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| Times online newspaper of India suggests best places to visit in Vietnam |
Topping the list is Hanoi, with the thousand-year-old city being full of lakes and founded on a bend in the Red River. The Vietnamese capital is full of history, charm, museums, shops, markets, and wonderful street food.
Indian media therefore recommends that tourists join a street-food tour or explore the French villas, Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum, the Temple of Literature, Hoa Lo prison, and the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology.
The northern mountainous province of Ha Giang, an otherworldly landscape of sugarloaf peaks, mountain passes, and rice paddies carved into impossibly steep mountains, is the second must-see destination in the nation.
Find villages of the Red Dzao, Flower Hmong, and other local minorities, as well as markets and eco-stays to serve as a window into a rural world of timeless traditions such as weaving. En route, stop at the dazzling rice paddy region of Mu Cang Chai, it wrote.
The article listed famous destinations across the country, including Pu Luong nature reserve, Ha Long Bay, Hue city, Da Nang, Hoi An, Ninh Van Bay, Da Lat, the Mekong Delta, and Con Dao archipelago.
Ho Chi Minh City, which offers brilliant street food, is fueled by a growing craft beer, spirit, and cocktail scene coupled with a thrilling, infectious energy, meaning it is also a wonderful place that travelers should not miss visiting during their trip to the country.
Home to 99 million souls and a coastline spanning 2,000 miles along the country from north to south, there are plenty of people to meet and a lot to see, do, and eat in Vietnam, the article concluded.
Aero-K to launch direct air service between Seoul and Khanh Hoa in late June
According to VOV, carrier Aero-K of the Republic of Korea (RoK) recently announced plans to launch a new direct air route linking capital Seoul with the southcentral province of Khanh Hoa from June 25 in an effort to meet growing demand among travelers between the two countries.
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| Aero-K to launch direct air service between Seoul and Khanh Hoa in late June |
This will see the airline regularly operate the Cam Ranh (Khanh Hoa)-Incheon (Seoul) route with a frequency of four flights a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
The flights will depart from Cam Ranh International Airport at 0:15 a.m. before arriving at Incheon International Airport at 7:25 a.m.
In addition, the carrier will provide pet transportation services.
The airline is also set to offer promotions on the round-trip ticket price, which is around US$170 per person, on June 25, June 27, and June 29.
Founded in 2016, Aero-K Airlines Co., Ltd. is a low-cost airline in the RoK that aims to develop flights to destinations within Asia such as China, Japan, Taiwan (China), and Vietnam.
This marks the second air route to be launched by Aero-K to connect the RoK and Vietnam. Previously, the airline opened direct flights from Da Nang to Cheongju on February 6.
US blogger suggests 14 Vietnamese famous dishes to try
Las Vegas blogger Lauren Breedlove recently introduced 14 Vietnamese famous dishes on the Celebrity Cruises' website, describing the country as vibrant with an exciting street food scene, intriguing culinary delights, and world-famous dishes that serve to dazzle hungry travelers.
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| US blogger suggests 14 famous dishes to try in Vietnam. (Photo courtesy of Celebrity Cruises) |
VOV reported the article that topping the list is Phở (noodles) which is one of the best Vietnamese dishes. This traditional soup can be found almost anywhere in the country and is a prime example of culinary beauty in simplicity.
A mixture of broth, rice noodles, fresh herbs like ginger and green onions, and either chicken or beef can warm both the stomach and the soul, Breedlove wrote.
Another Vietnamese staple enjoyed around the world is Bánh Mì which is the country’s famous sandwich. Along with the beloved French baguette, it is a tasty blend of the two cuisines, originating in Ho Chi Minh City.
The dish is followed by the healthy snack Gỏi cuốn tôm thịt (fresh spring rolls), Bánh xèo (crispy crepe), Mì quảng, Chả cá (fried fish), Cao lầu (noodle dish with pork, adorned with wonton-style crackers), Bò kho (beef stew), and Cá kho (braised snakehead fish).
The blogger also recommended Bún chả, a lunchtime favourite nationwide, particularly in the capital city of Hanoi which is located in the northern region of the country.
The crispy outside and juicy inside of the meatball-like patties combine to be the perfect contrast to the fish sauce and lime broth, lettuce or cabbage, bean sprouts, basil, and rice noodles when eaten together, she wrote.
Furthermore, the blogger suggested healthy food options, including Rau muống xào tỏi (stir-fried water spinach), Bánh vạc (white rose dumpling), Chè ba màu (three color dessert), and Bột chiên (fried dough).
The country can be enjoyed as a feast for the senses, boasting a range of exotic flavours and scents which are woven into the exciting food culture. Visitors are therefore encouraged to dive into the best Vietnamese dishes through a cooking class, food tour, market meanderings, and tours of street food, the article concluded.
Thirteen Vietnamese universities listed in THE Impact Rankings 2024
Thirteen Vietnamese universities have been listed in the Impact Rankings 2024 released by the Times Higher Education (THE) on June 12.
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| Vietnam National University - Hanoi is in the 401-600 group in Impact Rankings 2024 released by the Times Higher Education.(Photo: vnu.edu.vn) |
Specifically, Nguyen Tat Thanh University, which is in the group of 301-400, has the highest ranking among representatives from Vietnam. Other educational institutions are the 401-600 group. They are Duy Tan University, FPT University, National Economics University, Ton Duc Thang University, University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City, and Vietnam National University, Hanoi.
Hanoi University of Science and Technology is still placed in the 601-800 category, followed by Van Lang University at 801-1,000.
Lac Hong University, Ho Chi Minh City Open University and Phenikaa University are in the group 1,001-1,500 while Vietnamese-German University is named in the 1,501 category.
The rankings aims to measure the success of eductional insitutions in realising the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which were adopted by the United Nations in 2016, calling for global action to build a peaceful, fair and prosperous society.
A total of 2,152 higher education institutions participated in this year's rankings, up 561 compared to the previous edition.
Ceramic exhibition showcases Nguyen Dynasty-style dragons
A collection of 56 ceramic and gold-plated dragons inspired by the Nguyen Dynasty are on display at an exhibition in the Kien Trung Palace in the Hue Imperial Citadel, reported VNA.
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| The dragons displayed at the exhibition are mostly created with inspiration from dragon images cast on Nguyen Dynasty seals (Photo: VNA) |
The exhibition, themed 'Bieu Tuong Rong Qua Gom Tran Do' (Dragon Symbols through Tran Do Ceramics), is organised by the Hue Monuments Conservation Centre in collaboration with People's Artist Tran Do, who created the displayed art.
As part of the ongoing Hue Festival Week 2024, the special exhibition is open until June 18. The festival includes a series of art and culture programmes amid other celebrations taking place at Kien Trung Palace in the ancient city of Hue in Thua Thien-Hue province.
The event offers viewers the chance to admire Do's outstanding artistic ceramics, most of which were created with inspiration from dragon images cast on seals of the Nguyen Dynasty, which ruled from 1802 to 1945.
Visitors can also find the artist's love and passion for ceramics in the dragon images, which hold mesmerising and vivid shapes and patterns that Do has diligently researched and crafted over decades.
Director of the Hue Monuments Conservation Centre Hoang Viet Trung said that to successfully reflect the royal culture and artistic value of Vietnamese dragons, the artist had consulted with the centre and other museums and relic conservation units such as the National History Museum, the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum and the Thang Long Imperial Citadel Centre.
He added: "The artist had also researched documents, artifacts and antiques related to the image of the Vietnamese dragon through historical periods, which are extremely necessary for him to build his own creative resources."
Trung hoped the ceramic art and the vividness of the ancient patterns and motifs displayed at the the exhibition would impress visitors and help them understand more about the country's royal history.
People's Artist Tran Do is a famous name in Vietnamese pottery. He consistently finds unique features for his products, which are imbued with the quintessence of the nation's culture.
Under the talented hands of the so-called 'king of ceramic glaze', the dragon symbol is adapted in an extremely sophisticated manner.
Do and his team of about 10 artisans from the famous Bát Tràng Pottery Village on the outskirts of Hanoi meticulously crafted dragon shapes and designs in a 'rising up' style to express the aspirations of happiness and virtue.
Do said: "Bat Trang village is closely associated with Hue culture not only today, but two or three hundred years ago. The pottery village's artisans have been following their ancestors' traditional craft and always wish to maintain it and to make gifts to Hue. This year, I choose the dragon collection to display at the Hue Festival as a gift to the city too."
To complete this ceramic dragon collection, Do and his team diligently researched and crafted for a year and a half.
The dragon is the leading symbol out of the four sacred animals of dragon, unicorn, tortoise and phoenix, with each animal embodying various special meanings.
For Vietnamese people, dragons have unparalleled magic power, symbolising the spirit of humanity, nobility, strength, courage and above all, the spirit of wisdom.
In royal imagery, the dragon is a symbol of the absolute authority of the gods, so it became the most popular image in Hue royal art, carrying high aesthetic values./.