Hidden treasure The best resort in Vietnam for Honeymooners
The speedboat bounces the waves of Nha Trang‘s bay, bearing s towards Ninh Van Island. Upon glimpsing the lonely island, dotted with huge slabs of stone, I am over with curiosity. Even the resort’s name is intriguing: Hideaway

The sky is deep blue. The sea shines like an immense sparking mirror. I hear the sounds of lapping waves and birdsong. In the distance I can see some wooden, thatched-roofed villas perched on cliff tops or tucked into the trees at the edge of the turquoise sea.

The impression of landing on a deserted island vanishes as the resort’s marketing director, management board and other staff step forward to welcome us with broad smiles and warm handshakes. The reception area is located in a stilt house, its two floors decorated in a style that is simple yet luxurious.

A white sandy path threads through ancient trees. My 11year- old son and I step through the foliage to discover or villa hidden in a pretty garden, the stillness broken by a few the rustling of leaves in the breeze.

Made of wood, the villa has two floors. The first floors hold a snowy white bed from which one can gaze at the swimming pool. A rough wooden ladder leads up to the second floor, where two armchairs beckon offering a view of the garden and sea.

A basket if fresh fruit and a bottle of champagne are there to greet us, along with a letter from the resort’s director, I am reminded of another time in my life when. After traveling a great distance and arriving in a strange place, I found s letter. It was 20years ago and I had just arrived in Minsk to study. A letter from my boyfriend, then studying in Moscow, was lying on the table, “I hope that after an extremely long flight, when you arrive in your dormitory and open this letter you will feel as if you have come home after a long journey...”

Time passes. That boyfriend got married and settled in Russia. My memories of that short, student love story have faded too, although the echo of what I felt when I read that letter will remain with me forever.

Night set in. following a line of flickering torches we walk to a monumental wooden restaurant set in the hills facing towards the sea. The décor is elegant and relaxed, with typical Vietnamese elements such as wooden pillars, a palm roof, and a bamboo fence. Surrounded by sparkling candles guest sample lobster, shrimp and other dishes, all grilled on a stone-topped stove.

Next morning, mu son jumps on a bicycle found in our villa’s yard and sets off down a sandy track. He looks so free and happy. After circling the island he is excited to see a white faced black monkey jumping into the swimming pool to drink. As I dry my son off I ask, “Do you feel relaxed enough to stay for four days?”

“I want to stay for s whole month!” he says.”Look Mon! Squirrels have eaten part of the fruit basket since we forgot to put it in the fridge!”

Cobblestone paths lead up the hills to other villas, some tucked into the hillside. Other perched on the cliff tops. All of these places offer views of the sea: breaking waves, sails far off in the distance, twilight fading over the waves… In such a thatched-roof cottage you will certainly feel at peace, as if a calm sea of love were covering the whole world.

Four days pass quickly. It is time to go home, to our confused lives. There are only a few people o the boat, but dozens of hands waving goodbye to the Evason Hideaway was life like waking from a beautiful dream in which my soul was at ease. I realized that it had far too long since I had felt such inner peace.

This article is written by lan nguyen from Vacation to Vietnam, for original article please visit:
www.vacationstovietnam.com/lastest-travel-news/hidden-treasure-the-best-resort-in-vietnam-for-honeymooners.html

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Ninh Binh, the legendary land and Legendary People
Nature has bestowed Vietnam’s northern province of Ninh Binh with dramatic landscapes. Sties like Tam Cac – Bich Dong and the stone cathedral of Phat Diem draw scores of visitors. Yet there are other, lesser-known sites that are worth visiting, all within an easy drive of the capital.

Less than an hour’s motorbike ride from Hanoi I entered a different world, the road passing through green hills and the virgin forests of Cuc Phuong National Park. As I drive through this mystical landscape, the words of the song (Suoi Mo” (Dream Stream), by the late composer van Cao, ran through my head Gazing at the clear Ngo Dong River running along the foot if the mountains, I could appreciate how this magnificent landscape would inspire great poetry and music.

In 986AD, the Dinh Dynasty (986-1010) chose to build it capital at Hoa Lu, in Ninh Binh. Meanwhile, the cave at Tam Coc – Bich Dong attracts both local and international visitors to bathe its dreamy beauty.

Today, many tour companies take visitors to Bai Dinh Pagoda, which lies in the Trang An Tourist Complex. Reportedly the largest pagoda in Southeast Asia, Bai Dinh is impressive in tern of size, although, being newly built, it lacks a sense of history may be found nearby, at Hoa lu. It was here that Vietnam’s capital was founded in 986AD, after the nation regained its independence after 1000 years of Chinese occupation.

After unifying the nation, Dinh Bo Linh declared himself the first emperor of Vietnam. Under the name Emperor Dinh Tien Hoang, he found the kingdom of Dai Co Viet (Great Viet). Today, the site of the former capital is marked by some temples, pagodas and remnants of the stones. The surrounding rivers and hills remain unchanged.

When King Ly Cong Uan offered the construction of Thang Long Citadel in what is now Hanoi, stone and wood were transport down the Hoang Long and Day Rivers. These rivers still flow as they did 1000 years ago.

This forested area is Vietnam’s heartland. Taking a boats ride towards Tam Coc via the Xuyen Thuy Cave. In this beautiful landscape I felt close to nature, and appreciated the local who spend their whole lives working in the fields and streams.

Around twenty minutes out of Ninh Binh City, I boarded a boat to Tam Coc – Bich Dong and nearly Van Long, where, during the rainy season, a large area is submerged under water. Millions of years ago, this area was ruled by the sea. Waves etched caves into the limestone mountain, the most famous of which is Tam Coc, which forms a tunnel through a mountain.

From the Van Long Resort I visited a lesser known beauty spot, Hang Bong Cave. The largest limestone and submerged land ecosystem in the red River Delta, the Van Long Kenh Ga compound attracts nature – lovers from all corners, as well as exciting boat rides through the marches, visitors have the chance to see rare and endangered animals, such as eagles, chamois, leopards, bears and monkeys. Though its fauna is not as rich as that found in Cuc Phuong National Park, the VanLong – Kenh Ga compound features magnificent rock formations surrounded by water. Small boats wind through the jagged peaks. As the sun sets, the scene is a dream for photographers.

This summer, a new international – standard hotel opened nearby. The Ana Mandara Ninh Binh features a beautiful and unique design, its main structures supported by giant wooden columns that are reminiscent of ancient Vietnamese palace palaces. Open on four sides, an impressive main hall serves as the lobby. The surrounding buildings are equally unique, being modeled after house in a 19th century Tonkin township. With wide verandas and curved roofs, these low house recall Hanoi many year ago, when the only sounds on mummer nights were the crises of cicadas.

Each group of house resembles a small village surrounding a swimming pool, a communal square and an herb garden. Bamboo hedges surround these “villages”. In between the blocks lie palm trees and fields of corn. After just a few hours I felt strangely attached to this place, as though it was actually my birth village.

The staffs at the Ana Mandara Ninh Binh were so friendly, and so professional, that I felt totally at home. This five-star hotel adds to the attractions of Ninh Binh. As I strolled beneath shady trees or sat and gazed at the clear water, I felt relaxed and grounded. Surrounded by the flowing wind and water of Ninh Binh, I felt connected to nature and to myself again.

This article is written by lan nguyen from Vacation to Vietnam, for original article please visit:
www.vacationstovietnam.com/lastest-travel-news/ninh-binh-the-legendary-land-and-legendary-people.html

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What is Architectural treasure in The old quarter of Hanoi ?
Travelling back and forth along busy Dinh Liet Street, not many people catch a glimpse of the old garden house – the oldest of its type still standing in Ha Noi. Follow the small lane through a moss-covered arch, visitors enter an environment of peace and tranquillity, feasting their eyes on a large garden filled with plants big, small, tall and short. Many of them, such as bamboo, star-fruit trees or areca (betel nut), are more than 40 years old. In the middle of the garden there remains an old well.

The house and its 180sq m garden – a five-minute walk from Hoan Kiem Lake – is a national treasure. The Ha Noi People’s Committee has ordered its preservation and it will probably be preserved as a private museum. In the 1940s, Pham Thi Te, now 98, and her husband – the then owner of the famous Su Tu (lion) Silver brand – bought land fronting both Hang Bac and Dinh Liet streets. They had four daughters and four sons.

There, they built a two-storey, 16-room house of mixed French-Vietnamese design and gave their married children and their spouses two rooms each.

Previously, the main gate to the house was at 115 Hang Bac Street, and the back gate was on 6 Dinh Liet Street. With time gone by, the 600m living area has been reduced to about 200m and the back gate has become the main entrance.

From afar, one may think the house is a temple. Each corner of the tiled roof is embellished with knives stylised in the image of a dragon hovering in the clouds.
“For the past 70 years, we have clearly understood the value of the land, but we are determined not to sell so Ha Noi can boast of preserving an old garden house with a mixture of both traditional and Western architecture – a destination for tourists,” said Te.

Time has passed, but everything in the house remains intact, from the carved wooden doors and the furniture. Throughout the house, there is a rare combination of cultures and architecture: wooden pillars, designs on walls or doors imprinted with images of flowers, animals or letters like Tho (longevity) which imply happiness and longevity for the whole family.

The architecture has drawn many visitors, both local and foreign, to the house, including those from the Canadian embassy here in Ha Noi or a group of heritage officials from France, Te’s eldest son, Pham Ngoc Giao said. The house is also listed in Japan’s guide book The 36 Guild Streets in Ha Noi’s Ancient Quarter.

Architect Dao Ngoc Nghiem, former head of the municipal planning and architecture department, said the house presented a unique architectural achievement. “Tube houses are typical in the city’s ancient streets. This garden house was not influenced by that style, thus, it has a rarely seen value,” Nghiem said.

Giao said it was not that his parents were rich enough to buy and build such a large garden, but that they wanted to have an environment filled with green trees and fresh air to subsidise for the loss of rural life after they moved to Ha Noi from Hai Duong Province.

Sitting by the table set, which dated back to Giao’s grandfather, he said it was of the same age as a set of tables and chairs in the guest room at the Opera House.

Giao said besides its architectural value, the house carried much-respected spiritual value. “It’s regarded as part of the country’s cultural heritage. But it should be filled with a soul. We are determined to keep the house to honour our mum’s wish,” he said, emphasising that they are living to protect not only the house, but more importantly the family ties and values – the soul of the house.”

Respect for the elders and others has been a living principle for Te’s descendants and respect for others means the entire family values gender equality. “The house accommodates five generations, counting my grandparents. As people born and raised in the Old Quarter, we have always enjoyed a warm family.”

That’s why visitors to the house always see a living, not a dead museum, Giao said. Recently, a group of Thai teenagers in a tour to Ha Noi came and asked for permission to perform their typical dances in the living room. Te’s great grandchildren joined in with some Vietnamese songs and dances. Witnessing this, Giao said happily that the house was once again a place for cultural exchange.

This article is written by Lan Nguyen from Vacation to Vietnam, for original article please visit:
www.vacationstovietnam.com/lastest-travel-news/a-house-with-a-living-soul.html
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