Chuck Kuhn's Asia in Photos: Vietnam latest news | Government bans use of phrase 'China Beach'

Friday, August 3, 2012

Vietnam latest news | Government bans use of phrase 'China Beach'

Government bans use of phrase 'China Beach'

Last Updated: Friday, July 27, 2012 11:00:00

The website of Thang Long Travel company in Hanoi uses the phrase “China Beach” to refer to Da Nang Beach.
Vietnam's Ministry of Information and Communication threatened to shut down any tourism website that refer to Da Nang's coastline as “China Beach.”
By Thursday morning, several firms, including the Hanoi-based Asia Eyes Travel JSC, had amended their English-language descriptions of the destination from “Da Nang - China Beach” to “Da Nang - The white sandy beach.”
Many others had failed to heed the warning, including of the DH and Thang Long travel companies and a taxi service based in Da Nang, VnExpressreported.
The companies refused to comment on their websites' language when contacted by VnExpress.
Nguyen Van Tuan, head of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, said he planned to send a statement to municipal and provincial tourism authorities, international tour operators, and hotels from three to five stars, demanding that they refer to Da Nang's beaches by their Vietnamese names.
“To describe Da Nang's beaches as “China Beach” is unacceptable," Tuan said. "It creates a misunderstanding about some of Vietnam’s most beautiful beaches.”
Vice minister Do Quy Doan said the ministry planned to shut down Vietnamese websites that failed to make the necessary corrections, without providing a specific deadline.
Doan also expressed concern that foreign-owned websites have used the improper description, making the error more difficult to rectify.

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They say "

“I can’t say what made me fall in love with Vietnam - that a woman’s voice can drug you; that everything is so intense. The colors, the taste, even the rain. Nothing like the filthy rain in London. They say whatever you’re looking for, you will find here. They say you come to Vietnam and you understand a lot in a few minutes, but the rest has got to be lived. The smell: that’s the first thing that hits you, promising everything in exchange for your soul. And the heat. Your shirt is straightaway a rag. You can hardly remember your name, or what you came to escape from. But at night, there’s a breeze. The river is beautiful. You could be forgiven for thinking there was no war; that the gunshots were fireworks; that only pleasure matters. A pipe of opium, or the touch of a girl who might tell you she loves you. And then, something happens, as you knew it would. And nothing can ever be the same again.”
― Graham Greene, The Quiet American

Tips on Travel to Vietnam

It's always warm in Southeast Asia apart from high mountains, so leave the heavy clothing at home. Cotton and breathable fabrics are always better than synthetics -- although cotton does wrinkle a lot when traveling! December through April is roughly the dry season in that region, although it can still rain a little. December is a good time to go in terms of temperature -- cooler than in the humid summertime. Either way, wearing more clothing (shirt sleeves and long pants) is always more respectful towards the Asian culture, especially when visiting temples and rural areas.