Vietnam Breaking News

International arrivals to Vietnam surge in January

International arrivals to Vietnam surge in January

U.S. slams Taiwan leader’s planned visit to contested South China Sea island

U.S. slams Taiwan leader’s planned visit to contested South China Sea island
<p><a href="http://bit.ly/1NBehIs"><img alt="1838979-ma-ying-jeou-zqtq" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="341" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/23tKwFl" width="500" /></a></p>
<p>Taiwan’s Ma Ying-jeou speaks at a news conference after a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at a summit in Singapore November 7, 2015. Photo: Reuters/Edgar Su</p>
<p>Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou’s planned trip to the Taiwanese-held island of Itu Aba in the disputed South China Sea is “extremely unhelpful” and won’t do anything to resolve disputes over the waterway, a U.S. official said on Wednesday.</p>
<p>Ma’s office earlier announced that the president, who steps down in May, would fly to Itu Aba on Thursday to offer Chinese New Year wishes to residents on the island, mainly Taiwanese coastguard personnel and environmental scholars.</p>
<p>But Ma’s one-day visit to Itu Aba, known as Taiping in Taiwan, comes amid growing international concern over rising tensions in the waterway and quickly drew the ire of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), the de facto U.S. embassy in Taipei in the absence of formal diplomatic ties.</p>
<p>“We are disappointed that President Ma Ying-jeou plans to travel to Taiping Island,” AIT spokeswoman Sonia Urbom said in an email to Reuters.</p>
<p>“Such an action is extremely unhelpful and does not contribute to the peaceful resolution of disputes in the South China Sea.”</p>
<p>The United States wanted Taiwan and all claimants to lower tensions, rather than taking actions that could raise them, Urbom added.</p>
<p>On a visit to Beijing on Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Washington and Beijing needed to find a way to ease tensions in the South China Sea, through which $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year.</p>
<p>Both Taiwan and China claim most of the South China Sea. Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei also have competing claims.</p>
<p><strong>New port and lighthouse</strong></p>
<p>Itu Aba lies in the Spratly archipelago, where China’s rapid construction of seven man-made islands has drawn alarm across parts of Asia and been heavily criticized by Washington.</p>
<p>Taiwan has just finished a $100 million port upgrade and built a new lighthouse on Itu Aba, which has its own airstrip, a hospital and fresh water.</p>
<p>Ma’s visit follows elections won by the independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). Ma’s office said it had asked DPP leader Tsai Ing-wen to send a representative, but the party said it had no plans to do so.</p>
<p>Ian Storey, a South China Sea expert at Singapore’s ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institute, said he expected the Philippines and Vietnam to lodge a strong protest, likely seeing the visit as a violation of their claimed sovereignty over Itu Aba.</p>
<p>“But I do think it is unlikely they would stage a similar visit involving a senior political figure going to one of their own occupied islands … that would risk inflaming relations with China and neither want to go that far,” Storey said.</p>
<p>Asked to comment on Ma’s planned visit, the mainland’s Taiwan Affairs Office reiterated that China and Taiwan had a common duty to protect Chinese sovereignty in the waterway.</p>
<p>“Safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity as well as safeguarding the overall interests of the Chinese nation is the common responsibility and obligation of compatriots across the straits,” spokesman Ma Xiaoguang told reporters in Beijing.</p>
<p>Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, speaking to reporters after meeting Kerry, said China had the right to protect its territorial sovereignty and that Beijing and Washington should manage the issue in a constructive way.</p>
<p><strong>China unfazed</strong></p>
<p>The claims of both China and Taiwan are based on maps from the late 1940s belonging to the Nationalists, when they ruled all of China. The Nationalists fled to Taiwan in 1949 after losing the Chinese civil war to Mao Zedong’s Communists.</p>
<p>Beijing deems Taiwan a wayward province to be retaken by force if necessary.</p>
<p>But it has appeared unfazed by Taiwan’s upgrading work on Itu Aba. Military strategists say that is because Itu Aba could fall into China’s hands should it ever take over Taiwan.</p>
<p>Dustin Wang, a long-time Taiwanese scholar on the South China Sea who has visited Itu Aba, said one of Ma’s goals was to highlight the island’s civilian uses.</p>
<p>“Ma will demonstrate that facilities on the island, like the hospital, provide humanitarian assistance and disaster relief,” he said.</p>
<p>Itu Aba was now the fourth largest island in the Spratlys after China’s land reclamation work on Mischief Reef, Fiery Cross Reef and Subi Reef, Taiwan’s coastguard said in October.</p>
<p>The island supports around 180 people, about 150 of them coastguard personnel who have had oversight of the 46-hectare (114-acre) island since 2000.</p>
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U.S. slams Taiwan leader’s planned visit to contested South China Sea island Related image(s)<br />
<img height="200" src="http://bit.ly/23tKwFl" width="200" /><br />

U.S. slams Taiwan leader’s planned visit to contested South China Sea island

U.S. slams Taiwan leader’s planned visit to contested South China Sea island Taiwan’s Ma Ying-jeou speaks at a news conference after a meet...

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Image: The unaffected beauty of Dong Thap

Image: The unaffected beauty of Dong Thap
<p><em>The Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap, some 200km from Ho Chi Minh City, has many interesting places to visit and things to do.</em><br /></p>
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<div id="attachment_1838947" style="width: 510px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://bit.ly/1NBehrV"><img alt="Sa Dec City of Dong Thap province is known for unique floating flower villages." class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="333" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/23tKxc6" width="500" /></a>
<p class="wp-caption-text">Sa Dec City of Dong Thap province is known for unique floating flower villages.</p>
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<td><a href="http://bit.ly/1NBegnX"><img alt="The ancient house named Huynh Thuy Le, which was the background for the world-famous movie of France, " built="" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="333" house="" in="" lover="" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/23tKwoI" the="" was="" width="500" /></a></td>
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<p><a href="http://bit.ly/1NBehrY"><img alt="1838945-hinh3" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="333" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/23tKwoK" width="500" /></a></p>
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<td><em>Brick ovens along the riverside on the way from Sa Dec City to Cao Lanh City</em></td>
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<p><a href="http://bit.ly/1NBego0"><img alt="1838945-hinh4" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="333" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/23tKwoN" width="500" /></a></p>
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<td><em>Cao Lanh City is the home to many relic sites.</em></td>
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<p><a href="http://bit.ly/1NBehs1"><img alt="1838945-hinh5" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="333" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/23tKxcd" width="500" /></a></p>
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<td><em>The relic site in Cao Lanh City honouring Nguyen Sinh Sac – father of President Ho Chi Minh</em></td>
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<div id="attachment_1838949" style="width: 510px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://bit.ly/1NBejjt"><img alt="The 50h Xeo Quyt relic site, 30km from Cao Lanh City, the home to 170 floral species and 200 fauna species." class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="333" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/23tKxcf" width="500" /></a>
<p class="wp-caption-text">The 50h Xeo Quyt relic site, 30km from Cao Lanh City, the home to 170 floral species and 200 fauna species.</p>
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<td><a href="http://bit.ly/1NBehs3"><img alt="Lotus fields are " class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="333" muoi="" ofdong="" rel="lightbox" specialities="" src="http://bit.ly/23tKwF4" thap="" width="500" /></a></td>
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<p><a href="http://bit.ly/1NBejjx"><img alt="1838945-hinh8" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="333" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/23tKwF8" width="500" /></a></p>
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<td><em>A woman collects lotus flowers</em></td>
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<p><a href="http://bit.ly/1NBejjz"><img alt="1838945-hinh9" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="333" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/23tKxck" width="500" /></a></p>
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<td><em>A special kind of lotus, with giant leaves.</em></td>
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<div id="attachment_1838950" style="width: 510px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://bit.ly/1NBejjD"><img alt="Tram Chim National Park, the home to red-headed cranes." class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="333" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/23tKxcn" width="500" /></a>
<p class="wp-caption-text">Tram Chim National Park, the home to red-headed cranes.</p>
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<p><a href="http://bit.ly/1NBehIk"><img alt="1838945-hinh11" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="300" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/23tKwFd" width="500" /></a></p>
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<td><em>Lai Vung tangerine, a specialty of Dong Thap.</em></td>
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<div id="attachment_1838951" style="width: 510px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://bit.ly/1NBejjG"><img alt="Dong Thap has many traditional cuisines, processing from popular materials in the region such as field-mice, field snake-head fish, lotus seeds, etc." class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="333" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/23tKwFg" width="500" /></a>
<p class="wp-caption-text">Dong Thap has many traditional cuisines, processing from popular materials in the region such as field-mice, field snake-head fish, lotus seeds, etc.</p>
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<p><em>Zing</em></p>
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Image: The unaffected beauty of Dong Thap Related image(s)<br />
<img height="200" src="http://bit.ly/23tKxc6" width="200" /><br />

Image: The unaffected beauty of Dong Thap

Image: The unaffected beauty of Dong Thap The Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap, some 200km from Ho Chi Minh City, has many interesting pla...

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Vietjet to launch new route from Hanoi to Taipei

Vietjet to launch new route from Hanoi to Taipei
<p><a href="http://bit.ly/1NBeg7k"><img alt="1838941-taipei-htjn" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="333" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/23tKw8i" width="500" /></a></p>
<p>Taipei at night.</p>
<p>Vietjet has announced it will officially launch Hanoi – Taipei route on February 1 with three return flights a week.</p>
<p>The flight between Hanoi and Taipei will take two hours and 40 minutes each way, and will be operated every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. Flight VJ5972 will depart from Hanoi at 3:10 p.m. and arrive at Taipei at 6:50 p.m. (local time). The return flight VJ5973 will depart from Taiwan’s capital city at 7:50 p.m. and arrive in Hanoi at 9:30 p.m. (local time).</p>
<p>Tickets can be booked at <a href="#http://bit.ly/1zyyawh">www.vietjetair.com</a> (also compatible with smartphones at http://bit.ly/1BDdBzh) or at <a href="#http://bit.ly/1Ap1xE4">http://on.fb.me/1zyybAq</a> (just click the “Booking” tab); or by calling to our national call center at 1900 1886 or visiting Vietjet’s booking offices nationwide.</p>
<p>Vietjet also currently operate daily flights between Ho Chi Minh City and Taipei. VJ840 flight departs from Ho Chi Minh City at 1:10 a.m. and arrives in Taipei at 5:35 a.m. (local time). The return flight VJ841 departs from Taipei at 6:35 a.m. and arrives in Ho Chi Minh City at 9:00 a.m. (local time).</p>
<p>According to statistics revealed by Vietnam National Administration of Tourism at the end of December 2015, Taiwanese visitors to Vietnam in 2015 reached to 438,704, with a growth rate of 112 percent, ranking behind Mainland China, Korea, Japan and the United States. In addition, Tourism Bureau of Taiwan also revealed that Vietnamese visitors to Taiwan in 2015 reached to 146,380, with a growth rate of 6.71 percent.</p>
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Vietjet to launch new route from Hanoi to Taipei Related image(s)<br />
<img height="200" src="http://bit.ly/23tKw8i" width="200" /><br />

Vietjet to launch new route from Hanoi to Taipei

Vietjet to launch new route from Hanoi to Taipei Taipei at night. Vietjet has announced it will officially launch Hanoi – Taipei route on ...

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4 new, upgraded trains for Hanoi-Ho Chi Minh City route

4 new, upgraded trains for Hanoi-Ho Chi Minh City route
<p><a href="http://bit.ly/1NBehbk"><img alt="1838875-train-cqqu-thumb" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="308" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/23tKugq" width="500" /></a></p>
<p>Conductors check a car of a Hanoi – Ho Chi Minh City train in Hanoi on January 26, 2016. Photo credit: VnExpress</p>
<p>Two new trains have been launched on the Hanoi-Ho Chi Minh City route and two others have been upgraded, with their design and services described as being of “five-star” quality by railway managers Tuesday.</p>
<p>The upgraded trains were introduced in Ho Chi Minh City, where two new ones had been launched in February last year.</p>
<p>The Saigon Railways JSC spent VND65 billion (US$2.87 million) upgrading trains SE5 and SE6, equipping them with air conditioners, “comfortable” seats, noise-proof materials, and hygienic bathrooms, CEO Dao Anh Tuan told news website VnExpress.</p>
<p>But there would be no rate hikes, meaning the fares would remain at VND542,000-1.54 million ($24-68), he said.</p>
<p>After the Tet holiday from February 5 to 14 this year, the fares would be reduced by 15 percent, he added.</p>
<p>The two new trains, SE7 and SE8, were launched in Hanoi by the Hanoi Railway Transport Company, news website Tuoi Tre reported.</p>
<p>The company made a similar assurance about fares though the new coaches have been built using “luxury” materials and designs at a cost of around VND80 billion ($3.53 million).</p>
<p>It takes from 31 to 37 hours from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City depending on the train.</p>
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4 new, upgraded trains for Hanoi-Ho Chi Minh City route Related image(s)<br />
<img height="200" src="http://bit.ly/23tKugq" width="200" /><br />

4 new, upgraded trains for Hanoi-Ho Chi Minh City route

4 new, upgraded trains for Hanoi-Ho Chi Minh City route Conductors check a car of a Hanoi – Ho Chi Minh City train in Hanoi on January 26, ...

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This rice roll is one of the best breakfasts you can find in Vietnam

This rice roll is one of the best breakfasts you can find in Vietnam
<p><a href="http://bit.ly/1NBegUO"><img alt="1838809-h1-ykyq" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="333" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/23tKvRN" width="500" /></a></p>
<p>The banh cuon dish in Tu Le Town, Yen Bai Province. Photo: hachi8</p>
<p>The other day I visited this beautiful town called Tu Le in Yen Bai, a mountainous province around 200 kilometers from Hanoi.</p>
<p>I walked out of my room to find something to fill my hungry stomach and was captivated by the delicious smell of a roadside <em>banh cuon</em> (rolled rice cake) stall.</p>
<p>This <em>banh cuon</em> was a crepe-like rice cake rolled with minced pork and wood ear mushrooms. It was served with grilled pork on skewers.</p>
<p>Everything looked delicious. The steamed rice rolls were white, with yellow crispy deep-fried onions sprinkled on top. The grilled pork was served as soon as it left the red hot charcoal, so I could hear the sizzling sound. The meat smelled so good — it was mixed with chopped lemongrass, garlic and chili before being grilled.</p>
<p>The dipping sauce comprised fish sauce, garlic, pepper, chili and pickle. Add some drops of kumquat extract into the sauce for better taste.</p>
<p>Some fresh vegetables and herbs were put next to the dish and fishing sauce dishes.</p>
<p>It was one of the best things I’ve ever had. Simple and light but extremely tasty.</p>
<div id="attachment_1838810" style="width: 510px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://bit.ly/1NBegUS"><img alt="The rolled rice cakes are served with grilled pork." class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="333" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/23tKu04" width="500" /></a>
<p class="wp-caption-text">The rolled rice cakes are served with grilled pork.</p>
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<div id="attachment_1838811" style="width: 510px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://bit.ly/1NBefQL"><img alt="Deep-fried onions on top of the rolled rice cakes" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="333" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/23tKw81" width="500" /></a>
<p class="wp-caption-text">Deep-fried onions on top of the rolled rice cakes</p>
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<div id="attachment_1838812" style="width: 510px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://bit.ly/1NBegUW"><img alt="The grilled pork is mixed with chopped lemongrass, garlic and chili before being grilled" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="333" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/23tKu08" width="500" /></a>
<p class="wp-caption-text">The grilled pork is mixed with chopped lemongrass, garlic and chili before being grilled</p>
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<div id="attachment_1838813" style="width: 510px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://bit.ly/1NBefQP"><img alt="A bowl of dipping sauce" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="333" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/23tKw83" width="500" /></a>
<p class="wp-caption-text">A bowl of dipping sauce</p>
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<div id="attachment_1838814" style="width: 510px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://bit.ly/1NBefQS"><img alt="The colorful dipping sauce is decorated with herbs." class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="333" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/23tKugo" width="500" /></a>
<p class="wp-caption-text">The colorful dipping sauce is decorated with herbs.</p>
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This rice roll is one of the best breakfasts you can find in Vietnam Related image(s)<br />
<img height="200" src="http://bit.ly/23tKvRN" width="200" /><br />

This rice roll is one of the best breakfasts you can find in Vietnam

This rice roll is one of the best breakfasts you can find in Vietnam The banh cuon dish in Tu Le Town, Yen Bai Province. Photo: hachi8 The...

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A monkey road on Son Tra Peninsula

A monkey road on Son Tra Peninsula
<p>Doan Xa</p>
<div id="attachment_1838670" style="width: 415px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://bit.ly/23tKvRJ"><img alt="A section of Hoang Sa Street with concrete monkey statues put on the road railing" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="304" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/23tKvRJ" width="405" /></a>
<p class="wp-caption-text">A section of Hoang Sa Street with concrete monkey statues put on the road railing</p>
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<p>There are some attractive tourist destinations along the street such as an antiques museum, an amusement park and historical sites. However, the monkey statues make the street different.</p>
<p>According to local residents, the 20-kilometer road was upgraded around ten years ago to make it possible for visitors to tour around Son Tra Peninsula. It runs around the peninsula, passes through the mountain, heads towards the sea and reaches Tien Sa Beach.</p>
<p>Thousands of concrete monkey statues coated with electrostatic paint to protect them from corrosion sit on the road railing.</p>
<p>Monkeys on Son Tra are protected by local residents because before people came to reclaim the area hundreds of years ago, the peninsula was home to monkeys only. Now there are a lot of monkeys living in the forest and on the mountain of the peninsula. Therefore, tourists can see monkeys when they visit the peninsula.</p>
<p>Early in the morning or late in the afternoon, visitors can follow rangers to go deep into the forest to see monkeys in their natural habitat.</p>
<p>The primitive forest on Son Tra Peninsula has been strictly protected to ensure the habitats of animals there remain intact.</p>
<div id="attachment_1838671" style="width: 415px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://bit.ly/1NBefAl"><img alt="A view of Son Tra Peninsula" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="304" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/1NBefAl" width="405" /></a>
<p class="wp-caption-text">A view of Son Tra Peninsula</p>
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<div id="attachment_1838672" style="width: 415px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://bit.ly/23tKvRL"><img alt="A monkey is seen in the forest on Son Tra Peninsula - PHOTOS: DOAN XA" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="304" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/23tKvRL" width="405" /></a>
<p class="wp-caption-text">A monkey is seen in the forest on Son Tra Peninsula - PHOTOS: DOAN XA</p>
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A monkey road on Son Tra Peninsula Related image(s)<br />
<img height="200" src="http://bit.ly/23tKvRJ" width="200" /><br />

A monkey road on Son Tra Peninsula

A monkey road on Son Tra Peninsula Doan Xa A section of Hoang Sa Street with concrete monkey statues put on the road railing There are s...

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Beauty in the ruins: The incomplete monastery of Sa Pa

Beauty in the ruins: The incomplete monastery of Sa Pa
<div id="attachment_1838486" style="width: 510px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://bit.ly/23tKrBl"><img alt="Many visitors to Sa Pa often miss one of the most fascinating attractions in the town, the abandoned Ta Phin Monastery." class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="333" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/1NBebAz" width="500" /></a>
<p class="wp-caption-text">Many visitors to Sa Pa often miss one of the most fascinating attractions in the town, the abandoned Ta Phin Monastery.</p>
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<div id="attachment_1838487" style="width: 510px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://bit.ly/23tKsp3"><img alt="Around 15 kilometers from the town, the project that has never been completed is covered by trees and mosses. There are several Dao and Mong villages nearby." class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="333" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/1NBeawp" width="500" /></a>
<p class="wp-caption-text">Around 15 kilometers from the town, the project that has never been completed is covered by trees and mosses. There are several Dao and Mong villages nearby.</p>
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<div id="attachment_1838488" style="width: 510px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://bit.ly/23tKrBr"><img alt="Construction of the monastery began in 1942, after 12 nuns of a church from Japan arrived and were granted the land plot here." class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="333" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/1NBeawr" width="500" /></a>
<p class="wp-caption-text">Construction of the monastery began in 1942, after 12 nuns of a church from Japan arrived and were granted the land plot here.</p>
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<div id="attachment_1838489" style="width: 510px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://bit.ly/23tKsp5"><img alt="They raised cattle and fowl and produced dairy products and jams that became Ta Phin specialties." class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="333" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/1NBeawx" width="500" /></a>
<p class="wp-caption-text">They raised cattle and fowl and produced dairy products and jams that became Ta Phin specialties.</p>
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<div id="attachment_1838490" style="width: 510px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://bit.ly/23tKsFj"><img alt="The monastery was built with rocks and tiles with Roman domes and thick walls." class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="333" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/1NBeawB" width="500" /></a>
<p class="wp-caption-text">The monastery was built with rocks and tiles with Roman domes and thick walls.</p>
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<div id="attachment_1838491" style="width: 510px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://bit.ly/23tKsFl"><img alt="The nuns moved to Hanoi in 1945 due to security reason, leaving the building incomplete." class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="333" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/1NBeawH" width="500" /></a>
<p class="wp-caption-text">The nuns moved to Hanoi in 1945 due to security reason, leaving the building incomplete.</p>
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<p><a href="http://bit.ly/23tKrBv"><img alt="1838485-7-dzhi" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="333" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/1NBebAH" width="500" /></a></p>
<p><a href="http://bit.ly/23tKsFr"><img alt="1838485-8-yjci" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="333" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/1NBebAL" width="500" /></a></p>
<p><a href="http://bit.ly/23tKuwV"><img alt="1838485-91-bkqv" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="333" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/1NBeaMX" width="500" /></a></p>
<p><a href="http://bit.ly/23tKsFt"><img alt="1838485-92-vzca" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="333" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/1NBeaN1" width="500" /></a></p>
<p><a href="http://bit.ly/23tKuwX"><img alt="1838485-93-ocqf" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="333" rel="lightbox" src="http://ift.tt/23tKux7" width="500" /></a></p>
<p><a href="http://ift.tt/1NBec7H"><img alt="1838485-94-emxs" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="333" rel="lightbox" src="http://ift.tt/23tKuND" width="500" /></a></p>
<p><a href="http://ift.tt/23tKtcl"><img alt="1838485-95-ejqs" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="333" rel="lightbox" src="http://ift.tt/1NBeb3J" width="500" /></a></p>
<div id="attachment_1838492" style="width: 510px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://ift.tt/23tKvkz"><img alt="The monastery is located near Dao villages" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="333" rel="lightbox" src="http://ift.tt/1NBecoi" width="500" /></a>
<p class="wp-caption-text">The monastery is located near Dao villages</p>
</div>
<div id="attachment_1838493" style="width: 510px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://ift.tt/23tKtsS"><img alt="The monastery is located near Dao villages" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="333" rel="lightbox" src="http://ift.tt/1NBeefD" width="500" /></a>
<p class="wp-caption-text">The monastery is located near Dao villages</p>
</div>
<div id="attachment_1838494" style="width: 510px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://ift.tt/23tKvB2"><img alt="The monastery is located near Dao villages" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="333" rel="lightbox" src="http://ift.tt/1NBeew9" width="500" /></a>
<p class="wp-caption-text">The monastery is located near Dao villages</p>
</div>
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Beauty in the ruins: The incomplete monastery of Sa Pa Related image(s)<br />
<img height="200" src="http://bit.ly/1NBebAz" width="200" /><br />

Beauty in the ruins: The incomplete monastery of Sa Pa

Beauty in the ruins: The incomplete monastery of Sa Pa Many visitors to Sa Pa often miss one of the most fascinating attractions in the tow...

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Top 8 destinations in Vietnam

Top 8 destinations in Vietnam
<p>The Cu Chi Tunnel, Mekong Delta region, Phu Quoc, Hoi An, Nha Trang, Mui Ne and Sapa are seen as favourite destination for foreign tourists coming to Vietnam, according to Skyscanner, the world’s travel search engine.</p>
<div id="attachment_1838504" style="width: 500px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://bit.ly/1NBebkb"><img alt="Cu Chi Tunnels" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="332" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/1NBebkb" width="490" /></a>
<p class="wp-caption-text">Cu Chi Tunnels</p>
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<p><strong>Cu Chi Tunnels</strong></p>
<p>Cu Chi tunnels built in 1948 were used by Vietnam soldiers during the reistance struggles against French colonists and American imperialists. They are an immense network of connecting underground tunnels located in the Cu Chi district of HCM City.</p>
<div id="attachment_1838505" style="width: 500px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://bit.ly/23tKsoT"><img alt="Mekong Delta region" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="321" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/23tKsoT" width="490" /></a>
<p class="wp-caption-text">Mekong Delta region</p>
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<p><strong>Mekong Delta region</strong></p>
<p>Floating market is the highlight of the Mekong Delta region. Visitors can experience diverse activities like rowing through mango forests, trekking, visiting fish and snake farms, and riding along tracks.</p>
<div id="attachment_1838506" style="width: 500px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://bit.ly/1NBeag5"><img alt="Sapa" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="327" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/1NBeag5" width="490" /></a>
<p class="wp-caption-text">Sapa</p>
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<p><strong>Sapa</strong></p>
<p>Sa Pa is a town in the Hoang Lien Son Mountains of northwest Vietnam. Popular with trekkers, it overlooks the terraced rice fields of the Muong Hoa Valley, and is near the 3,143m-tall Fan Si Pan peak, climbable via a steep, multiday guided walk. H’mong, Tay and Dao hill tribes make up much of the local population.</p>
<div id="attachment_1838507" style="width: 500px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://bit.ly/1NBeag7"><img alt="Phu Quoc" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="327" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/1NBeag7" width="490" /></a>
<p class="wp-caption-text">Phu Quoc</p>
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<p><strong>Phu Quoc</strong></p>
<p>This is the biggest island in Vietnam, which is famous for beautiful beaches. This peaceful tropical paradise, floats in the warm turquoise waters in the Gulf of Thailand, 50kms from the Vietnamese mainland and a 50 minute flight from Ho Chi Minh City</p>
<div id="attachment_1838508" style="width: 500px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://bit.ly/23tKrBj"><img alt="Hoi An ancient city" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="299" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/23tKrBj" width="490" /></a>
<p class="wp-caption-text">Hoi An ancient city</p>
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<p><strong>Hoi An ancient city</strong></p>
<p>Hoi An is recognised as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Hoi An Ancient Town is an exceptionally well-preserved example of a South-East Asian trading port dating from the 15th to the 19th century. Its buildings and its street plan reflect the influences, both indigenous and foreign, that have combined to produce this unique heritage site.</p>
<div id="attachment_1838509" style="width: 500px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://bit.ly/1NBebkf"><img alt="Mui Ne" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="327" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/1NBebkf" width="490" /></a>
<p class="wp-caption-text">Mui Ne</p>
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<p><strong>Mui Ne</strong></p>
<p>With a long, palm-lined beach, Mui Ne has steady wind conditions (in the dry season) that make it a top destination for windsurfing, kitesurfing, sailing and other water sports. It’s also a popular weekend getaway from Saigon with a busy strip of hotels, restaurants and shops.</p>
<div id="attachment_1838510" style="width: 500px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://bit.ly/23tKsoX"><img alt="Nha Trang" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="327" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/23tKsoX" width="490" /></a>
<p class="wp-caption-text">Nha Trang</p>
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<p><strong>Nha Trang</strong></p>
<p>Nha Trang is a coastal resort city in southern Vietnam known for its beaches, scuba diving and offshore islands. Its main beach is a long, curving stretch along Tran Phu Street backed by a promenade, hotels and seafood restaurants. Cable cars cross over to Hon Tre island and the Vinpearl Resort, with a golf course, water park and fairground.</p>
<div id="attachment_1838511" style="width: 500px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://bit.ly/1NBebAt"><img alt="Ha Long Bay" class="attachment-medium aligncenter" height="324" rel="lightbox" src="http://bit.ly/1NBebAt" width="490" /></a>
<p class="wp-caption-text">Ha Long Bay</p>
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<p><strong>Ha Long Bay</strong></p>
<p>Ha Long Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and a popular travel destination in Quang Ninh province. It features thousands of limestone karstsand isles in various sizes and shapes.</p>
<p><em>Source VOV</em></p>
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Top 8 destinations in Vietnam Related image(s)<br />
<img height="200" src="http://bit.ly/1NBebkb" width="200" /><br />

Top 8 destinations in Vietnam

Top 8 destinations in Vietnam The Cu Chi Tunnel, Mekong Delta region, Phu Quoc, Hoi An, Nha Trang, Mui Ne and Sapa are seen as favourite des...

+ Read more »