Tieng Viet lovers club

[decent02]

Chuc cac ban noel vui ve nha

[jackbl]

Vietnamese-American women place strict rules on men returning to homeland
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HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam -- The trouble for Henry Liem begins every time he prepares to return to his homeland.

Getting the required visa from the Vietnamese government is a breeze. It's the "second visa" -- from his wife worried that he will stray over there -- that requires diplomatic skills.

"My wife is always cranky every time I go," said Liem, a philosophy instructor at San Jose City College who visits Vietnam twice a year to teach at a university. "So I rarely disclose my upcoming trip until the last minute. It's pain minimization. The longer she knows, the longer I have to bear the pain."

Thirty-six years after the Vietnam War ended, Communist government officials openly welcome Vietnamese-Americans back, even those who fought against them. But another Civil War has erupted, this one pitting Vietnamese-American women against their husbands and boyfriends who want to return to the Southeast Asian country. The men's significant others contend that Vietnamese women lie in wait to ambush them, often eager for the financial stability such a match would bring.

"All the girls in Vietnam are aggressive. They attack!" said Ha Tien, 38, who owns an accounting business in San Jose. She said she lost her man to such a love guerrilla a few years ago.

Women are worried

The tension over this issue has reached epic proportions in the Bay Area Vietnamese community and elsewhere. Vietnamese comedy skits poke fun at the household strife and pop performers sing about it. It's the No. 1 topic for women, Tien said. Any time a man travels back alone, she added, it's assumed he's not just going to visit Uncle Vu or Cousin Thuy but to play in a country with an abundance of attractive young women.

"There is not a Vietnamese family (in Silicon Valley) that doesn't know a man who has done this," Tien said.

Hien Nhan, who owns the Polo Bar in the central part of bustling Ho Chi Minh City, said that Vietnamese-American women do have reasons to worry.

"The problem is, Vietnamese women are getting prettier and prettier," said Nhan, perched on a stool at his cozy establishment that serves up draft beer, hamburgers and female employees in short shorts who flirtatiously brush against male customers they like. "They wear more cosmetics. They eat better. They exercise."

And they are not afraid to let foreigners know they are open to a frolic, a fling or something more serious.

"The tradition has been the male chases after the female," Liem said. "Now, it's the other way around in Vietnam."

Said one Vietnamese-American tech executive from Silicon Valley who didn't want to reveal his name for fear of causing his own second visa problems: "You get hit on all the time. Even at the hotel. You check in and they hit on you. I can't do more than 10 days in Vietnam at a time. Otherwise, I get into trouble."

Those who get a second visa often have strict limits placed on them, said San Jose's Peter Nguyen, who until recently had a girlfriend in Ho Chi Minh City. Not long ago, a buddy of his overstayed a two-week second visa issued by his girlfriend. "When he came back, she tossed all his stuff out onto the street," he said.

"He was having so much fun," Nguyen added. "The temptations are so great. Guys 50 and over can get girls who are in their 20s and look like models. It's too good to pass up."

A friskiness permeates the culture in Vietnam that many men visiting from other countries find irresistible.

"There's a certain charm here that you don't see in Singapore or China," let alone the United States, said Chung Hoang Chuong, a faculty member in the Asian American Studies department at City College of San Francisco, who spends about half his time in Vietnam. "If you make a pass at a girl, she won't push you away. She'll answer with a smile."

The apparent role reversal is driven in part by the popularity of Western culture and poor economic conditions in Vietnam. Indeed, Nguyen, a 40-year-old who works in customer service but is now unemployed, said his girlfriend in Vietnam recently dumped him because he failed to find a good job in Vietnam.

It's a money thing

Vietnam is a demographically youthful society -- about 70 percent of the country's 90 million citizens are younger than 35 -- and young people flow into the big cities from the countryside every day looking for opportunities. Viet Kieu, the term for ethnic Vietnamese living overseas, and foreigners are seen as ideal catches for some women because they can support them and their families.

"Good-paying, decent jobs are extremely difficult to find," even for Vietnamese with college degrees, Nhan said.

Nguyen Le, a 29-year-old who operates a Ho Chi Minh City sidewalk cafe, says she and other women are attracted to Viet Kieu and foreigners for a number of reasons, the first being financial security.

"They have more money, more earnings," said Nguyen. "And they are more considerate, more tender and caring with their women. In the eyes of a foreigner, love is more important than it is with Vietnamese gentlemen."

Suspicions unfounded

Still, some men say the suspicion that most Vietnamese-American males come here just to play is overblown -- plenty of Viet Kieu come back only for business or family visits.

"We love fun, but we are not stupid," said Khanh Tran, a retired teacher who lives in San Jose. "I am still healthy, but I am not going to (misbehave in Vietnam) at the expense of my family, my wife. We have been together for more than 40 years."

Nonetheless, his wife, taking no chances, refuses to issue the former officer in the South Vietnamese military a second visa. "I would love to go back," he said wistfully.

Increasingly, some Vietnamese say, the appeal of foreigners is waning because of a new class of wealthy Vietnamese, including many multimillionaires. And some Viet Kieu males have a bad reputation because they act like playboys who throw money around and convince women they are sincere in their affections -- only to disappear when they return to the United States.

But at times it's the Viet Kieu who end up on the losing end. Some who marry and bring their new bride home to the United States have discovered the women envisioned a much richer lifestyle than they can provide, leading to strife and divorce.

Viet Kieu men receive little sympathy from Viet Kieu women for their dalliances, whether they lead to love or heartbreak. "We blame the men for their weakness, for not being responsible," said My Hanh, a 31-year-old San Jose resident.

Returning to Vietnam holds little appeal for women like her: "There's a saying, 'If a girl goes back to Vietnam, it's like bringing wood to the forest.'

[jackbl]

Vietnamese brides struggle in Korea
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VietNamNet Bridge – She has experienced very difficult times, but 28-year-old Truong Thi Kim Loan considers herself lucky.

The hope of a more secure financial future for herself and her poor family prompted Bac Lieu native Loan, five years ago, to marry a 47-year-old man from the northeastern province of Gangwon-do in South Korea.

However, language and other cultural differences gave rise to many conflicts and the marriage was floundering.

However, Loan was helped by the Republic of Korean Women's Association and the Viet Nam Women's Union in her locality to solve the tensions between her husband and herself.

Understanding the difficulties involved in adjusting to life in the Republic of Korea, her husband and his parents as well as sisters encouraged her to learn Korean and guided her on adapting to living circumstances in their family.

"They are very kind to me," Loan says, adding, "I am lucky to receive love from my husband and his relatives."

Now, Loan is able to communicate in Korean with her husband and his relatives as well as their neighbours.

She has also found work with a food processing company in her locality.

Loan says that her neighbour, a Vietnamese woman, was not as lucky.

Tham of Tra Vinh Province was introduced to her husband by a marriage broker. Although she did not get any good information about her husband and his family, she agreed to marry him in the hope of providing financial assistance to her poor family.

Her husband took Tham to Gangwon-do Province after the marriage, but treated her like a servant.

She worked on the family's fields, but received no financial assistance from her husband's family. She also found that her husband was not of sound mental health.

Tham told Loan that she would run away from her husband and his family and seek better chances to improve her situation.

Loan no longer sees Tham and does not know what happened to the latter.

Nguyen Thi Thuy, 27, of Hau Giang Province is married to 46-year-old Lee Chong Hyun of ChungCheongbuk- Do Province. The couple have three children.

Thuy said it is very important that Vietnamese women give confidence to their Korean husbands and families by learning Korean language and understanding their customs and culture.

For his part, Hyun says that the wife should explain the difficulties she is having to the husband, and for both to sympathise with each other.

Twenty-five year old Thi My Tan of Kien Giang Province, who married 44-year-old Jang Jae Hoo of Chejudo Island, says she is satisfied with her life.

Vietnamese women should learn to accept their husband's financial situation, Tan says. They should not create financial pressures on their husband in the case his family is facing financial difficulties, she adds.

Tan's husband is not rich and "I have learnt to be satisfied with my husband and help him take care of the tangerine garden that is the main source of income for his family."

The Chosun llbo, South Korea's largest newspaper, recently reported that 1.7 per cent of 471,000 babies born in the country last year had Vietnamese mothers.

According to South Korea's Ministry of Public Administration and Security quoted by Ha Noi Moi (New Ha Noi) newspaper, about 52,000 Vietnamese women have so far married Korean men.

Coming home

Nineteen families of Vietnamese women in the Republic of Korea on December 5 started an eight-day trip to Viet Nam with assistance from Seoul-based Nonghyup Bank.

Apart from assistance with overall expenses, each family receives US$500 in cash. To date, the bank has helped more than 1,300 Vietnamese brides in the Republic of Korea make such trips.

Source: VNS

[jackbl]

Ten best places to visit in Vietnam, Touropia finds
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VietNamNet Bridge – A long, narrow country squeezed in between the East Sea and the Laos and Cambodia borders, Vietnam is a land of striking landscapes that range from the lush rice terraces and forested mountains in the north to the picturesque valleys of the Central Highlands and the fertile delta and beautiful beaches of the south. Included in the mix are booming modern cities, colonial towns, traditional villages, archaeological sites and otherworldly islands.

An overview of the best places to visit in Vietnam by touropia.com, a travel list website that features the most amazing sights around the world divided into various “best of” lists.

10. Da Lat

Year-round cool weather and idyllic scenery of misty valleys, lush pine trees and colorful flowers are some of the reasons that Da Lat was once used by Vietnamese emperors and French colonials as a summer retreat. Today, this charming town in the South-Central Highlands of Vietnam is a popular destination for honeymooners, weekend getaways and for those looking for relief from the heat.

A walkable city, Dalat is a beautiful scene of French colonial architecture and villas set amid picturesque landscapes. The city is well known for its royal palaces owned by the last emperor of Vietnam. These lovely palaces are open for tours as is the Hang Nga Guesthouse, the city’s most bizarre attraction. Informally called the “Crazy House”, this structure is a fantastical construction with caves, spider webs and shapes of animals and mushrooms. Dalat’s lively market is a great place to find fruits, flowers and vegetables grown in the local area as well as handicrafts and silk embroidered items.

Outside the city are scenic lakes, flower gardens, historic monasteries, plantations and mountains offering pretty waterfalls and trails for hiking and mountain biking. A must-do is the Valley of Love, an incredibly beautiful valley with pine forests, flowers and lakes where tourists can enjoy pedal-boating, horse riding, jeep safaris and canyoning.

For dining and nightlife, Dalat offers numerous cafes and restaurants to suit every budget and taste from regional dishes to French and Western cuisines as well as a few bars and nightclubs.

9. My Son

Located on the central coast of Vietnam near the Duy Phu Village is the important archaeological site known as My Son. One of Southeast Asia’s most notable heritage sites, My Son was once a significant center of religious Hindu ceremonies where the kings of the Champa Kingdom built numerous temples devoted to the worship of the god, Shiva, between the 4th and 14th centuries.

Believed to have once contained more than 70 temples that were constructed with brick and decorative carvings and sculptures bearing scenes of animals, priests, gods, mythical battles and inscriptions of Sanskrit and Champa, My Son today features a complex of ruins in varying states of disarray and repair, all arranged in several groups that are marked by letters of the alphabet.

Within the site is a museum where visitors can check out exhibits and artifacts to better understand and appreciate the ruins. Near the entrance of My Son are a few cafes, food vendors and a shop selling souvenirs. At certain times of the day, visitors can watch live Champa dance performances. Additionally, the site is surrounded by jungle, hills and a lake where visitors can enjoy hiking and kayaking.

My Son is often reached by organised tour groups in vans and buses from Hoi An. However, visitors can also arrive at My Son by motorbike taxis and motorbike rentals.

8. Ho Chi Minh City

Lying along the Saigon River near the Mekong Delta in southern Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City was formerly known as Saigon and served as the capital of South Vietnam during the Vietnam War. Today, Ho Chi Minh City is the largest city of the reunified country, offering plenty of reasons to visit, from its blend of historic and modern attractions to vibrant shopping, dining and nightlife.

Ho Chi Minh City is most commonly explored by motorbike taxis, but buses and car taxis are also plentiful. Sightseeing the city’s centre awards elegant boulevards lined with French colonial architecture, beautiful churches, pagodas and prominent landmarks like the Reunification Palace, City Hall, the Opera House and Notre Dame Cathedral. A number of museums exhibit war history and local culture.

The city’s business and entertainment district offer modern attractions like the Bitexco Financial Tower skyscraper and the Dai Nam Tourist Park, which features a man-made mountain range, zoo, temples, hotels, shops and restaurants. The Night Market and the Ben Thanh Market are lively places to buy food, handicrafts, souvenirs and experience local food and culture. Outside the city, jungle and river tours are available to see bamboo villages and floating temples.

From market stalls to street vendors, cafes, coffee shops and international restaurants, Ho Chi Minh City offers the largest variety of dining choices in Vietnam. Local cuisine consists of traditional dishes like Pho (beef and chicken noodle soups) and Com tam (a plate of rice, grilled pork and vegetables). Nightlife in Ho Chi Minh City buzzes with a wide selection of bars, lounges, nightclubs and theaters.

7. Mekong Delta

Colorful floating markets, fruit orchards, rice paddies, sugar cane groves, bird sanctuaries and quaint villages are all what draw many to the Mekong Delta in southwestern Vietnam. Nicknamed “Vietnam’s Rice Basket”, the Mekong Delta is an agricultural region made fertile by the maze of canals and streams fed by the Mekong river. Stretching from the Gulf of Thailand to Ho Chi Minh City, the Mekong Delta feeds more than a third of the country from its rich plantations, orchards, rice paddies and fish farms.

With plenty of bus connections and motorbikes, tourists can explore the Mekong Delta and its towns like Tra Vinh, which is considered one of the prettiest villages of the delta. Many towns in the region provide shops, restaurants and hotels for travelers. Others places like Hon Chong, feature attractions like pictorial stone grottoes, while Ben Tre is dominated by fruit orchards, Sa Dec is rife with colorful flower farms, and Cao Lanh is a paradise for bird lovers. The beautiful island of Phu Quoc offers scuba diving, snorkeling, kayaking and hiking. Just outside Chau Doc, Sam Mountain presents temples and lovely views. A river boat cruise in Vinh Long brings tourists to a floating market teeming in busy workers and fresh produce and fish.

6. Nha Trang

Located on one of Asia’s most beautiful bays off the coast of South Central Vietnam, Nha Trang is a popular seaside resort city. Picturesque mountains, beaches and lush islands all make it a favorite destination among tourists, Vietnamese and scuba divers.

Adorned with resorts, palm trees and a lovely promenade, Nha Trang’s beach is its main draw. As a popular stopover for sea cruises and annual Hong Kong yacht races, Nha Trang and its beach offer plenty of water activities such as scuba diving, snorkeling, kite boarding, sailing and catamaran rides. Amusement and water parks provide fun for everyone with roller coasters and wave pools.

Within the city of Nha Trang, tourists can visit a few important landmarks like pagodas, the Nha Trang Cathedral and the historic Po Nagar Cham Towers. The Nha Trang Oceanography Institute is home to an aquarium housing thousands of ocean creatures. Just outside the city, tourists can enjoy river boat cruises and explore the picturesque countryside, fishing villages, plantations, waterfalls and natural hot springs.

Dining choices in Nha Trang are abundant for every budget and taste from casual sidewalk cafes to high end restaurants. The city’s cuisine is known for its seafood dishes as well as bird’s nest soup and barbecued pork rolled in rice paper. Bars, lounges and clubs provide plenty of nightlife options.

Nha Trang is easy to explore by walking and cycling, but tourists can also get around by buses, taxis, motorbikes and cyclos (three-wheeled motorised vehicles).

To be continue ........

[jackbl]

Ten best places to visit in Vietnam, Touropia finds
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5. Sapa

Surrounded by pictorial mountains, rice terraces and a diversity of hill tribes in the remote northwest of Vietnam, Sapa is a quiet town frequently used as a base for trekking in the Hoang Lien Son Mountains and touring rice paddies and traditional villages.

Sapa’s main attraction is its proximity to the mountains, villages and rice terraces. From the town, there are many organized tours that aide tourists in mountain hikes and exploring the nearby rice paddies and remote villages. These tours present views of wildlife, beautiful waterfalls and the opportunities to experience the food, customs and way of life among the local tribes.

In the town of Sapa itself, there are attractive French colonial sites worth visiting such as the Gothic church, the town square and city hall. Sapa is a major market town where the various ethnic tribes in the area often gather to sell their handicrafts, which make excellent souvenirs. At the Sapa Culture Museum, visitors can learn all about the history and cultures of these ethnic groups.

Because it is a popular tourist base, Sapa boasts a wide variety of restaurants ranging from traditional Vietnamese to international cuisines. At the town market, food stalls serve the local specialty, hot pot, a simmering broth of meat, greens and mushrooms. Nightlife options are limited in Sapa, but there are a few bars where one can enjoy drinks, music and socializing.

Getting around Sapa is easily done by walking, but exploring outside of town should be done by organised tours, motorbikes and 4WD vehicles that can be rented at hotels.

4. Hue

Situated on the banks of the Perfume River in Central Vietnam, Hue once served as the imperial capital of the Nguyen dynasty, which ruled from 1802 to 1945. Today, the vestiges of this former glorious period are reflected in the city’s architecture, culture and cuisine, making it a popular tourist destination.

Hue is a compact city, making it easy to get around by walking although motorbikes, cyclos and taxis are plentiful. The city’s main attractions are its well-preserved historic monuments that mostly lie along the Perfume River, a scenic river so named from the pleasant aromas of flowering orchards. Of the city’s monuments, the Citadel is the most famous. Once the seat of the Nguyen emperors, the Citadel is a sprawling complex of grand palaces, ornate temples, walls and gates. Prime attractions within the Citadel are the Forbidden Purple City, Thai Hoa Palace, and the Ngo Mon Gate. Another important landmark on the river is the city’s official symbol, the Thien Mu Pagoda.

Just a short bicycle ride or scenic river cruise outside of the city is the must-see Tombs of the Emperors, an elaborate tomb system of which the Tomb of Tu Duc is the finest. While exploring the tombs, tourists may also want to visit the nearby hot springs and spas for a bit of pampering and relaxation.

Hue’s cuisine is another of its attractions, noted for its refined presentations that date back to the imperial period. Popular local dishes are Nem lui (sweet pork grilled on bamboo sticks) and Banh khoai (a pancake of shrimp, pork and bean sprouts). Hue offers a good supply of cafes, restaurants, bars and clubs.

3. Hoi An

Located off the coast of the East Sea in South-Central Vietnam, Hoi An is a beautiful, old city dating back 2,000 years to the Champa Kingdom. The city’s historic architecture, traditional culture and textiles make it a popular destination in Vietnam.

At the heart of Hoi An is its atmospheric Old Town, which is small enough to walk around easily. The narrow, winding lanes of the Old Town are lined with beautiful old architecture, traditional wooden houses and hundreds of tailor shops selling clothing, shoes, bags, souvenirs and custom-made services. The central market is here as well, bustling with vendors selling fresh food, cooked dishes, ceramics and handicrafts. Important landmarks not to miss are the 17th century Japanese covered bridge, the Quan Cong Temple and the Cantonese Assembly Hall.

Outside the historic center, motorbikes and taxis provide transportation around a more modern district booming in attractions, museums, hotels, restaurants, shops and tourist facilities. To experience the city’s historic culture, the Hoi An Handicraft Workshop and the Traditional Theatre present performances of folk customs and music. Bicycle tours to nearby villages offer picturesque countryside, rice paddies, water buffalos and traditional cuisine.

Hoi An has a good range of restaurants, pubs and clubs. Many of the city’s restaurants offer cooking classes, so visitors can learn to cook the city’s local specialties that include Cao lau (rice noodles topped with roasted pork, vegetables and dough fritters) and White rose (a shrimp dumpling shaped to resemble a rose).

2. Hanoi

For the last century, Hanoi has survived through the invasions and occupations of Japan and France as well as the Indochina and Vietnam Wars to emerge as the booming capital city of a reunified Vietnam. Located on the banks of the Red River in northern Vietnam, Hanoi is a large city offering more than 1,000 years worth of history and culture now blended with modern attractions, dining, shopping and nightlife.

At the heart of Hanoi is its Old Quarter, an open-air museum of historic Asian and French colonial architecture that has largely remained intact despite the bombings of the Vietnam War. Here among scenic tree-lined boulevards, tourists can browse busy markets, sip coffee at quaint cafes and visit prominent sites like the Grand Opera House, the Presidential Palace and Saint Joseph Cathedral. Beyond the Old Quarter, the city is full of impressive temples and museums exhibiting the country’s eventful history.

Hanoi has many beautiful lakes surrounded by parks and green spaces with the most popular being Hoan Kiem Lake. A good way to experience the local culture is to attend a live performance of Ca tru, a traditional form of Vietnamese music, or to see history and folklore demonstrated at the Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre. One of Asia’s top shopping cities, Hanoi is teeming in malls and shopping centers.

Hanoi’s dining scene is vibrant from numerous market stalls and street vendors selling traditional dishes like Pho bo (Beef noodle soup) and Pho ga (chicken noodle soup) to fine restaurants serving a variety of Asian and international cuisines. Nightlife choices are plentiful from karaoke bars and dance clubs to cinemas and theaters. The best options for getting around Hanoi are bus, taxi and motorbike taxi.

1. Ha Long Bay

With its aqua-green water and cluster of limestone rocky outcrops rising from the water like sea dragons, Ha Long Bay resembles a scene from a fantasy story. Located about 130 km east of Hanoi in northern Vietnam, this otherworldly bay features more than 2,000 jungle-covered islands pitted with intriguing caves, grottoes, sinkholes and lakes. Ranging between 50 and 90 metres high, many of the islands and outcrops have been sculpted over the centuries by natural processes into fantastic formations. The names of these islands reflect the unusual shapes they resemble such as Voi (elephant) islet, Mai nha (roof) islet and Ga choi (fighting cock) islet.

Although most of the islands are uninhabited, some of the larger islands such as Cat Ba offer restaurants, bars, hotels and tourist attractions like beaches, historic sites, a national park, markets and souvenir shops. Other islands like Dau Be and Bo Hon feature lakes, coral and grottoes that are ideal for swimming, kayaking, diving and cave-exploring. Rock climbing, jungle trekking and wildlife viewing are also available activities.

Boat cruises are the best way to experience the natural wonder of Ha Long Bay. With hundreds of boats ranging from traditional Chinese junks to luxury cruisers, boat tours can vary from day trips to multiple-night journeys. These tours often provide meals, nightlife activities and excursion stops where islands, caves and lagoons can be explored. Most boat cruises are arranged either from Hanoi or from ports such as Hai Phong, Ha Long City and Cai Rong.

Source: Vietnam Plus

[jackbl]

Has anyone visited all the 10 places listed above?

I have not yet visited the below:
9. My Son
5. Sapa
4. Hue

[derrickcool]

Originally Posted by jackbl

Has anyone visited all the 10 places listed above?

I have not yet visited the below:
9. My Son
5. Sapa
4. Hue

return +9 and up u from 5436 to 5445. cheers derrickcool

[volcano]

Originally Posted by jackbl

Has anyone visited all the 10 places listed above?

I have not yet visited the below:
9. My Son
5. Sapa
4. Hue

My Son is the only one which i have not visited...

[KangTuo]

Originally Posted by jackbl

Has anyone visited all the 10 places listed above?

I have not yet visited the below:
9. My Son
5. Sapa
4. Hue

I visited 7 and 8 only

[jackbl]

Originally Posted by volcano

My Son is the only one which i have not visited...

You are in vn, you can visit many many places

[jackbl]

Originally Posted by KangTuo

I visited 7 and 8 only

Wanna try visit 1 and 2 next March?

[KangTuo]

Originally Posted by jackbl

Wanna try visit 1 and 2 next March?

next march i party in sillypore

[Hurricane88]

Originally Posted by jackbl

Wanna try visit 1 and 2 next March?

I will be going danang, hoi an and hue...maybe Can Tho and Chau Doc too...

[jackbl]

Originally Posted by Hurricane88

I will be going danang, hoi an and hue...

Nine interesting things to explore in Hue
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VietNamNet Bridge – The ancient capital city attracts tourists with its relics, the magical night in the Royal Palace or sweet lyrics on the Huong River.


1. The most intact royal citadel in Vietnam

If you have been to the ancient capitals of Vietnam like Hoa Lu in Ninh Binh province or Co Loa and Thang Long in Hanoi, which have become ruins, you will see how good the relics in Hue have been preserved. With palaces, fortresses, temples, royal tombs and many nha vuon (house-garden) of a few hundred years old, Hue has serene beauty.

Visitors to Hue will admire the artistic masterpieces of royal palaces, splendid temples and shrines, majestic tombs and beautiful landscapes.

2. Military structures

Hue Citadel was built under Kings Gia Long and Minh Mang, located in the northern Huong River, facing south. Hue Citadel is a unique combination between the traditional architectural principles of Vietnam, the Eastern philosophy with the yin and yang theory and the traits influenced by western military architecture.

3. The most unique royal tombs

The tombs of the Nguyen Dynasty’s kings follow the principles of feng shui. The ground layouts of all tombs are always divided into two main parts: the tomb and the surrounding area. The tomb areas are where the kings were buried while palaces and temples were built in the surrounding area to serve the kings when he was alive. Therefore, each royal tomb is not only a historical relic but also a cultural landscape.

4. Royal treasures

Located in the Forbidden Citadel, the Museum of Hue Royal Antiquities was established in 1923, with the first name as Musee' Khai Dinh. The name has been changed five times and in 1993 it became the Museum of Hue Royal Antiquities.

At this museum, you will see and learn about thousands of artifacts made of pottery, wood, copper, enameled, stone, bone, ivory, horn, stone sculpture.

5. Unique royal festivities

The imperial ceremonies in Hue in the past were national festivals, held by the state. There are dozens of large and small festivals held annually in the ancient capital, under strict regulations set by the royal court. From the king to the people had to comply with these strict rules. Today, visitors to Hue will be watching some royal festivals.

6. Court music

Nha Nhac or Court Music is the unique art and culture of Hue which was recognized by UNESCO as the intangible heritage of humanity. This is the only oriental court music conserved in this city. Visitors can enjoy the musical talents with elaborately manufactured instruments performed in Hue.

Previously, Nha Nhac was performed during royal rites such as the coronation, the funerals of kings or other solemn festivals of the Nguyen Dynasty.

7. Royal night

Every Hue Festival, the ancient citadel is lit up at night to restore the life of the royal palace when night falls. Visitors will be dropping their soul into a magical space with the smell of incense.

8. Hue songs on the Huong River

The "Hue songs" genre is a form of classical music of Hue. The singer sings solo, accompanying herself with small wooden clappers. Before and between the solo songs a traditional ensemble will play instrumental sections to complement the singer

Ca Hue is a precious spiritual food, an elegant pleasure that any visitor to Hue want to have the opportunity to enjoy. It is wonderful to sit on a boat in the Huong River to enjoy Ca hue in a full moon night.

Ca Hue show on the Huong River usually starts at 7pm. The boats offering Ca Hue shows float from Phu Van Lau to the Trang Tien Bridge, across the ancient citadel so visitors will experience the unique perspective of the history and culture of Hue.

9. Royal food

Mentioning Hue’s food, people often think of the royal diet, a culinary style formed to serve the Nguyen Dynasty. Hue cuisines are always quintessential, sophisticated, elegant and noble. The Hue people have well preserved royal cuisines so go to Hue you will enjoy the culinary elite.

Pha Le

[jackbl]

Originally Posted by Hurricane88

I will be going danang, hoi an and hue...maybe Can Tho and Chau Doc too...

Going these places within a week's period?