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Eight breath-taking destinations in Vietnam

Eight breath-taking destinations in Vietnam
Despite of harsh environment, dangerous terrain, and chilling weather, eight following destinations in Vietnam still attract a large number of adventurers through the country and abroad.
 
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After arriving in Quang Tri, it takes visitors about an hour to go to Hien Luong Bridge on Ben Hai River where was home to the DMZ during the war. Many Vietnamese people laid down their lives there to fight for national independence and freedom. Cua Bien Beach, Brai Cave, and Quang Tri Citade’ are seen as places of interest in the province.
<img alt="top 8 breath-taking destinations in vietnam hinh 2" src="http://bit.ly/2bX14kS" />
The U Minh Forest is a huge cajuput forest covering approximately 2,000 km2 of Ca Mau and Kien Giang provinces. U Minh was a wild forest with many mosquitoes and fierce animals. Tourists can come to U Minh by waterway or by land, but the most convenient way is by motorboats from Ca Mau along Cai Tau river and Trem Trem river or from Rach Gia along the seashore.
<img alt="top 8 breath-taking destinations in vietnam hinh 3" src="http://bit.ly/2bDv9ct" />
The Annamite Mountains are a range of mountains lying between Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. This area boasts an incredibly diverse range of rare habitats, animals and plants, with one of the greatest concentrations of endemic species in a continental setting anywhere in the world, including the beautiful and threatened douc langur (Pygathrix nemaeus).
<img alt="top 8 breath-taking destinations in vietnam hinh 4" src="http://bit.ly/2bWYDPh" />
Mui Ne is famous for its enormous red and white sand dunes. The place has ranked second among the top 10 best sandboarding destinations in the world, according to the Wonderlist website.
<img alt="top 8 breath-taking destinations in vietnam hinh 5" src="http://bit.ly/2bDuGaj" />
Truong Sa is an island district of Khanh Hoa province, located in the south-central coastal region of Vietnam. Tourists will soon be able to set foot on the Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago in the East Vietnam Sea, with a pilot tour package scheduled to sail to the Vietnamese islands later this month.
<img alt="top 8 breath-taking destinations in vietnam hinh 6" src="http://bit.ly/2bWZb7P" />
Dong Van plateau was recognised as a member of the Global Network of National Geoparks in 2010, becoming Vietnam’s first geological park and the second in Southeast Asia. Covering a total area of 2,356 km2, it is home to over 250,000 people from 17 different ethnic groups, who boast unique cultures that have been fostered over the centuries.
<img alt="top 8 breath-taking destinations in vietnam hinh 7" src="http://bit.ly/2bDuQyh" />
An eastern extension of the Himalayas, Hoang Lien Son Mountain Range was created about a hundred million years ago. There are various ethnic minorities living here such as H’Mong, Dzao, and Tay.
<img alt="top 8 breath-taking destinations in vietnam hinh 8" src="http://bit.ly/2bWZkrX" />
30km away from the center of Lang Son City, Mau Son Mountain is located in Loc Binh District, Lang Son Province. The natural wonder has an ability to mesmerize anyone who is strong and lucky enough to make it to its peak. From there, they can witness one of the most magnificent sceneries of Southeast Asia.
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VOV/VNE
 
Eight breath-taking destinations in Vietnam Related image(s) 
<img height="200" src="http://bit.ly/2bDuwiZ" width="200" />

Eight breath-taking destinations in Vietnam

Eight breath-taking destinations in Vietnam Despite of harsh environment, dangerous terrain, and chilling weather, eight following destinati...

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Thanh Hoa’s version of Halong Bay

Thanh Hoa’s version of Halong Bay
VietNamNet Bridge – Ben En National Park in the northern province of Thanh Hoa looks like Halong Bay, the UNESCO-recognized World Heritage site in Quang Ninh Province, as it has 21 islets in an immense lake.
 
<div style="width: 510px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img alt="Thanh Hoa, Ben En National Park, Halong Bay, Vietnam economy, Vietnamnet bridge, English news about Vietnam, Vietnam news, news about Vietnam, English news, Vietnamnet news, latest news on Vietnam, Vietnam" src="http://bit.ly/2bJ7r9f" width="500" />
Boats carry visitors around Ben En.
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From the center of Thanh Hoa Province, tourists should negotiate a 40-kilometer road with some twists and turns through forests to get to Ben En National Park in Nhu Thanh and Nhu Xuan districts.
Ben En is considered one of Vietnam’s most beautiful national parks given its magnificent views of hills, mountains and islets. Covering 17,735 hectares, the park offers a natural atmosphere as it is home to 8,544 hectares of primitive forest.
Visitors to the park should take a boat ride for sightseeing on the calm lake. Tranquil islets and caves with impressive stalactites are worth visiting.
The best time to admire the natural beauty of Ben En is from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. when the clear and blue sky is reflected on the lake’s surface.
During the boat tour, tourists can hear birds singing in the forest and find peace of mind when looking at smoke rolling out the rooftops of the houses in the hilly villages of Muong and Thai ethnic people.
The lake tour lasts several hours but it takes days to explore the whole park.
Visitors should spend some time stopping by Ngoc (Gem) Cave, which is 80 meters long, eight meters wide and 2.5 meters high. In the middle of the cave is a big stalactite sparkling like a gem. From the cave, tourists can walk to a crystal clear stream.
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A view of Ben En National Park.
<img alt="Thanh Hoa, Ben En National Park, Halong Bay, Vietnam economy, Vietnamnet bridge, English news about Vietnam, Vietnam news, news about Vietnam, English news, Vietnamnet news, latest news on Vietnam, Vietnam" src="http://bit.ly/2bJ7ul9" width="500" />
A boat drifts in the vast lake in Ben En National Park – Photos: Hoai Chau
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<td>related news</td>
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<a href="http://bit.ly/2bEsJr5">Pristine beauty of Ben En National Park</a>
<a href="http://bit.ly/2bJ7W2M">Ben En, home to many rare species</a>
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SGT
 
Thanh Hoa’s version of Halong Bay Related image(s) 
<img height="200" src="http://bit.ly/2bJ7r9f" width="200" />

Thanh Hoa’s version of Halong Bay

Thanh Hoa’s version of Halong Bay VietNamNet Bridge – Ben En National Park in the northern province of Thanh Hoa looks like Halong Bay, the ...

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Young Palestinian man finds a second home in Việt Nam

Young Palestinian man finds a second home in Việt Nam
<div style="width: 510px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img src="http://bit.ly/2bEs2OH" width="500" />
At home: Saleem Hammad said that Việt Nam has become his second homeland. – Photo courtesy of Saleem Hammad
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<div><a href="http://bit.ly/24En4mq">Viet Nam News</a>
by Bạch Liên
HÀ NỘI – “Funny”, “friendly” and “very handsome” are the first words that many people in Việt Nam, especially girls, say when they talk about Saleem Hammad after meeting him in real life or seeing him on television.
Many people living in Việt Nam are familiar with the face and voice of Saleem Hammad who has been acting MC for several television shows featuring the culture, tourism and gastronomy of Việt Nam.
Many are amazed to hear Saleem Hammad speak Vietnamese fluently, and in particular read the texts he writes in excellent Vietnamese. Not many know that he only started learning Vietnamese five years ago when he first came here to study at Hà Nội University.
He graduated from university in June this year. Overcoming all his difficulties in learning the Vietnamese language, he won first prize in a Vietnamese language speaking contest that was organised for the first time last year by Hà Nội University’s Vietnamese language department where he studied.
“I was very lucky and proud to be one of the first students from Palestine to study in Việt Nam and followed the path of the Ambassador of Palestine, Saadi Salama, who studied Vietnamese in Việt Nam in 1981,” he said.
Early days in Việt Nam
He came to study in Việt Nam with a scholarship he won thanks to his outstanding scholarly results at the Al-Istiqlal University (the Palestinian Academy of Security Studies).
“Việt Nam was a strange country for me at that time. After my family knew that I would have an opportunity to study here, everybody encouraged me. They told me that it was a country where its inhabitants worked very hard and they were very courageous. They had won against invaders to bring independence to their country. It is also the dream of the people of Palestine,” he said.
When he first came here, he met with many difficulties, as he didn’t speak any Vietnamese. Living far from his family at a young age was not always easy for him at the beginning.
“But I never thought of leaving Việt Nam and going back to my homeland because of those difficulties. I didn’t want to give up so easily… The word “give up” is not in my dictionary. I love the Vietnamese proverb: “Vạn sự khởi đầu nan” (All things begin with difficulties). This is very correct. We should not become discouraged because of difficulties,” he said.
Like other foreigners, the language barrier was the biggest difficulty when living in a foreign country.
“I still remember the first word that I learned after my first day in Việt Nam, it’s the word “đường” (sugar),” he recalls.
“I wanted to make tea and the people from Palestine often put a lot of sugar into their tea. But in my room there was no sugar, so I went out to buy some. I asked the seller: “Can I have some sugar?” But she didn’t understand English.
Sugar… sweet… drink tea… sugar, sugar, I repeated, but she still didn’t understand.
I then went back to my room, looked up the word sugar in the dictionary and found it was “đường” in Vietnamese. I then returned to see the seller and said, “Hey you, đường“. I pronounced the word, but not correctly as I didn’t know how to pronounce the correct tone. She didn’t understand… Luckily a Vietnamese student helped me pronounce the word until I could say it correctly… Then I went back to my room feeling very happy, because I had learned a new word. But then I realized that I had already forgotten to buy sugar,” he recalls.
Learning Vietnamese
The most efficient way to learn Vietnamese for Saleem is to practice every day.
“The more I travel and meet people, the more I can learn. There is a Vietnamese proverb: Đi một ngày đàng, học một sàng khôn (Travelling forms a young man). This proverb is very correct for my situation.”
His friendliness has helped him a lot in learning Vietnamese from the contact he has with local people that he finds very “open, friendly and sentimental.” And more importantly, he has improved his Vietnamese through extra jobs, which also help him earn some money and help him become more confident. Besides working as an MC for TV culture shows, he also works as a model, and teaches Vietnamese and English to foreigners.
“Taking part in TV cultural shows is a great opportunity for me to explore this beautiful S-shaped country, enjoy its natural beauty, and love Việt Nam more and more. I have been travelling throughout Việt Nam, meeting people from different ethnic groups,” he said.
“I have also been able to enjoy traditional dishes from different regions of Việt Nam. I like many dishes that I eat everyday. I prefer phở (rice noodle soup). I cooked phở for my family when I was back in Palestine. I also cooked bánh chưng, the traditional cake that Vietnamese people eat on occasion of the Lunar New Year. I can find all the ingredients in Việt Nam. I make bánh chưng, but instead of making it with pork meat, I use lamb.”
A bridge between two countries
“When I tell Vietnamese people that I come from an Arabic country, many think of sandy deserts and camels. And Arab people when they think of Việt Nam think of mountains and President Hồ Chí Minh.”
“When I returned to Palestine, I told my friends that Việt Nam is not only mountains but a real paradise. I also showed them some documentary films about Việt Nam that I took part in as MC. They were very surprised to see the natural landscapes,” he said.
He hopes that he and other people from Palestine in Việt Nam will become bridges to preserve and develop the good relations between the two countries.
“Việt Nam has become my second homeland. My love for Việt Nam is like my love for Palestine.”
“If I have a dream, I wish that Palestine in the near future could also gain independence, peace and liberty like Việt Nam,” he said. – VNS
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<div style="width: 510px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img src="http://bit.ly/2bEsIDF" width="500" />
Familiar face: Saleem Hammad has achieved fame in Việt Nam by working as an MC on several Việt Nam TV cultural shows, and also as a model.-Photo courtesy of Saleem Hammad
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Young Palestinian man finds a second home in Việt Nam Related image(s) 
<img height="200" src="http://bit.ly/2bEs2OH" width="200" />

Young Palestinian man finds a second home in Việt Nam

Young Palestinian man finds a second home in Việt Nam At home: Saleem Hammad said that Việt Nam has become his second homeland. – Photo cou...

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Baked for 100 years: clay houses stand tall in northern Vietnam

Baked for 100 years: clay houses stand tall in northern Vietnam
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<h2>Why use concrete to build a house when you can play in the mud instead?</h2>
Modern-day building techniques revolve around bricks and mortar, steel-reinforced concrete and synthetic materials that all point to a future isolated from nature. But here in Lang Son Province in northern Vietnam, there are still hundreds of houses made of materials that can be found at your feet. Some buildings have even been standing for a few hundred years, and now, besides providing shelter, they offer visitors to the land a chance to get back to nature. They are called ‘nha trinh tuong’, with ‘nha’ being house and ‘tuong’ being wall. ‘Trinh’ is derived from the word ‘chinh’, which means “pounded until firm” in the language of the Tay and Nung, the ethnic minorities that live here.
<img alt="baked-for-100-years-clay-houses-stand-tall-in-northern-vietnam" src="http://bit.ly/2bD7x1r" />
The Tay and Nung ethnic minorities in Lang Son created the ‘nha trinh tuong’ using clay mixed with mud that is shaped using frames and pounded to the desired stickiness.
<img alt="baked-for-100-years-clay-houses-stand-tall-in-northern-vietnam-1" src="http://bit.ly/2bCSrOm" />
There are two techniques used to make a ‘nha trinh tuong’. The first has walls made directly of clay shaped using a frame. The second one employs a frame to make clay bricks which are then used to build a home the normal way, only with clay mortar instead of cement and sand.
The hardest part though precedes any construction process: choosing where to build. According to the Tay’s Feng Shui beliefs, the best houses face south with their backs to the mountains. The obvious indicator for a good lot is to have lots of trees around, ancient trees ideally, because as a rule of thumb, land covered with trees will never erode.
<img alt="baked-for-100-years-clay-houses-stand-tall-in-northern-vietnam-2" src="http://bit.ly/2bD7jYn" />
A two-storey ‘nha trinh tuong’ is, well, a different story. The hardest part is reinforcing the foundations and pillars. The foundations are built using only chunks of stone placed tightly on top of each other so they can hold the weight. The pillars at the four corners of the house must be erected by an experienced builder, or expect a collapse.
<img alt="baked-for-100-years-clay-houses-stand-tall-in-northern-vietnam-3" src="http://bit.ly/2bCRXrO" />
A good clay house doesn’t allow water to penetrate its walls. To achieve that, the clay used to make the walls has to be well prepared, which might take up to three months. Clay houses are warm in the winter and cool in the summer. The only weakness they possess is that mold tends to grow on the walls, but that can be fixed with a wood-burning stove at the center of the house.
<img alt="baked-for-100-years-clay-houses-stand-tall-in-northern-vietnam-4" src="http://bit.ly/2bD86Z8" />
<img alt="baked-for-100-years-clay-houses-stand-tall-in-northern-vietnam-5" src="http://bit.ly/2bCSvxT" />
Symmetry is part of the architectural philosophy here. All the main doors are decorated with paper talismen or mirrors to ward away evil.
<img alt="baked-for-100-years-clay-houses-stand-tall-in-northern-vietnam-6" src="http://bit.ly/2bD7hje" />
Photos by Luu Minh Dan
Related news:
> <a href="http://bit.ly/2bCSREG">Remote ‘mud’ house claims architecture award</a>
</div>
 
Baked for 100 years: clay houses stand tall in northern Vietnam Related image(s) 
<img height="200" src="http://bit.ly/2bD7x1r" width="200" />

Baked for 100 years: clay houses stand tall in northern Vietnam

Baked for 100 years: clay houses stand tall in northern Vietnam Why use concrete to build a house when you can play in the mud instead? Mo...

+ Read more »

Baked for 100 years: clay houses stand tall in northern Vetnam

Baked for 100 years: clay houses stand tall in northern Vetnam
Why use concrete to build a house when you can play in the mud instead?
Modern-day building techniques revolve around bricks and mortar, steel-reinforced concrete and synthetic materials that all point to a future isolated from nature. But here in Lang Son Province in northern Vietnam, there are still hundreds of houses made of materials that can be found at your feet. Some buildings have even been standing for a few hundred years, and now, besides providing shelter, they offer visitors to the land a chance to get back to nature. They are called ‘nha trinh tuong’, with ‘nha’ being house and ‘tuong’ being wall. ‘Trinh’ is derived from the word ‘chinh’, which means “pounded until firm” in the language of the Tay and Nung, the ethnic minorities that live here.
<img alt="The Tay and Nung ethnic minorities in Lang Son created the ‘nha trinh tuong’ using clay mixed with mud that is shaped using frames and pounded to the desired stickiness." src="http://bit.ly/2bD7x1r" title="The Tay and Nung ethnic minorities in Lang Son created the ‘nha trinh tuong’ using clay mixed with mud that is shaped using frames and pounded to the desired stickiness." />
The Tay and Nung ethnic minorities in Lang Son created the ‘nha trinh tuong’ using clay mixed with mud that is shaped using frames and pounded to the desired stickiness.
<img alt="baked-for-100-years-clay-houses-stand-tall-in-northern-vetnam-1" src="http://bit.ly/2bCSrOm" />
There are two techniques use to make a ‘nha trinh tuong’. The first has walls made directly of clay shaped using a frame. The second one employs a frame to make clay bricks which are then used to build a home the normal way, only with clay mortar instead of cement and sand.
The hardest part though precedes any construction process: choosing where to build. According to the Tay’s Feng Shui beliefs, the best houses face south with their backs to the mountains. The obvious indicator for a good lot is to have lots of trees around, ancient trees ideally, because as a rule of thumb, land covered with trees will never erode.
<img alt="baked-for-100-years-clay-houses-stand-tall-in-northern-vetnam-2" src="http://bit.ly/2bD7jYn" />
A two-storey ‘nha trinh tuong’ is, well, a different story. The hardest part is reinforcing the foundations and pillars. The foundations are built using only chunks of stone placed tightly on top of each other so they can hold the weight. The pillars at the four corners of the house must be erected by an experienced builder, or expect a collapse.
<img alt="baked-for-100-years-clay-houses-stand-tall-in-northern-vetnam-3" src="http://bit.ly/2bCRXrO" />
A good clay house doesn’t allow water to penetrate its walls. To achieve that, the clay used to make the walls has to be well prepared, which might take up to three months. Clay houses are warm in the winter and cool in the summer. The only weakness they possess is that mold tends to grow on the walls, but that can be fixed with a wood-burning stove at the center of the house.
<div style="width: 510px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img alt="Symmetry is part of the architectural philosophy here. All the main doors are decorated with paper talismen or mirrors to ward away evil." src="http://bit.ly/2bD86Z8" title="Symmetry is part of the architectural philosophy here. All the main doors are decorated with paper talismen or mirrors to ward away evil." />
Symmetry is part of the architectural philosophy here. All the main doors are decorated with paper talismen or mirrors to ward away evil.
</div>
<div style="width: 510px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img alt="Symmetry is part of the architectural philosophy here. All the main doors are decorated with paper talismen or mirrors to ward away evil." src="http://bit.ly/2bCSvxT" title="Symmetry is part of the architectural philosophy here. All the main doors are decorated with paper talismen or mirrors to ward away evil." />
Symmetry is part of the architectural philosophy here. All the main doors are decorated with paper talismen or mirrors to ward away evil.
</div>
<div style="width: 510px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img alt="Photos by Luu Minh Dan" src="http://bit.ly/2bD7hje" title="Photos by Luu Minh Dan" />
Photos by Luu Minh Dan
</div>
Related news:
> <a href="http://bit.ly/2bCSREG">Remote ‘mud’ house claims architecture award</a>
 
Baked for 100 years: clay houses stand tall in northern Vetnam Related image(s) 
<img height="200" src="http://bit.ly/2bD7x1r" width="200" />

Baked for 100 years: clay houses stand tall in northern Vetnam

Baked for 100 years: clay houses stand tall in northern Vetnam Why use concrete to build a house when you can play in the mud instead? Mode...

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7 resort mansions of Vietnam’s last king

7 resort mansions of Vietnam’s last king
Try being king for a day with royal extravagance.
Bao Dai was the last king to rule over Vietnam. He made the most of the country’s final royal reign in style, and his legacy is still visible through his resort mansions that are scattered all over the country, which seem to come in handy no matter what regime they are under. Today, VnExpress will take you on a virtual tour of seven places that had the honor of hosting the king whenever the weather was nice.
Do Son Villa in Hai Phong
Bao Dai’s resort villa in Do Son District in the northern city of Hai Phong was built in 1928 for the French colonial regime’s Indochina Governor-General Pafquiere, and was later presented to the king as a gift. The villa was his favorite spot whenever he traveled to northern Vietnam.
Panoramic views of the Do Son Peninsula and an oceanic climate throughout the summer are what makes the villa the perfect royal getaway.
<div style="width: 510px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img alt="Photo by Qjafcc/CC BY-SA 3.0" src="http://bit.ly/2c1yoZC" width="500" />
Photo by Qjafcc, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Da Lat villas in Lam Dong
The resort town of <a href="http://bit.ly/2c9HctB">Da Lat</a> in the Central Highlands, a rare place in Vietnam that mimics the temperate climate of the West, was specially favored by the king who had three mansions there dedicated to recreational purposes only.
The first is located on Tran Quang Dieu Street, four kilometers to the southeast of central Da Lat. Dinh I (Palace I), as it’s called, was built in 1940 for a French millionaire on a hill surrounded by pine trees looking down on a valley that served as Bao Dai’s hunting field. The king bought the mansion in 1949. A taste of royal luxury life is now available at VND30,000 ($1.3) per ticket for visitors.
Dinh II (Palace II) was built in 1933, originally as the resort mansion for then Governor-General Jean Decoux. It covers an area of 26 hectares, on which the mansion alone accounts for 10 hectares. Also surrounded by a pine forest and an all-year-round cool climate, the mansion boasts 25 rooms, all more than well-equipped and for rent at VND500,000 – 700,000 ($22 – 31) per night.
The last one (Dinh III) sits on Trieu Viet Vuong Street and is again surrounded by a pine forest. All the rooms of Dinh III are well preserved and available to see for VND15,000 ($0.7) per ticket.
<div style="width: 510px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img alt="Photo by Diane Selwyn" src="http://bit.ly/2c1ypfX" width="500" />
Photo by Diane Selwyn
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Bach Dinh in Ba Ria – Vung Tau
Bach Dinh (literary White Villa, after the daughter of the then Governor-General’s name and its exterior color) is situated on Tran Phu Street in Vung Tau City, the capital of the southern province of Ba Ria – Vung Tau. Built in 1898, the French-style mansion has been transformed into a museum that displays Chines Qing Dynasty pottery salvaged from sunken ships off the coast of <a href="http://bit.ly/2c9GBYQ">Con Dao</a> Island and cannons which are older than your grandparents. All of this is available at VND5,000 per ticket.
Cau Da Villa in Nha Trang
Cau Da Villa in the beach town of <a href="http://bit.ly/2c1ymRu">Nha Trang</a> is a complex of five French style villas first built for oceanographers working at the city’s oceanography institute. From 1940 to 1945, Bao Dai and his wife visited the area frequently, which led to the adoption of the name Bao Dai’s villas. The villas are now a tourist attraction in Nha Trang, offering an experience off the city’s better known beaches.
<div style="width: 510px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img alt="Bao Dai Villa in Buon Me Thuot" src="http://bit.ly/2c9He4I" title="Bao Dai Villa in Buon Me Thuot" width="500" />
Bao Dai Villa in Buon Me Thuot
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At 4 Nguyen Du Street in Buon Ma Thuot City in the Central Highlands lies a mansion that once hosted the last king of Vietnam. The mansion boasts architecture unique to the Central Highlands the ethnic minorities who live there with tiled roofs and wooden floors. From 1949 to 1954, the mansion served as Bao Dai’s resort and hunting house during the early rain season. It’s now part of Dak Lak Museum, and costs VND20,000 ($1) to take a look.
<div style="width: 510px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img alt="Related news:" src="http://bit.ly/2c1yQHb" title="Related news:" width="500" />
Related news:
</div>
> <a href="http://bit.ly/2c9Hfpi">East meets West at Vietnamese Emperor’s tomb</a>
> <a href="http://bit.ly/2c1zmF8">Quiz: How well do you know Vietnam?</a>
 
7 resort mansions of Vietnam’s last king Related image(s) 
<img height="200" src="http://bit.ly/2c1yoZC" width="200" />

7 resort mansions of Vietnam’s last king

7 resort mansions of Vietnam’s last king Try being king for a day with royal extravagance. Bao Dai was the last king to rule over Vietnam. ...

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Bringing theater plays back to life

Bringing theater plays back to life
Bringing theater plays back to life
The Saigon Times Daily
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The Hanoi Opera House – PHOTO: TTXVN
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Starting from late August 2016, more high-quality theater plays are performed at the 100-year-old Hanoi Opera House, Vietnamplus reports. The information which was announced at a press conference in Hanoi last week has received a positive response from artists and audiences to help save the theater and bring more interesting programs to local and foreign spectators.
Regular shows
Nguyen Dang Chuong, head of the Department of Performing Arts under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, confirmed the department will create opportunities for local art troupes and artists to practice and stage high-quality plays and programs. The department also assures that there are more chances for not only chamber music, musical, and dance programs but also for tuong (classical drama), cheo (northern opera), and cai luong (southern opera) performances.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has planned the performance schedules until the end of 2016. Starting from 2017, the organizers will arrange a regular and fixed schedule on weekends for viewers’ convenience. The ministry is trying to turn the Opera House into an entertainment venue for local and international visitors.
The ministry has joined hands with tourism companies and agencies to bring these art programs to foreign tourists as part of their tours to the country. The first three shows of the new project on the occasion of the 71st National Day of Vietnam are a concert by the Vietnam Symphony Orchestra on August 30, a popular play called “Biet doi bao den” (black panther detachment) of the Vietnam Drama Theater on August 31 and a show of Cheo (northern opera) Theater of Vietnam on September 1.
Strategic steps
Chuong also mentioned opportunities for more art troupes and theaters nationwide to join the program. The Opera House will be responsible for selling tickets and promoting the programs while art troupes and theaters will focus on their quality and creativity of the shows. Professor Nguyen Thi Minh Thai, a theater expert, said: “This is a strategic step to bring more high-quality programs and performances to the Opera House to help save the theater industry which is on the verge of bankruptcy.”
However, Thai also suggested setting up a jury to evaluate the quality of plays and programs to bring more high-quality works of military and police art troupes to raise people’s awareness on social issues and community development.
 
Bringing theater plays back to life Related image(s) 
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Bringing theater plays back to life

Bringing theater plays back to life Bringing theater plays back to life The Saigon Times Daily The Hanoi Opera House – PHOTO: TTXVN Sta...

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