Bo Nau Cave, Pelican Cave, Halong

Unlike Dau Go cave, Bo Nau Cave (Pelican Cave) is not as deep and large. Looking out from the cave the visitor can enjoy the scenic beauty of Ha Long. The clear blue water with rocky formations rising forms a picturesque setting. Bo Nau is a compound word derived from two words, bo cau meaning pigeon and nau meaning brown. Bo Nau literally means brown pigeon. For some reason, many foreign translations refer to this cave as Pelican cave.

According to the fishermen in this region, long ago, when there were still few visitors, Bo Nau cave was home to thousands of pigeons. Today as more visitors and people begin to inhabit the surrounding islands, the pigeons have left until only the name Bo Nau remains out of habit of the local fishermen.

Buon Don, Dak Lak

Buon Don is located northwest of Buon Ma Thuot in Dak Lak province, close to the Cambodian border, approximately 42 km from Buon Ma Thuot. Buon Don is well known as the native land of elephant hunters and trainers throughout Southeast Asia. Buon Don has been famous for its Kru, powerful elephant tribe leaders, for a long time, and is well known in India and France for its elephant. Y Pui, a 102-year-old man (1883-1985) who tamed over 450 elephants, spent part of his life as Bao Dai King’s mahout. Elephant training and hunting has been passed down through generations.It takes 67 months to domesticate a wild elephant. In the last few years, tourists have been more eager to visit Buon Don, the elephants’ home in Dak Lak. Their main interest being to admire the animals and to understand their delicate situation. Surveys are now being conducted throughout the country to evaluate the elephant situation and to better organize protection projects.

But Thap Pagoda, Bac Ninh

But Thap Pagoda is situated on the dike of the Duong River, Thuan Thanh District, Bac Ninh Province. The pagoda was built in the 17th century, during the late Le dynasty. Its founder was Chinese Buddhist Priest Zhus Zhus, who died in 1644. Queen Mother Trinh Thi Ngoc Truc requested that Lord Trinh Trang enlarge the pagoda in 1646.

The pagoda was built according to "Noi Cong Ngoai Quoc" architectural style, and includes 10 buildings spread over 100 meters, from the three-entrance gate to the bell-tower and back house. Two 13-m towers, Ton Duc and Bao Nghiem, are made of white rock, making the pagoda seem higher, more majestic and peaceful. Some remains of the 17th century are kept here such as statues, valuable donations, Nine-Story Lotus Tower, Tuyet Son statue, Bao Nghiem tower, and Xa Ly tomb. The last renovations of the structure were carried out in 1992.

Cai Beo Archaeological Site, Hai Phong

In 1938, J.G. Andexown and M. Colani, both French, discovered the archaeological site of Cai Beo. Since then Cai Beo was excavated three times, in 1972, 1973 and 1981. Objects unearthed include some 479 tools: pestles, triturable tables, hacks, caulkers, graters, etc; ceramic wares made of clay and sand; cookers; remains of ancient people; bones of fish and teeth of sounders, deer, mountain goats, etc. Cai Beo archaeological site belongs to the Ha Long civilization. Cai Beo's residents lived 6,475 - 4,200 years ago. This was the first group of people living in Vietnam's northeastern coastal region who knew how to catch fish and plant feeding crops.

Documents show that Cai Beo people were the link between Bac Son and Ha Long civilizations or they were the residents of the Neolithic age, about 4,000 years ago.

Cai Rang Floating Market, Can Tho City

Together with Cai Be and Phung Hiep, Cai Rang Floating Market in Can Tho City is one of the three biggest in the Mekong Delta. The shops and stalls at these markets are boats of different sizes.
Cai Rang Floating Market is open all day but it is busiest from sunrise to about 9am. The main items sold there are farm products and specialties of Cai Rang Town, Chau Thanh District and neighboring areas. Every boat has a long upright pole at its bow on which samples of the goods for sale are hung. Sellers do not have to cry out about their goods because their goods can be seen in a distance and their cries would not be heard in the vastness of the river and the noise of boat engines. Small boats that sell beer, soft drinks and wine go among the other boats to serve market-goers and visitors. The most common goods sold are fruit. Big boats are the wholesalers, selling fruit to dealers from neighboring provinces. Each boat is loaded with plenty of seasonal goods. Activities at the market are also an occasion for tourists to study the cultural aspects of southerners.

To visit Cai Rang Floating Market, visitors can join a tour of the Mekong Delta. On the way to Can Tho, visitors can stop to visit My Tho and take a boat trip to visit orchards, bee farms and coconut candy establishments in Ben Tre. Visitors can also explore Can Tho on their own by taking a coach. In Can Tho, besides Cai Rang Floating Market, Visitors can visit other places such as Can Tho Market, Ninh Kieu Quay, Binh Thuy Temple, and private tourist gardens. In these gardens, visitors can walk, breathe fresh air, enjoy different kinds of fruits and countryside specialties and stay at nice guest houses in the shade of trees.

Cantho Tourist Gardens, Can Tho City

In recent years, a series of modern tourism gardens have appeared on every land and water route in the Mekong Delta city of Cantho. The gardens of My Khanh, San Duong, Ba Lang and Tan Binh extend along the arched highway, as well as on the waterways of hong Dien and Phung Hiep rivers. Other gardens in Long My, Vi Thanh, O Mon and Thot Not are also developing.
The My Khanh Gardens occupy 2.2 ha and feature more than 20 species of fruit trees and flowers, as well as diverse species of birds, fish, tortoises, snakes, crabs and shrimp. Under the shade of lush green trees, there are small rong houses to provide visitors with a place to rest for the night.
Ba Lang is located 9 km from Can Tho (on Highway No. 1 towards Soc Trang), and has an area of 4.2 ha. There is the animal sanctuary of Ao Sen Lake, two lakes for swimming, an outdoor stage and mini-hotels. Gardens here combine agricultural potential with tourism.

Cao Dai Great Temple, Tay Ninh

Cao Dai Great Temple is the cathedral of the Cao Dai religion and is the main attraction in Tay Ninh. The temple, built between 1933 and 1955, is located more specifically in Long Hoa, 5-km southeast of Tay Ninh.
The Great Temple is 140 m long and 40 m wide. It has 4 towers each with a different name: Tam Dai, Hiep Thien Dai, Cuu Trung Dai, and Bat Quai Dai. The interior of the temple consists of a colonnaded hall and a sanctuary. The 2 rows of columns are decorated with dragons and are coated in white, red, and blue paint. The domed ceiling is divided into 9 parts similar to a night sky full of stars and symbolizing heaven. Under the dome is a giant star-speckled blue globe on which is painted the Divine Eye, the official symbol of Caodaism. Cao Dai followers worship Jesus Christ, Confucius, Taoism, and Buddha.

Cat Ba Island, Hai Phong

Taking a ride on a car or train for two hours from Hanoi to Haiphong, then on a high-speed vessel for another hour, visitors will arrive at Cat Ba Island, the biggest island (100km²) out of the 366 islands on the Lan Ha Bay.

Right from the moment visitors set foot on Cat Ba gangway, looking afar to contemplate the enchanting scenery of immense sky and magnificent mountains and breathing the fresh air from the sea, visitors will feel comfortable and their tiredness after a long trip will disappear. Surely, visitors want to go on with their journey at once.

Visitors should hire a Minsk motorbike, out of 400 motorbikes and cars here, to ride to any place visitors want to visit. First of all, visitors should rent a room in a hotel, because the hotels on this island are often overcrowded due to the ever-increasing number of visitors to Cat Ba Island, although more hotels and hostels are being built. It is very pleasant to stay in a hotel, whose back leans against the mountain and its face looks towards the sea, and enjoy the fresh air and beautiful scenery around.
Visiting the large beaches of Cat Co and Cat Dua, which are separated by a small range of mountain, visitors can swim in the blue and warm water, so clear that visitors can see the golden sand beneath.

If visitors do not want to swim at this crowded place, visitors can hire a motor boat to sail to the small islets, where there are calm and clean beaches, such as the Cat Trai Gai, Duong Gianh and Hien Hao. The mountain adjacent to Cat Co Beach has a tunnel and fascinating caves and grottoes, such as Hang Luon, Khe Sau, Trung Trang, Gia Luan and Kim Cuong. Visiting these caves and grottoes you will get the feeling of the explorers, discovering the wonders and mysteries endowed by nature.

Coming out of the caves and grottoes visitors should spend a little time to contemplate the sunset over Lan Ha Bay. On the golden background of the horizon and the dark blue of the sea, the heaving islets become multiform, the white sea-gulls hover and sea-eagles make circles in the sky, all beautifying the immense and fascinating space, and enchanting the visitors.

130-year old house in the Western Southland, Can Tho City

It deals with an ancient house in Binh Thuy. The owner is respected Mr. Duong Minh Hien, an old sentimental man, by chance, remaining in the XX century. It is just thanks to its maintained ancientness that this house was chosen as one of recording sites for the romantic film "Lover" of producer J. Annaud.

The native homeland of the Duongs' family was originally in Nha Man, Dong Thap province, but they moved to Binh Thuy, Can Tho and installed themselves here more than 100 years ago. They are so considered as "creators of heaven and earth" in this region. By the end of XIX century, this family became quite rich. At that time, the head of family, called by contemporary people as "Mr. Ba - council member", decided to spend his money and efforts in building a house "for nothing" (?), only for showing antiquities. The construction was started in 1870 on an area of approximately eight thousand square meters. According to respected Mr. Duong, at that time, a master with the name of Ba Nghia - but people used to call him by master Lo Ban - lived in this region, who was able to make very nice houses.

It was noteworthy that he had a strange physiognomy. His height accounted only for one meter and some centimeters, while his backbone was so twisted that his silhouette looked like a "question mark". Throughout the years, he remained half-naked wearing only black satin breeches and wound a red silk turban round his head. The master Lo Ban had two inseparable things: a marker and an axe. With this "treasure", he completed an uncountable number of perfectly round ironwood pillars. The conditions that the council member Mr. Ba posed were quite serious – "You should make my house splendid much more than others', it is unquestionable; but the problem is to make it sure that after the house is finished, I should become richer". The master Ba Nghia thought for a long while and said: "But, but, in my profession, if the customer makes his fortune, I'll immediately fall unlucky". "No, no, don’t worry. I guarantee that I'll monthly provide you with 3 pecks of rice and some pieces of silver whenever you're alive".

Nobody knew exactly how this story continued, but local people blabbed that the master Lo Ban certainly used amulet or talisman, because otherwise, the council member Mr. Ba couldn't become rich so fast. Letting aside these rumors, one must acknowledge that the master Ba Nghia was a top-ranking artisan-artist, when he was able, only with an axe, to construct a 5-compartment house with all close-fitting joints. It was said that the construction lasted for 20 years. In the house there is a coach set placed just before the altar. It is a souvenir of the respected Mr. Duong's grandfather. It is said that to make this set of ironwood chairs, a craftsman, native in southern provinces, had to carve dragon- and phoenix-shaped details as precise as in millimeters. One particularity is that while the chairs are so big and so heavy, their legs are as thin as children's wrist. Another craftsman named Dong Van Chiem, native in northern provinces, was charged of inlaying pearl vignettes. Nowadays, after more than hundred years, these vignettes are still brilliantly shining with their "five colors". As other houses of landlords in the "region of six provinces" (Mekong Delta), the owner of this house also hired craftsmen to make a balustrade, connecting the ironwood pillars in front of the altar. In this case, however, the originality resides in the fact that the vignettes on this balustrade do not comprise any old Chinese classic references as others. Instead, all vignettes included here represent daily popular scenes of the common people: from crabs, chickens till ivory bamboo branch or clump of trees. Is it true that the craftsmen’s inspiration was to glorify the peaceful atmosphere at that time dominating rural areas in the southern provinces?

According to the respected Mr. Duong's stories, his grandfather was named Duong Chan Ky, whose souvenir is a portrayed picture, now solemnly hanging just in the middle room. An originality of the picture is that it was made in enameled terra-cotta with details as veritable as that of present photographs. It is said that such a technique of making pictures was known only in France and China since the end of the 18th century. However, the writing in Chinese on the picture confused me, whether the craftsmen from Ben Nghe knew this technique. If it is true, the issue needs to be more studied. The picture has experienced so many events; there was a time when it was buried into mud to avoid bombing, but did not suffer from any harm. This family still keeps numerous cups, bowls, plates; all of which have a noble origin. The oldest objects are a bowl from the Ming dynasty in China with an age of 572 years and a big flower-vase with an age of nearly 533 years.

Am Chua Temple, Khanh Hoa

According to the legend, this was place where the Goddess descended on earth. The temple was restored many times, and today it looks nicely. Every year, on the first, the second and the third day of the third lunar month, the festival is organized at the temple which is attracting many Cham and Viet people to attend.

An Sinh Temple and Tran Tombs, Quang Ninh

They were built in the period of Tran Dynasty and restored many times under the following Le and Nguyen Dynasties. Apart from the building of ceremonial shrines at every tomb, the An Sinh Temple was also built with many large shrines for the celebration of anniversary ceremonies. The whole zone became a sacred area held in solemn reverence throughout the Tran, Le and Nguyen Dynasties. Over time, the area has severely deteriorated, but today, is gradually being restored.

An Sinh Temple Area belongs to Nghia Hung Hamlet which is used to dedicate 8 kings of Tran and the tombs of Tran Thai Tong, Tran Thanh Tong and Gian Dinh De. Tran Anh Tong Tomb is located in Loc Camp, Tran Minh Tong Tomb is in Khe Gach, Tran Hien Tong Tomb is in Ao Beo, Tran Du Tong Tomb is in Dong Tron, Tran Nghe Tong Tomb is in Khe Nghe areas. Besides the constructing the temple in each tomb for dedicate, many big temples were built in An Sinh Temple Area by the court for respect-paying audience. It was defended carefully by mandarins. This area became solemn holly land through Tran, Le, Nguyen Dynasties.

An Son Temple, Ba Ria - Vung Tau

In 1783, Nguyen Anh was defeated by Tay Son and ran away to Con Dao Island. Together with fishermen, Lord Nguyen Anh founded three villages: An Hai, An Hoi, and Co Ong. Nguyen Anh sent Prince Canh followed by Ba Da Loc to France to ask for reinforcements to fight against the Tay Son troops. Lady Phi Yen, the second wife of Nguyen Anh, advised him not to do so. Nguyen Anh got angry with her and thought that his wife might have been dealing with Tay Son troops. He intended to kill her. Just before Tay Son troops attacked the island, Nguyen Anh put his wife in prison and went to sea. Prince Cai, who was then four years old, wanted his mother to come with them. Nguyen Anh got angry and threw his son into the sea. The body of Prince Cai drifted onto Co Ong Beach where it was buried by villagers.

According to the legend, Lady Phi Yen was rescued from the stone prison by a tiger and an ape. She lived with the villagers, taking care of Prince Cai’s grave. After an unfortunate encounter with a man, she killed herself to keep her pride.

The villagers mourned her and built a temple in her honour. In 1861, the French colonialists occupied the island and destroyed the temple. In 1958, the temple was rebuilt on its present location.

Ba Danh Pagoda, Ha Nam

The Ba Danh Pagoda can be found in the Kim Bang District of Ha Nam Province, about 10km from the town of Phu Ly. The pagoda is situated on the bank of the Day River in a large peaceful area far from any settlements.

At first, it was just a small temple for worshipping Tu Phap deities. Then, during the reign of Emperor Le Hy Tong (1675 - 1705), it was upgraded to become more beautiful and magnificent. Later, locals tore down the temple and brought a statue of Buddha to the site and built the Ba Danh Pagoda.

After offering incense at the pagoda, visitors can continue on to see Ngoc Mountain and its lush green forests.

Another world awaits at Ba Vi National Park, Ha Tay

Along with Cuc Phuong National Forest, Ba Vi National Park is thought of as the natural “air - conditioner” or “green lungs” of the northern delta and the city of Hanoi within. Ba Vi is located in Ba Vi District, Ha Tay Province, 60 km west of Hanoi.

It was elevated to national park status on December 18, 1991.

In the middle stands Mount Ba Vi, a three-humped peak that rises steeply out of a plain rarely exceeding 30 metres in elevation. In general, the slopes on the western side are steeper than the east and average 25 degrees, but above 400 metres they reach a gradient of 35 degrees in places and rocky cliffs are present. The three summits are Vua, the tallest at 1,296 metres, Tan Vien 1,227m and Ngoc Hoa 1,131 m. Because of the mountainous topography, the climate at Ba Vi varies with altitude and mist enshrouds the peak’s upper slopes on most days. Except for the Da River on the western side of the national park, Ba Vi has no large, permanent water bodies.

Covering 11,372 hectares, the park is a primitive forest with thousands of giant trees hundreds of years old. There, natural forest is mainly distributed at elevations above 600 metres. The native plants are lowland evergreens, lower mountain evergreens and lower mountain mixed coniferous and broadleaf forest. Ba Vi boasts 812 species of vascular plants, of which several species were described for the first time from the site, for example Ixora balansae, Litsea baviensis and Lasianthus langkokensis, as well as 776 species of mammals, reptiles, birds and amphibians.

The area is also home to hundreds of relics dating back a century or more to the French colonial era, like the old military training range and the church. The park is well known as a beauty spot called “Tan Mountain and the Da River” and also known for thousands of years as the origin of the legend Son Tinh Thuy Tinh (mountain god sea god).

The legend goes that King Hung wanted an outstanding husband for his daughter Ngoc Hoa, also called My Nuong, so he told the two likeliest candidates, Son Tinh and Thuy Tinh, to come up with precious offerings like a nine-tusked elephant, a nine-spurred fighting cock and a horse with nine pink manes. Son Tinh brought them first and so was promised My Nuong’s hand in marriage. Arriving late, Thuy Tinh became angry and used magic to raise the ocean and cause a devastating flood in order to kill Son Tinh. But the successful suitor countered the flood by raising the mountain and helping the locals combat the rising waters. Nowadays you can see the traces said to be those of Thuy Tinh’s flood near the site on Tan Vien where stands a shrine built in the 11th century to commemorate the Mountain God, or Saint Tan Vien, one of the immortals in the mythology of the Vietnamese people of yore.

At Ba Vi there is also a village of the Dao people, one of the north’s numerous ethnic minorities. A visit there will give you some understanding of the Dao’s way of life and the chance to dine on a delicacy based on bamboo shoots.

With its great natural beauty as well as diverse and abundant biological systems, Ba Vi National Park is ideal for tourists and researchers. The park’s Environmental Education and Ecotourism Service Center operates several informative guided tours to different parts of Ba Vi.

Bac Lieu Bird Sanctuary, Bac Lieu

On the ground are a massive number of eggs, and in the air, you can spot some species with 2 m wing-spans. Birds mostly gather here during the rainy season between May and October.

Ba Den Mountain, Tay Ninh

Ba Den Mountain is located 11 km NorthEast of Tay Ninh and 106 km from Ho Chi Minh City. It is an historical and beautiful site covering an area of more than 24 km2. Ba Den Mountain is also called Black Lady Mountain. According to legends, beautiful Ly Thi Thien Huong, Black Lady, was forced to marry the son of a rich mandarin while her true love was fighting the aggressors. Rather than marrying a man she did not love, she threw herself from the mountain. Several shrines and pagodas were built in the mountain as well as in the caves. Ba and Hang Pagodas attract many pilgrims during the New Lunar Year and Vu Lan Festivals. Ba Den Mountain was where the headquarters of the liberation force of South Vietnam were located. During war time, many tough battles were fought in that area.

Bai Chay Beach, A Scorched Beach, Halong

Upon arriving in Ha Long city, the visitor will be driving along 'Bai Chay' or scorched beach. The sand on this stretch of beach is dark. And judging by the name the visitors may mistakenly think that this is due to the dry climate or lack of wind in this area. However, contrary to this interpretation, the area is quite pleasant during the summer and fall months and the temperature here is around 70 deg F. According to the locals, Bai Chay got its name long ago, based on another historical event. Bai Chay was once a forest. In 1287, the Mongols led by the great Truong Van Ho,(a Vietnamese name for this Mongolian general) attacked Vietnam and was driven back by general Tran Khanh Du. Many Mongolian ships were set afire and drifted to shore aided by high wind setting the forest on fire. Since then this stretch of beach became known as Bai Chay or scorched beach.

From Bai Chay, visitors can hire a boat and go out to the bay. It is here that visitors will be find some of Southeast Asias most fascinating sites. Visitors to the bay speak highly of its almost mystical qualities and the surrealistic scenery that defines this bay. The limestone formations are both bizarre and awesome. Over thousands of years the base of many of the formation have corroded to a point where many seem to be balancing on thin air. The shapes and the positioning of these formations often resemble people, animals etc., hence, most are given a name by the locals. Some of the more famous are: Hang Dau Go ( Wooden Stakes cave), Hang Bo Nau (Pelican cave), Hang Trinh Nu (the Virgin), Hang Sung Sot (Cave of Awe), Dong Hang Hanh, Dao Tuan Chau (Sentinel Chau Island), Qua Chuong (the bell), Con Voi (the elephant) etc.. Now, about one thousand formations have names. One can't possibly see all of Ha Long grandeur in one day or even a month since depending on the time of the year, the weather, or the condition of the bay the visitor may see only one small aspect of Ha Long's beauty.

Bai Tho Mountain, Quang Ninh

In 1468, during his inspection tour to the eastern region, King Le Thanh Tong stopped here. Inspired by the stunning beauty of Halong, the King wrote a poem and had it carved into the southern side of the mountain, hence its name Bai Tho (Poem). In 1729, Lord Trinh Cuong composed a poem in response to that of King Le Thanh Tong and also had it carved near the former. The mountain features other poems by Nguyen Can and some other poets.

Atop Bai Tho Mountain, you feel surprised at the magnificent landscape of Halong Bay. In the background of immense emerald waters, of rock bobbing, of high sky, of surrounding flowers and trees, you can figure out the tiny images of boats. Bai Tho makes up one of the beauty spots of Halong.

Ban Gioc Fall, Cao Bang

Water from Quy Xuan River falling down on the stone creates water droplets columns that can be seen from a distance. The echo of the falls can be heard kilometers away from Trung Khanh. The temperature near the waterfall is remarkably cool, due to the water mist in the air.

At the foot of the waterfall is a large river, as calm as glass, surrounded by many precious kinds of flowers. In the early 1920s, French people started building cottages on the river banks. They would come here to relax and fish for “tram huong”.

Bao Tang Lich Su, Historical Museum, Ho Chi Minh City

Located in Saigon's Botanical garden and Zoo, the museum opened its doors to the public in January 1, 1929. Originally, the museum was named Blanchard de la Brosse. In 1956, the museum was renamed Bao Tang Quoc Gia - National Museum. And finally, in 1979, the government renamed it Bao Tang Lich Su - Historical Museum.

Buddha status with 1,000 eyes and 1,000 arms

The museum houses many historical artifacts including three wooden stakes from the battle between Ngo Quyen and the Han invaders, granite tablets with intricate carvings, and uniforms of mandarins and kings of yesteryears. A statue of the Buddha with 1,000 eyes and 1,000 arms is also part of the museum's collections. According to the curator, many of the artifacts dated back to the 6th and 7th century.

Bat Trang Pottery Village, Ninh Binh

Situated on the left bank of the Red River, about 10km away from the center of Hanoi is the pottery village of Bat Trang. Bat Trang village, the most ancient and famous pottery village of Vietnam, continues to work today and is constantly developing.

It is said that, the village took its first name from Bach Thu guild (a guild of Kaolin potters) and then it became Bat Trang guild (a guild of bowls and kilns).

According to the legend, pottery production began in Bat Trang in the Ly Dynasty. Previous to this the villagers remember that their native village was in Bo Bat (or Bach Bat), in Yen Mo district, Ninh Binh province. What happened was that some people from Bo Bat village took a boat trip on the Red River to trade. When they arrived at the nearby capital of Thang Long, they found some waste but fertile land and stayed there for a night. That night, one of them had a dream of being invited by Neptune to visit the water palace. Understanding the poor circumstances of the man, Neptune sent some workers to build him a splendid house of clay. Long afterwards, also in his dream, his children used to eat the clay, but the wall never collapsed. This man told his dream to the group, who considering it to be a good omen, decided to settle on this land and establish a new village.

Although this legend is not convincing evidence for the date of establishment of Bat Trang village, some archeological data shows that many of the Ly Dynasty’s relics are decorated with blue enamel pottery. Perhaps a more reliable document is the "Du Dia Chi" of Nguyen Trai, compiled in early Le Dynasty, which stated that in each tribute to the Chinese Dynasty, Bat Trang had to provide 70 sets of dishes and bowls, which indicates that by that time, the Bat Trang pottery was quite sophisticated. Nowadays many temples and pagodas still preserve lamps and incense burners, with dragons and phoenix, clouds and flowers decorated in blue, with the name, address and date of production in Bat Trang in the XVI century, for example in Boi Khe Pagoda in Ha Tay province. There are also other foreign documents giving information about Bat Trang pottery in the XVI to XVII centuries, for example Ancient Asian Pottery by Pujio Koiama. Anyway all information considered, we can estimate that Bat Trang village existed, as a suburb of Thang Long capital, as a handicraft village some 500 years ago.

Bat Trang pottery has been distributed to every region of Vietnam and even to foreign countries, it is valued as typical pottery of Vietnam and has become well-known nationally and internationally. There are various kinds of pottery, for example jade enamel (under the Ly-Tran Dynasties), brown flower or brown enamel (under the late Tran to early Le Dynasties), cracked enamel (under the late Le Dynasty) and royal blue enameled items (under the late Le to Nguyen Dynasties). It is known that all these valuable potteries were produced in Bat Trang, except for the brown enameled pottery which was produced mainly in the Tho Ha pottery village (Ha Bac province).

The pottery and village of Bat Trang have been expressed in literature as a pride of the Vietnamese people. Such examples are:

- Wish that I can marry you

I will buy Bat Trang brick to build... (Folk verse)

- Nga Son’s mat, Bat Trang’s brick

Nam Dinh’s silk, Ha Dong’s silk. (To Huu)

Over the centuries, Bat Trang pottery has maintained a high quality and has produced mostly items for worship, such as lamps, incense burners and vases. Gradually, with market demand, house utensils appeared, mostly bowls, dishes and vases. Nowadays, Bat Trang produces many different types and designs of items, including decorative items, such as hanging dishes, vases, toy animals and reproduction statues using sophisticated techniques and technology. The Bat Trang art and craft of pottery gives us astonishing admiration for the talent of the village’s artists, they have created, from clay and fire, jade enamel for life.

Ben Duc, Pier Duc, Chua Huong

Visitors to Perfume pagoda must drive through Ha Dong city, Van Dinh township to Ben Duc (pier Duc). The road is in poor condition so it can take more than 2 hours to travel the 50 miles from Hanoi to Ben Duc. Although there is a road from the pier to the base of Perfume mountain, most people choose to use row boats on Yen Vi river, which is by far the more romantic and scenic route to chua Huong.

Chua Huong is famous for the annual pilgrimage of Buddhists. Every year, between February and March, Hoi Chua Huong or Chua Huong festival draws hundreds of thousands of people from all over the country. The festival is also a very popular place for young couples to meet and it is also a place where many budding romances are formed. During this time of the year, Ben Duc is packed with thousands of row boats used for shuttling visitors.

For some, this one-hour boat ride on the Yen Vi river is the highlight of the trip. It is also the source of inspiration of many famous poems.

Ben Thanh Market, Ho Chi Minh City

Ben Thanh market has long been one of Saigon's most famous landmark. The market has been in existence since the French occupation. The original market was located on the shores of Ben Nghe river by old fort Gia Dinh. Its proximity to the fort and the river where merchants and soldiers would land was reason for its name (Ben meaning pier or port and Thanh meaning fort). In 1859, when the French invaded Saigon and overtook fort Gia Dinh, Ben Thanh Market was destroyed. It was rebuilt shortly thereafter and remained standing until it was moved to its present location in 1899.

Built on a landfill of what was once a swamp named Bo Ret (Marais Boresse), the new Ben Thanh Market is located in the center of the city. Under the French government, the area around Ben Thanh Market was called Cu Nhac circle (Rond point Cuniac), named after Mr. Cuniac, the person who proposed filling the swamp to create this area. The area was later renamed Cong truong Dien Hong.

Bich Dong - Tam Coc, Ninh Binh

Bich Dong Pagoda is located in Ninh Hai Commune, Hoa Lu District, 11km from Ninh Binh Town, and can be reached by either boat or car.

Bich Dong Pagoda, built on Ngu Nhac Mountain, is divided into three levels: Ha Pagoda (lower pagoda), Trung Pagoda (middle pagoda), and Thuong Pagoda (upper pagoda). On the mountain peak stands the statue of a scholar Mandarin looking at the horizon in hope of viewing the spectacular landscapes of Hoa Lu.

From the upper pagoda, one has the most magnificent view of Bich Dong, which is romantically charming in terms of architecture and history. The location for this pagoda was chosen in 1428 after two monks were charmed by the view of the river and the mountains.

Later, King Le Canh Hung wrote a poem in honour of the beautiful pagoda and landscape. He was the one who said that Bich Dong Pagoda was the second nicest pagoda in Vietnam, after the Huong Pagoda, also called Perfume Pagoda, in Ha Tay Province.

One cannot visit Bich Dong Pagoda without visiting Tam Coc Cave, located approximately 2km from the pagoda.

Binh Chau Thermal Springs, Ba Ria - Vung Tau

Binh Chau Thermal Springs are located 70km east of Vung Tau City. Covering an area of 1km2, Binh Chau Thermal Springs consist of many lakes and ponds joining through an underground pool of mineral water coming from a network of 70 main sources. The water temperature reaches up to 80ºC, a temperature at which an egg can be boiled in 10 minutes.

Binh Chau Thermal Springs belong to a protected area that also features numerous forests, coasts, and lakes. Hotels and restaurants have been built to accommodate visitors who come here for health as well as for recreational purposes.

Binh Son Tower, Vinh Phuc

Binh Son Tower is located near Vinh Khanh Pagoda in Binh Son Village, Lap Thach District, Vinh Yen Province, 150km from Hanoi. Built during the Ly-Tran Dynasty, this 16-m tower has 11 floors, each with a curved roof. The tower is empty on the inside and located on a square platform.

The tower was built with solid red bricks and its foundations was built with Vo bricks. The surface of the fine Vo bricks is dark and has flower imprints. These features create an harmonious building style, suitable to different architectural trends.

The tower was restored in 1972 after a landslide caused the tower to sink to one side. Although the tower’s foundations were raised 4m higher than they were before the landslide, all the architectural attributes of the tower were kept intact.

Binh Son Tower is a unique architectural building of the Ly-Tran period that has been conserved in its original design.

A fairy land, Vinh Phuc

With renowned landscapes, such as Tam Dao, Tay Thien, Dai Lai, Dam Vac and Thac Bac, Vinh Phuc Province has become a wonderland with innumerable marvels that have left unforgettable impressions on every visitor.

The attractiveness of Vinh Phuc Province, 50 km northwest of Hanoi Capital, comes not only from more than 500 relics, cultural works and many special traditional fetes and festivals, but also from its diverse cultures built up for thousands of years, which are hidden in its place-names and residents, creating the province's own characteristics.

It is not difficult to recognize the tops of Thien Thi, Thach Ban and Phu Nghia Mountains which look like three islands emerging from the sea of clouds, hence this area with floating white clouds and mist all year round has the name Tam Dao (Three islands). Tam Dao was known since the Ly-Tran dynasty in the 13th century. In the past, it belonged to the Cao Lan people. In the early years of the 20th century, alongside with the discovery of Sa Pa in 1904, the French realized that this area was an ideal health resort that few areas had.

In 1906 when the local residents were forced to move to a lower land, Tam Dao tourist resort was built and divided into three quarters: one for the mandarins, and the other two for the ordinary troops and servicemen. In 1943, Tam Bao became a bustling resort with hundreds of small and large villas with a good infrastructure. During the war against the French colonialists, this stunning resort became deserted.

Through many historical ups and downs, Tam Dao Resort is still a paradise for those who desire to enjoy a cool and peaceful atmosphere. It has a temperate climate with an average temperature of 22o C, about 10o C lower than the temperature in the plain areas, an abundant source of clean water running from the mountain and a rich floristic composition. In the afternoon, visitors can not help but take a walk amidst the lines of the pine trees and contemplate the clouds rising from the mountains, which give a fairy-like scenery.

Also, you cannot ignore the cool and clear atmosphere at Thac Bac (Silver Waterfall) where you can enjoy all the blessings endowed by nature and relax for a while before climbing more than 1,000 steps to reach the Temple of the Mountain Lady to burn an incense stick for her. Worshippers can find other temples, such as the Chan Suoi, Cau, Van Tu, Co, Duc Thanh Tran and Mau scattered around the Tam Dao Mountain. This area also boasts many other interesting places, which lure an increasing number of visitors.

You will delighted in watching the Tay Thien Festival full of typical characteristics of a non-physical culture. Located at the western area of Nam Viet Capital in the past, Tay Thien worships the Mother of the Country, Nang Thi Tieu, a female general in the Hung King's dynasty. Through the festival, the legend of the Mountain Lady who had led 3,000 troops to fight a mortal battle against the Chinese invaders to save the citadel of Van Lang (the former name of Vietnam) was lively reflected. You can visit the Tay Thien tourist complex, which includes Canh Hoa Cave, Giai Oan and Truong Sinh Gorges, Sen (lotus) Lake, Dua (Coconut) Pond and the Rung Rinh Mountain. I came to understand why heroine Nang Thi Tieu had refused all mandarin's titles to return to live in this place.

It was a pity that you do not have enough time to enjoy other marvels, including the immensity of Dai Lai Lake, the tranquil atmosphere at Vac Lagoon, Ha Tien Pagoda and more. Although the attractions in Vinh Phuc Province can not make you fully understand this land, it may leave a deep and unforgettable impression on you.

An Binh-Binh Hoa Phuoc River Island, Vinh Long

Mr. Sau Giao’s Flower Garden in Hoa Ninh, with hundreds of various ornamental plants: yellow apricots, chieu thuy plums and jasmine. Llongan and mango tree gardens and fish ponds are all around the garden.
Mr. Muoi Day’s Stilt-House, is made of wood and sits on the Ninh Hoa Canal. Beside it are fruit tree gardens of longans, grapefruits and sapoches. The house can serve tourists lunch, or provide a place to stay for an evening or two.
Mr. Hai Hoang’s Old House was built in the style of the French with a large yard, and behind are rambutan and longan tree gardens. Lunch and evening stays are also provided for tourists.