Nui Chua National Park

 

Nui Chua National Park. Credit: Huynh Van Truyen

Nui Chua Mountain received the title of World Biosphere Reserve on April 14. This is the recognition of the international community to honour the values of the natural landscape, biodiversity, and indigenous cultural values.

A visit to a rugged, jungle-clad mountain backdrop of Vinh Hy Bay, Nui Chua National Park is your  must in Ninh Thuan Province. It seems to be a green lung of Ninh Thuan Province in South Central Coast Vietnam. Perched on the height of 1000m above sea level, Nui Chua National Park covers nearly 20.000 hectares of primeval forests and is home to a diversity of over 600 precious flora and approximately 300 wild animal species.

Nui Chua National Park possesses a dramatic location on the waterfront of the East Sea with a scattering of upmarket resorts. Its geographical location is in Ninh Hai and Thuan Bac Districts, Ninh Thuan Province, around 30km from Phan Rang City.

Credit: Huyen Van Truyen

 

Best things to do in Nui Chua National Park

Go sightseeing

The first and foremost thing for you and your family to do is to have a glimpse of the picturesque natural landscapes in Nui Chua National Park. The site is jam-packed with towering mountains, fast-flowing streams, stunning mountain cliffs, and verdant greenery. It is also rich in fauna and flora system with rare species like Tibetian Bear and Malayan Bear. More significantly, since the park is less-touristy, visitors can soak up the freshness and peaceful ambiance there.

Trekking

Nothing can beat a short trek across the dense jungle and taking a beautiful photo hunt. The most popular trek here is from Hang Da Hamlet to O Liem River which normally takes you 3 days, 7 hours trekking per day. During the journey, you have a chance to pitch a camp in the heart of the forest and take part in interesting activities, as well as learn about the Raglai people's culture. Finally, you'll reach Nui Chua Mount and spectacular mountain views pay off.

Underwater exploration

Vinh Hy Bay is known for diverse coral reefs and those who are keen on water-based activities cannot miss scuba diving or snorkeling to see the most beautiful coral reef deep in the ocean. This is also a refreshing time to immerse in the cool, clean water

 

Ngoc Trinh Confessed Wearing a Cheap Fake Kendall Lavader Gown.

The international brand REN Corporation publicly 'reprimanded' Ngoc Trinh for wearing a cheap fake Kendall skirt. The long-legged celebrity Ngoc Trinh caused a stir on April 16 when designer Haixi Ren (founder of the Ren brand) accused her of wearing a fake dress designed specifically for the famous Kendall Jenner. 

Not only openly criticizing, this company also angrily called the model's outfit "cheap". Notably, the brand's official Instagram page also calls on the international fashion community to condemn this behavior.

In the face of a wave of public anger, Ngoc Trinh admitted to wearing fake clothes. This action made Ren even more angry when he constantly updated netizens' criticism of the model through the story function on Instagram.

Haixi Ren's promotional page "slams her straight in the face", calling Ngoc Trinh's outfit "cheap". This side wrote: "Ngoc Trinh is wearing a cheap lavender dress of Kendall Jenner's design. There's no way it's made by REN. If you want our dress, order and pay me, I will make one for you. Stop coping the products of young designers! Thanks to the followers who sent this information to me. I am grateful for your support.” 

The incident immediately caused fierce controversy in Vietnam and the international online community. Many people expressed anger, asking the female model to explain the incident. Besides, many foreign accounts also re-post Haixi Ren's articles to criticize this long- legged figure.

 

 
 

Thuy Tien Transforms a Thai Girl with Thai Traditional Dress.

 

Cre: Van An

Thuy Tien wears a variety of Thai costumes to attend a local event in the role of Miss International Peace.

Thuy Tien is in a dress by designer Song Toan with designs and patterns inspired by Thai traditional costumes. After the contest, she ordered 30 new sets of clothes from Vietnamese designers to quickly join the events. In the final of Miss Grand Chiang Rai 2022, the beauty queen got the attention of fans thanks to a traditional dress of the Lanna ethnic group. She says these costumes help her feel closer to the audience.

Cre: Van An

She got her hair in a bun, attached flowers to her head like Thai women. As being Miss Grand International, Thuy Tien traveled to many provinces and cities, experienced the cultural identity of her country and attended the finals of Miss Grand held locally to congratulate the winners.

In Chiang Mai province, Thuy Tien posed with Chakkri, an outfit worn by Thai women on important occasions, consisting of a wrap skirt and a silk scarf draped over the shoulder that is both discreet and sexy.

 

The "Going-Through" Mirror in Da Lat City

 

The "going-through" mirror in Da Lat City. Cre: Trung Nghia

The mirror with a unique design in a cafe is making a fever in the tourism community. A rectangular mirror carved with a circle in the middle, placed on a meadow reflecting the hilly landscape is a hit in the tourism community. It is a piece of work in a coffee shop on Mimosa pass by Truong Hoai Nam, born in 1990, currently living and working in Da Lat. 

The travel-loving community named his mirror a "going-through" mirror due to the visual effect that helps visitors feel like they're stepping into another dimension. Hoai Nam got this design idea when he came across reading a foreign newspaper, and saw a mirror placed in the middle of a golden rice field, so he followed it. 

Hoai Nam had to order it in Ho Chi Minh City, it took 2 weeks to complete to install the mirror. The mirror came into use from the afternoon of March 1, attracting the public attention. "The number of visitors started to increase from March 3, two days after installing the mirror. I think the number of visitors will increase even more at the weekend. About 300-400 guests come to check-in every day," Hoai Nam shared. 

Cre: Trung Nghia

Hoai Nam said: "Unique ideas will naturally attract tourists." Nam still said: "The installation of the one-of-the-kind mirror is just an extra part of the tourist attraction. The main thing is to create a peaceful, relaxing space. The best feeling is sitting on the hill, looking far away, and breathing the fresh air to forget the daily fatigue." 

In addition to the mirror "going through the air", Nam's cafe is located on the hill of purple myrtle flowers. In between, he planted canola flowers and sunflowers, serving many corners for guests who love flowers to take pictures or do selfies.

Malaysian celebrity Took Photos with Offensive Clothing in Hoi An Town.

Ms Puiyi posted a scandal photo in Hoi An Town

 

Ms Puiyi was wearing Vietnamese traditional dress and underwear underneath. Credit: Puiyi's FB

 Siew Pui Yi, nicknamed Ms Puiyi, a Malaysian model celebrity, posted an arguable picture on her personal Facebook. On the evening of April 4, she took a boat to the middle of Hoai River, Hoi An Town, wearing an offensive clothing. The post drew the attention from many viewers. Some like the post while the others are angry with Vietnam's traditional offensive. She wore a traditional dress with only a pair of underwear underneath.

Siew Pui Yi, born in August 1, 1998, in Malaysia, is famous in a Malaysian model industry, and social medai influencer as well. Her posts have attracted thousands of viewers with sexy pictures and videos on her social media. In terms of business, she owns the cosmetic brand Ms PuiYiCosmetics.  

In addition, she took photos on Hoai River, Hoi An Town's sight-seeing landmark. The local government was seeking for her to remind of offensive dressing only. In the past, there was some similar cases and the administration just gave the wrong doers a remind, not an administrative punish. 

 

 

 

Lang Son Steps in the Beautiful Season.

 

Farm animals on the prairie. Credit: Hung Vi

If you come to Lang Son this season, you can camp on the green grass, where the horses graze or row a boat on the lake.

Dong Lam is one of the plains in Lang Son province, about 150 km from Hanoi, along National Highway 1A. The area covers an area of ​​100 hectares, famous for its lush grass, clear blue lake, located between majestic cliffs.

Photographer Hung Vi is a local person, sharing that Dong Lam is in its best season when the water dries up, revealing green peninsulas. The plain is vast, the trees are also sprouting with much vitality. Especially now the weather is cool, suitable for camping, outdoor activities.

A pair of horses on the grass field. Credit: Hung Vi

In the dry season, people in the area do farming: grazing buffaloes and horses on grass fields. The author shared that there are only a few households raising horses, they do not build stables. This peaceful, unspoiled beauty attracts many tourists as well as photographers. Horses here have many colors brown, white, gray. To protect the ecosystem of the area, visitors do not drive inside, instead walk about 500m or hire people to drive in for about 40,000 VND.

Huynh Ly, a tourist from Ho Chi Minh City, brought a table and chairs to rest by the lake in the middle of the Dong Lam steppe. She shared that she has been to Huu Lien more than 10 times in different seasons because she loves the charming and peaceful scenery here. In the early morning in Dong Lam, she runs and jumps on the meadow, chasing the horses. When tired, she can sit and rest and breathe in the fresh air.

A boat on a river in the bad weather. Credit: Hung Vi

Ly shared that Dong Lam's spring is beautiful because the young grass is green, the stream is clear, and the horses gather on the painting-like, undulating grassland. In particular, this scene reminded her of the vast Mongolian plains. The plain is full of peach, plum and apricot flowers this season.

You can bring your own camping equipment or use homestay services. A rafting service that takes you to the lake costs about 250,000 VND/hour, in addition, a kayak rental is 50,000 VND/hour. In the afternoon, you'll relax on the boat to admire the scenery.

Credit: Hung Vi

When the sun goes down, horses also quickly run from the small island in the middle of the lake to the mainland, because it is dark and rainy, causing the water to rise, so there may be no way back.

The water will flood the grasslands into a large lake with a depth of about 2-3 m, the horses will only stay in the higher area or near the edge of the mountain. At this time, instead of camping on the grass, you can experience kayaking.

Bac Mo Dam is about 2 km from Dong Lam, where the scenery is wild, with streams and clear blue lakes. 

Son La Forest in Flowers Blooming

A couple of H'Mong people takes a stroll in weekend. Cre: Tran Thuong

Son Tra flowers represent not only a specialty of the Northwest highlands but also a spring beauty that attracts tourists. You'll see thousands of Son Tra trees planted by the villagers for a long time, every spring the flowers bloom, covering the mountains and hills with white. Locals often harvest the fruit to soak in wine, honey or sugar.

Cre: Tran Thuong

Few know about Nam Nghiep Village, so it is still quite wild and primitive. Also you can view a new route for those who want to climb Ta Chi Nhu. For those trekking through Nam Nghiep village, the climb will be about 10 km both up and down.

Cre: Tran Thuong

You can reach Nam Nghiep village and Son Tra flower forest by trucks or motorbikes only. Otherwise, you have to rent a car from the local people, and a motorbike taxi costs about 300,000 VND/person.

Where to View Purple Phoenix Flowers in Dalat

 

Credit: Sam Sam

 

Purple phoenix flowers in Dalat City originate from South America. The bloom season brings romantic beauty to the land of thousands of flowers. Da Lat puts on the clothing of purple phoenix flowers in March. 

Cre: Sam Sam

 Photographer Sam Sam released an album of photos taken on Nguyen Thi Minh Khai street, facing Da Lat market. Sam Sam has lived and worked with the flower city  This season offers beautiful blooms and a favorite destination of photographers. 

Purple phoenix has the scientific name Jacaranda acutifolia, imported to Vietnam and grown most in Da Lat since the 1970s. The flowers bloom usually in March, can last until early April. Author Sam Sam said that every season when flowers bloom, he takes a camera and wanders the streets with purple phoenixes, simply because he loves this flower and captures a little memory. 

Cre: Sam Sam

 Purple phoenix is ​​a large tree, 10-15 m high, 5-7 m wide canopy, leaves shaped like phoenix. However, purple phoenix flowers are tubular, blooming in shimmering clusters in the sun, each flower can be 4-5 cm long. 

What to See in Phong Nam Village

 Phong Nam Village Offers Breath-Taking Scenery.

Quay Son River. Cre: Local Vietnam

When Phan Quoc comes to Cao Bang, he plans to film beautiful scenes in Trung Khanh, Tra Linh, Ngoc Khe, Ngoc Con, the ripe rice season in Phong Nam village... then continues to move to Mu Cang Chai (Yen Yen). Bai) to hunt scenes of the ripe rice season. 

However, the Covid-19 epidemic took place complicatedly in localities near the end of June, leading to that the whole country got thousands of new cases of Covid-19, compared to the time of the outbreak at the end of April. 

Therefore, Quoc decided to help many people to join hands to fight the epidemic. He said he did not want to leave Phong Nam Valley because he might not be able to return to the province.

How to Get to Phong Nam Valley

Where is Phong Nam Valley? You'll find the unknown Phong Nam Valley not far from the Ban Gioc waterfall. The interesting thing about this valley is that few know about this tourist attraction. You'll experience gripping mountains, stretching rice fields, fairy-tail-looking villages of minorities, and a quiet, poetic stream meandering through it.

 

Phong Nam Valley seen from above. Cre: Local Vietnam

If you want to capture the scenery of Phong Nam Valley effectively, you should rent a motorbike at a local rent service available in the town or a motor rider who drive you during a tour. Or you can avoid the bad weather by taking a car. Trung Khanh Town is the largest in Phong Nam Valley and is 10 kilometers away from the valley. The traffic is hard due to the bad quality of the road because it contains many potholes damaged by heavy trucks traveling forth and back from China border.

 

Farm animals on the way back to a stable. Cre: Local Vietnam

The Quay Son River divides the town into two pieces which stretch out the rice fields. Rice fields, high jungle mountains and a long river offers you a feeling of relaxation when viewing them on either side of the valley. When the valley falls in the harvest crop or so-called golden season, it turns into yellow extending to the horizon, creating a picturesque panorama.  

Cre: Local Vietnam

 

Hue Landmarks in Films Make Viewers spellbound

Well-Known Scenic Spots in Hue

Village Phuoc Tich 

A couple is on a motor boat. Cre: Tran Oi

Ancient village Phuoc Tich near the O Lau River offers a place in the movie Kieu. Phuoc Tich ranks second place of the "national monuments" after Duong Lam ancient village in Hanoi. This place accommodates 27 old houses, most of which are three-compartment two-gable houses and 10 ancient churches. You may like sailing on the O Lau River to release lanterns. 

Vong Cam Hill

A couple is sitting on a bench to look down a river. Cre: Hung Vo

Vong Canh Hill appears in the movie Mat Biec (Dreamy Eyes) in the scene of the characters Ngan and Tra Long. The hill is 43 m high, covered in pine forest, adjacent to the banks of the Perfume River, and located on the road with many destinations such as Thuy Xuan incense village, King Tu Duc's mausoleum, Thieu Tri's tomb. This spot brings to couples quiet, romantic places to watch the Perfume River at sunset.

Tomb Khai Dinh

Tonb Khai Dinh. Cre: Anhtai bber

Tomb of Khai Dinh appeared in the scene of Dutch and Dung in the movie Eye of the Blue. This is the burial place of King Khai Dinh, the 12th king and known as the most "modern" king of the Nguyen Dynasty. The scale of the mausoleum is modest but elaborate due to the use of ceramics, glass, bricks and tiles. The relic reflects the interference of East - West culture, clearly showing the influence of many international architectural schools such as India, France... in harmony with Vietnamese architecture.  

Coffee Dong Dao

Coffee shop Dong Dao, Cre: Tran Viet Anh

 Coffee Gac Trinh appears in the movie Em and Trinh. You can find the coffee shop on the 2nd floor, house number 203/19, block C, Nguyen Truong To dormitory. In this small attic, Trinh Cong Son composed his first music. This place keeps his memorabilia and souvenir pictures from his friends and family, including precious memorabilia such as the photo of the singer Khanh Ly sent to him, or the love letter he wrote to Dao Anh.

Phong Nha Cave

 Phong Nha Cave

Phong Nha Cave. Cre: Hoang Tao

Phong Nha is home to wild animals and caves. Deep into the primeval forest, you'll see rare wildlife such as chamois, deer, wild boar... and explore many magnificent caves. A new package offers the 4-day deep forest exploration tour of Ba cave to attract foreign tourists after Vietnam announced its opening to tourism. 

Cre: Hoang Tao

 Hang Ba Cave expedition leads you through almost the entire way under the canopy of primeval forest in Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park. You'll explore the habitat of many endemic, rare and protected wildlife species in Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park. The national park covers an area of ​​123,000 hectares, ranked as a world natural heritage site by UNESCO with three criteria: geology and geomorphology (2003); ecosystems and biodiversity (2015). 

 

Cre: Hoang Tao

You can record wildlife activities, from which you have the opportunity to see animals realistically through photo and video data from the camera trap. Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park records 3,000 species of plants and 1,400 species of animals. 

Mr. Howard Limbert, Director of Engineering and Safety, said this is a special tour. "What we want in this tour is conservation," said Mr. Howard. The tour focuses on the diverse primeval forests of Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park. The valleys and forests are still very pristine and less affected by humans. 

The tour lasts 4 days and 3 nights and requires you to have good physical strength and trekking experience. Throughout the tour, you'll experience many terrains such as rivers and streams, crossing rocky hills, climbing steep slopes and standing, using specialized technical equipment. 

Cre: Hoang Tao

In addition to trekking in the middle of the jungle, you'll have a chance learn more about many caves such as Dai Cao, Me Cung, Ba, Sang.

In the photo is the sunlight penetrating the entrance of Me Cung cave. This is a beautiful cave with massive stalactites. Here, on sunny days, you can see the bright rays of sunlight shining from outside into the depths of Me Cung cave creating a beautiful scene. Phong Nha - Ke Bang is an area with limestone geology, making the water in the caves attractive jade green. 

Also, you can enjoy swimming in a dark cave with only a flashlight to feel the difference. Hang Ba has three cave mouths and a beautiful jade green underground river. The spectacular scenery of Ba cave will be an ideal place to freely take pictures. 

Night is the time to experience watching the night sky with thousands of shimmering stars and the endless Milky Way by the Bay of Round Lake - a place completely devoid of artificial light. Each tour has only 6 visitors, in order to protect the forest "to rest and recover". 

The service team in the tour also undergoes a training course to minimize unnecessary activities and make no noise during moving, working and living. The organization of tours in this area also contributes to preventing indigenous people from hunting animals or illegally cutting forests.

Ha Giang Under a Tay Man's View

 

Credit: NVCC

Hoang An (real name Hoang Van Hoan), 34 years old, is a Tay person born and raised in Ha Giang. He loves travelling and taking photos, and Ha Giang is his most attractive place in spring. On the image is Lao Xa village, Sung La commune, Dong Van district, filled with canola flowers at the beginning of the year.

Credit: NVCC

Canola flower season attracts tourists to Lung Cam cultural village, Sung La commune, Dong Van District. Golden flowers create a tourist landscape and have a long association with local life. After being harvested, local people use seeds to process cooking oil and mustard, increasing people's income.

Credit: NVCC

Hoang An is currently the director of a travel company. Besides tour organizing, Hoang An also promotes Ha Giang tourism by providing free advice on forums and Facebook groups. "I have lived and spent many springs in Ha Giang, but the feeling in my heart is still indescribable. The scenery is familiar and straightforward, but through each tour of tour guides or photography, I see a new perspective, a new experience. " he shared.

Credit: NVCC

 

Tea Museum in Da Lat CIty

 

Credit: Bo Design's photo

The nearly 100-year-old tea factory has definitely attracted your attention, including a museum, art gallery and cafe within the tourist complex.

Cau Dat Tea Museum is well-known due to the old architecture of the former Cau Dat Tea Department built by the French in 1929. At that time, Cau Dat was the first place in Southeast Asia to have an establishment. Currently, this destination belongs to Cau Dat Farm in Xuan Truong commune, about 25 km from the centre of Da Lat City. 

Credit: Bo Design's photo

The building underwent the reconstruction and redesign in 2020 to become a cultural destination about tea activities, as well as a new and attractive place for young people from early 2021. Late last year, the Museum Cau Dat tea appeared in the famous American architectural magazine Archdaily. 

Credit: Bo Design photo

The centerpiece sits in the quarters of a French-era factory that becomes a space for tea exhibitions, installations and cafes for visitors. The museum house consists of 5 rooms with different themes such as the historical box, the display of tea making tools, the story of the tea maker and the world tea industry. 

Credit: Bo Design's photo

Stepping into these spaces, you'll see firsthand the tea production machines operating nearly 100 years ago in the factory. 

Credit: Bo Design's photo

 The installation art display area shows 7 paintings simulating the stages of tea making. The paintings describe special materials, which are colors drawn from the soil of the tea hill and Cau Dat tea leaves.  

Taking-Selfies Trending in Da Lat City

 Selfie Trending in Da Lat City

The photo above describes a group of young people lining up to take videos and selfies in front of a mirror in Da Lat City. During the Tet holidays, many videos appeared on the TikTok platform to capture a new trend.

According to this trend, a person hold a cell phone to record, approaching the large mirror, then they move a camera towards the side of the mirror. The cameraman then drags their companion to stand with him in a distance from the mirror.

Taking selfies in front of a mirror attracts visitors. Credit: Huyen Huong's photo

Such videos quickly became a trend and got viral on a TikTok platform, generating many views and groups to flock to coffee shop 'the Green Smoke Valley' and other shops in Da Lat that had a large mirror in the yard to film. 

This platform receives at least two videos with at least one million views and many other videos with several-hundred-thousand views. 

Thanh Tu, the account @thanhtu_1009, who owns a trending video, said, "To have a video like this, it takes a long time to stand in the sun and take a line. In return, the results deserve how he got exposed to the sun. 

Han, the owner of the account @haan4747, said that even though he was tired, he had to wait in line to film for fun. However, many commenters were "bored" at the crowded queue scene when shooting a TikTok video. 

"I see too many videos on TikTok about this mirror; tourism is so patient now", one comment expressed frustration. "It's too crowded; check-in is also not fun," another word shared. "Torturing the body like this is not a tourist resort", one person commented harshly. 

Many people consider this to be an exciting travel trend. "People like to travel to beautiful check-in places. The crowded scene was unavoidable because Da Lat City fell in the Tet holiday season and was overloaded. But now Da Lat City is overloaded, they have to accept it, if you want to relax, stay at home," one person explained. 

"It's too civilized to be able to queue for so many people, so it's better to praise than criticize," said one comment. In addition, many people also suggested that the cafe should arrange more mirrors to avoid long lines of visitors.