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| Reflections Restaurant ranks eighth among Asia’s 25 best fine dining restaurants. (Photo courtesy of the restaurant) |
Seventh position went to the Rhythms Restaurant, located on the seventh floor of La Sinfonía del Rey Hotel & Spa in downtown Hanoi. The restaurant was highly recommended due to its ambient atmosphere and personalised decorations, particularly noted for elevating special occasions.
While opinions on pricing vary, some finding it fair and others high-end, the consensus is that the restaurant offers good value, especially for celebratory events, Tripadvisor wrote.
This was followed by Reflections Restaurant in eighth position. The only representative to feature on the list from Ho Chi Minh City is dedicated to serving creative dishes from around the world to diners in the heart of Saigon. Claiming a discreet perspective above one of the city’s most prominent intersections, this third-floor restaurant is a fitting space to reflect on the changing faces of Vietnam, the travel guide reported.
Placed 15th on the list, the website shared that Cloud Nine Restaurant on Hang Be street in Hanoi is frequently celebrated for its delectable cuisine and elegant ambiance, offering diners a top-notch culinary experience that doesn't disappoint.
John Anthony Cantonese Grill & Dimsum Restaurant located in the JW Marriott Hotel in Hanoi claimed 17th place.
John Anthony is a modern Cantonese restaurant which is named after the first Chinese man to be naturalised as a British citizen in 1805 and inspired by his journey along the Spice Routes from East to West, the media outlet recommended.
Akira Back Restaurant from Thailand was voted as Asia’s best restaurant, followed by Ise Sueyoshi Restaurant from Japan.
The winners were decided by the reviews of travelers and their votes on Tripadvisor between June 1, 2023, and May 31, 2024
The list is part of the Travelers' Choice 2024 "Best of the Best" awards unveiled in early October.
Vietnam Airlines to increase flights on Ho Chi Minh City - Bangkok route
National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines has planned to increase the frequency of its flights from Ho Chi Minh City to Bangkok from 3 to 4 flights per day, starting December 1, 2024 using Airbus A321 aircraft, reported VOV.
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| Vietnam Airlines to increase flights on Ho Chi Minh City - Bangkok route (Source: VOV) |
By increasing the flight frequency, Vietnam Airlines will operate approximately 50 flights per week on direct routes between Hanoi/Ho Chi Minh City and Bangkok.
Currently, Thailand is the busiest destination for Vietnam Airlines among Southeast Asian routes.
A Vietnam Airlines representative said that increasing air connectivity between Ho Chi Minh City and Bangkok not only meets the growing travel demand of the public but also contributes to enhancing economic, cultural, and tourism exchanges, opening up new cooperation opportunities and positioning both cities as economic and cultural hubs in the region.
On this occasion, Vietnam Airlines is launching a special promotion starting from VND4,099,000 (including taxes and fees) for round-trip tickets between Ho Chi Minh City and Bangkok. The offer applies to flights booked from now until December 31, 2024, with travel dates from December 1, 2024, to March 30, 2025.
The airline is also implementing other attractive promotional programs, including double mileage for Lotus Miles members traveling in Business Class, Flexible Economy Class, and Standard Economy Class, as well as an additional free luggage allowance for Flexible and Standard Economy Class.
These programs apply to flights VN603/VN602, from Ho Chi Minh City to Bangkok, during the ticket booking period from now until the end of December 31, 2024, with travel from December 1, 2024, to the end of December 31, 2024.
Wedding tourism need be professionalised: Insiders
According to VNA, with its advantages in unique natural and cultural resources, along with attractive event organisation costs, Vietnam is gradually emerging as a wedding destination worldwide, especially after many super-rich couples from India have chosen Vietnam for their lavish events.
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| Wedding of a foreign couple held at JW Mariott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay Resort & Spa. (Photo: JW Mariott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay Resort & Spa) |
However, to compete with countries in the region that have been ahead of Vietnam for years in the wedding tourism sector such as Thailand, Indonesia, and Singapore, the tourism industry has a long way to go, according to insiders.
The Destination Wedding Global Market Report 2023 indicates that the global wedding market has been experiencing impressive growth at approximately 32.8% annually.
Although it is still a relatively niche market, wedding tourism has considerable potential to bring significant benefits to Vietnam, as the clientele choosing this option typically consists of wealthy individuals. These couples often bring a large number of guests who use accommodation, dining, and shopping services at the chosen wedding destinations over several days. Many are also willing to extend their stay for a more comprehensive travel experience.
Not only is Vietnam beginning to attract wealthy couples from around the world for their weddings, but locations with advantages in scenery, climate, infrastructure, and services such as Phu Quoc, Quang Ninh, Da Nang, Phan Thiet, and Nha Trang have also become choices preferred by rich and famous individuals in the country. This demonstrates that Vietnam has ample potential to create dream weddings.
However, experts said that for wedding tourism to truly become a "golden goose" for Vietnam, more preparations and innovative approaches are needed.
At a seminar themed “Development Trends of Wedding-Related Tourism in Vietnam” organised by the Institute of Tourism Development Research (ITDR), Nguyen Quang Vinh, head of the ITDR’s research project, noted that while wedding tourism could be a key factor in establishing Vietnam as an international destination, it has not received sufficient focus over the years.
To compete with renowned wedding destinations like Phuket (Thailand), Bali (Indonesia), and others, Vietnam's tourism sector needs thorough research and evaluation of the current state and development trends of wedding tourism to devise appropriate strategies for promotion, Vinh said, adding that those choosing this option are willing to spend significantly on this important event in their life, but they are also very demanding, with high requirements for quality and creativity in the services provided.
Notably, Vietnam still lacks professional wedding planners who are capable of providing comprehensive consulting and planning services, as well as a cohesive ecosystem for wedding tourism. In fact, many international couples choosing Vietnam as their wedding destinations often rely on foreign suppliers for organising, providing services, food, attire, and staffing.
According to Dr. Dinh Duc Quang from APEC Mandala Wyndham Mui Ne (Binh Thuan), the wedding tourism market in Vietnam is still dependent on a few source markets, such as India and the Middle East. The segment of high-spending customers who stay for extended periods still represents a small proportion of the market, and domestic wedding tourism has yet to be activated effectively.
To address these bottlenecks, Associate Professor Dr. Pham Hong Long, head of the Department of Tourism Studies at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities under the Vietnam National University - Hanoi, stressed the need for specific research on potential wedding tourism markets such as India, China, and the Republic of Korea so as to develop appropriate products that take into account the unique cultural and culinary characteristics of weddings in each country.
Additionally, attention should be paid to stepping up promotion activities through various channels, particularly social media, by showcasing weddings of international couples in Vietnam; establishing competitive and reasonable pricing for wedding planning services; and enhancing collaboration among wedding tourism destinations both domestically and internationally, stated Long./.
Second special week to popularise Japanese picture books
A Week of the Ehon Book has been taking place in Hanoi at the Embassy of Japan to introduce the delight of Japanese picture books to local readers, reported VNS.
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| The second Week of Ehon Book has put hundreds of Japanese books in original version and many translated versions, on display. (Photos courtesy of the organisation board) |
Initially, ehon, were specifically paintings drawn in woodblock prints published in the Edo and Meiji period. Now, ehon are the overall term for picture books with stories made to enchant children.
The week includes a series of book introductions and reading activities for children and parents.
"It is great to be organising the week at the Embassy," said Kamitani Naoko, First Secretary, Head of the Press and Culture Department, Embassy of Japan to Vietnam at the opening ceremony.
"The ehon book experience will open up a new and interesting world nurturing childrens' already vivid imaginations."
The ehon book has become familiar to Vietnamese children thanks to the Bac Cau Fund. The fund first organised a Week of Ehon in 2023, with a series of events with this year based around the theme animals.
One of the most popular picture books in Japan is the book Gư-ri and Gư-ra by Rieko Nakagawa and Yuriko Omura, about two field mice, Guri who wears blue clothes and Gura who is in red. The characters Guri and Gura were created in the nursery tale Tamago, which appeared in the June 1963 issue of the magazine Haha no tomo.
For over 40 years since its publication, the Guri and Gura series has been reprinted many times, selling more than four million copies. The first translated edition of Guri and Gura was published in the United Kingdom in 1966.
To date, the book has been translated into English, Chinese, Korean, Thai, Khmer, Danish, French, Dutch, Esperanto and Việtnamese.
Another book is Friends and Chuyến Bay Hạnh Phúc (Happy Flight). Friends was written by Japanese Aihara Hiroyuki, who published more than 100 ehon books and is illustrated by Vietnamese painter Vu Thuy Ngoc Ha. The book, a project by Hanoi-based Kim Dong Publishing House, was released in both Vietnamese and Japanese in 2020.
"I hope that from now on, every year there will be a week like this so that many children have the opportunity to enjoy these books," said Le Thi Thu Hien, founder of the Bac Cau Fund.
"This is also a way to spread awareness so that everyone knows and the whole society cares about reading books to children from a young age."
Building a reading generation requires a lot of time, effort, persistence and consensus of society. Therefore, reading books to children from an early age is necessary. This is also the goal of the Week of Ehon Book, Hien added.
Over the week hundreds of books will be on display, both Japanese and Vietnamese versions.
All of them have been selected by the International Book Council for Children in Vietnam, ensuring diversity in content, age and richness in illustrations.
Ehon are not only for children who can read, but also those who have not yet learnt to, helping them feel world through pictures and stories told by adults.
Parents coming to the exhibition will have the opportunity to experience reading with their children, with an accompanying book fair at Melia Hanoi from 2.30pm to 4pm on October 20.
More Lunar New Year flights approved for Tan Son Nhat airport
According to VOV, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) has decided to increase the landing and takeoff frequency at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City on airlines’ requests during the coming Lunar New Year festival (Tet) that often sees a spike in the number of passengers travelling to their hometowns for family reunion.
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| More Lunar New Year flights approved for Tan Son Nhat airport (Source: VOV) |
From January 14 to February 12, the number of flights at the airport will increase from 42 to 46 per hour between 06:00 a.m. and 11:55 p.m. and from 32 to 42 per hour from 00:00 a.m. to 05:55 a.m.
At the domestic terminal area, the hourly frequency of takeoff at Gate A and Gate B will increase from 13 to 15 flights and 11 to 13 flights, respectively. Meanwhile, the hourly frequency of landing will increase by 21 to 22 flights.
The CAAV also requested that airlines ensure the effective use of granted taking off and landing slots, as well as safety, security, and stable service quality.
According to the CAAV, this decision will help airlines and other relevant units to actively develop their operation plans on the occasion of Lunar New Year, the peak travelling season of the year.
Vietnam Airlines Group, including Vietnam Airlines, Pacific Airlines, and VASCO, opened early sales in September for nearly 1.5 million seats on the entire domestic flight network for travel from January 13, 2025, to February 12, 2025.
Meanwhile, low-cost carrier Vietjet also opened sales early with 2.6 million tickets over the period from January 15, 2025, to February 12, 2025.
The Prime Minister has yet to approve the off-work plan for the coming Lunar New Year holiday. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs has proposed nine days off work, lasting from January 25, 2025 to February 2, 2025./.