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Overview of Hon Thom Paradise Island with the Sail building (Photo: VNA)
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The website suggested newlyweds can spend their unforgettable honeymoon in the “pearl island” of Phu Quoc, the ancient town of Hoi An or Ha Long Bay - the UNESCO World Heritage Site without hurting their wallet, said the Vietnam News Agency.
According to the website, the top 10 budget-friendly getaways allow visitors to count their pennies without compromising on the once-in-a-lifetime experience. Indeed, they can experience a dynamic culture and delicious cuisine during their first adventure as newlyweds.
Lonely Planet stressed that Vietnam is something of a street-food heaven, adding that that visitors must sample the country's signature dishes, such as Pho bo (beef noodle soup), Bun cha (a type of barbecued pork with rice noodles), and Banh mi, a local type of baguette.
“A mid-range trip won’t break the bank either, but will buy more characterful guesthouses, a better Ha Long Bay cruise and memorable experiences (a cookery class, a cycle around Hoi An) with change left for a beach stay on beautiful Phu Quoc Island,” it noted.
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Hoi An ancient town (Photo: toquoc.vn)
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The magazine also recommended that foreign couples pay a visit to the country outside of the high season of July and August as they will have the best chance possible to find budget accommodation.
Apart from Vietnam, three other Asian countries were also named in the list, including India, Cambodia, and Indonesia.
Thousands of visitors flock to Lim Festival in Bac Ninh
Thousands of visitors flocked to Tien Du District, Bac Ninh Province to attend the traditional Lim Festival, according to the Nhan Dan newspaper.
The two-day event, which opened on February 2, the 12th day of the first lunar month, features various activities, including incense offering at Hong Tan Temple on Lim Hill; a procession from Dinh Ca communal house to Lo Bao communal house; and a firework display in the Van Tuong Lake area.
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A large number of visitors join in Lim Festival 2023 (Photo: giaoducthoidai.vn)
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Visitors to the festival can enjoy the beautiful melodies of ‘Quan Ho’ (love duet singing), which was recognised in UNESCO’s intangible cultural heritage of humanity list in 2009.
They can also play folk games and sample delicious local dishes.
The festival aims to promote traditional cultural value in Tien Du District and advertise the land and people of Bac Ninh to visitors from both at home and abroad.
Indian journalist impressed by Ha Long Bay cruise
Aatreyee Mohanta, an Indian journalist of Telegraph India, enjoyed plenty of quintessential experiences in Vietnam as she travelled on the Aspira Cruise around Vietnam’s Ha Long Bay, a site that has been twice recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage site, according to Radio the Voice of Vietnam.
Mohanta spent a three-hour drive from Hanoi to Tuan Chau port at Ha Long Bay in the northern province of Quang Ninh, where she then boarded a tender boat to take her to a luxury cruise ship.
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A photo of Ha Long Bay is captured by Indian journalist Aatreyee Mohanta
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“The 20-minute boat ride is a scenic journey, with emerald green waters and limestone rock formations rising out of it,” she noted.
The journalist went on to reveal that among a number of interesting activities is a visit to the river caves of Ha Long Bay, which look like they belong in Pandora from Disney's blockbuster Avatar. Visitors are able to choose from activities such as kayaking or sailing on a bamboo boat.
“The majestic rock formations loom in front, giving you a perfect backdrop to soak in the sun and the natural beauty,” says the journalist.
She was also greatly impressed by delicious Vietnamese dishes on the cruise’s menu, such as stir-fried seafood and vegetables, deep-fried spring rolls, steamed prawns, and green papaya salad with Ha Long squid cake.
Mohanta also suggested that visitors stop at Cat Ba Island where they can cycle around or hop on to an electric car while looking at a piece of Vietnamese history as they tour old fishermen’s huts.
“The view from the island is breathtaking and the waters seem to shine clearer every minute,” the journalist stressed.
Canada represents potential market for Vietnamese cinnamon
Canada boasts great potential as a market for Vietnamese cinnamon, a product which is expected to account for half of the Canadian market share in the future, reported by Radio the Voice of Vietnam.
Tran Thu Quynh, commercial counsellor and head of the Vietnamese Trade Office in Canada, said that last year saw the export value of Vietnamese tea, coffee, and spices to this market, recording strong increases in comparison to 2021.
With regard to cinnamon, large Canadian supermarkets such as Costco and Walmart imported a large volume of the Vietnamese product with a turnover of US$8.6 million, up 43.3% against 2021.
Given the strong growth, Vietnamese cinnamon is anticipated to make up 50% of the cinnamon market share in Canada over the coming years.
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Canada is a potential market for Vietnamese cinnamon. (Photo: Congthuong.vn)
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Canada boasts a high purchasing power, recording a high import growth rate of 17.5% in 2022. With the incentives brought about by the Comprehensive Partnership and Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) agreement, Canadian businesses are increasingly focusing on Vietnamese products and their businesses’ production capacity.
Cinnamon is a very popular spice product, not only in Vietnam but also around the world. In countries with a developed processing industry, cinnamon and anise make up the main ingredients for producing cosmetics and pharmaceutical products.
Thanks to its aroma and beautiful colour, cinnamon is primarily used in interior decoration, furniture making, and household appliances.
Vietnam makes up the third-largest cinnamon producer and exporter in the world behind Indonesia and China.
The country’s cinnamon export value to foreign countries has recorded showed consecutive increases, climbing from US$245.4 million in 2020 to US$274 million in 2021, before reaching US$276 million in 2022.
Vietnamese cinnamon is mainly consumed in India and the United States that spent US$90.7 million and US$54.2 million on the products last year respectively.
Cinnamon is grown mainly in Lao Cai, Yen Bai, and Quang Nam provinces with total output of around 900,000 to 1.2 million tonnes per year./.