Ancient tomb dated back 1,800 years unearthed

An ancient tomb with exterior and interior coffins has been unearthed in the northern port city of Hai Phong, according to the city’s museum.

The tomb was found by construction workers who were digging into the Thanh Den Mountain’s side to expand the acreage of the Tan Phu Xuan cement plant.

The exterior coffin is made from large pieces of ironwood while its boat-shaped interior coffin is carved out from a big tree trunk, a style belonging to the Dong Son culture, which existed more than 2,000 years ago.

No vestiges of bones were found except a rush map used to cover the dead.

Archaeologists also found seven large trays, four human statues, plates, bowls and combs, all made from wood, and several terracotta pots, jars and bowls with beehive and line patterns.

According to archaeologists from the Hai Phong Museum , the tomb is believed to date back to the 2nd-3rd centuries AD or 1,800 years ago.

(Source: VNA)

Cultural features of Cu Da ancient village

Cu Da Village is located in Cu Khe Commune, Thanh Oai District, Hanoi. It is considered as one of the two most ancient villages in the former Ha Tay. Its ancient and tranquil beauty attracts many tourists and researchers both in and outside the country. Cu Da Village is really a symbol of Vietnamese ancient villages in the northern delta areas and it also hides cultural sediments of great values that have still been kept intact today.

Cu Da ancient village, an attractive tourist destination in Hanoi
Cu Da Village is located on the bank of the Nhue River, about 15 kilometres from center of Hanoi, bearing characters of a Vietnamese village with hundred-year-old banian-trees, rivers, ponds, village wells and ancient mossy walls.

Cu Da villagers still keep traditional and neighbourly lifestyle which has been maintained from generation to generation. So, once visitors coming Cu Da, they will find it easy to inquire the way to some family in the village. This is really a respectfully cultural feature of Cu Da people.

In the 1920s, 1930s, thanks to the favourable location ‘close to the market and the river’, Cu Da was a very busy place for traders to do business all day and night. As a result, Cu Da village’s economy was developed rapidly and the living standard of villagers was improved considerably compared to other regions. Cu Da villagers moved to all regions in the country to do business and settle down there. Some people who were better off had come back to the home village and brought along with them the cultural characters from the city. Houses with the western architectural style mixed with traditional art were built. These were communal houses built under the French-style so that villagers could gather together and make decisions on things of common concern. Each house was numbered like in a big city. Cu Da is among a few Vietnamese villages whose houses were numbered. This has made it so unique, rarely seen in any village in the northern delta area.

The cultural features of Cu Da have been preserved intact which serve as an evidence of a flourishing development period. The most remarkable relics in Cu Da are 50 French-style villas. Partly damaged by time and historical changes as they were, these houses are still kept intact with typical French style. These are two-storey villas with balcony, archway, enamel tile-paved pillars, porcelain-paved walls and so on. Tiles to pave and decorate houses were all made in France in 1910 – 1920 and imported to Vietnam. Architectural patterns and designs of these houses remain, showing the harmony between eastern and western architecture in the early years of the 20th century.

Not only bearing European-style architecture, Cu Da is also imbued with traditional values of a riverside village in the northern delta area.

These were ancient Vietnamese houses and houses of worship built one century ago. These iron wood houses with delicate carvings still stand there to the test of time. The most remarkable house is the ancient house of Trinh The Sung built in 1874 under the Tu Duc’s reign. The house features the typical architectural art of the Nguyen Dynasty as it was made entirely from timber with sophisticated patterns on its doors.

The cultural characters of Cu Da ancient village are also showed through other constructions like temples, pagodas and shrines. Cu Da temple is one of two relics of Cu Da Village recognised as the nation’s historical site. Xa Tac Worship Ritual was set at Cu Da Temple to offer sacrifices and considered as the most beautiful worship place preserved until today. This place of worship dates back to 1921, made from precious stones carved with dragons and symbols of four sacred creatures: dragon, unicorn, tortoise and phoenix. Xa Tac Altar is not only used for the worship of the God of Land and the God of Farming, but it also implies typical features of a historical period in the past.

Cu Da Village is also famous for other ancient communal houses which are used to celebrate common activities and festivals of the whole village.

Such unique relics on a flourishing development period of Cu Da riverside ancient village have made it a ‘must-see’ tourist destination, attracting an increasing number of visitors and researchers in and outside the country.

(Source: Nhan Dan)

Vietnam Travel Depot Launches Jeep Adventure

Hochiminh City, 16 October 2009 - Vietnam Travel Depot has launched Jeep tours for the adventure enthusiasts. The unconventional tours by the US military Jeep M151 A1 and M151 A2 - vehicles once used in the Vietnam War will cover famous destinations such as historic Cu Chi Tunnel, Cao Dai Temple, Vung Tau Beach & Australia War Memorial, Mui Ne Beach, up to the mountain of Dalat or Central Highland or deep into the forest of Nam Cat Tien National Park.

Beside tours on Jeep, Vietnam Travel Depot offers travelers with various combined options such as camping in the forest, trekking, motorcycling, biking, camera rally or team building based on customer's individual interests. The company also specially developed a website www.vietnamjeeptours.com to provide detailed information and images about the Jeep travel, its technical specifications for the serious travelers who wish to know more about the historic vehicles and this special service.

About Vietnam Travel Depot

Online travel portal specialized in travel to Vietnam focusing on individuals and small groups travel. More information the company, its offers and rates please visit www.vietnamtraveldepot.com or Tel: (84 8) 5404 3116.

About Vietnam Jeep Tours

A special service dedicated to Jeep adventure in Vietnam with adventure activities of Jeep-ing, camping, trekking, motorcycling, biking, camera rally or team building. Vietnam Jeep Tour is a specially product managed by Vietnam Travel Depot. More information please visit www.vietnamjeeptours.com

Free Visas To Vietnam By Vietnam Travel Depot

Hochiminh City, 10 Oct 2009 – Hochiminh City, 10th October – Vietnam Travel Depot has announced to offer free visa approvals and free visa stamps for passengers traveling with the company.

By this, passengers who book a trip with a value from US$300 per person will receive free visa approval letters for single entry issued by Immigration Department. This letter will be used to get visa stamps either at Vietnam Embassies overseas or at the international airports on their arrivals.

Free Visa to Vietnam with Vietnam Travel Depot

Passengers who book tours value from US$600 per person will receive both visa approval letters and single entry visa stamps (value of US$/25) for free. Once passengers receive their visas, Vietnam Travel Depot will pay back the visa fees in cash or deduct directly from their tour prices.

Both of the above offers are applied to tour bookings only of minimum two persons in a group and are not applicable for hotel bookings or other single services.

Further details about the offers, please contact sales consultants online or email sales@vietnamtraveldepot.com


About Vietnam Travel Depot: Online travel portal specialized in travel to Vietnam focusing on individuals and small groups travel. More information about the company please visit www.vietnamtraveldepot.com or contact Tel: (84 8) 5404 3116.

Ca Tru and Quan Ho folksongs recognized by UNESCO

The United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has inscribed Vietnam’s Ca Tru on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity on October 1.

Ca Tru is chamber music in which the singer is rewarded for each of her successful passages by bamboo tablets, which can be converted into money.

The recognised heritage will immediately be registered on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity or the Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding and will be preserved at an international level.

A day earlier, Quan Ho was also recognized by UNESCO in the same category of Ca Tru.

Quan Họ folk songs form the northern provinces of Bac Ninh and Bac Giang, are performed as alternating verses between two women from one village who sing in harmony and two men from another village who respond with similar melodies, but with different lyrics.

More than 119 cultural items from 34 nations have been nominated as an Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding but only 15 have been approved.

Vietnam has been commended for its vision in preserving its cultural heritages. Next, the country will nominate its Giong Festival and Xoan singing.

(Source: VOV)

Non-stop travel between Vietnam and Cambodia

From September 30 all vehicles will have freedom of movement between the Samat international border gate in Tay Ninh Province in Vietnam and the TrapeangPlong border gate in KamPongCham Province, Cambodia.

This is the second international border gate to be put into use by the two countries. The first, Moc Bai-BaVet, started operating in September, 2006.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Transport Le Manh Hung praised the cooperation shown between the transportation sectors of both countries for their efforts to implement the Agreement on Road Transportation signed by both governments.

As a result, seven border gates connecting the two countries are now in operation. Both countries have opened up their borders so vehicles do not have to stop, which saves time, cuts costs and boosts trade, tourism, and investment.

Deputy Minister Hung and his Cambodian counterpart Takch ChanKosal also agreed that both countries should make more effort to exchange information, manage transport links and work together to make it easier to travel between both countries.

(Source: VNA)

Vietnam Travel Depot Offers Airport Assistance Services

Hochiminh City, 01 Oct 2009 – From October 2009 Vietnam Travel Depot will offer passengers free welcome and assistance services at Tan Son Nhat Airport in Hochiminh City. Passengers who travel with Vietnam Travel Depot will be greeted at the airport by the company staffs, assisted with the luggage and to be provided with necessary information during their stay in Vietnam.

For passengers who book tours in Vietnam for at least three days for a value from US$300/person the company also provides a mobile phone with credit of around US$10 to contact with their families, friends and stay in touch with Vietnam Travel Depot when they need.

About Vietnam Travel Depot: Online travel portal specialized in travel to Vietnam focusing on individuals and small groups travel. More information about the company please visit www.vietnamtraveldepot.com or contact Tel: ( 848 ) 5404 3116.

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