787 Dreamliner takes flight in Vietnam

Japan’s five-star airline All Nippon Airways, the eighth largest airline in the world, just announced that starting June 1 it will put the new Boeing 787 model into service for the Hanoi-Tokyo (Haneda) route.

This will be the first time this aircraft has flown in Vietnam.

The 787 Dreamliner is at the cutting-edge of commercial aircraft design and features the latest technologies.

Its entrance marks a huge leap in the development of the aviation industry with total orders for the aircraft reaching a record 890 units as of May 2013.

ANA said it was proud to be one of the first airlines which placed an order for the 787s and the first airline to use the jet for numerous destinations worldwide, including Vietnam.

ANA first used the Boeing 787 Dreamliner for its Tokyo-Hong Kong route in October 2011.

The aircraft showed its mettle when over 25,000 people registered for a chance to be among 100 passengers on the aircraft’s first flight. A business class seat on this flight was auctioned for charity at $33,000.

The direct route between Hanoi-Tokyo (Haneda) was launched in March.

For the occasion of introducing the 787 to the route ANA is set to offer a number of promotions.

Passengers departing on June 1 will have the option of flying business class at a bargain price of VND16.7 million ($795) for a one-way ticket.

Passengers flying anytime in the month of June can buy business-class round-trip tickets for VND26.5 million ($1,260).

These prices do not include tax and surcharges applicable for flights from Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City to Tokyo, Osaka and Fukuoka. Tickets are to be sold from May 8-31.

Vietnam orders absolute safety for foreign tourists

The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) on May 16 issued an urgent notice to its units, travel and hospitality companies, asking them to ensure the absolute safety for tourists, especially Chinese nationals in the context of ongoing tension in the East Sea.

In the document, the VNAT requested them to operate as usual with better services while keeping alert against any future contingency.

They must avoid provocations and discrimination against Chinese visitors and, at the same time, keep joint activities with their Chinese counterparts going.

It called for a media campaign in which tourists will have a better knowledge of the ongoing situation in the East Sea and Vietnam’s stance on safeguarding its sovereignty.

Domestic travel agencies are required to assure visitors that Vietnam always welcomes tourist from every corner of the globe.

Sea Week promotes beaches

The central province of Quang Nam will organise the Tam Thanh Beach Tourism Week from June 13-15.

The event will include musical performances, a painting and photo exhibition about local beaches and islands, beach football and volleyball, kite flying, boat and bicycle races, martial arts and local traditional games.

The week will be organised in Tam Ky City's Tam Thanh Commune. Located 7km away from Tam Ky, Tam Thanh Beach has a long sandy beach and clear water.

Ba Ria-Vung Tau develops tourism

The Ba Ria - Vung Tau Province Tourism Information and Promotion Centre is surveying the province's several tourist destinations such as craft villages, historical sites, temples and pagodas from May 15-23.

The surveyed sites include An Ngai rice paper village, Hoa Long wine village, Chau Ro ethnic minority village, Ong (Whale) fish cemetery, Co Temple and Grave, Linh Quang Pagoda, Long Phuoc tunnel and heroic martyr Vo Thi Sau's memorial house.

Local travel agencies have been offering tours to the sites but the services remain inadequate. After the survey, the centre will draft measures to improve tourism services at the sites.

Located 120km away from HCM City, the coastal southern province is one of the country's most well-known tourist destinations with more than 100km of coast with beautiful beaches. The province's Vung Tau City contains scenic sites of mountains, lakes and thermal springs.

Delta holds national temple festival

The Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta province of An Giang will hold Ba Chua Xu Temple Festival, a national festival, on May 21-25.

The festival, which is organised from the 23th to 27th of the fourth lunar month every year, honours Ba Chua Xu (the local tutelary goddess), whose temple is located at the foot of Sam Mountain in Chau Doc Town.

The event has five solemn ceremonies, including washing the statute of Ba Chua Xu. Other activities like dragon dance and art performances are also held during the festival.

Legend says that Ba Chua Xu is so sacred that anyone who offers incense to her can realise all their wishes. Therefore, the temple attracts the visit of more than 3.5 million people a year.

Sam Mountain locates in That Son (Seven Mountains) area which is considered as the Delta's highest place.

Lao Cai new crop attracts tourists

Terraced fields in the northern province of Lao Cai look like beautiful paintings as they glisten under the sunshine, attracting many tourists, especially photographers.

Local farmers are now taking rainwater from mountains into terraced fields to begin a new rice crop. This period is often called the "water pouring season".

In Sa Pa District, the national heritage terraced-field complex in Ta Van, Hau Thao and Lao Chai communes and the Vu Lung Sung terraced field in Trung Chai Commune (with the highest number of steps – 121 – in Viet Nam) attract many foreign tourists and photographers.

Companies lure summer travellers

Travel companies have launched many tours for the summer, especially to popular sea tourist destinations like Da Nang, Quy Nhon, Nha Trang, Mui Ne – Phan Thiet, Phu Quoc and Con Dao.

Saigontourist, for example, has opened 45 tours to beaches and islands. The tours last three to seven days. Many travel companies such as Vietravel and Saigontourist have also offered promotions with discounts of up to 40 per cent.

Coffee tourism centre opens

Dang Le Coffee Tourism Centre, the first centre of its kind in Buon Ma Thuot City in the Tay Nguyen (Central Highlands) province of Dak Lak, has opened at 45 Ly Tu Trong Street.

At the 4,000sq.m centre, invested in by the Dang Le Tourism Investment Company, visitors can drink coffee, receive tourism information and choose coffee and handicraft products made at villages in the Central Highlands.

Vietnam Airlines launches two new air routes to Japan

National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines has announced that it is increasing its presence in the Japanese market with the opening of two new air routes from Vietnam to Japan.

This means more options for travellers the airline said in announcing that a route from Hanoi to Haneda will begin from July 1and a second from Danang to Narita starts from July 16 with a frequency of four flights per week.

All flights will use aircraft Airbus A32.

The added routes will help Vietnam Airlines consolidate its position as a market leader and demonstrates the airline’s commitment to boost Japanese tourism connecting the largest cities in Vietnam with their counterparts in Japan, said Vietnam Airlines Deputy General Director Trinh Ngoc Thanh.

On the occasion, Vietnam Airlines is offering an incentive programme on ticket sales for customers.

A two-way ticket fare en route from Hanoi to Haneda is VND6.3 million (equivalent to US$299) for customers who buy tickets by June 15 to fly from July 1-15, 2014.

The fare en route from Danang to Narita is VND7.3 million (equal to US$349). Customers can purchase discount tickets from now until December 31 to fly from July 16 to December 31, 2014.

Fares are exclusive of taxes, fees, charges and surcharges.

Rise in island tourism prompted by East Sea dispute

Amid rising tensions in the East Sea, many Vietnamese have been choosing to spend their vacations at beaches and islands to express their love for the country.

According to several travel agencies, the latest holiday, April 30, saw the number of visitors to Ly Son Island sharply increase. The Hoang Sa-Bac Hai fleet museum, the Hang Pagoda and the flag tower, a symbol for Vietnam's territory, were crowded with visitors.

One visitor in Hanoi said, "This generation is familiar with peacetime and have no memory of bombs or wars. But, standing under this flag brings up deep love for my country. After taking a look at the exhibits of the museum, I am more proud than ever of the generations before us that have ensured Vietnam's independence. My friends and I are keenly aware of the need to protect our sea and islands."

Vietnam has 3,260 km of beaches and over 2,700 islands. Both local authorities and travel companies are stepping up promotion and planning new tours to such destinations.

Ta Minh Hien, deputy head of Phuong Dong Ngay Nay Tourism Company, said the central region has been receiving more visitors this year, most of them coming to visit Ly Son and Cham islands. "There are also many return visitors, boosting support services such as hotels, restaurants and diving companies," he said.

Nguyen Cong Hoan, deputy head of Hanoi Redtours Company said, "Not only can tourists visit beautiful beaches, they can also visit relics related to Vietnam's rich and proud history. I'm confident that these tours will attract many visitors this summer."

A number of travel agencies have widened their scope to offer more tours to offshore beaches such as Hoang Sa and Truong Sa (Paracel and Spratly) islands. Two years ago, the UNESCO Hanoi Travel Club proposed that a survey be conducted of these areas to facilitate more favourable conditions for tours to Hoang Sa and Truong Sa islands.