Vespa tour for MICE guests; Book to recount Caravelle history; Da Lat fest to mark capital birthday; Ancient well, new caves discovered

Book to recount Caravelle history

Like people, hotels have stories, and the Caravelle Hotel in HCM City has narrated its in Caravelle – Saigon: A History, a book that traces its 50-year history.

The book, to be released this month, took a team of writers and researchers and international journalists who lived and worked at the hotel a year to write.

It will unfold as a straight narrative comprising stories from individuals, detailing among other things the tumult of the 1960s and early 1970s.

“The Caravelle’s history makes it part of the fabric of HCM City and Viet Nam in a way that very few hotels, anywhere can be,” said John Gardner, its general manager.

The book will cost VND750,000 in hard cover and VND550,000 in paperback.

Da Lat fest to mark capital birthday

The Festival Da Lat 2010, mainly a wine and flowers event, has been listed by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as one of major national festivals to be held next year to celebrate the 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long-Ha Noi.

The festival, which will take place in “The City of Flowers” from January 1 to 4, 2010, includes an international exhibition of flowers, a musical gala, a mountain climbing competition and fireworks.

In addition, visitors can join a Wine Festival and taste famous brands from Australia, Chile, France, Spain, Viet Nam, the US and other nations. They can also enjoy performances by bartenders and listen to presentations on the history of wine and the art of wine tasting by leading specialists. The wine fest by the Xuan Huong Lake is being organised by Tam Nhin Moi (New Vision) media company in coordination with the Lam Dong Department of Trade and Industry.

Ancient well, new caves discovered

A local resident on Cham Island in Hoi An city has found an ancient well which was built by the Cham people some 500 years ago. Authorities of Quang Nam province have proposed restoring the well, which is located in a national relic on the island, as a tourist attraction.

During an excavation this month, authorities in Quang Binh province’s Minh Hoa district have announced the discovery of more new grottoes in a limestone mountainous forest in the To Mo and Tu Lan valleys in Tan Hoa commune. Archeologists have so far discovered seven grottoes of different sizes.

Quang Nam boosts tourism, culture

Quang Nam Province will introduce its special culture and tourism potential at the Tourism Culture Week – the biggest event of its kind to date – slated to be held late November in Ha Noi.

The province’s two world cultural heritage sites, the My Son Cham Tower Complex and Hoi An ancient city, and the lifestyles of mountainous ethnic people will be presented at the event.

The province will also showcase its Thanh Ha porcelain, Ma Chau silk, Ban Thach mats, Kim Bong carpentry and Phuoc Kieu bronze casting products.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News