Where to go aroung Hai Phong, Vietnam

Trang Kenh Landscape

Trang Kenh is a poetic, natural area of hills, limestone mountains, caves and rivers in Thuy Nguyen District, 20km north-east of Hai Phong.
U Bo is the name of one famous mountain peak. A myth tells that this mountain is from where Tran Hung Dao commanded the naval battle against the Chinese Yuan-Mongol aggressors in the 13th century. On U Bo Peak, visitors can view the entire panorama of the Bach Dang River. The silence of the river, the immensity of the sea and the existence of mythical stories, all make this a fascinating area.
Archaeologists have concluded through investigation that Trang Kenh was a jewellery workshop of the ancient people who lived here 4,000 years ago. In more recent times, it was a revolutionary base of Hai Phong civil and military forces during the resistance struggle against the French.
Around Trang Kenh, there are some strange caves, including Hang Vua (King's Cave) in Minh Tan Commune. It is thus called due to a myth that the King Hung established a separate palace here. The altar of King Hung in the centre of the cave is a lively-looking stone carved statue of him. There are many small tunnels criss-crossing the 18m-high cave and fresh water streams running through it.

Trang Kenh of Hai Phong

Cat Ba Island and National Park - World Biosphere Reserve
Cat Ba is an archipelago covering approximately 366 islands of different shapes and sizes. The main island is Cat Ba, located 30 nautical miles from Hai Phong, with an area approximately 200km2.
The topography of the park mainly consists of limestone mountains with many grottoes and caves, as well as beaches with white powdery sand. The limestone mountains have an average height of 150m, the highest of which is Cao Vong Peak, 322m above sea level. Cat Ba is characterized by beautiful natural scenery, and abundant forest and sea resources. There are numerous beaches on the island that are clean and smooth, with translucent blue water. Cat Ba National Park has the largest area of tropical virgin forests in Viet Nam and boasts diversified and rare fauna and flora.
According to research, there are 620 species of plants, 438 lines of descent, and 123 families, among which there are 350 medicinal plants such as cho doi, trai ly, lat hoa, kirn giao, and va nuoc. More than 32 species of mammals, 69 species of birds, as well as 20 species of reptiles and amphibians can be found in Cat Ba National Park. The White-headed Vooc, an endangered bird species, is found on the cliffs separating the island from the sea. The yellow monkey, chamois, and many beautiful birds s ch as the cao cat, boi ca (kingfisher), hut , and dau riu also live on the island.
In 2004, Cat Ba was recognized as World Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO. Nowadays, Cat Ba is the perfect place to bath in the sea, relax and recuperate. While in Cat Ba, tourists can also explore primeval forests and unique caves.

Doctoral Laureate Nguyen Binh Khiem Site

The site is located in Trung Am Hamlet, Ly Hoc Commune, Vinh Bao District. It has nine separate structures: the Kinh Thien pen-shaped tower; the temple built after the death of Nguyen Binh Khiem in 1585 with three front halls and two back sanctuaries. In front of the temple are two ponds, which represent the earth and the sky. The horizontal lacquered board kept in the temple reads: "An Nam Ly Hoc" (Master of Philosophy in An Nam); the exhibition room with details on Nguyen Binh Khiem's biography and career; the tomb of his father at the adjacent of the temple; the stone statue of Nguyen Binh Khiem, 5.7m in height and 8.5 tons in weight; the semi-circular pond 1,000m2 in area; Song Mai Pagoda; the Ancestor Worshipping House with the statue of Minh Nguyet, Nguyen Binh Khiem's wife, and Trung Tan pavilion, whose name gives a new interpretation of the concept "Trung" (loyalty): everyone tries to reach "chi trung chi thien" (absolute loyalty and goodness).
Nowadays, the site having been upgraded is a major tourist attraction in the region. It is also where big festivals commemorating Nguyen Binh Khiem as a cultural celebrity are held.

Do Son Beach

Do Son, located in Do Son District, 22km south-east of Hai Phong, lies between the mouth of the Lach Tray River and the mouth of the Van Uc River. This 5km-long promontory is dotted with a succession of beaches, hills and quiet pine forests.
Immediately upon setting foot in Hai Phong, the French turned Do Son into a summer tourist area for their expatriate community and the Vietnamese upper class. Do Son Airport was built in 1950. The former summer residence of Bao Dai, the last King of the Nguyen Dynasty, is located there. There is also a pagoda and, at the very tip of the peninsula, on the top of a large hill, the former Van Hoa Hotel.
This hotel was the finest building in Do Son. With its stone basement and walls built on the edge of the water, the two-tower, red-tiled hotel stands out from the green landscape like an ancient citadel. The Van Hoa Hotel also houses the first casino to open in Viet Nam. Nowadays, the casino was changed from Van Hoa Hotel to the 4-star Do Son Hotel in Green Valley area.


Bao Dai Residence

The Bao Dai Residence situated atop Doi Vung Hill in zone II of Do Son Beach has been restored in 1999. From this ideal altitude, you can view the immense sea and the high sky Do Son. Visiting the Bao Dai Residence, you can learn more about the last days of King Bao Dai - the last King of Nguyen Dynasty. You will also have a chance of enjoying royal feasts or staying in the king's room, the queen's room, or the princess' room. On the way to the residence, you can call by at Nam Phuong Villa lying halfway to the top mountain.

Tien Lang Hot Spring Tourist Site

Tien Lang Hot Spring

Tien Lang Hot Spring Tourist Site is located in Tien Lang Town, Tien Lang District, about 20km from centre of Hai Phong and about 85km from Ha Noi. Covering an area of 10ha, the tourist site is greatly preferential treated by the nature, has a hot spring belching from the bowels of the earth at 850m depth, at 54°C, being valued one of the five special mineral water streams of Viet Nam with content of highly mineral elements, preventing and curing diseases, restoring health well.
The site has swimming pool and a modern system of bathtub intermingling with nature. Sauna & steam-bath system imported from French helping to reduce stress, consume unnecessary energy, take away dead cells, bring a stronger and slender body. Especially, technically philological staffs have much experience in massaging bring to tourists the most of enjoying, relaxing & reinforcing health after bathing.
In addition, there are two large fish surrounding by a system of restaurants and pentagon cottages where tourists can fish while admiring the scenery and enjoying food. The tourist site has other services such as tennis court, badminton court, billiard, karaoke, camping fire...

Voi (Elephant) Mountain

Voi Mountain is 20km south-west of the centre of Hai Phong, by the side of the Lach Tray River, is the site of a widely diverse natural landscape. It is the highest peak to the north of Kien An.
At the foot of the mountain is Long Tien (Water Fairy) Cave where the local people worship Le Chan, a female general in the army of the two Trung Sisters. It was Le Chan who established An Bien Village, which is now Hai Phong. In Voi Mountain, there are many "fairy caves", such as Hong Voi, Chieng, Ca Chep, and Be. To the south of Voi Mountain is the Nam Tao Cave, and to the north is the Bac Dau Cave. According to Chinese myth, Nam Tao and Bac Dau are the two gods who care for life and death. In the cave, there are many stalactites of various shapes, looking like kneeling dragons, tigers, and the head of an elephant.
On top of the mountain, there is an even, flat area, which is called the "Fairy Chess Board". There are also ruins of pagodas and citadels from the 16th century Mac Dynasty on the mountain. Of particular note are the remains of the ancient Viet civilisation, such as stone axes and chisels, which date back to over 3,000 years.

Bao Ha Stage and Water Puppetry

Puppetry is an old popular art form in Hai Phong. As a matter of fact, the puppetry guild of Bao Ha in Vinh Bao District (30km from the centre of Hai Phong) has been performing for seven generations.
Like other forms of art, Bao Ha puppetry has developed over time. Current performances are always accompanied by music and lyrics. This stage puppetry is similar to opera.
Nhan Hoa water puppetry is a theatrical performance mixed with nature and fireworks. The puppets are made of painted, lacquered wood, and they do not wear fabric clothing. Most performances used to be held in lakes or ponds. Now, however, water tanks have been built so that water puppet shows can be played on a stage.

Tourist Attractions of Hai Phong

Hang Kenh Communal House

Located on Hang Kenh St., Hang Kenh Communal House was built in 1717 and expanded in 1905. It is famous for its valuable wooden sculptures, of which there are 156 pieces with a dragon as the main theme. Altogether, there are 308 dragons of different shapes and sizes. The communal house also has a statue of Ngo Quyen and a palanquin. Every year from the 16thto 18th of the 2ndlunar month, ritual ceremonies, festivals, traditional games, and performances of cheo, tuong, and other folk songs are held at the communal house, attracting large crowds.

Hang Kenh Communal House

Municipal Theater

The Municipal Theatre, also called the Great Theatre, was built in 1904 in the heart of Hai Phong. The entire project was supervised by the French; the materials were imported and the architects were French. The theatre is a two-story building with a veranda, a large hall, a mirror-room, a cloakroom and a dining room. The auditorium has a seating capacity of 400. The ceiling is ornamented with flowers frescoes and the names of famous writers and artists. All great festivities of the city are held in the Municipal Theater Square.

 

Du Hang Pagoda
This pagoda, named by scholar Phuc Lam Tu, is located in Ho Nam Ward in Le Chan District, 2km south-west of the center of Hai Phong.
The pagoda was built during the Early Le Dynasty (980-1009). King Tran Nhan Tong (1258-1308), a devout Buddhist, used to preach at the pagoda. The pagoda has undergone repair and restoration on several occasions, and is now listed as a historical site containing many relics, including Buddha statues, bronze urns, bells, gongs and the prayer book of Trang A Ham, an ancient Buddhist script. 

Nghe Temple
Nghe Temple is situated in the center of Hai Phong, approximately 600m south-west of the Municipal Theater. The temple is devoted to the cult of Le Chan, a female general of the Trung Sisters' insurrection in the first century (40-43). Le Chan founded An Bien Village, which became Hai Phong.
Originally, the temple was only a small shrine, but in 1919 a sanctuary was built and, in 1926, the kowtowing court was built. Nghe Temple contains stone elephants and horses, as well as stelae.

Flower Stalls (Quan Hoa)
These flowers stalls were built in the end of 1944. Located in the centre of Hai Phong City, they constitute a row of five small, attractive flower stalls built in an oriental architectural style, topped with curved roofs covered with tiles and supported by four round columns. Resting in the shadow of green trees, their flowers have a gentle beauty much like the traditional beauty of Hai Phong City.

Sat Market

Located on the adjacent banks of the Cam River and the Tam Bac River, the Sat Market is the biggest market in Hai Phong City. In the past, it was known as An Bien Fair. When the city was established in 1888, the market was divided into large sections, constructed mainly of iron and steel with cement floors. That is why it was called Sat Market, or the "Iron Market".
In May 1992, the Iron Market was transformed, into a 6-story trade and service centre. The first, second and third floors feature more than 2,000 stalls and the fourth, fifth, and sixth floors are used for a hotel, restaurant, discotheque and representative offices.

Festivals in Hai Phong, Vietnam

Festivals in Hai Phong, Vietnam:

Sea Festival

4th-6th day of the 1st lunar month.
This festival is organized at Tran Chau fishing village (Cat Ba). After the ceremony for the Water Spirit (Long Vuong), the commanding drum resounds and hundreds of shouting boys carrying oars begin running to their boats. One boy rows, while the other boy casts nets and beats a rhythm on the boat. The stronger and faster the beating, the more frightened the fish are and likely to get caught in the net.
Towards midday, a drum orders the boats to return. The boys carry their fish to the communal house yard where the elders of the village mark the competitors. Those who catch the biggest fish and the greatest number of fish are given prizes.
The biggest fish is chosen to be grilled on a splendid fire; the remaining fish are distributed to all the people present.

Festival in Haiphong

An Lu Temple Festival

10th -114th day of the 14st lunar month.
An Lu Temple belongs to An Lu Village in Thuy Nguyen District. Here, the cults of Tran Hung Dao and his father An Sinh Vuong Tran Lieu are observed.

Every year, the An Lu Temple Festival is held to commemorate the services rendered by the national hero who defeated the Yuan-Mongol invaders, therein saving the country. A joss-stick offering ceremony is solemnly performed. Games and entertainment, such as swinging, singing, cock fighting, and Chinese chess, follow the ceremony.

Pho Ma Temple Festival

15th day of the lunar month.
Pho Ma Temple belongs to Nui Deo Hamlet in Thuy Nguyen District. The cult of renowned General Lai Van Thanh, a talented general during the Tran Dynasty, is observed in this temple. Every year, a festival is held to commemorate the great feats of this general.

Nghe Temple Festival

8th -10th day of the 2nd lunar month
Nghe Temple is located on Le Chan St. in Le Chan District. The Nghe Temple Festival of Hai Phong is held to commemorate the great services rendered by Le Chan, a well known General of the Trung Sisters. The festival consists of the procession from Nghe Temple to the communal house and a banquet. Wrestling and Chinese chess also take place.

Du Hang Communal House Festival

18th day of the 2nd lunar month.
This festival takes place at Du Hang Communal House in Du Hang Kenh Village. The festival is held in memorial of Ngo Quyen. It is solemnly conducted with many rites and ceremonies such as a procession to Dong Khe, Hang Kenh, and Phung Thap Villages. Games, competitions and perform-ances take place in the communal house yard, among which wrestling, human playing chess, cock fighting, to torn (card game .played with 120 cards), ca tru (traditional songs performed with one or two accompanying instruments), cheo performances and chau van singing (songs sung in a cult ceremony), etc.

Do Son Buffalo Fighting Festival

9th day of the 8th lunar month
The festival begins one day before the actual buffalo fights. People participate in a solemn procession, accompanied by a group of singers.
The next days, a flag dance is performed before the fights begin. After the call on the loudspeaker, buffaloes enter in pairs. They bravely fight, hammer locking each other with their horns. The one that runs away is considered defeated. The winner will return to fight during the final round on the 9th day of the 8th lunar month. The grand winner is car-ried in triumph to the communal house,accompanied by the excited spectators.
Winners, as well as vanquished, will be killed and their meat distributed to all participants as a gift from the spirits.

This is a typical festival of Vietnam show in their "Wet-rice-cultural".

Swinging Festival

28th- 29th day of the 12th lunar month.
Every year during the Lunar New Year Festival, Swinging Festival in Thuy Nguyen comes back. Swinging is not only a talent competition but also a traditional sporting event that has existed for many years. It is very much enjoyed by youth and it represents i an opportunity for boys and girls to meet and get-to know each other.
Each locality erects their swings in different locations. There are swings built for one person, pairs, or two pairs.

Festivals in Hai Phong, Vietnam

Cat Ba Island Travel Information

Located thirty miles from the town of Hai Phong, the tourist destination Cat Ba island is famous for its romantic karsts seascape, with towers rising steeply from the sea. Some visitors find it even more beautiful than neighboring Ha Long bay. Its national park is home to a diverse, endemic forest flora and one of the world's most endangered primates, the golden-headed langur. Cat Ba is a perfect place to relax, and it's less than three hours from Ha Noi. 

Cat Ba island

Visitors stepping off the boats find themselves in Cat Ba Town nestled around a bay filled with colorful fishing boats. Friendly hotels and restaurants border the promenade. The first afternoon is est spent admiring the landscape at the Cat Ba Beach. For dinner, try Xuan Hong floating restaurant next to Beo Harbour, since it serves the best seafood in town.

To sea the golden-headed langur, talk to Mr.Phung at Beo Harbour. Silent and patient observation with the aid of binoculars at 5:00 A.M. may pay off handsomely with the sight of a langur troop feeding on a cliff face seventy meters high. However, getting there requires a three-hour trip. Extending the journey in to a day trip around Lan Ha bay brings the reward of seeing spectacular karst gorges and towers, with small, secluded beaches alongside turquoise water. 

Hotels in town can book a tour of the national park, including a forest trek and a stop at the Trung Trang caves. The most demanding and spectacular day trek leads past Frog Lake, which is surrounded by swamp forests, and continues through primary forests to the fishing village of Viet Hai with a return trip by boat to Cat Ba. 

Another possibility for your Cat Ba trip is to hire a motorbike for VND 100,000 (US$ 5 - price 0f 2013) per day and visit the national park headquarters. From there, Frog Lake is a short trek. Or climb Ngu Lam Peak with its fantastic overview of the karsts landscape and forest ecosystems; the short climb requires only one hour for a roundtrip. A further drive to Phu Long will likely include sightings of shorebirds in the mangrove forests and mudflats or near Kim Cuong cave on Cat Ba island.

- Islands in Vietnam - 

Do Son Beach Travel

Do Son a small peninsula 22.5 kilometers in length between the Lach Tray and Van Uc Rivers, is a famous seaside resort twenty kilometers southwest of Hai Phong and a little over a hundred kilometers from Ha Noi. Thousands of sandalwood trees shade its beaches,  which are surrounded by mountains covered with pines. On summer day, Do Son is alive with tourists from all over the world. Ben Nghien (Sloping Wharf) at the end of Zone II has high-speed ferries running from Do Son Ha Long bay and to Hon Dau and Cat Ba islands.

Do Son beach

Vietnamese say Do Son is like a dragon's head facing a precious stone (Hon Dau island) and that Bach Long Vi island nearby looks as if it were created by the dragon's whisking tail. Do Son’s Tuong Long Tower atop Ngoc Son Mountain dates from the eleventh century. Only the foundation of the ten-story tower remains. However, the inscription on the bricks is clear: ''Ly gia de tam de, Long Thuy Thai Binh tu nien tao'' (The third Ly emperor, the fourth year of Long Thuy Thai Binh [King Ly Thanh Tong]). This would place the date at 1057.

Van Ban Pagoda, once the site of the famous Van Ban Bell, is next to the tower. The bronze bell, one of the oldest in Vietnam, was cast during the Trần Dynasty (1225-1400). It is on display now at the History Museum in Ha Noi. The bell fell in to the sea during a storm and remained there for hundreds of years. Fishermen retrieved it in 1958 near Zone 1 Beach. Scholars believe the bronze contained a high proportion of gold, which protected the bell during its centuries under seawater.

Historical traces also show that the Tran kings used Do Son as a marine base. In 1288, the Vietnamese defeated Yuan - Mongolian invaders, sinking hundreds o their junks during a fierce battle in the mouth of Dai Bang River near Nhi Son Tower.

Tiny Hon Dau island has a temple to a General Nam Hai Than Vuong from the Tran Dynasty (1225-1400), who is a tutelary god protecting fishermen in rough seas. Before fishing trips, sailors stop off at the island to present offerings to secure good luck and increased confidence when facing difficult challenges at sea. Local people honour Nam Hai Than Vuong with an annual festival on the ninth and tenth day of the first lunar month.

In 1741, Nguyen Huu Cau, selected Do Son an a navy camp. The current custom of buffalo fights on the ninth day of the eighth lunar month in conjunction with a festival for the Water God grew from a ceremony Nguyen Huu Cau organised to encourage his solders.

Soon after the French arrived in Hai Phong in the 1870s, the turned Do Son into a summer resort, Vietnam travel destination for themselves and the Vietnamese upper class. Recently, developers have renovated the Vạn Hoa hotel, a French colonial resort near the end of Do Son Peninsula, to create a casino with a view of the Hon Dau island lighthouse four kilometers out to sea.

"Buffalo-fighting" Festival in Do Son

Attractive Do Son travel sites include: Tuong Long Tower, Pearl Temple, Dragon Stream (with remains from the tim of the Ly Dynasty) in Ngoc Hai Ward; Ba De Temple at the foot of Doc Mountain at the end of Xam Wharf in Duyen Hai Ward, a buffalo - fighting festival with the preliminary round during the sixth lunar month and the final matches at the town stadium on the ninth day of the eighth lunar month; the three beaches at Zones I, II, and III, great views from many of the restaurants, ''Wharf Without a Number,'' the starting point of the ''Ho Chi Minh Trail on the Sea'' for ships traveling from the North to the South during the American War in Vietnam, Do Son Casino, formerly Van Hoa Hotel with its French colonial architecture; the market selling fresh shrimps, tiny shrimps, oysters, dried fish, shrimp paste, sharks' fins, and the swimming bladders of conger pikes.

Of special interest is Bao Dai’s Villa on the Vung Hill. In l999, Do Son Tourist Hotel Company renovated the palace, which is about a thousand square meters. Visitors can see the great lounge where Emperor Bao Dai received visitors. They can also view the bedrooms for Queen Nam Phuong and the princes and princesses. The dining room, living room, reading room, royal private kitchen, and wine cellar have also been restores. Visitors can try on costumes like those worn by the king and queen and have their photographs taken as  they sit on a throne.

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