Keep in mind, if you are seeking full convenience and luxury service, Dien Bien might not be your best choice, as it is in many ways still a wild place attracting nature lovers and explorers.

Dien Bien is still unknown to us, provoking our curiosity. Of the many ways to get to Dien Bien, the most common route from Hanoi is Highway 6 through Hoa Binh and Son La. We choose instead to take a train to Lao Cai, and then proceed by car to Sapa, Lai Chau, and on to Dien Bien, to enjoy the scenery along this route and feel the soul of the Northwest.
The pure, early morning air makes use feel at ease in this rugged land, which looms in our history-fuelled imaginations like a forest of death. The yellowing rice in the terraced fields waves in the breeze, as if to warmly welcome visitors.

We have passed many mountains where various ethnicities reside, including Kho Mu, Thai, Lu, and Mong, among the fog, clouds and chilly winds. The peaceful village of Ta Phin lies quietly at the foot of a mountain, while Nam Na River winds among the stilt houses of ethnic Thai people hidden behind green trees, for a perfect image of this peaceful land.
The longer we drive, the colder and drier the weather becomes. The route is zigzagging and steep, with slopes disappearing up into the clouds and fog. We are absorbed in the scenery of terraced fields all the way from Lao Cai to Dien Bien.

O Quy Ho Pass is among the longest in Vietnam’s mountainous northwest. At nearly 50km, it is longer than Pha Din Pass of 32 km or Khau Pha Pass of nearly 40km in Yen Bai Province. The height and length of O Quy Ho Pass heading toward Lai Chau make it an attraction for any adventurous traveller.

A chance to stop by an ethnic minority market is a special attraction for many visitors to Dien Bien. We dropped by the market in Tua Chua District, which is held every six days. We were lucky to reach the market just as many of the locals were arriving.

Boys and girls in traditional ethnic costumes hurried along the final stretch to the market; White Mong women wearing bright scarves on their heads with intricate hairstyles and Thai people in colourful dress. The sounds of the panpipe echoed everywhere, along with love songs played on the flute.

However, the highlight here was experiencing the unique highland dishes with local people in Dien Bien. A baked fish known as “ping top” is well worth a taste. Ethnic Thai people specialize in boiled and steamed dishes. “Walking chicken” served with special sauces is a delicious treat.

Why don’t you take the chance to explore Dien Bien today? While history has put the town’s name on the map, there is so much more to explore in this area.

Cong cake (Tet cake)
Cong cake is popular, cheap and delicious. Once you try it, you won’t forget its taste and flavour. Local people consider it an extra meal, to enjoy in the late afternoon or late evening.

The form used to make cong cake is a small, deep tool shaped much like a coffee filter, but with a long handle like a big soup spoon.

Biting into this purple cake, you can feel the heavy sticky rice, taste the nutritious sweetness of meat, and get the flavour of salted egg on the tip of your tongue. There is another type of Tet cake made with white and black bean with fatty banana filling, one more of the panoply of traditional Vietnamese cakes.

Well known local producers of Tet cake include Chinh Cam and Tu Dep, companies whose products are sold daily in the local markets like Xuan Khanh, An Thoi and Mit Nai. Many tourists come to know and recognize the brands of the original manufacturers to buy for gifts.

Baked cassava and coconut cake

This popular cake is found throughout the rural hamlets of Can Tho Province. Whether you are strolling leisurely along Ninh Kieu Pier to catch the fresh breeze off the water, or walking in front of a school while visiting a small hamlet, you will quite easily find this type of countryside cake.

The process to make the cake is simple. Cassava is boiled until soft, then put in a mortar, kneaded and mixed with fresh coconut. When the mixture becomes firm and smooth enough it is spread on a tray, then after the surface is dry it is cut into pieces. Small pieces of cake are baked on a coal cooking fire until the two sides are yellow; the cake now emits the most mouth-watering aroma. The taste combination between fresh coconut and cassava is really unforgettable.

Although it is just to hold you over between meals, this popular cake with a deceptively simple taste becomes unexpectedly delicious and is positively irresistible on rainy days when you are travelling far from home.

The name Pitu Khosa Rangsay means “latter Rangsay Pagoda”, as there was another Rangsay Pagoda, on Avenue Colonel Dessert (now Hoa Binh Avenue). Pitu Khosa Rangsay is situated at No. 27/18 Mac Dinh Chi Street, An Cu District, Ninh Kieu, Can Tho City.

The pagoda was originally built by superior monk Son Tay in 1948 as a place to facilitate the meditation practiced by many Khmer Buddhists in Can Tho. Initially, it was a simple wooden beam and thatch structure designed according to the Khmer architectural style of that time, providing an area of 645m2 for Khmer Buddhists.

During the fierce American and French war, the pagoda served to accommodate hundreds of youths hiding from the enemy, and numerous patriotic monks active in the political struggle against the Saigon regime, claiming religious freedom and protesting ethnic discrimination. Throughout that period, the pagoda also housed and protected many revolutionist officers.

Since 1975, many Buddhist relief activities of the Southern Khmer have been held here by the monks and lay Buddhists, propagating Vietnamese laws and policies among the local residents. The pagoda has also provided free accommodation for many poor Khmer pupils and students studying in Can Tho.

Thanks to the efforts of local authorities, and many monks and lay Buddhists, Pitu Khosa Rangsay has recently been upgraded and restored to become one of the most beautiful pagodas in the Mekong Delta. The most prominent architectural feature, unique among the area’s pagodas, is in the central part of the structure.

The central palace is a 3-floor tower built in concrete and brick, topped by a tiled roof. The four surrounding halls are decorated with fine features, with the majestic shapes of dragons, fairies and the legendary Garuda bird.

Each of the three floors of the central palace features 12 magnificent wooden bas-relief carvings by famous artisans, works which  demonstrate the legends of Buddhist history. The 3rd floor is decorated with a picture of the goddess Teppanom. The life of Buddha is presented in 16 paintings, and the outside wall of the third floor has Angkor features. In general, the characteristic Khmer architecture maintains a harmonious combination between Angkor and Southern Khmer styles.

At present the pagoda hosts a free class teaching Khmer language to local children on weekday evenings, also educating them about Khmer musical instruments. A dormitory will be built with 26 rooms, accommodating about 100 monks and students coming from all over the Mekong Delta to Can Tho for their studies.

Sihanoukville is younger than most cities in Cambodia. Built in the 1950s originally as a port city, Sihanoukville’s design is more modern and open than most urban areas in Asia. Today, Sihanoukville has the feel of a beach town much more than a port city.
Sihanoukville is a popular weekend domestic tourism destination, and the number of international tourists is increasing. However, it remains a small town – don’t be surprised if you happen upon a few cows wandering the streets when you visit! On the beaches, there are many colourful umbrellas and food stalls offering local fare, and in town, more and more restaurants, bungalows and hotels are built to serve travellers.

Sihanoukville now has all you could wish for in the way of accommodation, including a 5 star resort on Sokha Beach, and numerous popular places both near the centre of town and right on the beach.

One of Sihanoukville’s prime attractions is the availability of fresh seafood such as crabs, shrimps and fish. There are also now restaurants serving international fare such as Vietnamese, Thai, Australian, French, Indian, German, Sri Lankan, Italian and English food; you’ll find a little bit of everything here. Food stalls and some bars on the shore, such as at Occhheuteal, Serendipity and Victory Beaches, are open quite late.
If you’re looking for a truly quiet scene, you can hire a boat and head out to one of the small islands for fishing, diving and viewing coral, kayaking or simply contemplating the sunset.

Sihanoukville has 4 main beaches. Occheuteal Beach is not always ideal for swimming, but it’s always a good bet for seafood. Along the beach, there are bars and local vendors offering beachfront service of beer, wine, food and massage.

Victory Beach is nearer to Sihanoukville Port. While passing ships sometimes detract from the beauty of this beach, food stalls are plentiful and the waves can be great fun. The local authorities have plans to build an entertainment centre, in the style of Vietnam’s Vinpearl Resort at Nha Trang, near Victory Beach.

Sokha and Independence Beaches are smaller, curving beaches like two coves. These beaches are open to the public and frequented by both domestic and international tourists. They are generally peaceful spots and local people often come here on the weekends. The water is clean and blue, visibility is often very good.

Sihanoukville has a lot of green space which supports its generally laid-back vibe. This is where you can find fresh air, delicious seafood and the cleanest beaches in Cambodia. Smooth white sand and perfect sunset views make Sihanoukville unforgettable.

Over the past few years, the majority of community cultural villages established in the province have not run effectively. This is due to inconsistent selection and construction of the villages, limited construction funding in many areas, and scattered investment and support; which result in under par services unable to attract customers, compounded by poor infrastructure, landscaping and sanitation, and duplicated tourism products.

In 2012, Ha Giang tourism industry continues to promote investment to build another 11 community cultural villages and strives to make 60% of the villages effective by 2015. The goal for 2015 is that each district will have 3-4 such villages, meeting criteria like good roads to support traffic flow, infrastructure to fully serve tourist’s needs, ideal landscape and a green-clean-beautiful environment, and a good awareness among local people about attitudes promoting tourism.

According to Mr. Hoang Van Kien, Deputy Director of the Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism: The goal is to build tourism sustainably, both in terms of culture and environmental conservation, while promoting and developing human and social resources. The Department has always focused on management, regularly conducting field surveys, assessing the potential of community cultural and tourism villages, coordinating with relevant agencies to build project master plans to develop Ha Giang tourism in the 2011 – 2020 period with vision to 2030, and improving the dissemination of information to preserve and promote traditional cultural identity. Annual vocational training classes are held to improve foreign language ability among travel guides, and equip people with the knowledge and basic skills to develop travel services.

Ba Om Pond is sometimes called Square Pond, but in fact it has a rectangular shape of 300 meters wide and 500 meters long. The water in the pond is blue, clean and quiet. Around the pond are sandy hills and many old trees, their protruding roots forming the most fascinating of shapes. The air is cool and fresh throughout the year. The many legends about Ba Om Pond make for interesting listening as you enjoy the scene.

Ba Om Pond is covered with lotus and lily plants that coat the surface with their white and purple blooms every summer, giving the place a delightful aroma. The best time to visit to enjoy the pastoral scene of Ba Om Pond is in the early morning or late afternoon.

Ba Om Pond was named after a woman. According to legend, there was a pond digging competition between a group of women and a group of men. Whoever lost the competition would, from then on, have to make the wedding proposals. The leader of the women’s group, Lady Om was an intelligent woman and she used strategy to win the game. Although it is only a legend, it also affected the real life of Khmer people a long time ago.

Ba Om Pond is just next door to Ang Pagoda. Ang Pagoda is a graceful Khmer structure while Ba Om Pond provides a peaceful backdrop. The two attractions have been recognized as national heritages by the Ministry of Culture and Information.

Coming to Ba Om Pond, tourists can not only contemplate its natural beauty but also learn about Tra Vinh’s culture. Ba Om Pond is quiet during the day, but the atmosphere is quite noisy in the late afternoon when flocks of birds fly back to roost in the trees.

On special holidays of the Khmer people, Ba Om Pond becomes a community centre for the whole region. Especially, on Ok Om Bok Festival in October of the lunar calendar, tourists can see not only Khmer people from Tra Vinh, but also Kinh (Viet) and Hoa (Chinese) people come together to celebrate. They dance, watch singing performances and set aloft floating lanterns. The festival shows the solidarity and unity of the Mekong Delta.

The most interesting time to visit this area is when you can catch a traditional festival in progress. April, August and October on the lunar calendar bring the biggest festivals: Chol Chnam Thmay, the Khmer New Year Festival, is in the middle of April; Donta Festival is on August 15; and Ok Om Bok Festival is on October 15. Contact Haivenu Tours for further details.

Fresh sausage is a common dish in farming areas and is familiar cuisine not only in Go Cong, but also in other regions such as Sai Gon, Can Tho, My Tho, etc. Along Highway 50 and crossing My Loi Ferry, you can see strings of pork sausage, round and full, hung on bamboo frames. These strings of sausage inevitably catch the eye of tourists. There are about 50 households which make fresh sausage in Go Cong, and fresh sausage is distributed in shops everywhere. On special holidays such as Tet, hundreds of local people take part in making this dish.

Along roads and alleys throughout the village, under the sunshine of the region, tourists can see strings of sausage hung on bamboo frames. For traditional local households, handmade fresh sausages are more delicious than the mass-produced variety. Local people in Go Cong make fresh sausage in their own special way, considering fresh sausage one of the most important dishes for Tet holiday.  Thus, they must make the most delicious and special ones, to ensure a happy Tet holiday.

Each step of the process to make fresh sausages is very important. Firstly, we must choose fresh and delicious pork – the main ingredient which is decisive for the quality of fresh sausages. In the early morning, producers go to the slaughterhouse to choose fresh lean meat, then wash it, mince it and add traditional spices. The second necessary ingredient is fat. A delicious fresh sausage must have a good combination of lean meat and fat. The fat must not be from the pig’s side meat.

The fat is minced and mixed with sugar, garlic and spices. The final step is stuffing the sausages. The coverings are pig’s intestine. It is vital to choose the right size of intestine; not too small and not too large. Next, the mixture of lean meat and fat is stuffed into the covering. Then the fresh sausages are dried. These sausages will only gain their unique flavour when they are dried in the sun.

The type of fresh sausage made in Go Cong originates from the central region. They were made by Hue’s royal chefs. At a time of instability these chefs left their rich life and took a boat for the South. They settled in Go Cong and established roots here. Thanks to the advantages of weather and people in Go Cong, the royal chefs decided to make fresh sausages. The methods of preparation for fresh sausages have been passed down from generation to generation. Today, the flavour is changing with the use of different spices, but the main process is still the same as it used to be.

Visiting Go Cong, you can both enjoy the local specialty fresh sausages and learn how to make them. Tourists will learn more about this traditional village and will remember the striking image of bamboo frames supporting strings of fresh sausages.

According to Bui Van Chin, an 82 year old local man, fresh sausages still play an important role at Tet holiday in Go Cong . They provide the special flavour of his village. Today, fresh sausages in Go Cong are known not only by Vietnamese people, but also by international tourists. He reports that he has a friend who, although living in Canada, still comes back to Go Cong to buy fresh sausages. If he can not buy fresh sausages by himself, he has his children buy some and send them to him. Luckily, villagers love their traditional work so people everywhere, whether in Vietnam or far away, still have the chance to enjoy this dish.

Arrange a tour with Haivenu and check out Go Cong, it will be a flavourful fresh sausage experience that you won’t forget!

Before reaching Vinh Hy Bay, visitors will pass through sand flats, Nui Chua National Park and picturesque mountain passes. To get up close and personal with the attractions of the bay itself, you need a boat trip. You will quickly find yourself riding the mysterious waves and gazing at high coastal cliffs pocked with caves.

Travelling by glass-bottom boat, you can get the feeling of walking under the ocean among colourful fish and coral reefs. For those more determined to get face-to-face with the fish, diving is available. On a bright day, visibility is good down to 10 meters depth. In the 7,000 hectares of marine preserve area, 307 species of coral reef have been recorded.

There are many beach stops around Vinh Hy Bay, such as Ba Dien Beach where tourists can swim and try to climb the steep mountains, and Da Tron Beach where beach-combers will find strange and colourful pieces of stone. On Vinh Hy Bay, you will see fishermen in search of mackerel, a popular fish in the central region, or baiting lobster traps while living on floating rafts. At night, lights from groups of bobbing fishing ships create their own world floating on the sea.

Vinh Hy is rich in sea creatures and also justifiably famous for delicious dishes such as prawn, lobster, cuttlefish, mackerel and crab, and the most delicious dishes are fried and stewed snails. At small food stalls in Ba Dien Beach, tourists can enjoy more than 20 types of snail dishes. Tourists can also collect some of the moon-shaped shells found around Vinh Hy Bay to give friends as souvenirs after the trip.

Right next door to the bay is the fresh air and rugged scenery of Nui Chua National Park, which rises to its highest point of over 1,000 meters above the sea. Nui Chua is a unique semi-arid, coastal ecosystem with a wide variety of species. Facing east from the peak of the mountain, you can view the pristine beauty of Vinh Hy Bay, which the locals say looks like a peaceful lying fairy surrounded by mountains.

Another noteworthy nearby attraction is the Bau Truc traditional pottery village of the Cham ethnic group, one of the oldest such villages in Southeast Asia, creating distinctive, handmade, kiln-fired pottery products. My Nghiep brocade village is also a must-see to learn about the beautiful brocade products that are such an important feature of the Cham culture and the daily lives of local residents. Tourist can also stay in stilt houses and enjoy ruou can (rice alcohol) with the Raglai people living around Vinh Hy Bay.

Vinh Hy Bay is full of unique beauty and charm, and you will discover a new attraction every time you visit. Summer is the ideal season to visit Vinh Hy Bay. You can both go sightseeing and swim at the cool and clean beach. Get in touch with Haivenu Tours for an unforgettable experience at Vietnam’s Vinh Hy Bay!

In this article, Haivenu Tours would like to introduce one of the most popular and delicious dishes of Thailand: Pad Thai, or stir-fried Thai noodles. Noodles are fried together with eggs, peanut, dried shrimp, tofu, tamarind juice, fish sauce, chilli, vinegar and sugar. Pad Thai is so popular that tourists can enjoy it everywhere in Thailand. In Bangkok, tourists often eat Pad Thai in food stalls or restaurants.

Try Pad Thai, and then learn how to make it at home and introduce this dish to relatives and friends. Before making Pad Thai, you’ll need some ingredients such as rice noodles, fish sauce, vinegar, garlic, 2 red chilli peppers, sugar, chicken broth, 8 to 10 shrimps, tofu, boiled chicken, an egg, beans sprouts, cooking oil and peanuts.

Pad Thai is fairly easy to make. First, soak the rice noodles in cold water for one hour and then drain them. If you want to make the first step go faster, you can briefly boil the rice noodles and then soak them for just 10 to 20 minutes, while preparing your other ingredients.

When the rice noodles are soft, drain them and mix in a spoon of cooking oil to keep them from being sticky.

Secondly, heat up 2 spoons of cooking oil, garlic and chilli in the frying pan.
Next, fry the shrimps about 1 minute and then add the tofu. Add a spoon of chicken broth if the mixture is dry.

Add more 2 spoons of cooking oil and then fry the rice noodles along with the beaten egg.
Fry the bean sprouts until they’re soft, from 30 seconds to 1 minute. Mix the stir fried noodles with fish sauce, vinegar and sugar. You can add lemon and chilli to taste.
Mix in peanuts and bean sprouts, and you are ready to put it on a plate for serving.
Of course, Pad Thai can be had just about anywhere in the world, but we all know that its most delicious incarnation is going to be in Thailand. So don’t miss your chance to try this iconic Thai cuisine at its very finest.

Like other ethnic groups, the Dao Nga Hoang have their own traditional features which add to the colourful ethnic minority culture in Yen Bai. Their wedding ceremonies are an important highlight in their culture.

A Dao Nga Hoang wedding can be in several forms, including the traditional style or a wedding in combination with the “le cap sac” initiation ritual marking a young man’s entry into manhood. The most popular traditional form of wedding, representing an important landmark in one’s life, includes various formalities unique to Dao Nga Hoang culture.
In preparing for a wedding, the ceremony of age comparison comes first. A small ceremony prepared by the groom’s family is held to formally ask for the bride’s age. A ceremony master then is invited to decide whether the bride and the groom are suitable, and can live happily according to local concepts.

The custom of requesting permission of the bride’s family has long been a part of Dao Nga Hoang traditional weddings.  Previously, the bride’s family was often paid for bringing up and educating the bride, and they sometimes demanded a high bride price. However, the wedding offering asked by the bride’s family sometimes resulted in a large debt burdening the newly married couple. At present, this requesting of permission has become a cultural tradition, with the amount of money offered to the bride’s family more of a token than an exchange of value.

The formal engagement ceremony is known as “tuc bon ngo”. On a set date, the groom’s family visits the bride’s home with an indigo cloth holding a white silk coin and a silk ring inside, symbolizing a strong commitment for the wedding.
At the bride’s home, there is an important worship ceremony held at night. The worship master informs the ancestors, deities and land gods that from the time the bride is married, she is no longer under the management of the spirits of her parent’s land. This formal ceremony includes specific folk songs and traditional dances.

One unique feature of a Dao Nga Hoang wedding ceremony is the rest stops along the way when bringing home the bride. Even the local elders do not know the origin of this custom. Regardless of the short distance between the two family homes, when the groom’s family representatives go to the bride’s house to greet her and escort her to the groom’s home, along the way they must stop for a rest, drinking wine and enjoying dishes prepared by the groom’s family.

For anyone interested in Vietnamese ethnic minority traditional cultures, a Dao Nga Hoang wedding in Yen Bai is like a gold mine of discovery. Please contact us at Haivenu to see how we can arrange such an experience for you.