After ‘horror trip,’ Aussie offered free tour of Vietnamese destinations

An Australian tourist has been invited to tour Vietnam’s Ha Long Bay and other destinations for free after news outlets highlighted a Facebook post titled "Horror trip, Ha Long Bay" last week.

The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) has written of apology to Lynne Ryan and invite her to return to Vietnam for the free tour.

Nguyen Van Tuan, head of the administration, said in the letter that he was "sorry for what happened" and informed Ryan that Vietnamese authorities have "seriously punished" companies responsible for the cruise that proved to be a disaster.

Ryan, who'd visited Vietnam along with five other Australian tourists in early May, wrote the post after returning home. She said her group had booked a Ha Long Bay cruise with a travel agency in Hanoi. She said she'd been shown a glossy brochure with beautiful pictures of a boat and its services, but the actual tour proved to be vastly different.

The tourists were taken on a rat infested "junk boat" with a “rat house” under the sink in the bathroom, a rat coming through a window, and rat droppings in the room. One of their rooms had a broken toilet door and a non-functioning air-conditioner.

"Sun decks on the top of boat had wood borers and were falling to pieces," the news reports quoted her as saying.

The group described their Ha Long Bay tour as a "nightmare."

Once the news spread, authorities swung into action. They fined the owner of the cruise ship and the travel agency in Hanoi that booked the tour VND15 million (US$660) and VND8 million (US$351) respectively, and suspended the ship’s operation.

Tuan said VNAT will take care of the free trip for Ryan; but the Australian responded saying she was wondering if she could take her friends along, since they were also victims of the scam.

Ha Long Bay welcomed more than 28,000 foreigners in the first four months this year, according to tourism department of Quang Ninh Province, home to the famous bay which is known as one of the top natural wonders of the world.

Australia is a major source of tourism revenue for Vietnam. The country received nearly 147,600 Australian visitors in the first four months this year, up 13% from a year ago.

Central island gets face lift thanks to solar power

The solar power panel system in An Binh island. 

Life in An Binh Island, also known as Be Island, in Ly Son island district, the central province of Quang Ngai has changed since solar power was introduced.

Together with a system of diesel power generators, the An Binh Power Plant has put into use a solar power facility, comprising 300 IREX solar panels with total capacity of 96kW, 100kW grid-connected inverters and 72kW battery inverters.

Thanks to the combined system of diesel and solar power generators which produce about 700 kWh daily, more than 100 local families have stable and constant access to power. Previously, the island only had electricity for some of the day. 

Now, their quality of life has improved as many families have more electrical appliances in their homes, particularly televisions.

Owners of restaurants on the island are among the happiest. They used to not dare to buy refrigerators to store food due to electricity shortages, but now many have purchased large-capacity fridges to provide better services to tourists.

The system has also helped cut electricity costs. According to Nguyen Van Hong from An Binh seawater desalination plant, it used to cost the plant about 2.1 million VND (92.4 USD) per day using diesel power but with the new system, the cost was cut by more than two-thirds to only 600,000 VND (26.4 USD) per day. 

The solar system also allowed the plant to operate for longer hours to ensure water supply for the locals, he added.

Be Island has had a facelift, especially in tourism, thanks to solar power, said Huynh Luy, Secretary of the Party Committee of An Binh Commune. Before, tourists normally only visited the island for a day; now they can stay for several days as homestay services and other facilities have developed. The local average income has been raised to more than 21 million VND (924 USD) per person per year.

Mekong sluice project is not necessary, experts say

A boat anchors at Cái Bé River in Kiên Giang Province’s Châu Thành District.

Many experts and scientists on Monday continued to express concern about the Cái Lớn-Cái Bé dual sluice project in Kiên Giang Province and its possible impact on the region.

The project is expected to control saline intrusion and adapt to climate change.

At a meeting on the sluice project held in Cần Thơ on Monday, a report from the independent group of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and United Nations Development Programme in Việt Nam showed that saline intrusion was from the region’s eastern sea, but the sluice only controls water from the western sea.

Traffic is increasing on the two rivers of Cái Lớn and Cái Bé, forcing sluices to open, so it is difficult to control salinity as required.

However, the group concluded that the Cái Lớn-Cái Bé dual sluice project is necessary.

Đặng Kiều Nhân, representative of Mekong Delta Development Research Institute, said the project owner was unclear about the VNĐ8 trillion (US$350.9 million) investment.

As scheduled, the management board for investment and building irrigation infrastructure project No.10 under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development collected public opinions about the project’s implementation last year.

But residents have not been informed about the project, Nhân said.

Nguyễn Hữu Thiện, an independent expert on Mekong Delta’s ecology, said the project should not be carried out. Severe drought and saline intrusion in 2016 was caused by El Nino’s impact at that time, and it only occurs one time every 90 years.

The independent group said that the project was needed because of rising water levels but he disagreed with that conclusion. 

In reality, the sea water rises only 3mm per year, while the region faces dangerous depression because of exploitation of underground water, Thiện said.

The environment has been damaged and rivers blocked, so people have been forced to exploit underground water, he added. If the project is carried out, the environmental risk and depression could worsen.

The project would not help ensure food security as the independent group claimed, Thiện said.

He said that in 2016 when the region suffered severe drought and saline intrusion, nearly 5 million of tonnes of rice were exported. Food security was not severely affected.

There is no evidence that shows the project would prevent fresh water from running out in the region, he said.

Dr Dương Văn Ni of Cần Thơ University’s faculty of environment and natural resources, said the project could affect thousands of people in the region.

On the same fields, farmers sometimes need both salt water and fresh water. So it is not necessary to carry out the project to prevent saline intrusion, he said. 

Award-winning Hội An resort offers summer holidays for families

The infinity pool boasts a serene view overlooking Chàm Island. — Photo courtesy of the resort

The international award-winning Sunrise Premium Resort & Spa Hội An has launched a special promotion for families to welcome summer 2018.

Starting from VNĐ3,990,000++/night, a guest and their little angels can enjoy a two-day-one-night stay in a Deluxe Room and a buffet breakfast at Spices Garden. The offer also includes a free extra bed and complementary swimming lesson, cake making, hat painting for children, and several other interesting offers.

The promotion is applicable from now until June 30, 2018.

Sunrise Premium Resort & Spa Hội An was named in the the World Luxury Hotel Awards 2017. The resort is also the winner of the Asian Lifestyle Tourism Awards (ALTA) 2017 with three significant awards, including Vietnam’s Best Resort, Outstanding Honeymoon Destination in Southeast Asia, and Vietnam’s Best Luxury Resort Spa.

Nestled on the side of the pristine Cửa Đại beach, with its picturesque ocean view, stunning stretches of sand and endless blue sky, surrounded by lush garden, the resort has become a favourite destination of travelers, especially families with kids.

Inspired by local culture and contemporary living standards, the renowned British architect David Hobkinson has created a luxurious retreat that brings guests close to nature. 

HCMC hotels introduce southern fruit

The Southern Fruit Festival held in HCM City last year. 

More than 40 hotels in HCM City will offer guests fresh southern fruits and welcome drinks made from the fruits from June 1 to 17.

Besides, in the first week of June, many supermarkets in the city will have dedicated counters to introduce Vietnamese fruits to customers.

Among other things, they will show customers how to distinguish between safe and unsafe fruits, and offer discounts on the fruits.

These activities are related to the Southern Fruit Festival to be held from June 1 to 17 at the Suối Tiên Theme Park in HCM City’s District 9.

Domestic violence in Lào Cai reduces significantly

Lào Cai province has recorded reduction in domestic violence. Photo for illustration. – Photo baolaocai.vn

Domestic violence in northern mountainous Lào Cai province was reduced by half in 2017 compared to the previous year, thanks to the initiative of domestic violence prevention clubs.

This was announced on Wednesday at the launch ceremony of domestic violation presentation action month. Speaking at the event, Nguyễn Hữu Thể, vice chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, highlighted the sharp decline of violence following efforts of local authorities and communities. The entire province witnessed a reduction of domestic violence cases from 277 in 2009 to 77 in 2017, he said.

To achieve this result, 135 domestic violence prevention clubs were established with 854 members, who are equipped with essential skills to fight against, detect and prevent domestic violence in their neighbourhood.

Nguyễn Thị Tố Uyên, deputy director of the provincial department of culture, sports and tourism, said authorities had been raising public awareness on the issue for the past 10 years while reinforcing the role of the family, which contributed to local socioeconomic development.

In 2017, a new model of domestic violence prevention clubs was piloted in five communes in the mountainous districts of Bát Xát and Sa Pa, expecting to uphold the values of gender equality among residents as well as providing legal and health services to victims of domestic violence.

From 2009 to date, 1,400 cases of domestic violence have been reported in Lào Cai province, of which 682 cases saw timely intervention. Females aged 16 to 59 accounted for 92 per cent of the victims, while the percentage of child victims was 3.4 per cent. 

Universities to organise conference on outlook for Việt Nam’s south-east

Thủ Dầu Một University and University of Social Sciences and Humanities and Information Technology Park sign an MoU to organise an international conference on the outlook for the country’s south-eastern region. Photo Courtesy of Thủ Dầu Một University

The Thủ Dầu Một University and University of Social Sciences and Humanities and Information Technology Park on Thursday signed a memorandum of agreement for jointly organising an international conference titled South East Việt Nam Outlook.

It will be an academic forum where local and foreign experts will discuss development and management of skilled human resources for the south-eastern region’s development in the context of the fourth industrial revolution.

Issues related to science and technology, social welfare and training will be highlighted at the conference.

The event will be held on December 6-7 at Thủ Dầu Một University in Bình Dương Province.

Both organizing universities are members of the Việt Nam National University-HCM City. 

Đắk Nông to hire doctors from outside

Doctor treat for a patient in a Đắk Nông hospital. — Photo truyenhinhdacnong.vn

The People’s Committee of Đắk Nông has approved a programme to attract well-qualified doctors and pharmacists to the Central Highlands province.

Đắk Nông will hire 10 doctors and pharmacists each with post-graduate degrees for vital departments like paediatrics, infectious diseases, maternity, general surgery, anesthesiology, neurology, internal medicine, and cardiology.

It also plans to get nine general practitioners and one traditional medicine doctor with good academic achievements.

The candidates selected under the programme will work in provincial and district hospitals in the area and will receive financial support from the authorities.

The programme will cost VNĐ4.5 billion (US$200,000).

Quang Ninh: Tourist arrivals pick up 26 percent in first five months

Tourist arrivals to the northern province of Quang Ninh hit 6.6 million in the first five months of 2018, an increase of 26 percent from the same period last year.

Of the number, 2.17 million were foreigners, up 12 percent year on year.

The province’s January-May revenue from tourism exceeded 11 trillion VND (484 million USD), up 32 percent year on year.

In May, Quang Ninh hosted a series of tourism activities as part of the National Tourism Year 2018 – Ha Long – Quang Ninh, including Miss Ha Long 2018, art programme “Hello Ha Long 2018” and the cultural, sports and tourism week in Co To island.

A number of cultural and entertainment events also took place in Quan Lan and Minh Chau Islands alongside a cross-country cycling tour from Sa Vi Cape in Mong Cai, Quang Ninh to the southernmost province of Ca Mau, a street festival and a tennis tournament in Mong Cai.

The province has stepped up communications campaigns to promote the National Tourism Year 2018 in Ha Long, Quang Ninh and taken actions to improve services of local travel agencies and tour guides.

Quang Ninh has a coastline of more than 250 kilometres and some 2,000 islets, two-thirds of the total in Vietnam. The spectacular stretch of coast connects the UNESCO-recognised World Heritage Site of Ha Long Bay with majestic natural scenery, Bai Tu Long Bay, Van Don and Co To islands and Tra Co beach with Cat Ba National Park in the northern port city of Hai Phong.

This year, Quang Ninh expects to welcome 12 million visitors, including five million foreigners to earn 22 trillion VND (968 million USD) in revenue. It is hosting the National Tourism Year 2018, themed “Ha Long – Heritage, Wonder, Friendly Destination.”

Last year, the province received a total of 9.87 million travellers, including 4.28 million international holidaymakers.

Loans for high-capacity ships help fishermen raise incomes

Bình Thuận Province has more than 7,000 ships used for fishing. 

Government Decree 67 on preferential policies for aquaculture has helped fishermen in the south central coastal province of Bình Thuận access loans to build high-capacity ships for offshore fishing.

Eighty-nine offshore fishing vessels with engine capacities between 400CV and 800CV have been built thanks to loans provided under the decree, according to the province’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

To save transport costs, the province has also encouraged building ships that would buy seafood directly from fishing vessels and process the seafood and other materials. 

Currently, the province has more than 110 ships for these services. The 450CV to 700 CV-ships have modern equipment.

Under Decree 67, which took effect in July 2014, loans with the interest rate of 7 per cent per year, have been provided for fishermen to build ships with steel or new materials (other than wood) and engine capacities of between 400CV and 800CV. Those loans often make up 90 per cent of the total funds needed to build an offshore fishing vessels.

Since 2015, the province has provided total loans worth over VNĐ900 billion (US$39 million) for local fishermen to build new ships and upgrade their low-capacity ships.

As of April, the province had approved loans to 179 loan application documents for building fishing ships.

Of the province’s 7,000 fishing ships more than 2,700 each having the capacity of 90CV and above are being used for offshore fishing.

The province’s fishing grounds are mostly in the Trường Sa Archipelago in the East Sea and near the DK1 marine defense platform.

Nguyễn Hưng of Tam Thanh Commune in the province’s Phú Quý Island was a pioneer in building new ships under the decree.

He said that owning a ship with high capacity and modern devices was the dream of many fishermen.

In the past, with low-capacity boats, he could fish only around the island, but now, with his new ship, he can reach the Trường Sa Archipelago and the DK1 marine defense platform.

Châu Minh Cương, who also lives in Tam Thanh Commune, said he began using his new ship one year ago to fish at the DK1 marine defense platform. He earns a profit of VNĐ100 million (US$4,385) after every trip.

Cương said he and his friends were planning to build more high-capacity ships.

The province’s seafood production last year was nearly 213,000 tonnes, an increase of 4.4 per cent compared to 2016.

Phạm Văn Nam, vice chairman of Bình Thuận Province’s People’s Committee, said the new ships built under the decree are of good quality and have helped raise income.

He said the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development should increase the quota for new shipbuilding in the province.

The province also plans to expand fisheries trade unions, protect fishing grounds and regenerate aquatic sources.