Friday, November 13, 2009

Travellers Notes

New tours tout Ha Noi’s old streets

The Ha Noi-based Eveil Centre has introduced three outdoor activities called My Ha Noi for people to discover the special features of Ha Noi’s old quarter.

The first tour, called The Ancient Traits of Ha Noi, takes place from 2-6.30pm on Sunday. The second tour, The Noble Traits of Ha Noi, is from 2-6.30pm on November 8. The third tour, Thang Long-Ancient Citadel will be held from 2-6.30pm on November 22.

A single tour costs VND225,000 (US$12) per person, and all three tours VND625,000 ($34) per person, including transportation by car, tickets for sightseeing, a meal for each tour, insurance and other fees. Contact 04 3640 6059.

Asian Trails promotes new route

The HCM City-based Asian Trails Co Ltd is promoting a new tourist route via the Na Meo Border Gate in the central province of Thanh Hoa that links tourist attractions in Laos and Viet Nam.

According to the company’s director Bui Viet Thuy Tien, backpackers have been travelling on the route since the Na Meo bordergate was opened to international tourists in 2004, but this is the first package tour launched for European travellers. She said tourists from northern provinces can now travel directly to the Laos heritage route instead of returning to Ha Noi and going to Laos via the Cau Treo Bordergate in Ha Tinh Province.

Airlines encourage holiday bookings

Viet Nam Airlines and Jetstar Pacific have called for passengers to quickly book seats on flights during the upcoming Lunar New Year Holidays, or Tet, so that they will be able to secure a return to their families on the occasion.

The call was made because certain flights from HCM City to central and northern provinces just before and after Tet, which falls on February 14, are filling up. Viet Nam Airlines said it was difficult for passengers to secure a seat on flights from HCM City to Quy Nhon within a few days of the Tet. Jetstar Pacific confirmed that certain flights between HCM City, Vinh, Hue and Hai Phong were fully booked in the days just before and after Tet.

Jetstar offers low fares to Singapore

Jetstar is celebrating its fifth birthday by offering bargain travellers low fares to Singapore, plus some free treats.

The low-cost carrier is offering one-way all-inclusive JetSaver Light fares for travel from HCM City to Singapore, starting from US$29. The special offer coincides with Jetstar’s celebrations to commemorate five years of operation from its Singapore hub. Thousands of travellers booked the package in August as part of Jetstar’s collaboration with Singapore Changi Airport, Changi Airport Group and the Singapore Tourism Board.

New tours of Da Lat Flower Festival

The HCM City-based Ben Thanh Tourist has launched four-day tours to Da Lat which will offer travellers an opportunity to experience the Da Lat Flower Festival 2010, one of the biggest festivals in the country to celebrate the 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long-Ha Noi.

The tours will begin in HCM City on December 31 and January 1. On the way to Da Lat, tourists will stop for sightseeing at Damb’ri Waterfall in Bao Loc District. After arriving in the city tourists will be invited to join a party with flowers and red wine to celebrate New Year 2010.

On the second day, tourists will visit Lat Village at the foot of Langbiang Mountain and climb to the peak and take a panoramic view of Da Lat in the mist. In the afternoon, tourists will join the Flower Festival 2010 at Xuan Huong Lake.

The organisers have invited florists from China, Japan, the Netherlands and the US to the festival which will last from January 1 to 4.

Suoi Tien builds 2nd amusement park

The HCM City-based entertainment park developer Suoi Tien Group broke ground for its second amusement project called Son Tien Eco-tourism Town along National Road 51 in Dong Nai Province’s Long Thanh District, some 30km from HCM City.

Son Tien Park, which will be developed on 375ha with a financial and commercial centre and a resort, requires investment of some US$600 million. This is the second amusement project developed by the group, after its first project Suoi Tien Theme Park was developed in District 9 in 1995. — VNS

No comments:

Post a Comment