Airlines encourage holiday bookings
Viet Nam Airlines and Jetstar Pacific have called for passengers to quickly book seats on flights during the upcoming Lunar New Year Holidays, or Tet, so that they will be able to secure a return to their families on the occasion.
Jetstar accepts ATM card payment
Jetstar Pacific has begun to allow passengers to pay for air tickets through the 1,000 ATMs operated by Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam (BIDV).
Under a joint programme between the budget carrier and BIDV, those who own ATM cards issued by the bank can choose to pay for tickets booked online or via phone. The carrier has recommended that the payment is made within 48 hours of booking and at least 48 hours before the flight.
While the Vietnam National Tourism Administration (VNAT) and Hanoi authorities are to hold a ceremony later this week to announce the 2010 National Tourist Year, the deputy director of the Hanoi Culture, Sports and Tourism Department Mai Tien Dung reveals plans are yet to be approved.
Travel firms are arguing that in order to prepare for the national tourist year they should already have received information so they can negotiate with foreign partners on bringing tourists to Vietnam as well as launching marketing campaigns.
Binh Thuan prepares for Cham festival
Binh Thuan Province is preparing hard for the Kate festival of the Cham people which will be held at Po Sah Inu Tower in Phan Thiet City next weekend.
The festival will feature a procession of palanquins and costumes of Po Sah Inu Goddess, a cake-making contest and an exhibition of brocades and ceramics where visitors can witness the Cham people making them. The festival will also have a series of music and dance performances as well as folk games that tourists can participate in.
We spent a total of six hours in Hue and the most exciting thing that happened was me leaving my jumper on the bus and having to get on a motorbike to the bus station to get it back (much to the drivers disapointment!), oh, and a visit to KFC - yes, that’s right KFC!
Halong Bay was not the experience we were hoping for. We were hoping, as you know, for sunshine and relaxation on a boat sailing through the beautiful islands.
Sapa is very busy and touristy and the H’mong (one of the local tribes)ladies follow you around asking you to buy things from them. Most places we’ve been you hear the crickets or bird song in the background but in Sa Pa it’s “You buy from me? You buy from me?”.
We are currently sitting in hostel number one at 10.45 pm listening to the roar of Vietnamese traffic as it whizzes past (this makes a nice change from looking at each other and the interiors of airports).
Finally, after over 24hrs travelling, we have arrived and are ready to take on Vietnam, so watch this space…
Lots of love to everyone
xxxx
by: Traveler Zoejess
Tonight we are leaving Nha Trang for Hoi An. We got a fancy sleeper bus that leaves at 7.30 and arrives at 7am which I think is the longest bus journey we’ve done so far.
As we speak Taz is being robbed by a local kid who is playing him for money at pool. When you play a local kid at pool/connect 4 you ALWAYS lose. They’re very good at cheating!! We’re in Kim’s cafe mentioned in the blog, so all the money they extort from you goes into a pot to help the cause so it makes you feel better when you lose. The Thai kids had the same idea with thumb wars!
Hi everybody just a very quick one. We’re loving Nha Trang and we’re feeling very perked up after the annoyance of Da Lat. We really like Nha Trang and the weather’s amazing, we’ve both had no prob’s topping up our tan after 5 nights in the mountains on Da Lat. We’ve been sunbathing, eating some really nice food for tea at night (fish!!) and we’ve had a few too many nights out in a row!! It’s all good. Chow for now!! Jemma and Taz x