travel

Many foreign travelers are creating their own tours to HCM City instead of booking package tours at travel agencies. More travelers choose self-planned tours The number of self-guided domestic travelers is also high, but most Vietnamese appear to prefer package tours. A survey on the length of stay and average expenditures of travelers to HCM City conducted in 2017 by the HCM City Statistics Office and the Tourism Department found a growing tendency of self-planned tours. Sixty-nine percent of polled foreign travelers said they chose self-planned tours, while the remaining said they would book tours at travel agencies. Travel firms confirmed that many travelers book partial services, rather than book package tours. After arriving in HCM City, travelers choose the next destination themselves. Travel firms confirmed that many travelers book partial services, rather than book package tours. After arriving in HCM City, travelers choose the next destination themselves. However, … [Read more...] about More foreign travelers to HCMC choose self guided tours

The Hanoi Transport Service Company (Transerco) has introduced the new ticket price for its double-decker tour bus service. The double-decker tour bus service in Hanoi The new ticket which is VND196,000 (USD8.91) for a two-hour tour will be applied from July 10. The new ticket will exclude the hop-on, hop-off service, which means passengers need not get off the bus during the entire trip to 30 attractions in the city. The company has also proposed launching a double-decker bus night tour from August 1, starting at 7:30 pm or 8:30 pm every day. The current double-decker bus tour prices are VND300,000 (USD13.30) for a four-hour tour, VND450,000 (USD20) for 24 hours and VND650,000 (USD28.80) for 48 hours. On May 30, Hanoi launched its first double-decker city tour, with hop-on and hop-off at 13 stops, running through 25 streets and taking tourists to 30 destinations in the city. The bus arrives every 30 minutes from 9 am to 5 pm every day. Tourists can choose to join or stop the … [Read more...] about Cheaper ticket launched for Hanoi tourist buses

A double-decker bus near Hoan Kiem lake (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – The Hanoi Transport Service Company (Transerco) will launch an open top double-decker night-tour bus from 7:30pm to 8:30pm from August 1 to attract more passengers. The 80-seat double-decker buses have 13 stops going through more than 30 famous attractions, allowing travelers to explore and experience the city without the need for tour guides. The operation time of the day service is from 9am to 6:10pm. Buses will depart every 30 minutes. Ticket prices are 300,000 VND (13.2 USD) for a four-hour tour, 450,000 VND (19.8 USD) for 24 hours, and 650,000 VND (28.6 USD) for 48 hours. From July 20, Transerco will offer new kinds of services for its customers. A new, cheaper ticket worth 196,000 VND (8.43 USD) will exclude the ‘hop on, hop off’ service, meaning the ticket can only be used for one single bus ride.  After being put into operation, the double-decker bus service has attracted the … [Read more...] about Hanoi’s open top bus to run during evenings from August 1

Si Thau Chai  tourism village (Photo: VNA) Lai Chau, VNA - The primitive landscape in parallel with time-honoured cultural values preserved by local people have helped turn Si Thau Thai village in Tam Duong district, the northern mountainous province of Lai Chau into a charming community-based tourist destination. Si Thau Chai village is located about 40 km from Lai Chau city. The village in Ho Thau commune, Tam Duong district, is home to 62 households of Dao ethnic people. Dao ethnic people in the village (Photo: VNA) Situated 1,400m above sea level, Si Thau Chai village boasts cool weather all year round. The village with its natural beauty has now become a spotlight in developing community-based tourism in the mountainous province and an ideal tourist destination in northern Vietnam. “This tourist site is simple but very clean and pretty,” said Nong Thi Sam, a visitor from Lai Chau city. “Next time I will invite more friends to come.” Nong Thi Sam, … [Read more...] about Primitive landscape turns mountainous village into tourist site

A proposal to ban surfing on most of Australia's iconic Bondi Beach has triggered anger among the local boardriding community. A surfer takes a wave on Bondi Beach in Sydney. (Photo: AFP/Peter Parks) Current restrictions confine fibreglass boards to the southern end of the Sydney beach. Softer foam boards popular among novice surfers and children are allowed anywhere, other than inside the flags - a lifesaver-supervised area designated for swimmers. But Waverley Council, the local government with authority over the beach, is canvassing feedback from residents on a plan to abolish the distinction between hard and soft boards, and instead categorise them as "simply fin or no fin". This would force all surfers to the southern end of the 900-metre-long (3,000-foot) beach, where waves are usually bigger and dangerous rip tides more frequent. Between 50 and 300 people surf Bondi each day, according to the council, with 84 per cent of people in the ocean using the beach outside the … [Read more...] about Anger at plan to curb surfing on Sydney’s iconic Bondi beach