10 things not to miss in Vietnam
10 things not to miss in Vietnam
Nov 18, 2011 11:01:15 AM
Water Puppet Water Puppet
Of all the art forms that are unique to the country,perhaps the most exclusive one in Vietnam is water puppetry. The time whenwater puppetry first appeared is still debated among scholars who rely ondifferent materials, from legends to historical documents and stone steles.
Some believe that water puppetry came into being in 225B.C. Others assert the art appeared and evolved under the Ly Dynasty(1009-1225). The debate might never be resolved, but it is agreed that thevillages of the Red River Delta that teem with lakes and ponds are thebirthplace of water puppetry.
Visit Cuchi Tunnel
CU CHI, Vietnam -- The rattle and pop of automatic weaponsgreet a visitor. Young women in the black pajamas of the Vietcong flit throughthe woods. A man in green fatigues picks his way down a narrow trail, leading asmall platoon of foreign tourists.
This is the site of the Cu Chi tunnels, one of the mostfamous battlegrounds of the Vietnam War. Today it is one of the country's primetourist attractions, part of a new industry of war tourism. Sometimes, thesespots seem to be memorials to wartime propaganda as much to the war itself.
Following the man in green fatigues, the tourists arrive atan open-sided hut, where the women in black show them to their seats. There, ona big-screen television set, the Vietnam War plays on: B-52's drop strings ofbombs, villagers run for cover, communist guerrillas fight back.
Trek in Sapa
In Northwest Vietnam, lying close to the Chinese border, afrontier town and district known as SaPa is considered one of the majorexcursion routes from Hanoi because of its breathtaking landscapes, famoushiking destinations and quite interesting...
In Northwest Vietnam, lying close to the Chinese border, afrontier town and district known as SaPa is considered one of the majorexcursion routes from Hanoi because of its breathtaking landscapes, famoushiking destinations and quite interesting form of trade. The township of SaPa,better known as the “ Tonkin’s Alps” beautifully sits on a hill top at 1,600mabove sea level, viewing over the Muong Hoa valley. SaPa is also the startingpoint for many climbers and discoverers who want to reach the top of FansipanMountain, the tallest peak in Vietnam.
Stay Overnight in Halong Bay (Ha Long Bay )
The bay features thousands of limestone karsts and isles invarious sizes and shapes. The Ha Long bay, dotted with some 2000 limestoneislets rising from emerald waters, is the best known natural wonder of VietNam. The islands were formed from limestone sediments deposited at the bottomof an ancient ocean. As the seas rose and fell over millennia, the softlimestone was easily shaped into the towering monoliths (geologists call themkarst formations) as we see today. The forces of erosion also riddled theislands with caves, more than 20 of which are open to tourists. Because oftheir precipitous nature, most of the islands are uninhabited and unaffected bya human presence. The outstanding scenic beauty is complemented by its greatbiological interest. The islands feature endless numbers of beaches, grottoes,and caves. The bay is a sea islands in tropical wet with 2 seasons: hot andmoist summer, dry and cold winter. Average temperature is from 15°C- 25°C.Annual rainfall is around 2000mm.
Visit Citadel in Hue
Hue here are sources claiming that the name of the city Huếcomes from “Hoà” (harmony). This could be the reason for the Nguyễn dynasty tochoose Huế to be their emperor city. Lying on the bench of the Perfume River(Hương Giang) and embedded between the mountains Huế still has the grandeur andthe rest of the former glory, combined with a hard-to-describe atmosphereconstituting somehow an emperor city. Over 100 years, from 1802 to 1945, Huếwas the capital of Viet Nam and the domicile of the emperor, only thinkabletogether with its Citadel and the Forbidden City. A visit of Huế and thecitadel is quite a must for a trip to central Viet Nam. Today the Citadel ischosen as a UNESCO world cultural heritage.
The citadel complex is built in the style of the ForbiddenCity in Beijing. The citadel has two walls: the Outer Wall (Ngoại Thành) andthe Inner Wall (Nội Thành). The Citadel complex is surrounded by the impressiveOuter Wall, which is built from 1805 to 1832, 11 km length, 6 m height, with 11gates, 24 towers, as protection against all kinds of intruders and enemies.Inside the Outer Wall there was a city-inside-the-city, where the inner circleof the emperor and their families resided. The Outer Wall is encircled by amoat (23 m broad and 4 m deep) which is now mostly covered by water lotus. Thewhole expenditure however did not offer enough protection against fires (1945)and bombs during the several wars. A lot of damages are still visible.
Try Bia Hoi or Fresh Beer
Bia Hoi is a kind of beer in Saigon. It’s a thin homemaderice beer served in kegs and can be commonly found in the streets of the city.But ever since bottling companies and breweries came into existence and startedtaking over the beer industry, freshly-brewed, rice-based draft beer becamehard to find.
That is what makes Dai ly bia hoi, a draft beer outlet,stand out from all the new bars and entertainment establishments around. Itserves the hard-to-find rice beer, at a cheap price, at a place where you canbe comfortable, almost feel right at home. Because unlike the new drinkingspots in Saigon today which are on the so-called A-list, top-of-the-line,almost snobby level, Dai ly looks very simple, in fact ordinary and even rundown.
Walk in The Old Quarter of Hanoi
As the oldest continuously developed area of Vietnam,Hanoi's Old Quarter has a history that spans 2,000 years and represents theeternal soul of the city. Located between the Lake of the Restored Sword, theLong Bien Bridge, a former city rampart, and a citadel wall, the Old Quarterstarted as a snake and alligator-infested swamp. It later evolved into acluster of villages made up of houses on stilts, and was unified by Chineseadministrators who built ramparts around their headquarters. The area was named"Dominated Annam" or "Protected South" by the Chinese.
The Old Quarter began to acquire its reputation as a craftsarea when the Vietnamese attained independence in the 11th century and King LyThai To built his palace there. In the early 13th century, the collection oftiny workshop villages which clustered around the palace walls evolved intocraft cooperatives, or guilds. Skilled craftsmen migrated to the Quarter, andartisan guilds were formed by craftsmen originating from the same village andperforming similar services. Members of the guilds worked and lived together,creating a cooperative system for transporting merchandise to the designatedstreets in the business quarter.
Have morning coffee in Hoian
For visitors of Viet Nam with even the slightest interest in the national culture and history, Hội An is a must-see.
In ancient days Hội An was a major international port fromthe 15th to the 19th centuries. At that time, Chinese, Japanese, Indian andDutch settlers rubbed shoulders with the Vietnamese to produce a rich localculture, whose foreign influences are discernible to this day.
Having escaped the destruction of all the successive warsin Viet Nam, the old town of Hoi An was declared a World Heritage site byUNESCO (in 1999) as a well-preserved example of an ancient Southeast Asiantrade port. As a rapidly growing tourist spot, seated only less than fivekilometres away from the beautiful Cua Dai Beach, there are plenty ofbest-value hotels in the heart of the town as well as nicely built beachfronthotels. Hoi An is the ideal starting point to gain an insight into Vietnam'sfascinating past.
Take snorkeling trip in Nhatrang Nha Trang
Nha Trang, the country’s premier traditional seaside resortsituated in Nha Trang Bay, surrounded on all three sides by mountains andwidely considered as amongst the world's most beautiful bays, is well known forits pristine beaches as well as its variety of activities. With hot watersprings, colourful fish and coral reefs underwater, the city is considered as oneof the best spots for scuba diving and snorkelling. Nha Trang is located inKhanh Hoa Province, about 450km north of Sai Gon and about 1.200km South of HaNoi. Nha Trang has an international airport (Cam Ranh Airport), which is about40km from downtown. The best time for you to visit is from January to Augustwhen the weather is ideal to bath and relax.
The main strip of Nha Trang beaches runs along theNorth-South of the sea for about 4km. The site covers 405km2 including 19 smalland large islands. Already being very popular with Vietnamese tourists, NhaTrang is fast becoming a popular destination for international tourists,attracting large numbers of backpackers, flash-packers as well as more affluenttravellers. Visitor interested in history and culture of Champa, a kingdom thatonce controlled what is now central and southern Vietnam, can visit the famousPo Nagar Towers (Thap Ba), worship places built under the Cham between the 7thand 12th century. Another interesting sight is the central market starting inthe early morning hours where nearly everything can be bought. The close-byPhan Boi Chau Street with its colonial buildings is the ideal place for a quietbreakfast after the market’s hustle and bustle.
Visit Bac Ha Market
Being a minority ethnic people market, the town of Bac Hais famous for its Sunday market which is a trading centre and meeting place forcouples, friends, and relatives every Sunday.
Every Sunday, Bac Ha hosts the biggest fair near themountainous highlands and the Chinese border. It is the largest and mostcolourful market in the area and attracts throngs of villagers from thesurrounding hill tribes. Some walk several hours for the weekly opportunity totrade and barter food, animals, clothes and household goods. 80km from Sapa,Bac Ha Market is not only the place for buying and selling, but also a placefor cultural and sentiment exchanging. On the market days, right from the earlymorning, all paths and mountain roads are full of people and horses pouring tothe market. People usually sit in groups around a soup pan ("thangco"
eating and chatting.
Many different ethnic groups such as Flower H'mong, Phu La,Black Dao, Tay and Nung minorities gather to buy and sell local products thatcannot be found elsewhere. The market was very crowded, local products for sale or barter are carried onhorseback. Besides the usual items like pigs, cows, chickens, and ducks, Bac HaMarket sold dogs. As dogs were available as cuts of meat, they were alsoavailable live, right next to the live pigs, chickens, and other livestock.There was a brisk trade at the market for everything from hand-embroideredskirts to all manner of 4-legged animals. The “fresh” meat section is not forthe faint of heart and might steer more than a few visitors in the direction ofstrict vegetarianism.
For more information: please visit
Travel Company in Vietnam
Of all the art forms that are unique to the country,perhaps the most exclusive one in Vietnam is water puppetry. The time whenwater puppetry first appeared is still debated among scholars who rely ondifferent materials, from legends to historical documents and stone steles.
Some believe that water puppetry came into being in 225B.C. Others assert the art appeared and evolved under the Ly Dynasty(1009-1225). The debate might never be resolved, but it is agreed that thevillages of the Red River Delta that teem with lakes and ponds are thebirthplace of water puppetry.
Visit Cuchi Tunnel
CU CHI, Vietnam -- The rattle and pop of automatic weaponsgreet a visitor. Young women in the black pajamas of the Vietcong flit throughthe woods. A man in green fatigues picks his way down a narrow trail, leading asmall platoon of foreign tourists.
This is the site of the Cu Chi tunnels, one of the mostfamous battlegrounds of the Vietnam War. Today it is one of the country's primetourist attractions, part of a new industry of war tourism. Sometimes, thesespots seem to be memorials to wartime propaganda as much to the war itself.
Following the man in green fatigues, the tourists arrive atan open-sided hut, where the women in black show them to their seats. There, ona big-screen television set, the Vietnam War plays on: B-52's drop strings ofbombs, villagers run for cover, communist guerrillas fight back.
Trek in Sapa
In Northwest Vietnam, lying close to the Chinese border, afrontier town and district known as SaPa is considered one of the majorexcursion routes from Hanoi because of its breathtaking landscapes, famoushiking destinations and quite interesting...
In Northwest Vietnam, lying close to the Chinese border, afrontier town and district known as SaPa is considered one of the majorexcursion routes from Hanoi because of its breathtaking landscapes, famoushiking destinations and quite interesting form of trade. The township of SaPa,better known as the “ Tonkin’s Alps” beautifully sits on a hill top at 1,600mabove sea level, viewing over the Muong Hoa valley. SaPa is also the startingpoint for many climbers and discoverers who want to reach the top of FansipanMountain, the tallest peak in Vietnam.
Stay Overnight in Halong Bay (Ha Long Bay )
The bay features thousands of limestone karsts and isles invarious sizes and shapes. The Ha Long bay, dotted with some 2000 limestoneislets rising from emerald waters, is the best known natural wonder of VietNam. The islands were formed from limestone sediments deposited at the bottomof an ancient ocean. As the seas rose and fell over millennia, the softlimestone was easily shaped into the towering monoliths (geologists call themkarst formations) as we see today. The forces of erosion also riddled theislands with caves, more than 20 of which are open to tourists. Because oftheir precipitous nature, most of the islands are uninhabited and unaffected bya human presence. The outstanding scenic beauty is complemented by its greatbiological interest. The islands feature endless numbers of beaches, grottoes,and caves. The bay is a sea islands in tropical wet with 2 seasons: hot andmoist summer, dry and cold winter. Average temperature is from 15°C- 25°C.Annual rainfall is around 2000mm.
Visit Citadel in Hue
Hue here are sources claiming that the name of the city Huếcomes from “Hoà” (harmony). This could be the reason for the Nguyễn dynasty tochoose Huế to be their emperor city. Lying on the bench of the Perfume River(Hương Giang) and embedded between the mountains Huế still has the grandeur andthe rest of the former glory, combined with a hard-to-describe atmosphereconstituting somehow an emperor city. Over 100 years, from 1802 to 1945, Huếwas the capital of Viet Nam and the domicile of the emperor, only thinkabletogether with its Citadel and the Forbidden City. A visit of Huế and thecitadel is quite a must for a trip to central Viet Nam. Today the Citadel ischosen as a UNESCO world cultural heritage.
The citadel complex is built in the style of the ForbiddenCity in Beijing. The citadel has two walls: the Outer Wall (Ngoại Thành) andthe Inner Wall (Nội Thành). The Citadel complex is surrounded by the impressiveOuter Wall, which is built from 1805 to 1832, 11 km length, 6 m height, with 11gates, 24 towers, as protection against all kinds of intruders and enemies.Inside the Outer Wall there was a city-inside-the-city, where the inner circleof the emperor and their families resided. The Outer Wall is encircled by amoat (23 m broad and 4 m deep) which is now mostly covered by water lotus. Thewhole expenditure however did not offer enough protection against fires (1945)and bombs during the several wars. A lot of damages are still visible.
Try Bia Hoi or Fresh Beer
Bia Hoi is a kind of beer in Saigon. It’s a thin homemaderice beer served in kegs and can be commonly found in the streets of the city.But ever since bottling companies and breweries came into existence and startedtaking over the beer industry, freshly-brewed, rice-based draft beer becamehard to find.
That is what makes Dai ly bia hoi, a draft beer outlet,stand out from all the new bars and entertainment establishments around. Itserves the hard-to-find rice beer, at a cheap price, at a place where you canbe comfortable, almost feel right at home. Because unlike the new drinkingspots in Saigon today which are on the so-called A-list, top-of-the-line,almost snobby level, Dai ly looks very simple, in fact ordinary and even rundown.
Walk in The Old Quarter of Hanoi
As the oldest continuously developed area of Vietnam,Hanoi's Old Quarter has a history that spans 2,000 years and represents theeternal soul of the city. Located between the Lake of the Restored Sword, theLong Bien Bridge, a former city rampart, and a citadel wall, the Old Quarterstarted as a snake and alligator-infested swamp. It later evolved into acluster of villages made up of houses on stilts, and was unified by Chineseadministrators who built ramparts around their headquarters. The area was named"Dominated Annam" or "Protected South" by the Chinese.
The Old Quarter began to acquire its reputation as a craftsarea when the Vietnamese attained independence in the 11th century and King LyThai To built his palace there. In the early 13th century, the collection oftiny workshop villages which clustered around the palace walls evolved intocraft cooperatives, or guilds. Skilled craftsmen migrated to the Quarter, andartisan guilds were formed by craftsmen originating from the same village andperforming similar services. Members of the guilds worked and lived together,creating a cooperative system for transporting merchandise to the designatedstreets in the business quarter.
Have morning coffee in Hoian
For visitors of Viet Nam with even the slightest interest in the national culture and history, Hội An is a must-see.
In ancient days Hội An was a major international port fromthe 15th to the 19th centuries. At that time, Chinese, Japanese, Indian andDutch settlers rubbed shoulders with the Vietnamese to produce a rich localculture, whose foreign influences are discernible to this day.
Having escaped the destruction of all the successive warsin Viet Nam, the old town of Hoi An was declared a World Heritage site byUNESCO (in 1999) as a well-preserved example of an ancient Southeast Asiantrade port. As a rapidly growing tourist spot, seated only less than fivekilometres away from the beautiful Cua Dai Beach, there are plenty ofbest-value hotels in the heart of the town as well as nicely built beachfronthotels. Hoi An is the ideal starting point to gain an insight into Vietnam'sfascinating past.
Take snorkeling trip in Nhatrang Nha Trang
Nha Trang, the country’s premier traditional seaside resortsituated in Nha Trang Bay, surrounded on all three sides by mountains andwidely considered as amongst the world's most beautiful bays, is well known forits pristine beaches as well as its variety of activities. With hot watersprings, colourful fish and coral reefs underwater, the city is considered as oneof the best spots for scuba diving and snorkelling. Nha Trang is located inKhanh Hoa Province, about 450km north of Sai Gon and about 1.200km South of HaNoi. Nha Trang has an international airport (Cam Ranh Airport), which is about40km from downtown. The best time for you to visit is from January to Augustwhen the weather is ideal to bath and relax.
The main strip of Nha Trang beaches runs along theNorth-South of the sea for about 4km. The site covers 405km2 including 19 smalland large islands. Already being very popular with Vietnamese tourists, NhaTrang is fast becoming a popular destination for international tourists,attracting large numbers of backpackers, flash-packers as well as more affluenttravellers. Visitor interested in history and culture of Champa, a kingdom thatonce controlled what is now central and southern Vietnam, can visit the famousPo Nagar Towers (Thap Ba), worship places built under the Cham between the 7thand 12th century. Another interesting sight is the central market starting inthe early morning hours where nearly everything can be bought. The close-byPhan Boi Chau Street with its colonial buildings is the ideal place for a quietbreakfast after the market’s hustle and bustle.
Visit Bac Ha Market
Being a minority ethnic people market, the town of Bac Hais famous for its Sunday market which is a trading centre and meeting place forcouples, friends, and relatives every Sunday.
Every Sunday, Bac Ha hosts the biggest fair near themountainous highlands and the Chinese border. It is the largest and mostcolourful market in the area and attracts throngs of villagers from thesurrounding hill tribes. Some walk several hours for the weekly opportunity totrade and barter food, animals, clothes and household goods. 80km from Sapa,Bac Ha Market is not only the place for buying and selling, but also a placefor cultural and sentiment exchanging. On the market days, right from the earlymorning, all paths and mountain roads are full of people and horses pouring tothe market. People usually sit in groups around a soup pan ("thangco"
eating and chatting.Many different ethnic groups such as Flower H'mong, Phu La,Black Dao, Tay and Nung minorities gather to buy and sell local products thatcannot be found elsewhere. The market was very crowded, local products for sale or barter are carried onhorseback. Besides the usual items like pigs, cows, chickens, and ducks, Bac HaMarket sold dogs. As dogs were available as cuts of meat, they were alsoavailable live, right next to the live pigs, chickens, and other livestock.There was a brisk trade at the market for everything from hand-embroideredskirts to all manner of 4-legged animals. The “fresh” meat section is not forthe faint of heart and might steer more than a few visitors in the direction ofstrict vegetarianism.
For more information: please visit
Travel Company in Vietnam
Changed from lanvht on Nov 18, 2011 11:03:25 AM
[url=http://www.vietnampackagetour.com]Vietnam package tour[/url]
[url=http://www.travelagentinvietnam.com]Travel agent in Vietnam[/url]
10 things not to miss in Vietnam
Nov 18, 2011 11:07:04 AM
Christmas in Vietnam, what you need to know
In Vietnam, Christmas wascelebrated joyously with people thronging city roads right from Christmas Eve,which is often more important than Christmas Day!
Famous Cathedral in Hanoi
Christmas is one of the four mostimportant festivals of the Vietnamese year, including the birthday of Buddha,the New Year and the Mid-autumn Festival. Although the Christians observed thereligious rituals of Christmas.
Traditional Vietnamese religions areBuddhism and the Chinese philosophies of Taoism and Confucianism. However,during French rule, many people became Christians, that occupy 8 to 10 percentof whose population. This is because the Vietnamese are a fun-loving, sociablepeople and the various Vietnam festivals and events are actually occasions forthem to a gala time, all together. Christmas in Vietnam is a grand party.
History of Christmas In Vietnam
Christmas in Vietnam has had atumultuous history. The Catholics are a minority in Vietnam but they used tocelebrate Christmas in Vietnam quite in peace right from the days of the Frenchrule. That is until the Communists took over political power in 1975. Thechurch-state relations soured during that time and the Catholics were relegatedto celebrating Jesus’s birthday in privacy.
Since the end of the Vietnam Warin 1975, church-state relations have not always been smooth. However, they havebeen improving since the introduction of economic reforms in the late 1980s.Liberalist policies adopted since the 1980s saw Vietnam warming up to westerninfluences and ideals and Christmas in Vietnam came back triumphantly. NowChristmas is one of the major festivals in Vietnam, celebrated with muchfanfare by all religious communities.
Phat Diem Cathedral in Ninh BinhProvince is considered the spiritual home for the seven million Catholics wholive in Vietnam, a predominantly Buddhist nation. Hundreds of Catholics gatherfor Christmas Eve Mass in the northern city of Phat Diem. Children staged a nativityplay to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ - or Kito, as he is known inVietnamese -- in front of the city's cathedral, built in 1891.
Christmas In Vietnam
Christmas in Vietnam is a hugeevent, especially in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and the Vietnamese Christmascelebrations here are like any other city in the western world. The Christiansin Vietnam attend a Midnight mass on Christmas Eve and return home to asumptuous Christmas dinner. The Christmas dinner usually consists of chickensoup while wealthier people eat turkey and Christmas pudding.
On Christmas Eve, Vietnamesepeople in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, especially young people, like to go intothe city centre, where there is a Catholic Cathedral. The streets are crowdedwith people on Christmas Eve and in the city centre cars are not allowed forthe night.
People celebrate by throwingconfetti, taking pictures and enjoying the Christmas decorations and lights ofbig hotels and department stores. Lots of cafes and restaurants are open forpeople to enjoy a snack!
Vietnam used to be part of theFrench Empire and there are still French influences in the Christmastraditions. Many Catholic churches have a big nativity crib scene or 'creche'with nearly life size statues of Mary, Joesph, baby Jesus, the shepherds andanimals. In some areas of Ho Chi Minh City, usually in Catholic parishes,people have big crib scenes in front of their houses and decorate the wholestreet, turning it into a Christmas area! These are popular for people to visitand look at the scenes.
Also like in France, the specialChristmas Eve meal is called 'reveillon' and has a 'bûche de Noël' (a chocolatecake in the shape of a log) for desert. Vietnamese people like to give presentsof food and at Christmas a bûche de Noël is a popular gift. Other Christmaspresents are not very common, although some young people like to exchangeChristmas cards.
The Yuletide spirit of giving andsharing has been embraced with an earnest by the Vietnamese. Generous as theyare, the Vietnamese give out gifts and presents in plenty during the Christmascelebrations in Vietnam. However, the children are more keen to have theirstockings and shoes stuffed in with goodies from Santa’s bulging sack. TheEuropean customs of Santa Claus and the Christmas tree were popular andchildren would leave their shoes out on Christmas Eve.
Merry Christmas in Vietnamese is “Chúc Mừng Giáng Sinh”!
Travel Agent in Vietnam
Tour of Vietnam
In Vietnam, Christmas wascelebrated joyously with people thronging city roads right from Christmas Eve,which is often more important than Christmas Day!
Famous Cathedral in Hanoi
Christmas is one of the four mostimportant festivals of the Vietnamese year, including the birthday of Buddha,the New Year and the Mid-autumn Festival. Although the Christians observed thereligious rituals of Christmas.
Traditional Vietnamese religions areBuddhism and the Chinese philosophies of Taoism and Confucianism. However,during French rule, many people became Christians, that occupy 8 to 10 percentof whose population. This is because the Vietnamese are a fun-loving, sociablepeople and the various Vietnam festivals and events are actually occasions forthem to a gala time, all together. Christmas in Vietnam is a grand party.
History of Christmas In Vietnam
Christmas in Vietnam has had atumultuous history. The Catholics are a minority in Vietnam but they used tocelebrate Christmas in Vietnam quite in peace right from the days of the Frenchrule. That is until the Communists took over political power in 1975. Thechurch-state relations soured during that time and the Catholics were relegatedto celebrating Jesus’s birthday in privacy.
Since the end of the Vietnam Warin 1975, church-state relations have not always been smooth. However, they havebeen improving since the introduction of economic reforms in the late 1980s.Liberalist policies adopted since the 1980s saw Vietnam warming up to westerninfluences and ideals and Christmas in Vietnam came back triumphantly. NowChristmas is one of the major festivals in Vietnam, celebrated with muchfanfare by all religious communities.
Phat Diem Cathedral in Ninh BinhProvince is considered the spiritual home for the seven million Catholics wholive in Vietnam, a predominantly Buddhist nation. Hundreds of Catholics gatherfor Christmas Eve Mass in the northern city of Phat Diem. Children staged a nativityplay to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ - or Kito, as he is known inVietnamese -- in front of the city's cathedral, built in 1891.
Christmas In Vietnam
Christmas in Vietnam is a hugeevent, especially in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and the Vietnamese Christmascelebrations here are like any other city in the western world. The Christiansin Vietnam attend a Midnight mass on Christmas Eve and return home to asumptuous Christmas dinner. The Christmas dinner usually consists of chickensoup while wealthier people eat turkey and Christmas pudding.
On Christmas Eve, Vietnamesepeople in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, especially young people, like to go intothe city centre, where there is a Catholic Cathedral. The streets are crowdedwith people on Christmas Eve and in the city centre cars are not allowed forthe night.
People celebrate by throwingconfetti, taking pictures and enjoying the Christmas decorations and lights ofbig hotels and department stores. Lots of cafes and restaurants are open forpeople to enjoy a snack!
Vietnam used to be part of theFrench Empire and there are still French influences in the Christmastraditions. Many Catholic churches have a big nativity crib scene or 'creche'with nearly life size statues of Mary, Joesph, baby Jesus, the shepherds andanimals. In some areas of Ho Chi Minh City, usually in Catholic parishes,people have big crib scenes in front of their houses and decorate the wholestreet, turning it into a Christmas area! These are popular for people to visitand look at the scenes.
Also like in France, the specialChristmas Eve meal is called 'reveillon' and has a 'bûche de Noël' (a chocolatecake in the shape of a log) for desert. Vietnamese people like to give presentsof food and at Christmas a bûche de Noël is a popular gift. Other Christmaspresents are not very common, although some young people like to exchangeChristmas cards.
The Yuletide spirit of giving andsharing has been embraced with an earnest by the Vietnamese. Generous as theyare, the Vietnamese give out gifts and presents in plenty during the Christmascelebrations in Vietnam. However, the children are more keen to have theirstockings and shoes stuffed in with goodies from Santa’s bulging sack. TheEuropean customs of Santa Claus and the Christmas tree were popular andchildren would leave their shoes out on Christmas Eve.
Merry Christmas in Vietnamese is “Chúc Mừng Giáng Sinh”!
Travel Agent in Vietnam
Tour of Vietnam
[url=http://www.vietnampackagetour.com]Vietnam package tour[/url]
[url=http://www.travelagentinvietnam.com]Travel agent in Vietnam[/url]
10 things not to miss in Vietnam
Feb 23, 2012 6:35:08 AM
These are really very interesting facts related to the destination Vietnam which will help many people in deciding to travel there. I have never been there before but would definitely like to be
there in future as I have heard so much about the beauty of the place.
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Changed from alonzamiller on Feb 23, 2012 6:36:27 AM
10 things not to miss in Vietnam
May 15, 2012 6:05:06 AM
The information you shared is a great help to me as I am looking forward to travel Vietnam this year and want to see some beautiful scenery also. I will definitely look forward to the places. I have
heard so much about the places in Vietnam and I am so much excited for the trip.
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