The introduction of Tiger Arena and Temple of the Crying Elephant by Vietnam Travel Depot.

Tiger Arena (Ho Quyen) is one of the most historic few sites still stands today in Vietnam, the fighting place between animals, especially are elephants and tigers, much to the glee of the royalty as well as to assert the unbeatable strength of battle elephants. Attempting to bring back these sites, Vietnam Travel Depot made a trip and be pleased to present to tourists.

The construction of the site began in 1830 after the ceremonial fight for King Minh Mang ‘s 40^th birthday on the northern bank of Perfume river, a tiger suddenly broke free and threatened the King by charging toward him. Afterward, the King chose the land near Long Tho Hill to the west of the capital as permanent arena to hold fights and named it Ho Quyen. The stories of area are still kept spreading among the communities but beginning to fade with the passing of time from the day of the last fight was in 1904 during the reign of King Thanh Thai ( the 10^th king of Nguyen Dynasty)

Just some steps from Ho Quyen is Temple of the Crying Elephant where the elephants were worshipped, those achieved great feats in battle fields. Locals called the temple “ Dien Voi Re”

Ho Quyen and Dien Voi Re symbolized the invincible strength and vitality of the Kings

More stories of the sites, offers and rates please visit www.vietnamtraveldepot.com or mail us at sales@vietnamtraveldepot.com

Explore Can Gio Mangrove Forest with Vietnam Travel Depot

Depart from Ho Chi Minh City and drive to Can Gio Mangrove Jungle, almost ruined by bombings and defoliants sprayed during the war time, but has been fully recovered and sustainably developed after several years of reforestation.

8.30 AM Arrive at Forest Park (Monkey island), we never miss Can Gio Museum that displays antiques dating back 2,000 years.

Then heading to visit Mangrove Forest Park Fauna Conservation: observing the wild life of Salt water crocodiles, wild cats, otters, pythons, deers, and more than 1000 wild monkeys. that are always ready to have fun with people. After that, enjoy some shows with tamed and untamed beasts, including crocodiles in Animals Circus ( 09:00 on Saturday, Sunday and Holiday).

Before lunch, we take canoe to visit Mangrove Forest Ecosystem and the astounding Rung Sac Guerilla Base, which represents a page of Vietnam history.













Leave Can Gio Park to visit Whale’s royal tomb. Cross the river by Binh Khanh Ferry to return Ho Chi Minh City. End the trip.



( if you like this trip and wanna join with us, please visit www.vietnamtraveldepot.com or email us at sales@vietnamtraveldepot.com)

Cu Chi Jeep Tour by Vietnam Travel Depot (New, Extremely Hot!!!!)

At 10.00 am, from Saigon, we hopped on Jeeps and drove to Cu Chi Tunnels for a new hot adventure. Our “land - force” were tourists, operators from Vietnam Jeep Tours (Vietnam Travel Depot) and 11 jeeps (A1, A2).

Arrived Cu Chi Tunnels at 12.00 am, everyone was too exciting to wait for discover Tunnels – an amazing complex of underground tunnels used during the Vietnam War – the Viet Cong’s Under World: an elaborate underground community made up of 250 km of tunnels and chambers below the city and which was built with simple tools and bare hand.

Here are some real photos and video clip from this jeep tour. Hope you love this and will join us some days!

Hope you love this and will join us some days!

Vietnam Jeep Tours (Vietnam Travel Depot)

The only one who makes everything different with Jeeps!

Ph: +84 98 924 5868

sales@vietnamtraveldepot.com

Five more luxury hotels operational in Hanoi for National Tourism Year

Hanoi plans to put into operation five more luxury hotels, offering an additional 2,000 rooms during National Tourism Year 2010.

They include four five-star hotels, namely Hanoi Plaza, with 600 rooms, the PetroVietnam hotel complex with 350 rooms, Keang Nam Vina complex with 500 rooms and Crowne Plaza Hanoi, 393 rooms.

The city now boasts 213 hotels with nearly 10,000 rooms, including 36 three to five-star hotels.

Last year, the room occupancy rate was 55.41%, a fall of 21.7% compared to 2008.

The average duration of stay was 2 days per foreign tourist who came from major markets as Japan, the Republic of Korea, France, Australia, China and ASEAN countries.

The city’s tourism sector expects a surge in the number of foreign tourists during the national tourism year, helping raising the rate of hotel room occupancy.

(Source: VNA)

INTRODUCTION TO VIETNAM FLAVORS BY VIETNAM TRAVEL DEPOT

Hochiminh City, Vietnam – Vietnam Travel Depot has introduced Vietnamese cooking class for international travelers to experience how some typical authentic Vietnamese dishes are prepared and cooked.

Set in a refine lush tea garden in the heart of Saigon, the experience include a morning local market visit (optional, suggested for morning section) guided by our chef to select the best and fresh ingredients followed by an introduction to the traditional courses such as “pho” (beef noodle soup) or “nem” (fried or fresh spring rolls), then of course participants will make the dishes of their own under the guidance of our English or Japanese speaking instructors. The class ends with a friendly taste of the self-made dishes with lots of fun and stories to share.

The class opens two sections per day from 10am to 1pm or 2pm to 5pm and lasts for three hours to learn three dishes for 1-10 participants maximum. Cost for participant is US$45/person. Booking in advanced is essential.

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.

Cam Ranh to become international airport

Cam Ranh Airport in the central coastal province of Khanh Hoa will become an international airport with the opening of an official direct air route linking Cam Ranh and Vladivostock in Russia on December 12.

This was announced at a recent working session between Chairman of the Khanh Hoa provincial People’s Committee Vo Lam Phi, leaders of the Minh Nhat Ltd.Co. and representatives of Russia’s Vladivostock Avia and Transero Airlines.

Under the agreement, TU204 aircraft will be used for a flight every two weeks and the flight frequency will be increased later. Another air route will also open for flights from Moscow to Cam Ranh and vice versa.

Mr. Phi also asked hotels and guest houses to offer promotion programmes and lower service prices on the occasion of the inauguration of Cam Ranh international airport.

Travel agents’ hotels have pledged 50-70% discount in hotel room prices for nearly 130 international tourists flying from Russia to Cam Ranh on December 12.

The national aviation sector invested more than VND200 billion in building a new terminal, air traffic control station, a modern runway lights and other facilities in Cam Ranh Airport.

The capacity of the new terminal doubles the old one, which was only capable of loading 300 passengers per hour.

(Source: VNA)

Food fest to bring slice of Hanoi to HCMC

HCMC residents will have a chance to savour authentic Hanoi cuisine and experience the rural ambience of northern Vietnam at a three-day event held to mark the 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long- Hanoi.

The “Thang Long Citadel cuisine in South Vietnam” Festival at Van Thanh Tourism Park would introduce "significant cultural traits and folk cuisine of the North," said Chiem Thanh Long, Director of Van Thanh Tourism Park. "We are getting ready a miniature of ancient Hanoi at the park."

The event, organised by the HCMC Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism will open on December 11. There will be a rural market, snack counter, temple festival, and traditional feast.

Visitors can enjoy delicacies like banh gai Hang Be (glutinous rice cake dyed black in a concoction of leaves made in Hang Be Street), banh gio Do Mang (pyramidal rice dumpling filled with meat, onion, and mushroom from a place called Madame Demange), banh com Hang Than (grilled cake of young rice in Hang Than Street), and banh tom (crisp shrimp pastry).

A death-anniversary feast and a wedding feast will be the highlights of the event.

"We will have artisans and officials from the Vietnam Cuisine Research Institute to make it a genuine northern feast," Long said.

"Every day we will serve only 40 tables of traditional feast, which will cost VND960,000 (US$52). Each table will have ten dishes serving six people."

Besides the food, daily Northern Vietnamese life will be depicted, including a market with street vendors in traditional costumes and calling out to passers-by, an exhibition of Vietnamese wines, and an exhibition of paintings and books about Thang Long, the country’s ancient capital.

Huynh Van Son, a department representative, said northern folk games would be on display, including Chinese chess, water puppetry, and wrestling.

There would be performances of ca tru (ceremonial singing), quan ho (love duet), hat xam (songs of an itinerant blind musician), and hat xoan (folk workship singing of Phu Tho Province), he added.

Around 8,000 visitors were expected at the festival, Long said. It will run from 4pm to 9pm on each of the three days.

(Source: VNS)