet striking, known as da quy, or wild sunflower. People can easily find the wild sunflower in October. It is especially widespread in Da Lat. The roads leading to tourist sites or the outskirts are brightened by the vibrant yellow flowers. When chilly weather comes in Da Lat City in December, people will have the opportunity to enjoy the pink blush of mai anh dao, a cherry blossom whose scientific name is prunus cerasoides. Mai anh dao can be found all over the city along the roads, such as key tourist attractions and the landmark Xuan Huong Lake. The pinkish glow of the flower turns the sky into a lovely pastel color. Meanwhile, in the country’s northwest, tourists often flock to Dong Van-Meo Vac in Ha Giang Province to see an extraordinary species of flower called tam giac mach or buckwheat endemic. The seasonal flower blossoms in February-April and October-November in a color range of white, pink and purple respectively. Regional authorities will be planting a field of buckwheat flowers on a pilot basis next year to serve tourists. Products made from this flower such as buckwheat cake or wine will be also available. On the hills and slopes of Moc Chau Plateau, curious travelers may be impressed by the dazzling white mustard flower fields. Mustard flower enters the blossoming season in late autumn and early winter. It might last until spring when it gets warmer. It is such

This old town in the central province of Quang Nam is also known for its people’s honesty and hospitality. But Hoi An’s attractiveness also lies in its vast cuisine with foods that are cheap -- not more than VND50,000 (US$2.3) for a dish -- but delicious. Moreover, food of decent quality can be found even in street stalls and small eateries. If you plan to make a food tour in Hoi An, it is highly recommended to start at around 3 p.m., when motorbikes are restricted, leaving streets free to pedestrians and a few bicycles and tricycles. It is also the peak time for street food vendors. And remember to add the following foods to your list. Cao lau Cao lau is a rice noodle believed to have been invented in Hoi An. It is equally delicious but, for some reason, less popular than mi Quang. In a way it has some things in common with Chinese and Japanese noodles. Its al dente noodles, for instance, look raw and thick like Japanese udon. Its toppings include slices of pork that look like char siu or Chinese barbecued pork. Cao lau is eaten with lots of herbs and vegetables which greatly enhance its flavors. One of the best places for cao lau is a food stall named Ba Be in a market opposite Ong Temple. Trung Bac Restaurant at 87 Tran Phu is also said to sell original cao lau. Mi Quang Literally translated as Quang (Quang Nam)-styled noodles, mi Quang is popular around the country, even among foreigners. It is recognizable with its thin, flat rice noodles glazed with a mixture of peanut oil fried with onion and usually yellow broth. Traditionally, its main ingredients are shrimp and pork, which are also used to cook the broth and as toppings together with peanuts and rice crackers. But the dish has

Whether you are on a solo holiday, traveling with your loved one or on a family trip with your children, there is plenty of sights to see and things to do while in the beautiful city of Ho Chi Minh. The following are some ideas of what to fill your days with while you are there… Have Fun At The Waterpark This is the perfect option for those families traveling with little ones seeing as they will be completely entertained the entire day. Sliding down the waterslides, swimming in the pools and running around is never anything but fun and filled with a whole lot of great memories to look back on. Visit The War Remnants Museum Though most are aware that Vietnam has had a rather long and rough history, many don’t fully understand the facts and the realness of what the country has been through. Visiting the War Remnants Museum gives visitors an up close and personal look at some of the things the country had to endure to get to where they are today. Wander Through The Ben Thanh Market If there is one thing that the Vietnamese know how to do well, it is markets. From handicrafts, delicious foods and souvenirs galore, you will certainly not be bored while wandering through the Ben Thanh Market in Ho Chi Minh. Find the perfect gift to take back home to family and friends and of course something for yourself! Cruise Through The Mekong Delta Make your way through on a boat down the Mekong Delta where you will be able to see floating markets, lush greenery throughout and dozens of farmers planting in their beautiful rice fields. A great option for the entire family to partake in and one that you will surely not soon forget! Take A