Buzz
From Thien Mu Pagoda to Nha Trang to Phu Quoc...
1. Ha Long Bay lies on the western coast of the Gulf of Tonkin, encompassing the coastal areas of Ha Long City, Cam Pha City, and part of Van Don District, Quang Ninh Province. Ha Long Bay boasts a coastline stretching 120km and covers an area of approximately 1,553 square kilometers, comprising 1,969 mostly limestone islands, densely clustered with 775 large and small islands in its core area covering 335 square kilometers.
Not just famed for its 'descending dragon' picturesque scenery and countless limestone islands rising from the water, Ha Long Bay provides travelers with a tranquil escape. Recognized as one of the world's 29 most beautiful bays, in late March 2012, the New Open World organization officially proclaimed Ha Long Bay as one of the New Seven Natural Wonders of the World.
2. Thien Mu Pagoda, also known as Linh Mu Pagoda, is an ancient temple perched on Ha Khe Hill, overlooking the Perfume River, about 5km southwest of Hue City center. Built in the Year of the Buffalo (1601) during the reign of Lord Nguyen Hoang, the first Nguyen lord in Dang Trong.
With its natural splendor and vast scale, Thien Mu Pagoda became the most beautiful temple of its era. Enduring various historical upheavals, Thien Mu Pagoda was utilized as a place of worship during the Tay Son dynasty (around 1788) and underwent numerous refurbishments under the Nguyen dynasties. Presently, the pagoda continues to be meticulously maintained, exuding grandeur, elegance, and consistently attracting numerous visitors from near and far.
3. Hoan Kiem Lake: Also known as Sword Lake, it is the natural freshwater lake of Hanoi city, covering an area of about 12 hectares. Previously, the lake was also called: Luc Thuy Lake, Thuy Quan Lake, Ta Vong Lake, and Huu Vong Lake. The name Hoan Kiem appeared in the early 15th century associated with the legend of King Le Thai To returning the precious sword to the Turtle Deity.
Hoan Kiem Lake is closely associated with legendary history, symbolizing the aspirations for peace, literary talent, and martial virtues of the Vietnamese people. Therefore, many artists have depicted Sword Lake as the foundation for their works.
4. Hoi An: The city of Hoi An is located on the north bank of the Thu Bon River, about 25km east of Da Nang city and about 50km northeast of Tam Ky city. Since the 16th and 17th centuries, this place has been famous under the name of Faifoo, as a trading hub and major trading center for Japanese, Chinese, Portuguese, Italian merchants, etc. in Southeast Asia.
Hoi An today almost entirely preserves ancient architectural relics and intangible cultural heritage in customs, beliefs, folk arts, cultural festivals, traditional craft villages, etc. In addition, the culinary culture of Hoi An is also one of the special things that tourists often mention. If you have come here but have not tasted traditional dishes such as Cao Lau, Mi Quang, and 'white rose' cakes, it's like you haven't been to Hoi An.
5. Phu Quoc Island: This island is also known as Pearl Island, it is the largest island in Vietnam, and also the largest island in the group of 22 islands in the Gulf of Thailand. Phu Quoc Island together with other islands forms Phu Quoc district under Kien Giang province. The entire district has a total area of 589.23 square kilometers.
In 2008, the website Concierge.com (specializing in travel in Australia) announced Phu Quoc's Long Beach as one of the 'most pristine and beautiful' beaches in the world. In addition, Phu Quoc is also known for producing a type of fish sauce that is famous not only in Vietnam but also worldwide.
6. Sa Pa Terraced Fields: Sa Pa is a highland town in Northwest Vietnam, home to stunning terraced fields that stretch like steps reaching up to the sky. With majestic natural scenery, romantic beauty, mysterious love markets, and rich, distinctive cuisine, Sa Pa has captivated most travelers who set foot here.
In 2009, Travel and Leisure Magazine (USA) also voted Sa Pa's terraced fields as one of the 7 most beautiful and majestic terraced fields in Asia and the world. In December 2011, Lonely Planet (UK) introduced Sa Pa as 'one of the top 10 great walking spots in the world,' and in early November 2013, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism also decided to rank Sa Pa's terraced fields as a National Monument.
7. Mui Ne: A famous tourist center in the South Central Coast, located 22km northeast of downtown Phan Thiet city (Binh Thuan province), Mui Ne is a wild blue coastline with stretches of red sand dunes resembling a desert and authentic Vietnamese fishing villages.
Mui Ne also attracts tourists with many historical and cultural relics of a diverse, multi-ethnic culture, such as the Cham towers, water towers, Ong pagoda, Thien Hau pagoda, Van Thuy Tu temple, and many other valuable cultural, historical, and tourism relics.
8. Mekong Delta: It is a part of the Mekong River delta, also known as the Southern Delta or the Southwest region, with a total area of 40,548.2 square kilometers. Due to its long coastline and the Mekong River dividing into numerous branches, canals, islets, islands, and archipelagos, this place is suitable for ecotourism, experiences, and exploration.
In addition to visiting vast fruit orchards and sailing on one of the 9 river branches pouring into the sea of the Mekong River, listening to traditional folk music and enjoying the specialties of the Southern region, tourists also cannot miss visiting floating markets, a characteristic feature unique to the Western river region.
9. Cu Chi Tunnels: This is an underground defense system in Cu Chi district, a land known as the 'steel land,' located 70km northwest of Ho Chi Minh City. This system was built by the National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam during the Indochina War and the Vietnam War.
It is a unique architectural work deep underground, with many layers, and numerous tunnels like a spider web stretching over 200km, serving as dining, living, meeting, and fighting places for our people. With 3 different deep levels, the upper level is about 3m below the ground, the middle level is about 6m, and the bottom level is over 12m deep. Until now, Ben Duoc and Ben Dinh Tunnels have been recognized by the State as National Historical Sites.
10. Nha Trang: It is a coastal city and the political, economic, cultural, and tourist center of Khanh Hoa province, in the South Central Coast of Vietnam.
The coastal area is also famous for bird's nest soup, one of the high-quality nutritious foods used by kings and queens 400 years ago. Known as the 'Far East Pearl,' Nha Trang not only boasts a fresh, cool natural landscape with long stretches of white sandy beaches and offshore islands with surreal coral ecosystems, but also famous for its many ancient Cham temples covered in moss, and silent museums amidst the city.
According to Zing
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Reference: Travel Guide from Mytour
MytourJuly 4, 2014
