TRAVEL IN BRIEF 19/7 Food streets in Hanoi’s Old Quarter Hanoi’s Hoan Kiem district is carrying out a project to turn several streets in the Old Quarter into gastronomy streets to highlight the characteristics of the city’s special cuisine. The streets include Hang Buom, Ma May, Hang Giay, Luong Ngoc Quyen, Ta Hien and Dao Duy Tu. Dong Xuan Joint Stock Company is encouraging owners of restaurants that create traditional Hanoi dishes on these streets to join the project. It has also helped restaurants and food stands improve hygiene and food safety, and will conduct training courses to develop sellers’ skills. The streets will be connected to the pedestrian area in the Old Quarter.- Cruise tourists in Vietnam to get connecting tour to Yangon Viet Excursions Co. has announced connecting tours to Myanmar’s Yangon for international cruise tourists coming to Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province and HCMC, which will be available from December. Phan Xuan Anh, chairman of Viet Excursions, said that some international cruise lines such as Ocean Cruise and Silversea cared about the program as this was a new product for cruise tourists when coming to Vietnam. Tourists will arrive in Ba Ria-Vung Tau or HCMC by cruise ship and then fly to Yangon. After that, they can go back to HCMC or travel to other destinations depending on schedules of ships. “This is a new product, and we have received positive feedback from the partners. We will also bring international tourists from Myanmar to Vietnam,” Anh said. It is now in the low season of international cruise tourism, and companies serving cruise tourists in Vietnam are preparing for a new season which normally starts every October. At Viet Excursions, cruise ships will start to arrive next month with two or three ships a week calling on southern ports. * There are more and more Vietnam tourists traveling to Myanmar. Some travel companies have offered discounts on Myanmar tours departing this summer, and customers can buy a four-day tour from HCMC at around VND13 million. Currently, there are three HCMC-Yangon flights operated by Vietnam Airlines every week. The carrier has replaced Fokker 70 with Airbus A321 having a seating capacity of 184 passengers since February. With the new aircraft, the number of seats of the HCMC-Yangon air service increases by 75%, and the current occupancy rate is quite high with over 80%, according to Vietnam Airlines’ Southern Regional Office. Authorities reinforce management of bays The management board of Ha Long Bay in northern Quang Ninh province and Cat Hai district in northern Hai Phong City on July 18 signed a cooperation agreement on the management of the bays under their control. Accordingly, the two localities will work together to ensure proper enforcement of laws and local regulations on production and services activities in the bays. Additionally, the two sides will jointly promote tourist attractions in Ha Long Bay and Cat Ba archipelago’s bays, as well as enhance the protection of natural resources and ecological systems in the areas. Ha Long Bay, a World Heritage Site recognised by UNESCO, is a popular travel destination. Covering an area of around 1,553 sq km, it includes 1,960–2,000 islets, most of which are 500 million-year-old limestone outcrops. The bay is famous for its tropical evergreen ecosystem and oceanic and seashore biodiversity. Cat Ba archipelago includes 366 islands spanning 260 sq km and makes up the southeastern edge of Ha Long Bay. It has a wide variety of natural ecosystems, both marine and terrestrial. Since 1997, Cat Ba town has grown rapidly and has become a hub for tourists visiting both the archipelago and Ha Long Bay. Two Vietnamese hotels boast world-class spas Two hotels in the country have been ranked among five with the best spas in the world by readers of the US Travel&Leisure Magazine. Nam Hai in Hoi An comes in fourth and the Sofitel Legend Metropole Ha Noi is in fifth place. Nam Hai is also ranked 12th among Asia's best resorts. The Metropole is named in two other categories – 52nd in the Top 100 Hotels and fifth among Asia's Best City Hotels. Also in the category of the Best City Hotels are the Park Hyatt Sai Gon, which is in 17th place. HCM City to make information more accessible to tourists HCM City is working on a project to make it easier for visitors to obtain information, advice and support through the internet, telephone hotline and travel information booths. Presented to the municipal government for approval by the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, it will include a travel portal at www.vibrant-hochiminhcity.com and a hotline for tourists. Besides, information centres will be set up next to Ben Thanh Market, the central post office, Lam Son Park in front of the City Opera House, and the international terminal at Tan Son Nhat Airport. Here, tourists can get travel guides, maps and other publications. HCM City received around 1.6 million foreign visitors in the first five months and expects to welcome 4.1 million during the whole year, according to tourism authorities. Quang Ninh lures visitors by launching new island tours The northern coastal province of Quang Ninh is set to introduce three new tours to Bai Tu Long Bay. The first, from Ha Long Bay to Hon Xep Park, will take in Co, Thay, Cong Do and Cap La caves and the Tung Ang eco-tourist site. The second and third routes are from Cam Pha City to Hon Xep and from Cai Rong Port to Lo O, Ba Mun National Park and Minh Chau beach. Bai Tu Long consists of beautiful beaches like Ngoc Vung, Minh Chau, and Quan Lan and Ba Mun National Park. Tourism authorities plan to provide accommodation and offer activities like kayaking, fishing, exploring the salt-marsh forest, and trekking. According to the province's Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the province welcomed 4.67 million visitors in the first half of 2013, a 9 per cent year-on-year increase. Great promotion awaits guests at Madagui Forest Resort The Madagui Forest Resort has an all-in-one service for tourists to come for relaxation, entertainment, camping and discovery. Not only that, it has launched a summer promotion for tours departing from now until September. The two-day-one-night Legendary Madagui is priced at VND1.598 million per guest, inclusive of transportation, five meals, plus villa accommodation, free zipline and kayaking and a free tour around the resort. The two-day-one-night relaxation tour will charge VND840,000 per person inclusive of a villa stay, four meals and a resort sightseeing tour. Those who choose the discovery of Madagui program will enjoy a two-day-one-night tour at just VND450,000, staying in a tent with two meals and a tour around the resort. The package tour that guests can only join in all games is priced at VND650,000 for two guests. Madagui Foresp Resort covers an area of 1,200 hectares in between mountains and hills at heights from 150m to 500m. It is surrounded by a system of rivers and streams and diversified fauna and flora. A must-try to all travelers to Madagui is to discover the primitive forest where there are giant rocks under shades trees next to the spectacular Thach Lam Pond. Moreover, tourists can admire Thac Voi Pond decorated with stone, collections of numerous genres of bamboo, orchids, tropical plants and a wild animal preserve. Those who wish to experience a thrilling sensation should choose some activities like catching crocodiles, fishing, a horse ride, biking, shooting, hiking, grass-sliding, a spin on a motor boat, sailing and paintball. Popular services like tennis, billiards, karaoke, swimming, massage and spa are also available. The resort has private and luxury villas and bungalows for guests to stay overnight. The resort is located at Km152 Highway 20, Madagui Town, Da Huoai District, Lam Dong Province. For further information, access the website: www.madagui.com.vn. Quang Ninh, Luang Prabang boost tourism cooperation The Northern province of Quang Ninh and Laos’ Luang Prabang signed a memorandum of understanding on tourism cooperation on July 17. Accordingly, the two provinces will boost bilateral cooperation, facilitate tourism business operations, support the training of human resources, as well as exchange experience of tourism management. Quang Ninh ranks 5th in terms of economic development speed, about 8-10% annually, among 63 provinces and cities nationwide. The province is stepping up infrastructure investment to support the development of spearhead economic sectors, particularly transport infrastructure for its four significant tourism centers, namely Ha Long, Uong Bi, Van Don and Mong Cai. Every year, Quang Ninh welcomes a total of nearly seven million foreign arrivals, including 2.5 million from Asia, Europe and Northern America./. Festival featuring four countries’ arts to open next month An art festival between four countries, namely Viet Nam, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar will be held in the mid August 2013 in Dong Ha City, Quang Tri province. The Ministry’s Department of Performing Art is responsible for coordinating with the Viet Nam Musicians Association, Viet Nam Association of Dance Artists, Department of International Cooperation, Quang Tri Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, to organize the festival. The Ministry has also established a Steering Board led by Mr. Vuong Duy Bien, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism. It is expected that each country will send 30 participants to the art festival./. Source: VNA/VNS/SGT/SGGP/ND