Day: December 28, 2022

The Hoi An People’s Committee in the central province of Quang Nam on December 28 started work to restore Cau (Bridge) Pagoda – an iconic tourist attraction of the ancient city.

 

The restoration work, expected to cost 20.3 billion VND (nearly 861,000 USD), includes reinforcing the foundation system, abutments, and piers; repairing the floor system, wooden frame, and roof; renovating electrical system, termite treatment; digitalising relics using 3D technology for archiving and restoration work; organising seminars; making scientific records; embellishing landscape; and improving technical infrastructure and security camera system.

 

All the preparations were studied, reviewed, and agreed upon by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Department of Cultural Heritage, Quang Nam provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the provincial Department of Construction, the UNESCO Office in Hanoi, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and the Japan General Administration of Culture before they submit the dossiers on the work to competent agencies for appraisal and approval.

 

The restoration work is expected to complete by the end of next year.

 

The pagoda was originally built by Japanese tradesmen in the 17th century.

 

It was not until 1653 that a tile-roofed structure was erected, connecting to the northern railings, protruding between the bridge, that’s why local people often call the covered bridge Chua Cau (Bridge Pagoda).

 

Although it is a pagoda, it is not worshipping the Buddha like other typical pagodas in Vietnam, but a spirit that protects and brings happiness to the local people.

 

The pagoda was renovated many times in the past./.

 

Source: Vietnam News Agency

 

The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism on December 26 began the programme “HCM City-100 interesting things” to promote the city as an attractive tourist destination.

 

The programme themed “Vibrant experiences” features 10 categories covering ten exciting sightseeing programmes, ten exciting attractions, ten interesting entertainment spots, ten interesting shopping spots, ten interesting tourist accommodation establishments, ten interesting restaurants, ten interesting coffee shops, ten interesting tourism, cultural and sports events, ten interesting check-in places, and ten interesting delicacies.

 

Tran Ngoc Dong Quan, head of the department’s travel management office, said tourism industry players could nominate themselves at https://100e.visithcmc.vn/.

 

“The website is also serving as a voting channel for tourism experts, locals and tourists,” he said.

 

Nguyen Thi Anh Hoa, director of the department, said the programme was seeking more appealing tourism products and services to introduce to tourists.

 

It would also help promote the city as a vibrant and exciting destination.

 

The results of the vote will be announced in July next year./.

 

Source: Vietnam News Agency

 

The annual “Xuan Que Huong” (Homeland Spring), the biggest external and cultural event held for overseas Vietnamese (OVs) on the occasion of the Lunar New Year festival, will take place in Hanoi on January 14, with about 3,000 people taking part, including 1,000 OVs.

 

The information was revealed by deputy head of the State Commission for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs Mai Phan Dung during a press conference in Hanoi on December 28.

 

As part of the programme, traditional activities will be held such as incense offering, release of carps, tribute to President Ho Chi Minh at his mausoleum, meetings with Party and State leaders, and Vietnamese cuisine festival.

 

The President will extend New Year wishes to participants during a music show which will be broadcast live on the national Vietnam Television, its digital platforms or mobile app.

 

Its sideline activities will begin from January 13, including a workshop of the National Assembly’s Committee for External Affairs with OVs on legal regulations for them, a meeting with leaders of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee to honour outstanding OVs, a spring fair with trade, investment and tourism promotion activities in Hanoi, an exchange at the national radio The Voice of Vietnam, and release of carps at Ao Sen based in Thang Long Imperial Citadel which will be hosted by the President.

 

Held for the first time in 2008, the programme is a joint effort between the Foreign Ministry, several agencies and localities./.

 

Source: Vietnam News Agency

 

At least 25 people have been killed by recent floods that inundated the southern and eastern regions of the Philippines, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Managing Council (NDRRMC).

 

Meanwhile, nine people have been injured and at least 26 remain unaccounted for.

 

Diego Agustin Mariano from the NDRRMC said rescue teams in all nine provinces are making efforts to carry out search and rescue for victims.

 

The country is also preparing to deal with new rains as a low pressure area, detected about 600 km east of Mindanao island in the south on December 27, is likely to strengthen into a tropical depression. This area will bring moderate to heavy rainfall to the central Philippines and northern Mindanao, with the possibility of flooding and landslides.

 

Lying in the Pacific “Ring of Fire”, the Philippines is battered by about 20 typhoons and tropical storms each year. It is ranked among the most vulnerable nations to the impacts of climate change./.

 

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Vietnam is among the top three markets where residents plan to travel with the whole family in the coming year, a new survey by Agoda revealed.

 

Agoda’s Family Travel Trend survey 2022 found that 61% of travelers from Singapore and Taiwan (China) and 59% from Vietnam are most likely to take at least one trip with the immediate family.

 

People from the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia are most likely to plan two or more family jaunts in the coming year.

 

Agoda’s survey said that four out of five travelers will take a vacation with their immediate family in the next 12 months and, while travelling with friends proves more popular than travelling with extended family, still more than half, about 52%, are keen to catch up with relatives during their vacation.

 

“The more the merrier for holidays seems to be the message across Southeast Asia, India and beyond this year as Asia finally reopens for travel. The Agoda Family Travel Survey shows people really want to enjoy the company of friends or extended family on their vacations with more than 80% of travelers planning to travel with immediate family and 52% opting to travel with other relatives too,” explained Enric Casals, regional vice president, Southeast Asia, Oceania and India, Agoda.

 

When it comes to travelling with families or in a group, travelers worldwide are seeking more value for their trips with budget hotels, Agoda home vacation rentals and inclusive resorts cited as the top three group travel preferences.

 

“Family travelers often have more complex requirements when choosing their holiday accommodation. Often they need more space, perhaps with cooking facilities as offered by Agoda Homes, or services such as babysitting, kids clubs, extra beds or interconnecting rooms offered by family-friendly hotels. Being able to search on one platform, like Agoda, for accommodation, flights, ground transportation and fun filled activities at the destination takes away a lot of the hassle of travel planning, meaning there is more time to relax and enjoy spending time with loved ones,” Enric Casals continued.

 

Agoda also found that despite travel optimism and growth outpacing pre-COVID levels, 77% of travelers globally indicate some concern about international borders closing again while they are overseas. Travelers from the most recently opened markets, including the Republic of Korea and Japan, are most concerned, in comparison to those from markets that quickly removed border restrictions, such as the US, Australia and India./.

 

Source: Vietnam News Agency

A hot air balloon festival was held in Da Lat city, the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong, on December 28, offering a chance to visitors to enjoy the famous tourist site from the above.

 

The event, part of the Da Lat Flower Festival, drew hundreds of visitors who came to experience the service which has been provided in the city for the first time.

 

The balloon festival will last until January 1, 2023. Particularly, on December 31 night, a mini hot air balloon show will be held, along with a Night Low light show on New Year’s eve at Lam Vien Square.

 

Situated on a plateau around 1,500 metres above sea level, Da Lat enjoys year-round cool weather that is in contrast to Vietnam’s tropical climate.

 

As one of Vietnam’s biggest flower-growing regions, producing around 3 billion flowers every year, the city is a must-visit destination for flower lovers around the world.

 

It is estimated that the number of tourists to the “city of thousands of flowers” increased dramatically in the first nine months of this year, reaching 5.4 million, up 158% compared with the same period of last year./.

 

Source: Vietnam News Agency