#Vietnam - Bells toll as Hanoi, Nha Trang named top honeymoon destinations

Hanoi and beach town Nha Trang have been listed among the top 10 honeymoon destinations by The Travel, a leading travel site of Canada, for newlyweds visiting Asia.
Vietnam’s capital ranked second while Nha Trang in central Khanh Hoa Province rounded off the top 10 list, released by the newspaper on Tuesday.

The Travel describes Hanoi as a "great place for a romantic trip, experiencing Vietnamese culture, learning about local history, and savoring delicious food."

The "thousands of years old" city boasts significant historical and cultural values that provide "everything a happy couple on honeymoon could ask for, from ancient temples to museums and shopping centers," it wrote.

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 Nha Trang is described as an ideal destination for newlyweds with "enthralling beaches, ancient temples, and remnants of the ancient Champa Kingdom."

Known for its long stretches of beautiful beaches and scuba diving, the town has been attracting large numbers of foreign tourists, especially Chinese and Russians in recent years.

El Nido on Palawan Island in the Philippines topped the list. The top 10 also features Thailand’s Chiang Mai, Indonesia’s Bali, Singapore, Japan’s Kyoto, Luang Prabang in Laos.

Hanoi made Time magazine’s list of ‘best destinations for every type of traveler’ in December last year.

The city, which hosted the historic second summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in February, received 6 million foreign tourists in the first 11 months of this year, up 12 percent year-on-year.

Coastal Nha Trang in April ranked third among the top five Southeast Asian beach destinations favored by Chinese tourists in 2018, according to a report by China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism. China is Vietnam's top tourism feeder market.

 

VN Express

#Vietnam - A treasure bequeathed by millions of years of evolution in Phu Yen

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 At the foothills of Bai Xep in An Chan Commune, Tuy An District, Phu Yen Province is a unique geological formation with black and yellow basalt rocks in all kinds of conceivable shapes. Geologists have said that this is the result of volcanic eruptions that took place millions of years ago.

To reach Bai Xep, one has to travel 17 kilometers north on the Doc Lap coastal road of Tuy Hoa Town, the capital of Phu Yen Province.

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Bai Xep is surrrounded by the Ganh Ong (Ong Reef) and the Ganh Ba (Ba Reef) with two long beaches on each side. The place still remains relatively pristine, surrounded by casuarina equisetifolia, a tree that commonly grows in coastal habitats with white sands and cacti.

Thanks to its geological structure, many movies have been shot here, including the award-winning Toi Thay Hoa Vang Tren Co Xanh or Yellow Flower On The Grass directed by Victor Vu. The Vietnamese coming-of-age drama won in the 2016 Best Feature Film category of the Young People's Jury Award - part of the annual TIFF Kids International Film Festival in Toronto. It was premiere in Cannes Film Festival 2015.

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  Bai Xep has become one of Phu Yen's iconic tourist attractions. Phu Yen is the first point on the Vietnamese mainland to welcome the sun every morning. It has a diverse topography consisting of mountains, rivers, lagoons, bays, and islands and a myriad of beautiful natural sights for visitors to explore.

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Source - VN Express

#Vietnam - Major hotspots brace for National Day tourism surge

 As the 3-day National Day holiday nears, accommodations in tourism hotspots show varying occupancy levels, online reservation sites say.

The vacancy rate in the central Vietnam destinations of Da Nang, Hoi An, Hue, and Phan Thiet is hovering around 50 percent on average, according to Agoda, a global online accommodation reservations provider.

On Traveloka, one of the leading flight and hotel booking platforms in Southeast Asia, a number of places in the ancient imperial capital of Hue like Gold Hotel Hue, Hotel La Perle, Cherry Hotel, and Huong Giang Hotel still have rooms for VND600,000 ($26) to VND1.4 million ($60) per night.

In Da Nang, the occupancy rate is abnormally low due to the city's shortage of water. High salinity levels in the Cau Do (Red Bridge) River, the main source of freshwater for a million residents and tourists in Da Nang, mean the city can only meet 70 percent of its water needs.

Some hotels are refusing to accept bookings because they do not have enough water. At Melia Danang Beach Resort, the number of room bookings by Vietnamese between August 30 and September 2, the National Day, is only 10 percent.

Some hotel managers in Da Nang, a top tourist attraction, said tourists booking hotel rooms during the holiday weekend are mainly from South Korea, Japan and mainland China.

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 The average occupancy rate of hotels in Vung Tau, a popular vacation destination in southern Vietnam, is also 50 percent, while it is 85 percent at some high-end hotels and resorts like Pullman, Malibu and Green Hotel.

Tu Le, a teacher working in HCMC's District 1, said she booked two rooms facing the sea at Leman Cap Resort & Spa in the southern beach town, and the rates were not much higher than normal.

Bookings seem tougher at hotels in Da Lat. Most hotels and resorts in the Central Highlands resort town have been fully booked up ahead of the holiday.

Bao Lam, 32, a bank employee in Ho Chi Minh City, said he was unable to get a family room in a luxury hotel in Da Lat.

Nomad Home Dalat and Elegant Dalat Hotel, two of Da Lat's most popular hotels, only have one or two double rooms available and they cost around VND1.2 million ($52) each per night, according to Booking.com, a travel fare aggregator and travel metasearch engine for hotel reservations. 

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Pham Van Bay, Deputy Director of Vietravel Hanoi, said since the National Day holiday this year is not long, most people have opted for domestic tours, with northern mountainous destinations like Moc Chau, Sa Pa, Cao Bang, and Ha Giang being very popular.

Pham Cao Vy, chairman of the Sa Pa Tourism Association, said most hotels have kept their rates unchanged though it could be a bit difficult for travelers to find a place.

National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines and low-cost carrier Jetstar Pacific have said they would add a total of 240,000 seats on domestic routes from August 30 to September 2 to meet the increased travel demand.

SOURCE - VN EXPRESS

#Ecotourism for ocean warriors: 5 places where travelers can help make a difference

It’s no secret that the world’s oceans are struggling. Overfishing, damaging commercial fishing practices, an ever-growing micro-plastic problem and the effects of climate change are taking their toll on seas, oceans and waterways across the world.

In response to the crisis, many initiatives have sprung up to address ocean health, some of these promote ecotourism and welcome anyone who is eager to pitch in and help. Travelers can get involved in diverse programs that directly address the issues faced by our oceans.

In an increasingly globalized world, international travel is now something more people than ever before can enjoy. But flights and the effects of mass tourism carry a carbon and ecological footprint that each destination and traveler need to reckon with. The rise of ecotourism may provide some solutions.

If you’re eager to do your bit on your next holiday, here are five places in Indonesia and beyond where ocean-loving travelers can be part of the change.

Indonesia

Straddling both the Pacific and the Indian oceans and with more than 17,000 islands, it’s little wonder that beach-going travelers and divers flock to Indonesia’s rich waters and island havens. In Indonesia, there are multiple ways to get involved in ocean preservation, including these three organizations.

The Philippines

Another firm favorite with divers and ocean lovers, The Philippines has a climate that draws divers and travelers from all over the world. With around 7,641 islands and miles upon miles of coastline, it’s fair to say that this archipelagic nation has the ocean on its doorstep.

Egypt

Blessed with long stretches of coastline on both the Mediterranean and the Red Sea, Egypt’s beaches and reefs have been drawing sun-seekers from Europe and beyond for many years. However, it’s no secret that Egypt has a problem with plastic pollution. Travelers can do their bit for the Red Sea on their next beach trip.

Source - TheJakartaPost 

Thailand’s Ang Thong National Marine Park, the ‘new’ Maya Bay

With Thailand’s Maya Bay in Koh Phi Phi Ley remains closed indefinitely to allow the tourist-magnet some much-needed time to recover, it’s time to look for another natural wonder.

One of Thailand’s astonishing natural wonders, not as well known as Maya Bay, is the Ang Thong National Marine Park, located about 40 kilometers north west of the coast of Koh Samui. Some would argue it’s even more spectacular and worthy of at least a full day visit. 

There are many tours available to the National Park.

The Ang Thong National Marine Park is made up of 42 islands spread over 102 square kilometers. Travelers will find beautiful beaches, limestone cliffs, caves, rock formations and countless photo opportunities. Enjoy some views from the air…

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It will take you about an hour to travel there from either the Surat Thani mainland or from Koh Samui by speedboat. There are slower ferry-style boat trips as well but you’ll lose a lot of time travelling there (usually for day trips) and the speedboats can get into much shallower waters.

Tours usually also squeeze in a visit to Koh Phaluai, the park’s biggest island, where there’s a popular  stilted restaurant in the island’s fishing village, serving a delicious seafood lunch.

Another popular island worth visiting is Koh Wua Talap, famed for wildlife spotting and what might just be the most beautiful viewpoint in the entire park.

FUN FACT: Though the 2000 movie “The Beach,” starring Leonardo DiCaprio, was filmed in Koh Phi Phi’s Maya Bay in the Andaman Sea, the book by Alex Garland upon which the film was based was actually set in Ang Thong in the Gulf of Thailand.

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Source - The Thaiger 

Thailand - Maya Bay closed for at least another two years

Maya Bay on Koh Phi Phi Ley, closed last June to allow coral restoration and beach recovery, will now remain closed to visitors for at least another two years.

Dr Thon Thamrongnawasawat, assistant dean of the Faculty of Fisheries at Kasetsart University and a renowned marine specialist says, “The meeting yesterday concluded that Maya Bay is to be closed for two more years as the natural environment needs more time to recover.”

Maya Bay’s extended closure will keep the wraps on one of southern Thailand’s most popular tourist attractions. The closure is a blow to Koh Phi Phi tourism but despite protests from tour operators the National Park chiefs have been resolute to plan a more controlled tourist interface in the future. There are already plans in place to limit tour boats visiting the beach whenever it reopens.

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At its peak there were 5,000+ tourists visiting the secluded bay, made famous in the 2000 Hollywood film ‘The Beach’, every day.

Read more about recent extensions to the closure HERE.

Phu Yen, #Vietnam’s land of the rising sun

 The easternmost province is a top choice for adventures and to enjoy the beauty of nature including some out-of-the-world landscapes.

Phu Yen, located on the south central coast, is the first point on the Vietnamese mainland to welcome the sun every morning.

It has a diverse topography consisting of mountains, rivers, lagoons, bays, and islands and a myriad of beautiful natural sights for visitors to explore.

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Phu Yen’s sunny season is from January to around August, and is perfect for sightseeing. There are also lots of local festivals during these months, so remember to check their dates if you want to see them.

But April and May can be quite hot, so visitors who choose to go during this period should be mindful and take sun-protection gear and water.

From May until the end of July is the peak domestic tourist season, and during this period Phu Yen can get pretty crowded. It might not be an ideal time for those who prefer a quiet and relaxing holiday.

Dai Lanh Cape, around 35km from Tuy Hoa, the capital city of Phu Yen, is the first place in the country where the sun rises. The best spots to catch the sunrise from are up the lighthouse or on Mon Beach, both spectacular places.

Visitors can spend the night at Mui Dien lighthouse, and, when the time comes, take in the view of the bay and the ocean wide open right before their eyes. The feeling when standing on the top, with the wind carrying the smell of the ocean and caressing your skin and hair, and watching the spectacular scene unfold is indescribable.

You need to call up the lighthouse and make arrangements the day before. Tickets cost around VND10,000 ($0.43)

Camping on Mon Beach for the night and waiting for the sunrise can be an unforgettable experience. The beach is located behind Dai Lanh Lighthouse.

Vung Ro spreads over an area of 16.4 square kilometers, with beautiful beaches and the ocean on one side and forested mountains like Deo Ca and Hon Ba, and the highest peak, Da Bia (Tombstone Mountain), on the other.

It is situated in the commune of Hoa Xuan Nam, Dong Hoa District, at the edge of Ca Pass. The drive, whether from the south or north, is extremely scenic. The coastal road offers a magnificent, unbroken view of the bay’s blue waters, fishing villages, the craggy pass, the green mountains, and the white sandy beaches.

There are hundreds of floating homes, fish farms and wooden fishing boats in the main bay. From here, visitors can take a boat to visit seafood farms, try to be a fisherman for a day and learn how locals catch lobsters or go catching fish or squid.

The seafood at the floating restaurants here are obviously as fresh as it possibly can be as it goes straight to the kitchen from the floating farms around. Some beers while floating on the blue lagoon, and this becomes an experience one just should not miss.

There are also other recreation options such as jet-skiing, snorkeling and visiting historical relics for visitors.

 Vung Ro Bay has 12  beautiful, pristine beaches such as Lach, Mu U, Chua, Chan Trau which are perfect for a refreshing dip in the cool, clear water or just unwinding in a tranquil, quiet place on the white sand.

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#Thailand Tourism Festival showcases 5 regions

The Thailand Tourism Festival 2019 takes place from January 23-27 in Bangkok’s Lumpini Park with five ‘tourism villages’ representing the regions of Thailand plus two additional zones:

Central Region Zone – presents the heritage of old Siam through a traditional Thai house and the former rural way of life back in the days through demonstrations, such as, traditional garland making.

Northern Zone – showcases the beautiful hand-woven cotton and silk textiles the region is famous for, presenting the intricate patterns. The zone reflects the artistic nature of the people of the North plus a range of contemporary arts inspired by the region.

Southern Zone – presenting new perspectives of the South that go beyond the beaches and islands including the secondary cities such as Surat Thani and Phatthalung, the hidden gems in major cities like Phuket’s Peranakan and arts in the three southernmost provinces.

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Northeastern (Isan) Zone – brings Thailand’s more vibrant cuisine to life. Food is one major inspiration for travelling to this region, linking it with traditional festivals and cultural values while promoting its three main tourism clusters: North Isan, Central Isan and South Isan.

Eastern Zone – presenting new perspectives of the East under a ‘more fun’ concept through replicas of landmarks most synonymous with the region in combination with three dedicated corners for 3D photography backdrops reflecting the region’s identity.

Perhaps most importantly, there is also a ‘Reduce-Reuse-Recycle’ waste initiative zone to help raise awareness and promote responsible and sustainable tourism through various activities, games and more.

 TAT Studio – provides daily live broadcasts of the TTF 2019 in all formats: news reports, special scoops, interviews plus activities and performances. It comprises a live digital TV studio, a 1672 traveller companion information centre, an ‘Or Sor Tho’ magazine section, and virtual reality games and lucky draws.

Source - TheNation

Bali's beaches are the top attraction on the resort island

Indonesia remains an attractive destination for Chinese tourists to visit during the year-end holiday season, according to a survey, despite the series of disasters hitting the archipelago throughout the year. 

As reported by news agency Antara, a survey conducted by Chinese travel portal tuniu.com reveals that the most attractive countries for tourists from mainland China during the current year-end holidays are Japan, Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, France, Italy, Switzerland, Indonesia and Germany.

Countries in Europe are the preferred destinations for Christmas, but those who want the warmth of the sun and pristine beaches choose Southeast Asian countries, such as Indonesia and Thailand, especially since these countries allow visa-free entry.

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 Indonesia remains an attractive destination for Chinese tourists, according to the survey, which shows that a series of natural disasters and a fatal airplane accident in 2018 did not deter tourists.

The Tourism Ministry, however, has fallen short of its targeted 2.6 million tourist visits from China during the period of January to October, with only 1.87 million having visited.

According to Tuniu’s survey, conducted among respondents between 19 and 35 years of age, young Chinese travelers mostly opt for holidays in the northern hemisphere, such as Finland, Norway, Iceland or Denmark. Yet some prefer to fly to the southern hemisphere for some warmth, including to Australia, New Zealand or Mauritius.

The survey also shows that 70 percent of the respondents spend only three days on their year-end vacation, typically from Dec. 30 to Jan. 1. About 64 percent of the respondents were women, most of whom said they would go on vacation with their friends or parents.

Ticket sales for the holiday season rose 30 percent in China, according to the survey, with fast trains still the main choice for domestic tourists.

Source - TheJakartaPost

Tourism and marine parks threaten #Thailand's 'people of the sea'

When Sutem Lakkao's grandmother and father died, they were buried much as their ancestors had been: on the beach, close to their beloved boats so they could listen to the waves and watch over the Chao Lay community of fisherfolk in their afterlife.

But when his time comes, Sutem will be laid to rest in a cemetery where all he will hear is the roar of traffic on Phuket, Thailand's largest island and a key tourism destination.

The land in which Sutem's ancestors were buried now heaves with daytrippers taking selfies, while the Urak Lawoi community of the Chao Lay are confined to a small patch of Phuket's Rawai beach that is also claimed by developers and individuals.

"Our way of life of the olden days is gone - when we could fish anywhere, and we had a connection to the land because of our ancestors' burial site and spiritual shrines," said Sutem.

"We do not have that connection any more," he said standing on the sandy beach of Koh He, a small island off Phuket's southern coast, where his ancestors were once buried.

The Chao Lay, or people of the sea, have lived on the shores of Thailand and Myanmar for generations, fishing and foraging.

Some, like the Moken, are nomadic, spending weeks on the sea and free-diving to spear fish. Others, like the Urak Lawoi on Rawai beach in Phuket, have a more settled life while fishing in the Andaman Sea with their traps of rattan and wire.

They grabbed the world's attention in 2004 when they escaped the devastating Indian Ocean tsunami by fleeing to higher ground when they saw the waters recede.

But the community may be facing its greatest threat yet as marine conservation efforts limit their traditional fishing grounds, and a tourism boom pits them against developers keen on the patch of land that their boats, homes and shrines sit on.

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At the heart of the struggles of the Chao Lay - also known as "Sea Gypsies" - is not just their right to the sea and land, but also a more fundamental question of legality and identity, said Narumon Arunotai at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok.

"Their culture and traditions are not protected by the Constitution, and they do not have title deeds and permits, so it is difficult for them to assert their claim," she said.

"But they were there long before the tourists and the conservationists. If managed well, indigenous rights can go well with conservation and tourism," she said.

Across the world, indigenous people are fighting for the recognition of their rights to land, forest and water.

While they own more than half the world's land under customary rights, they have secure legal rights to only 10 percent, according to Washington D.C.-based advocacy group Rights and Resources Initiative.

 

 From Peru to Indonesia, laws aimed at conserving forests are leading to the evictions of indigenous people. 

 The Chao Lay's right to the sea is even more tenuous as they often lack permits and licences for fishing, and get arrested or fined for straying into newly established marine protected areas or island parks that authorities say are key to conservation.

The Chao Lay in Phuket, which lies about 700 kilometres (430 miles) southwest of Bangkok, face more than two dozen cases related to encroachment of land and trespass of national parks.

Two families on Rawai beach lost their cases, and have to leave the homes in which they had lived for about 40 years.

Source - TheJakartaPost
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#Thailand - Ko Samui goes green to protect island ecosystem

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The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is working together with local stakeholders and tourists on Ko Samui to eliminate the use of single-use plastics and encourage all to reduce waste, reuse and recycle to help protect the island’s ecosystem.

The local authorities on Ko Samui are proactively campaigning for recycling and waste management, urging residents and business operators to separate their waste for recycling to reduce the amount of garbage produce on the island.

Mr. Yuthasak Supasorn, TAT Governor, said, “Education and awareness are the keys to success for this initiative. TAT proactively encourages both tourists and tourism businesses to help reduce tourism waste on the paradise island of Samui.

“Changing behaviour doesn’t happen overnight. We are seeing an increase in reusable cloth bags when shopping, and both visitors and residents are pitching in to do their part and help keep the island clean.”

Waste reduction thinking is quickly gaining traction amongst environmentally concerned Thai businesses and globetrotters on Ko Samui.

With some of the most stunning landscapes in Thailand, it is little wonder that visitors to Ko Samui continue to increase at an astonishing pace. With this influx comes a need to find a balance between high levels of service and environmental impacts. Fortunately, as attention has turned to exploring ways to preserve the island’s delicate ecosystem, travellers can give back to the local Thai community by creating less waste and leaving a minimal holiday footprint.

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 Local stores and shops on the island are campaigning against single-use plastics. Hotels and resorts as well as tourism-related businesses on Ko Samui are also helping to lead the way on responsible waste management by following the three ‘R’ principle: reduction, reuse and recycle. Luxury resorts on Ko Samui were among the first to introduce the plant-based straw revolution that is sweeping across Thailand and are endeavoring to make their tourism operations more sustainable.

One spearhead organisation is the ‘Trash Hero Ko Samui’ initiative, whose volunteers meet every Saturday at 10 a.m. to clean Samui’s beaches.
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Under the TAT’s on-going responsible tourism strategy, a new ‘Travel Thailand in Style, Reduce Plastic Waste’ collaboration initiative with various stakeholders was launched in August this year. It has an ambitious target to cut tourism-related waste by up to 50 percent by 2020.

Targeting both tourists and businesses to address waste problems in key travel destinations, the TAT also encourages use of reusable or sustainable items; such as, plant-based drinking straws instead of plastic straws, cotton bags instead of plastic bags, water tumblers instead of plastic bottles, and reusable food utensils instead of single-use plastic or foam items.

Back in March 2017, TAT partnered with PTT Global Chemical and the Ecoalf Foundation to launch an ‘Upcycling the Oceans, Thailand’ initiative. It made Thailand the first country in Asia to join the global ocean clean-up effort to reduce debris along the country’s coastal regions, especially in popular tourist areas on the east coast, in the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea.

Source - TheNation

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#Philippines - The new-Boracay opens with a whole new set of rules

It’s open again. Boracay Island, forced to close after being described by Philippine President Duterte as a’cesspool’, has undergone a major makeover of infrastructure and opens with new rules to help control tourist growth in the future.

Tourists flooded back onto the island today as the island re-opened. Suffering the same problems as Maya Bay and southern Thai islands, Boracay Island had been suffering for years under the burden of too much tourist-love but without the necessary infrastructure to contain the growth. At its peak Boracay Island was attracting two million visitors a year, well above its ability to maintain services.

Under a new set of rules the Boracay beachfront has been cleared of the masseuses, bonfires, beach vendors and sunset bonfires. Even the builders of its famous ‘selfie’ sandcastles have been cleared away.

Buildings have been bulldozed and beach businesses set back to create a 30 metre buffer zone from the waterline.

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 Many hotels and restaurants have been shut down because they didn’t meet the new standards and less that 160 tourism-related businesses have been approved to open their doors again.

All water sports have also been banned for the time being.

The island also had three casinos but they’ve also been shuttered whilst their future is being considered by Duterte.

The new rules have also determined that only 19,200 tourists will be allowed on the island at any one time. The government says they will be able to enforce that by controlling the number of hotel rooms available for bookings.

Additionally, drinking or smoking on the beaches are now banned and the huge beach parties dubbed “LaBoracay”, that would draw thousands of tourists during May each year, will not be operating in the future.

Tens of thousands of island workers were left without employment when the island was closed down six months ago. Many welcomed the re-opening of the island and hope its days as a ghost-town island are over.

Some of the new rules. Please note “Don’t vomit in public!”

Source - The Thaiger

#Vietnam - Da Nang gains stature as a must-go destination

Da Nang should be high on the list of places to visit in Southeast Asia, says Channel News Asia.

The Singaporean pay TV channel has included the Vietnamese city in a list of five under the radar destinations in south and southeast Asian regions.

It says that in Vietnam, the spotlight is mostly trained on the country’s two biggest metropolises - Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, but Da Nang, home to Asia’s most beautiful My Khe Beach and neighbor to Hoi An, the ancient town, has plenty to offer.

Intrepid travelers can climb up the famous Marble Mountains, a group of five marble and limestone mountains, to discover “hidden caves, tunnels and Buddhist shrines galore,” it recommends.

The central Vietnamese city has gained greater prominence since its Golden Bridge opened in June this year.

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 The visually stunning bridge has been featured in CNN’s best travel photographs of the year, the news channel notes.

Once a sleepy fishing town, Da Nang is now a formidable tourism destination, gaining renown for its long beaches and upscale resorts.

The city received more than five million visitors in the first seven months of this year, up 30 percent over the same period last year, according to the Da Nang tourism department.

Travel magazine Live and Invest Overseas, “the world's savviest source for top opportunities to live better, retire in style, invest for profit, do business,” voted Da Nang among world’s most livable cities earlier this year.

The site also recommends tourists to go on a safari in Colombo, Sri Lanka, swim in a volcanic lake in Indonesia’s Medan, go glamping in India’s Visakhapatnam and visit an island of silk-weavers in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Source  - VN Express.net

 

#Vietnam - Ha Long Bay: Nine must-visit places

The Ha Long Bay region in Vietnam comprises nearly 2,000 islands, 59 discovered caves, as well as grottoes, undisturbed beaches and old fishing villages. This UNESCO World Heritage site is a dream come true for nature lovers, photography aficionados or anyone who loves stunning scenery and crystal blue waters.

For those of you who are planning a visit, here are the nine most important landmarks that you should not miss out on seeing:

1. The Chopstick

The Chopstick will certainly be pointed out to you if you are taking a boat trip through the bay.

Possibly Ha Long Bay’s most famous landmark, the Chopstick is a karst peak that protrudes from the water at a height of around 40 meters. Its long, thin shape is what gives it its moniker.

It is worth checking out, if purely for the fact that, in recent times, coastal corrosion has caused its base to shrink dramatically, so who knows how long it will stay upright for.

2. Ti Top Island

Located in the heart of Ha Long Bay, Ti Top Island has been long regarded as one of the premier landmarks of the region. Named after Ghermann Titov, a former Soviet Union hero in the second World War, Ti Top Island boasts a white sandy crescent-shaped beach, as well as a partially paved route up to the top of the karst, where you can enjoy panoramic views of the bay.

Due to its increased fame in recent times, Ti Top is often busy during peak times (summer afternoons). Arriving in the morning will give you a head start on the 400-step ascent to the top of the mountain, allowing you to enjoy the beautiful view without a thousand selfie sticks in the way.

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 3. Bai Tu Long Bay

Sitting to the northeast of Ha Long Bay, Bai Tu Long Bay is its lesser known but equally staggering neighbor. Bia Tu Long has all of the coveted caves, beaches and islands that Ha Long Bay is known for, but without the crowds or congestion.

Highlights of the area include the ancient Thien Canh Son Cave, the colorful houses at Vung Vieng floating village, the untouched paradise of Ban Chan Beach and the Cong Do area.

4. Lan Ha Bay

As with Bai Tu Long Bay, Lan Ha Bay could easily be described as a quieter, lesser-known version of Ha Long. Lan Ha Bay itself boasts nearly 400 limestone karsts, as well as 139 quiet beaches that pepper the landscape. Lan Ha Bay actually belongs to the larger Cat Ba archipelago, and like with everywhere in the region, is best explored via sailboat.

Cat Ba Island is just a stone’s throw away and boasts many vendors that rent out vessels.

5. Co To Island

Co To Island is truly one of Ha Long Bay’s best-kept secrets. You will have to hire your own boat to get there but it is more than worth it. Co To Island district consists of 40 islands varying in size. Three of the largest islands are Co To Island, Thanh Lan Island and Tran Island. They boast white sandy beaches, sparkling azure water and craggy cliffs, all with the peaceful seclusion of an undiscovered paradise.

Cheap, fresh and delicious seafood can be found at seafront restaurants and the district's larger islands offer beach activities, trekking and motorbike road trips.

6. Vung Vieng fishing village

What makes Ha Long Bay such a unique tourist destination are the people that live and work there. Small communities have lived by the waters of the bay for centuries, and four of these floating villages remain today, with its residents predominantly serving the community as fisherfolk. The most famous of these is Vung Vieng village, with its colorful houses that stand against blue waters and towering karst peaks.

The community is happy to open their homes to tourists and offer workshops and displays depicting traditional Ha Long culture. Visitors can try their own hand at traditional fishing techniques, net weaving and even learn a few things about pearl harvesting.

7. Tuan Chau Island

This newly developed area just outside of Ha Long City is perfect for those with children, or those looking for a break from relaxing on a boat or a beach.

At only 2.2 square kilometers, Tuan Chau is tiny, but it is packed full of exciting recreational activities for all ages. Attractions include dolphin, sea lion and seal shows, an animal circus, a golf course, a cultural sports center, a beach, a rural market and an ornamental fish lake, as well as villas and restaurants.

The Ho Chi Minh memorial is one of the island’s most important features, built in honor of the man himself who used to visit Tuan Chau on his holidays.

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 8. Ban Chan Beach For those who prefer to travel off the beaten track, Ban Chan Beach rivals any beach in Southeast Asia in terms of beauty and seclusion. Peeking out behind Bi Tu Long Bay, Ban Chan is unlikely to be busy at any time of year, as it sits right off the traditional boat routes of the region.

Although it is isolated and quiet, activities such as snorkeling, kayaking and beach volleyball are still offered.
 

9. Sung Sot Cave

The Sung Sot Cave complex is home to the most coveted caves and grottoes in Ha Long Bay, and possibly the whole country. There are a total of 59 discovered caves documented on the official registrar; however, experts estimate that the number could be close to eight times that. Sung Sot Cave is the largest cave in the complex, and the most famous.

The cave itself is incredibly wide, tall and lofty, so those with claustrophobia need not worry. Stalactites and stalagmites adorn the cave’s interior, some of which have formed enormous limestone columns of different shapes over the millennia.

Take a guided tour of the cave and you will hear about the legends associated with each of its pillars, from dragons and demons to dwarves and everything in between.

Useful information

When should I go?

Ha Long Bay, much like the rest of northern Vietnam, can get surprisingly cold during winter months. Temperatures regularly drop to below 10 degrees Celsius between the months of December and February, and many homes and businesses do not have central heating.

Summer months, between June and September, can see exceptionally heavy rainfall and thunderstorms, so try to stick to the months of March and April or from late September through to early November for warm temperatures of around 25 degrees Celsius and clear skies.

***
Lana is a freelance writer from the UK currently residing in Hanoi, Vietnam. She has won several awards for travel writing by National Tourism Board of Vietnam. At the moment she is the editor-in-chief for a travel website about Halong Bay: Halongbay.com 

Sourse - TheJakartaPost

#Thailand ‘best country for people’, says travel survey

Thais have been voted the best people in the world in an online survey by Conde Nast Traveller magazine, a leading US source of travel features.

Thailand won in the category of “Best Country for People” in the 2018 annual award.

The award honours “the best that the travel world has to offer”. Other categories include hotels, airlines, ski resorts, islands and architecture.

In addition, Thailand came third in the “Best Country” category after Italy and Greece .

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 Two hotels – the Mandarin Oriental in Bangkok and Six Senses on Kho Yao Noi – came fourth and fifth respectively in the category of “Best Hotel in Asia and the Indian Subcontinent”. 

Meanwhile Koh Samui island was awarded the ninth spot in the “Best Islands in the World” category, falling after Greek islands, Maldives, Balearic islands, Hawaii, St Lucia, Bali, Sicily and Mauritius.

Source - TheNation

 

On Thai island #Phuket, hotel guests check out of plastic waste

For the millions of sun seekers who head to Thailand's resort island of Phuket each year in search of stunning beaches and clear waters, cutting down on waste may not be a top priority.

But the island's hotel association is hoping to change that with a series of initiatives aimed at reducing the use of plastic, tackling the garbage that washes up on its shores, and educating staff, local communities and tourists alike.

"Hotels unchecked are huge consumers and users of single-use plastics," said Anthony Lark, president of the Phuket Hotels Association and managing director of the Trisara resort.

"Every resort in Southeast Asia has a plastic problem. Until we all make a change, it's going to get worse and worse," he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

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Established in 2016 and with about 70 members - including all Phuket's five-star hotels - the association has put tackling environmental issues high on its to-do list.

Last year the group surveyed members' plastics use and then began looking at ways to shrink their plastics footprint.

As part of this, three months ago the association's hotels committed to phase out, or put plans in place to stop using plastic water bottles and plastic drinking straws by 2019.

About five years ago, Lark's own resort with about 40 villas used to dump into landfill about 250,000 plastic water bottles annually. It has now switched to reusable glass bottles.

The hotel association also teamed up with the documentary makers of "A Plastic Ocean", and now show an edited version with Thai subtitles for staff training.

Meanwhile hotel employees and local school children take part in regular beach clean-ups.

"The association is involved in good and inclusive community-based action, rather than just hotel general managers getting together for a drink," Lark said.

CREATORS AND VICTIMS

Phuket, like Bali in Indonesia and Boracay in the Philippines, has become a top holiday destination in Southeast Asia - and faces similar challenges.

Of a similar size to Singapore and at the geographical heart of Southeast Asia, Phuket is easily accessible to tourists from China, India, Malaysia and Australia.

With its white sandy beaches and infamous nightlife, Phuket attracts about 10 million visitors each year, media reports say, helping make the Thai tourism industry one of the few bright spots in an otherwise lacklustre economy.

Popular with holiday makers and retirees, Phuket - like many other Southeast Asian resorts - must contend with traffic congestion, poor water management and patchy waste collection services.

Despite these persistent problems, hotels in the region need to follow Phuket's lead and step up action to cut their dependence on plastics, said Susan Ruffo, a managing director at the U.S.-based non-profit group Ocean Conservancy.

Worldwide, between 8 million and 15 million tonnes of plastic are dumped in the ocean every year, killing marine life and entering the human food chain, UN Environment says.

Five Asian countries - China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Thailand - account for up to 60 percent of plastic waste leaking into the seas, an Ocean Conservancy study found.

"As both creators and 'victims' of waste, the hotel industry has a lot to gain by making efforts to control their own waste and helping their guests do the same," Ruffo said.

"We are seeing more and more resorts and chains start to take action, but there is a lot more to be done, particularly in the area of ensuring that hotel waste is properly collected and recycled," she added.

CHANGING MINDS, CUTTING COSTS

Data on how much plastic is used by hotels and the hospitality industry is hard to find. But packaging accounts for up to 40 percent of an establishment's waste stream, according to a 2011 study by The Travel Foundation, a UK-based charity.

Water bottles, shampoo bottles, toothbrushes and even food delivered by room service all tend to use throw-away plastics.

In the past, the hospitality industry has looked at how to use less water and energy, said Von Hernandez, global coordinator at the "Break Free From Plastic" movement in Manila.

Now hotels are turning their attention to single-use plastics amid growing public awareness about damage to oceans.

"A lot of hotels are doing good work around plastics", adopting measures to eliminate or shrink their footprint, said Hernandez.

But hotels in Southeast Asia often have to contend with poor waste management and crumbling infrastructure.

"I've seen resorts in Bali that pay staff to rake the beach every morning to get rid of plastic, but then they either dig a hole, and bury it or burn it on the beach," said Ruffo. "Those are not effective solutions, and can lead to other issues."

Hotels should look at providing reusable water containers and refill stations, giving guests metal or bamboo drinking straws and bamboo toothbrushes, and replacing single-use soap and shampoo containers with refillable dispensers, experts said.

"Over time, this could actually lower their operational costs - it could give them savings," said Hernandez. "It could help change mindsets of people, so that when they go back to their usual lives, they have a little bit of education."

Back in Phuket, the hotel association is exploring ways to cut plastic waste further, and will host its first regional forum on environmental awareness next month.

The hope is that what the group has learned over the last two years can be implemented at other Southeast Asian resorts and across the wider community.

"If the 20,000 staff in our hotels go home and educate mum and dad about recycling or reusing, it's going to make a big difference," said Lark.

Source - TheNation

Bali remains top destination among Indonesian travelers

Bali has once again nabbed the top spot as the favorite mid-year destination among Indonesian travelers, according to the latest data compiled by Agoda. 

The online booking platform said in a statement recently that Bali's lineup of mid-year festivals was among the reasons tourists were attracted to the area.

"From the 40^th annual Bali Arts Festival (June to July), which celebrates local culture and art, to the Bali Kites Festival (July to October), which dots the sky with hundreds of colorful kite creations, the Makepung Buffalo Races (July to November) featuring a series of buffalo racing competitions and the Ubud Writers Festival, travelers have plenty of reasons to keep returning to Bali," the statement said. 

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 West Java's provincial capital of Bandung came in second place, according to the list, which featured the top 10 mid-year destinations for Indonesian travelers. In addition to being a sought-after weekend getaway for those in neighboring cities like Jakarta, Bandung is also famous as a shopping and culinary destination. 

Other top spots domestically include Yogyakarta, sixth, Jakarta, eighth, and Malang, 10^th.

Indonesian travelers also evidently favor Japan, as two cities in the East Asian country made the list, with the country's capital Tokyo placing third and Osaka ninth.

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 Tokyo's Ueno Summer Festival, which runs through July and August, is expected to draw huge crowds with its charming toro nagashi (flowing lantern) ceremonies, outdoor ice sculpture exhibitions and live performances at the Suijo Ongakudo open-air theater.

Meanwhile, tourists can enjoy Osaka's summertime festivals such as Tenjin and Gion Matsuri, as well as enjoying the local beaches and water parks. 

Neighboring Southeast Asian cities also made the list, such as Singapore, sitting in fourth spot, Kuala Lumpur, fifth, and Bangkok, seventh.