Con Dao Island, Ba Ria - Vung Tau

Looking at a map, Con Dao Island looks like a bear rising from the sea to south east of Vietnam. Originally a prison for patriots and revolutionists during the French and American resistance, Con Dao Island sheltered brave revolutionary spirits of the Vietnamese people. More than 22,000 prisoners who dedicated their lives to national independence were incarcerated on the isolated island of Con Dao.

Con Dao was recognized as a nature reserve in 1984 and a national park in 1993. The total protected area of the park is 20,000ha, including 14,000ha of sea and 6,000ha of forest on 14 islands. There is also a buffer zone that is 20,500ha wide. Con Dao National Park encompasses oceanic and coastal ecosystems such as mangrove forests, coral reefs and sea grasslands. Over 1,300 species of sea animals have been identified here. The park is the most important egg-laying area in Vietnam for sea turtles. The island also has many precious animals, the most important being dugong (called “sea cows” by locals). Between late 1996 and early 1997, officials at the park counted 10 dugong in the sea surrounding the island. With high oceanic biodiversity, Con Dao is classified as one of the areas given optimum priority in the world's system of oceanic reserves.

The best time to visit Con Dao Island is from March to June, when the sea is calm. Some of those beaches include Dam Trau, Hang Duong and Phi Yen where visitors can relax and enjoy the warm temperature. The ocean around Con Dao Island is a heaven for sea life and the splendid forest cloaks the land. This is ecotourism at its best. Clean, smooth sand banks, blue sea, dolphins jumping and racing after boats, tropical almond trees swinging in a cool sea breeze, peaceful narrow roads, and forest covering most of the island, make Con Dao seem like heaven to visitors from far and wide.

Con Dao is one of the few places in Vietnam that is home to rare dugong, sea turtles, and dolphins, and to varieties of orchids found nowhere else in the country. In addition, the island has large and diverse coral reefs comparable to the most famous ecotourism spots in the region. This peaceful island district has 5,000 people whom nature seems to have created with kind hearted and generous characters and adventurous enough to choose the remote island as their home. Visitors will arrive there to enjoy themselves in an intact natural environment and have a good time with dugong, sea turtles and dolphins playing freely around the island paradise.

Duc La Pagoda, Bac Giang

From the Bac Giang Provincial Capital, a crooked red soil trail runs off Route 13, just past Tan An District Town, to Duc La Pagoda, also known as Vinh Nghiem Tu (80km north of Hanoi).
The pagoda is situated in an area of rolling hills. In the background is the Co Tien Mountain range and to the left is the batiks of the Luc River. Farther away is the Thuong River which converges with the Luc River to form the Phuong Nhon Junction. In front of the pagoda are vast ricefields dotted with villages and hamlets hidden behind green bamboo groves. Looming in the distance is the 99 Nham Bien Mountain range, wrapped in a poetic and mystical air.

Duc La Pagoda, built in the 12th century, was the centre of the Truc Lam Trinity: King Tran Nhan Tong, Phap Loa and Huyen Quang resident monks who opened a school of Buddhist preaching and established the Truc Lam religious sect. They were in command of believers across the country.

The main architecture of the pagoda lies on a Southwest axis and is composed of four principal blocs. The first bloc houses the Ho Pagoda, Thien Huong Palace and Buddhist Temple.

The interior of the Ho Pagoda is adorned with many statues; at the two gables there are two Thap Dien niches, two colossi as high as the roof, as well as statues of Thien Wong, Dia Tang and Long Than. The Thien Huong Palace is splendidly decorated with three horizontal panels and a gilded door; the first compartment is for bonzes to say prayers, the second is for the display of Buddha statues and statues of Arhats. The Buddhist Temple is a world of Buddha statues bearing many architectural imprints of the Le Dynasty.

A brick yard separates the second bloc from the first and is an ancestral shrine built in a simple architectural style with wooden planks and cloud - like decorations.

The panel is inscribed with the words "Truc Lam ho thuong" (A rendez-vous of the Truc Lam Trinity) in Chinese characters and is seen above the three statues of the Truc Lam Trinity.

The third bloc is the two - roofed bell tower and the fourth is the second ancestral shrine hosting two statues symbolic of the art of sculpture in the Nguyen Dynasty.

Over 700 years have elapsed but all four architectural structures remain intact. Duc La Pagoda remains a major training centre of Buddhism with wooden shelves for the printing of Buddhist sutras still conserved as evidence of the important role of Vinh Nghiem Tu.

The local authorities and people have maintained the complex well, making the area an eternal sanctuary of the Vinh Nghiem Buddhist sect.

Bac Lieu Bird Sanctuary, Bac Lieu

On the ground are a massive number of eggs, and in the air, you can spot some species with 2 m wing-spans. Birds mostly gather here during the rainy season between May and October.

But Thap Pagoda, Bac Ninh

But Thap Pagoda is situated on the dike of the Duong River, Thuan Thanh District, Bac Ninh Province. The pagoda was built in the 17th century, during the late Le dynasty. Its founder was Chinese Buddhist Priest Zhus Zhus, who died in 1644. Queen Mother Trinh Thi Ngoc Truc requested that Lord Trinh Trang enlarge the pagoda in 1646.

The pagoda was built according to "Noi Cong Ngoai Quoc" architectural style, and includes 10 buildings spread over 100 meters, from the three-entrance gate to the bell-tower and back house. Two 13-m towers, Ton Duc and Bao Nghiem, are made of white rock, making the pagoda seem higher, more majestic and peaceful. Some remains of the 17th century are kept here such as statues, valuable donations, Nine-Story Lotus Tower, Tuyet Son statue, Bao Nghiem tower, and Xa Ly tomb. The last renovations of the structure were carried out in 1992.

Dau Pagoda, Bac Ninh

Dau Pagoda, also known as Dien Ung, is situated in Dau, Thuan Thanh District, Bac Ninh Province.
Built in the 3rd century, Dau Pagoda is the oldest pagoda in Vietnam. In the beginning, the pagoda was a Buddhist center well known throughout the country and abroad. At the end of the 4th century, Ch’an Master Vinitaruci gave lectures and the first Vietnamese Buddhist doctrine was produced there.

King Mac Dinh Chi enlarged the pagoda in the 14th century and the pagoda underwent several renovations during the following centuries.

In the pagoda’s yard, there is a three - storey tower called Hoa Phong. In the tower, there is a large bell produced during the Canh Thinh Dynasty (1793), a big bronze gong produced during the 18th year of the reign of Minh Mang (1817) and statues of Phap Van, Kim Dong, and Ngoc Nu, followers of the Goddess of Mercy according to Buddhist legends.

Hon Rom Resort, Binh Thuan

Going from Phan Thiet to Mui Ne for 22 km, then for more 4 km along the seashore tourists will set foot in the Hon Rom resort.The beach is clean and beautiful with clear blue water. Calm winds sing lullabies unceasingly under cool shadows of coconuts trees sagging under the weight of their fruit. White sand dunes follow the yellow ones. All set up a wild attraction, inviting tourists to this well-known field resort.

Duong Long Cham Tower, Binh Dinh

Duong Long Cham Tower, also called Thap Nga meaning "ivory tower," is located 50km from Quy Nhon in Ninh Thuan Province. It is a group of 3 towers; the central one is 24m high, and the two others are 22m. This tower complex is one of the most beautiful in Central Vietnam.

Submerged forests in Ca Mau

The shape of Vietnam's southernmost area is similar to a ship headed out to sea. Over time the Mekong River has formed a unique submerged ecology that compares to that near the estuaries of the Amazon River.

Taking a boat trip from Ca Mau City (Ca Mau Province) to cajeput or mangrove forests, visitors will have a chance to see the changes in the shift of the land into a fishery-agriculture- forestry region with the cultivation of aquatic products as the core. The image of the mangroves spiking their typical roots through the mud like a net to hold onto the rich fertile soil shows that the natural accumulation is still going on at the southernmost point of Vietnam's mainland. Nature has blessed Ca Mau with two treasures: the U Minh Ha brackish cajeput ecology in the northern part of the province and the submerged mangrove forests on both Eastern and Western coasts of the province's south. The over 500 kilometers of canals criss-crossing the 254 kilometres of the province's coasts lead to the vast fishing grounds in the Eastern Sea and the Gulf of Thailand.

For generations the life of Ca Mau locals, closely associated to the nature, is described as "easy work but good harvests" thanks to the abundance of regional natural resources from the sea and the forests. Funny stories by Ba Phi about the sharing of the habitat between the people and wild animals have been passed from mouth to mouth by locals for many years. Doan Gioi's "Southern forests" novel has won interest from readers as it was based on the real life in the province. Ca Mau also created an inviolable base for Vietnamese liberation troops fighting in the South in the 30 years of the resistance war against the U.S.

Geo-economically, besides the part of cajeput and mangrove forests that have given way to the cultivation of rice and shrimp, Ca Mau now sees 105,000 hectares of forests under good management, including 25,000 hectares of protective and specific-use forests. Priority has been given to plans of reforestation, along with goals of production and preservation of the natural environment, and as a result, the life of the locals has improved greatly. Boundless cajeput and mangrove forests criss-crossed by canals have been existing in Ca Mau for centuries. The deep silence is now and then broken by flocks of waterfowl coming back to their habitats at twilight. Friendly smiles coupled with hospitality create nice surprises to visitors who call at houses built on stilts on the merge of the water. The visit becomes unforgettable when accompanied with dried or on-the-spot grilled fish, washed down with local liquor, and friendly talk about the life in Ca Mau.

To U Minh Ha

It is a nice experience to see brown fresh water surrounding cajeput forests in U Minh Ha that counts over 60,000 hectares of the trees in forestry companies in U Minh, Tran Van Thoi and Thoi Binh districts.

The more than 10,000 hectares of cajeput in Song Trem Forestry Company, Thoi Binh District, come under good protection as a result of the policy of contracting forests to the care of the over 1,000 households who live right in the forests allocated to them. Those locals have become experts in caring for the forests while cultivating shrimp, fish, pigs, chickens, vegetables and fruits so as to keep the harmony between the improvement of their life and the development of the forests. The Company has also marked off 110 hectares for the establishment of a cajeput eco-tourist complex where visitors will have a chance to canoe along canals to see bee hives, take a rest on hammocks hung in the shade of cajeput, smell the sweet essence of the trees, taste honey and enjoy local foods to the songs of birds and southern local folk songs. In order to preserve the natural resources and serve scientific studies, Ca Mau authorities have worked out plans and tightly protected the 400-hectare specific-use Vo Doi cajeput forests in Tran Van Thoi District, where primeval forests stand on a thick layer of peat in a valuable and rare flora and fauna. The cajeput ecological area should be protected at any cost.

Visit to Xom Mui cape

The southernmost cape, located in Xom Mui, will be connected to Ca Mau City next year with a 60-km road full of bridges of various sizes. The 120-km stretch of the water way, although endowed with beautiful scenes as it cuts through submerged forests in Tran Van Thoi, Cai Nuoc, Nam Can and Ngoc Hien Districts in the southern part of the province, makes the residence centre remote. Coming here, visitors can see mangroves and wild coconut palms emerging from the water and the busy boat activities along with the nets stretching across the canals. The southern-most district of Ngoc Hien now counts 20,000 hectares of submerged forests in 12 forestry companies that are taking great care of them.

The green mangroves lead to the last residence centre, the Xom Mui in Dat Mui, Commune, Ngoc Hien District. Locals in the area sandwiched between the Eastern Sea and the Gulf of Thailand in the middle of an ocean stream have for a long time developed a unique way to catch aquatic products: they plant poles at a suitable depth and connect them with nets across the stream to catch those creatures that follow the daily tide. Dried shrimps and fishes from Dat Mui have long been favorite products throughout the country. A complete tour of Ca Mau would include a visit to the southernmost cape, a call at Xom Mui, and a recall of the history of the land reclaiming. The nature in the forests and the sea of Ca Mau is enjoying a great attention from the Government and organizations that are making efforts in the Ca Mau Cape National Park project

Cai Rang Floating Market, Can Tho City

Together with Cai Be and Phung Hiep, Cai Rang Floating Market in Can Tho City is one of the three biggest in the Mekong Delta. The shops and stalls at these markets are boats of different sizes.
Cai Rang Floating Market is open all day but it is busiest from sunrise to about 9am. The main items sold there are farm products and specialties of Cai Rang Town, Chau Thanh District and neighboring areas. Every boat has a long upright pole at its bow on which samples of the goods for sale are hung. Sellers do not have to cry out about their goods because their goods can be seen in a distance and their cries would not be heard in the vastness of the river and the noise of boat engines. Small boats that sell beer, soft drinks and wine go among the other boats to serve market-goers and visitors. The most common goods sold are fruit. Big boats are the wholesalers, selling fruit to dealers from neighboring provinces. Each boat is loaded with plenty of seasonal goods. Activities at the market are also an occasion for tourists to study the cultural aspects of southerners.

To visit Cai Rang Floating Market, visitors can join a tour of the Mekong Delta. On the way to Can Tho, visitors can stop to visit My Tho and take a boat trip to visit orchards, bee farms and coconut candy establishments in Ben Tre. Visitors can also explore Can Tho on their own by taking a coach. In Can Tho, besides Cai Rang Floating Market, Visitors can visit other places such as Can Tho Market, Ninh Kieu Quay, Binh Thuy Temple, and private tourist gardens. In these gardens, visitors can walk, breathe fresh air, enjoy different kinds of fruits and countryside specialties and stay at nice guest houses in the shade of trees.

Cantho Tourist Gardens, Can Tho City

In recent years, a series of modern tourism gardens have appeared on every land and water route in the Mekong Delta city of Cantho. The gardens of My Khanh, San Duong, Ba Lang and Tan Binh extend along the arched highway, as well as on the waterways of hong Dien and Phung Hiep rivers. Other gardens in Long My, Vi Thanh, O Mon and Thot Not are also developing.
The My Khanh Gardens occupy 2.2 ha and feature more than 20 species of fruit trees and flowers, as well as diverse species of birds, fish, tortoises, snakes, crabs and shrimp. Under the shade of lush green trees, there are small rong houses to provide visitors with a place to rest for the night.
Ba Lang is located 9 km from Can Tho (on Highway No. 1 towards Soc Trang), and has an area of 4.2 ha. There is the animal sanctuary of Ao Sen Lake, two lakes for swimming, an outdoor stage and mini-hotels. Gardens here combine agricultural potential with tourism.

Ban Gioc Fall, Cao Bang

Water from Quy Xuan River falling down on the stone creates water droplets columns that can be seen from a distance. The echo of the falls can be heard kilometers away from Trung Khanh. The temperature near the waterfall is remarkably cool, due to the water mist in the air. At the foot of the waterfall is a large river, as calm as glass, surrounded by many precious kinds of flowers. In the early 1920s, French people started building cottages on the river banks. They would come here to relax and fish for “tram huong”.

Pac Bo Cave, Cao Bang

Riding 272km by car from Hanoi along National Highway No3, visitors will arrive at Cao Bang Town. Sleeping through the night in open air and a cool and quiet atmosphere of this mountainous area, their tiredness will disappear. The next morning visitors will ride through Hoa An to reach Ha Quang area. Through the windows of car, visitors can see golden rice fields lying amid green mountains, small hamlets with dozens of houseson-stilts under the shade of towering clusters of peach trees, and the winding streams with thatch-roofed bridges. Visitors will certainly be very interested in enjoying the picturesque scenery, endowed by the nature.

Passing a hill where there is the newly-built Ho Chi Minh Museum, visitors will see the historical area of Pac Bo. The main historical relics in this area consist of Pac Bo, Coc Bo, Bo Bam Cave, Lenin Stream, Karl Marx Mountain, Co Rac Ground and Khuoi Nam. The famous Coc Bo Cave is where President Ho Chi Minh established his residence and worked on Vietnam’s revolutionary course after returning from 30 years abroad.
Walking on the rocks along the side of the stream, where Uncle Ho used to work and fish, visitors reach a wooden bridge over Coc Bo rivulet where Lenin Stream starts. The water is clear, cool and so tranquil that one can see the fish and pebbles on its bed and the green watercress in the water. Beyond the bridge is the place where Uncle Ho often cooked soup with vegetable and bamboo shoots. By the side of a rugged rocky mountain is Pac Po Cave. Looking down into the cave from its mouth, you can see the words "February 8th, 1941" written by Uncle Ho on the wall. That was the day he came to live in this small cave, a wet and cold place lying deep in a mountain gorge that nobody paid much attention to.

Inside the cave there is a wooden board as a bed for Uncle Ho. In this place, Uncle Ho, in the simple dress of the Nung ethnic group, often sat by the fire at night to talk with his assistant Pham Van Dong, Vo Nguyen Giap and Phung Chi Kien... about the situations at home and abroad. Here, Uncle Ho predicted: "In four or five years, the Vietnamese revolution will be successful." His words became true. On September 2nd, 1945 the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, the first State of workers and peasants in Asia, came into being. One night when staying in this cave, General Vo Nguyen Giap was advised by Uncle Ho: "Undertaking revolutionary activities requires “di cong vi thuong” which means, common benefits must be put above all". His teachings were short, clear and precise as a truth, but to implement them were not easy.
About 1km from the mouth of Pac Bo Cave, there is a small shack by the side of Khuoi Nam Mountain. In this shack Uncle Ho held the eighth Party Central Committee Meeting, which promulgated a resolution on preparations for the armed insurrection and the establishment of the Viet Minh and the revolutionary war zone. Adjacent to the shack is milestone 108 marking the Vietnam-China border, where 59 years ago, Uncle Ho bowed to kiss the beloved land of his country, after many years living abroad. At that time he was 50 years old with grey hair.

Visiting this historical area, visitors will learn more about the great life of President Ho Chi Minh which is part- reflected through his optimistic revolutionary verses.

Huong Tich Grotto, Chua Huong

Upon arriving to Huong Tich grotto, there is a 120 steps descend as the temple lies deep within the grotto. At the entrance to the grotto, there is "heaven's gate" (path to heaven) and "hell's gate" (descend to hell).

In the 18th century, Lord Trinh Sam had 5 words, "Nam Thien De Nhat Dong" meaning, "the most beautiful grotto under southern sky", carved onto the granite slab at the entrance to Huong Tich grotto. According to legend, the cave was discovered two thousand years ago. However, local people only began to place a shrine there in 1575, and later a larger temple was built.

There are many colorful stalagmites and stalactites within the cave. Each is given a name for their purported features. Some of the more famous ones are Cay Gao - Rice Stick, Cay Vang - Golden stick, Nui Co - the maiden and Nui Cau - the youth. Nui Co and Nui Cau supposedly look like the head of a young children. It is believed that couples who wish for children often pay homage to Huong Tich grotto and to especially visit Nui Co and Nui Cau to pray for their first born.

Perfume Mountain, Chua Huong

Perfume Mountain, Chua Huong

Thien Tru temple is surrounded by hills and mountains. There are also many man made towers built by various kings during their reign. Today, to accommodate the thousands of tourists each year, there are lodging facilities for those who wish to stay overnight.

A visit to chua Huong is incomplete without going to chua Trong or Inner temple (also known as Dong Huong Tich - Huong Tich grotto). The path to Huong Tich grotto is forged by nature through thousands of years of changes. Today, the path leading to chua Trong is a series of smooth granite slabs stacking on one another creating a series of switch backs leading to the temple.

Buon Don, Dak Lak

Buon Don is located northwest of Buon Ma Thuot in Dak Lak province, close to the Cambodian border, approximately 42 km from Buon Ma Thuot. Buon Don is well known as the native land of elephant hunters and trainers throughout Southeast Asia. Buon Don has been famous for its Kru, powerful elephant tribe leaders, for a long time, and is well known in India and France for its elephant. Y Pui, a 102-year-old man (1883-1985) who tamed over 450 elephants, spent part of his life as Bao Dai King’s mahout. Elephant training and hunting has been passed down through generations.It takes 67 months to domesticate a wild elephant. In the last few years, tourists have been more eager to visit Buon Don, the elephants’ home in Dak Lak. Their main interest being to admire the animals and to understand their delicate situation. Surveys are now being conducted throughout the country to evaluate the elephant situation and to better organize protection projects.

Elephant Race Festival, Dak Lak

The Elephant Race Festival takes place in springtime, normally in the third lunar month. In preparation for the festive day, people take their elephants to places where they can eat their fill. Apart from grass their food also includes bananas, papayas, sugar canes, corns, sweet potatoes. The elephants are free from hard work to preserve their strength.
On the big day, elephants from different villages gather at Don Village. People from near and far in their best and colourful costumes flock to the festival. The racing ground is 500m long and wide enough for ten elephants to stand simultaneously.
After a salvo of tu va (horns made into musical instruments), the elephant handlers called nai take their elephants to the ground, standing in a row at the starting point. The leading elephant stands in front, whirling his trunk and nodding his head in greeting the spectators. Atop each elephant there are two handlers in traditional costumes for generals. The tu va signals the start of the race and the elephants rush forwards amidst the resounding cry of the spectators.
The first handler uses an iron stick called kreo in M'Nong language to speed the elephant. The second handler beats the elephant with a wooden hammer called koc to ensure its speed and to keep it in the right line. Upon seeing the first elephant dashing to the destination the spectators shout boisterously amidst the echoing sound of drums and gongs.
The winning elephant is given a laurel wreath. Like its owner, the elephant expresses its happiness and enjoy the sugar canes and bananas from the festivalgoers.
After this race, the elephants participate in the competition of swimming across the Serepok River, of tug-of-wars, or throwing balls and playing football.
Coming to this Elephant Race Festival , tourists have a chance to indulge in the boisterous atmosphere of the festival, of the echo of gongs and the spectacular performances of the elephants from the Central Highlands forest.
When the race comes to an end, the competing elephants bring back the atmosphere of the festival to their villages. Upon returning to their village, they receive warm welcome from the villagers. Very often the elephants from Don Village win the prizes as the village has a tradition of training and tending elephants.
The elephant race constitutes a big festival in the Central Highlands. It reflects the martial spirit of the M'Nong people, an ethnic group famous for their bravery in wild elephant hunting. The magnificent landscape of the Central Highlands further stresses the grandiose characters of this traditional festival.

Buu Phong Pagoda, Dong Nai

Buu Phong Pagoda was built in the 17th century on the peak of Buu Long Mountain, in Dong Nai province, 7 km from Bien Hoa. Nearly 100 steps must be climbed to go up Buu Long Mountain and reach the pagoda.
At first, the pagoda was only a thatch-roof hut that was reconstructed more solemnly by Master Phap Thong. The pagoda was renovated and enlarged again in 1829. More renovations were also done recently.

Cat Tien National Park, Dong Nai

In 1978, the South Cat Tien and North Cat Tien parks were put under the State's protection. In 1992, the Cat Loc Park was listed in the programme for the protection of natural wild animals and flora. In December 1998, these three parks joined together to become the Cat Tien National Park, under the management of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
Covering an area of 74,319 hectares, the Cat Tien National Park has preserved its original natural soil with a diverse ecological system and many rare and valuable species of animals listed in the Red Book of Endangered Animals. The landscape surrounding the Park is magnificent, and the local people have maintained practising customs and habits full of national cultural identities.

Coming along National Highway 20 from Ho Chi Minh City to Da Lat, at Milestone No.174 being Tan Phu cross-road, and turning left, you will see a board "Cat Tien National Park - 24km".

Let come into the forest on a trail covered with tree leaves. The sunshine was on the canopies, layer after layer. The air was humid. The cicadas resounded over the forest. Don't forget to see a 400-year-old conife there. Going a bit further you can see another tree, called bang lang (Lagerstroemie corniculata), which is almost 300 years old. From its trunk of nearly 3 metres in diameter, 6 ivory sub-trunks sprouted. There are many other strange trees in the forest: a red-wood tree having a diametre of 3.7m, a benjamin fig having a fasciculate root that runs along the stream and can shade about 20 people, a banyan tree having a hollow trunk which is large enough for 3 people, to name but a few.

So far, in Cat Tien Park, 1,610 kinds of flora have been classified which belong to 75 species, 162 families and 724 branches, many of them listed in the Red Book.

The Dong Nai River is a natural boundary that embraces three sides of Cat Tien Park. On the left bank, villages and gardens are built close to the water, and on the right bank are wild forests with primitive green canopies. Numerous species of birds built their nests in the canopies. Inside the primitive forest, there are various kinds of fauna typical for the low land of the eastern Truong Son and the Central Highlands. According to surveys made by the Park's Management Board, there are 77 kinds of animals belonging to 28 families and 10 species; 326 kinds of bird in 62 families and 18 species; 37 kinds of reptiles in 18 families and 3 species; 133 kinds of fish in 28 families, and a wide range of insects. Most worthy of note are the animals listed in the Red Book of Endangered Animals such as Ban ten bull, Gaur bull, tiger, bear, wolf, black-foot monkey, peacock, white-neck crane, pheasant (which are found only in Southeast Asia), crocodile, pantheon, etc. In particular, there is a group of 7-8 one-tusk rhinoceros, which has attracted attention from both domestic and foreign scientists. At 4 a.m, on May 17, 1999, an automatic set of cameras captured images of a grown-up rhinoceros, which has been classified as a member of the Java rhinoceros family. In November 1998, in Phu My Village, Cat Tien District, an ancient village dating back 2,500-3,000 years was discovered. This is a complex of relics, including temples and towers and many artifacts, which proved the mixture of the Chan Lap civilization of the south and the Cham Pa civilization of the north. Among the artifacts, there are several statues which were for worshipping, such as the Linga-Yoni (sacred worshipping items representing the human sexual organs). There is a Linga, 2.1m high, which is the biggest of this kind in the world. Many other vestiges showed that Cat Tien was the Holy Land of the ancient Phu Nam Kingdom built about 2,000 years ago.

Dong Van Highland, Ha Giang

Dong Van Highland is situated 1,025 m above sea level and is inhabited by the Tay and H’Mong ethnic groups. The temperature is approximately 1oC in winter and reaches 24oC on the hottest days. The plateau provides famous products such as Hau plums, peaches, and persimmons without seeds. Dong Van apples are as big as pears. In Dong Van, numerous valuable plants used for their medicinal value are found, including ginseng, anise, and cinnamon.
Dong Van has a lot to offer: mountains, forests, hidden grottoes and caves, multicoloured orchid forests, plum and peach trees, persimmon orchards, and more. Visiting Dong Van, one can see Pho Bang, also called Pho Bang Street, which was built a long time ago and features multi-storey houses made of clay bricks and tile roofs. Visiting Dong Van on Sundays, one can shop in a very original mountain market where all kinds of goods and multicoloured clothes can be purchased.

Ba Danh Pagoda, Ha Nam

The Ba Danh Pagoda can be found in the Kim Bang District of Ha Nam Province, about 10km from the town of Phu Ly. The pagoda is situated on the bank of the Day River in a large peaceful area far from any settlements.
At first, it was just a small temple for worshipping Tu Phap deities. Then, during the reign of Emperor Le Hy Tong (1675 - 1705), it was upgraded to become more beautiful and magnificent. Later, locals tore down the temple and brought a statue of Buddha to the site and built the Ba Danh Pagoda.
After offering incense at the pagoda, visitors can continue on to see Ngoc Mountain and its lush green forests.