New bridges inaugurated in Danang — TalkVietnam

They are named Tran Thi Ly, Nguyen Tri Phuong, and ‘Dragon’ to highlight the city’s dynamic growth and Han river, particularly at night.

(VOV) – Three bridges over the Han river in the central city of Danang opened to traffic on March 29 to mark the 38^th anniversary of its Liberation Day.

The 666m-long and 37.5m-wide Dragon bridge has six lanes and two 2.5m-wide sidewalks, installed with a modern lighting system and other equipment capable of releasing bursts of fire at night and spraying water during the days of majorfestivals and during the weekends.

Overall construction started in July 2009 at an estimated cost of VND1,700 billion.

With eight modern bridges spanning the Han River, Danang is credited as “a city of bridges”.

Ham Rong (Dragon) bridge

New bridges inaugurated in Danang — TalkVietnam

US Navy ships arrive in Danang

April 24, 2012

The Vietnamese Navy welcomed three US Navy ships in the central city of Danang on April 23.


The USS Blue Ridge, USS Chafee and USNS Safeguard docked at Tien Sa
Port at noon, beginning a five-day friendship visit to Vietnam.
The US naval delegation, consisting of 1,891 officers and crew
members, will share experiences in diving, ocean salvage and rescue work
with their Vietnamese counterparts.
They will also pay courtesy visits to Danang’s leaders and take part
in friendly sporting events with local students and navy sailors.
Photos of the ships at Tien Sa port:

VOV

Five more airlines open routes to Vietnam | Look At Vietnam

Five more airlines open routes to Vietnam

April 22, 2012

An additional five airlines have registered to launch or resume flights to Vietnam between now and the end of this year.
They include Air Hong Kong, Jeju Air (the Republic of Korea), Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudi Arabia), United Airlines (the US), and Air China Cargo (China).
Silk Airlines of Singapore, which is currently conducting flights to Danang, is also keen on opening an air route to Hanoi.
According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV), as many as 48 foreign airlines are operating in Vietnam. In 2011, about five million visitors travelled to Vietnam by air, up 35 percent over the previous year.
Vietnam is upgrading infrastructure at Noi Bai, Cam Ranh and Danang Airports, and implementing a project to build Long Thanh Airport to meet the increasing demand for passenger and cargo transport.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) forecast that by 2014, Vietnam will be the world’s third fastest growing market for international passengers and freight. The country’s aviation growth will likely reach 10 percent in the next three years, doubling the 2011 global average of 5 percent.
Vietnam Airlines to open Berlin-Hanoi direct flight
The national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines plans to launch a direct flight from Berlin to Hanoi on June 25.
The information was announced by Nghiem Van Khanh, chief representative of Vietnam Airlines in Berlin, during a meeting with Vietnamese Ambassador to Germany, Do Hoa Binh, on April 18.
According to Khanh, the planned direct flight from Berlin to Hanoi is part of activities to mark the inauguration of Brandenburg Airport on June 3.
Vietnam Airlines will sell tickets (895 Euros, including 40kg luggage) through East Sea Travel Germany. Passengers on the first flight on June 25 can fly back to Germany via regular flights from Hanoi to Frankfurt, where they can travel free of charge by train to their final destination in the country.
Ambassador Binh highly valued the opening of the direct flight, saying that it will help promote Vietnam Airlines’ image and contribute to the fruitful relationship between Vietnam and Germany.
VOV/VNA

Chartered flights to central Vietnam on the rise | Look At Vietnam - Vietnam news daily update

Chartered flights to central Vietnam on the rise | Look At Vietnam - Vietnam news daily update: "VietNamNet Bridge
- The number of chartered flights to central Vietnam is jumping between now and
the Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday compared to a year ago, according to the
Danang-based tour operator Vi-tours and the aviation authority.



Vitours director Cao Tri Dung estimated local and foreign
airlines had 12 to 15 charter flights from China,
Hong Kong, Taiwan,
Korea and elsewhere in Asia
to Danang International Airport
alone in the period, with more than half of them catered to by Vitours.



Dung told the Daily on the phone on Monday that the number
of chartered flights to the region in the period would triple or quadruple that
in the year-ago period. This substantial increase is attributable to the fact
that more foreign travel agencies are choosing central Vietnam as a new destination for
their guests, coupled with a recovery of global travel demand.



“They (foreign travel agencies) charter flights for their
customers to Phuket and Bali in previous years and now is the time for them to
visit central Vietnam,”
Dung said. He added this region was able to meet requirements for accommodation
and entertainment, as it was now home to many luxury properties and
UNESCO-listed heritage sites, including the former imperial capital of Hue and the Phong
Nha-Ke Bang
Caves in Quang Binh Province.



Dung said over half of the chartered flights to central
Vietnam were operated by Vietnam Airlines from such markets as Korea, Hong Kong
and Japan, and the rest by TransAsia Airways of Taiwan and other foreign
carriers.



The Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam (CAAV) said
Shanghai Airlines had suspended services to Danang
International Airport,
but this did not result in a reduction in frequencies of chartered flights to one
of the four international airports in central Vietnam. The others in the region
are Phu Bai, Cam Ranh and Chu Lai airports.



CAAV demonstrated that Russia’s
Vladivostok Air had kicked off their chartered flights from Vladivostok
and Khabarovsk to Cam
Ranh International
Airport in Khanh Hoa Province.



About one month ago, Vietnam Airlines started a series of
more than 40 flights chartered by the international travel firm Vietlink from Hong Kong and Danang until early May next year, using the
184-seat Airbus A321 aircraft.



Dung of Vitours said over the past years, Vietnam Airlines
and other carriers had operated their medium-sized aircraft with 160 to 180
seats for the chartered flights to and from Danang with an average load factor
of 70%.



Dung said the visitors using chartered flights often stayed
four to five days exploring services and destinations in central Vietnam,
and spent much money on services and products there.



Attracting visitors to central Vietnam on chartered flights
promises a bright future because the number of scheduled flights to the region
remains limited. Singapore’s
SilkAir now has four weekly flights to Danang while Vietnam Airlines has
launched its daily HCMC-Tokyo service with a stopover in the central city.



Dung said Vitours had invested US$40,000-50,000 this year on
promotion and support programs in order to bring more chartered flights to
Danang, or double the amount the company spent last year.



- Sent using Google Toolbar"

Accor to develop 5 Pullman Hotels in Vietnam

Accor extends footprint in Vietnam

Accor has announced two new developments for its 5-star Pullman hotel brand in Vietnam - Pullman Danang Beach and Pullman Hai Phong Flamboyant Island Resort. Accor has commitments to develop five Pullman hotels in Vietnam: Pullman Vung Tau, Pullman Danang Beach and Pullman Hanoi Horison are scheduled to open in 2011; and Pullman Saigon Centre and Pullman Hai Phong Flamboyant Islan Publish Post d Resort are due to open in 2013

Vietnam inaugurates world’s longest, highest cable car system - Vietnam inaugurates world’s longest, highest cable car system

The Guinness World Records organization has recognized two world records set by the Ba Na Cable Car System in the central city of Danang – the longest single-string cable car system with the biggest height gap between its departure and arrival stations.
The telpherage, which has a total length of more than 5,042m and a height difference of more than 1,291m between its upper and lower stations, was officially inaugurated on March 25 in the presence of State President Nguyen Minh Triet and many other Vietnamese and foreign senior officials.

The system has 22 pillars and 94 cabs to connect the foot of Mountain Ba Na and the peak of Mountain Vong Nguyet within the Ba Na - Suoi Mo tourism area, and can transport 1,500 passengers per hour.

It takes 15.05 minutes to travel safely between the two stations by the system while it takes up to 55 minutes to reach Vong Nguyet through a rough, long and sinuous road.

The cable car system, worth nearly US$300 billion, was built to European standards with Austrian technology and equipment imported from Germany, Switzerland, and Sweden.

Tourists to Ba Na will be served drinks inside each cab as well as at the two stations, which were built as modern centres for recreation and restaurant services.

On April 30, the Ba Na Cable Car Service Company will put into use another system that connects the two peaks of Vong Nguyet and Ba Na.

These telpherage systems are expected to boost the economy of Danang city, which has great potential for tourism./.

Beauty and the beach

Lang Co is a quiet but breathtaking beach that so far has avoided the tourist boom, but for how long can this beach stay off the beaten track?

I’m probably not the only traveller who on the road to Danang from Hue has whizzed past a pristine, beautiful beach without even knowing it. For years Lang Co has been Vietnam’s most conspicuous secret. I first spotted this stretch of white sand going over the Hai Van Pass. I remember thinking I would find out where this beach was and check it out on my next trip. Lang Co is only 40 kilometres from Danang – not that much further than the highly popular Cua Dai beach. Three years ago, however, it took forty minutes just to conquer Hai Van pass in a large tourist bus. The climb over Hai Van, which means pass of the ocean clouds, was notoriously treacherous. Break downs and accidents were common. Now the drive to Lang Co from Danang takes less than an hour, thanks to the opening of Hai Van Tunnel, the longest road tunnel in Southeast Asia. Accidents have occurred in the tunnel but it is much safer than driving over the pass with heavy trucks, buses and cars driving on a steep, winding road. By taking the tunnel road you will miss that magical feeling as you move through the cloud at the top of the pass as well as overlooking the cobalt sea below. However you will get to Lang Co quicker and there you can dive into the very same cobalt sea while soaking up the spectacular views of the swaying pine trees and majestic mountains that lie inland. The beach, which seemingly runs endlessly, (a local claims it’s over 10km long), is also uncommonly empty. There are no hawkers, no postcard sellers or large groups of tourists. This is a hassle free paradise. At midday in the restaurant at Lang Co Beach Resort you might find group of tourists stopping for lunch, who are either on their way to the former Imperial City of Hue or Hoi An. With the waiters occupied I decide to have lunch later on and stroll along the beach. Though it isn’t long before I find a hammock and decide there’s no need to be too ambitious when I have everything I need. Happily I loll under the shadow of the palm trees and enjoy the sound and the smell of the sea breeze. It’s no exaggeration to say this is a heavenly experience for an urban dweller. Just yesterday I was breathing in toxic fumes while stuck in a traffic jam. Nearly 100 years ago, Emperor Khai Dinh was inspired by the beauty of Lang Co. He composed a poem to describe the area on a stone, which is preserved in a rarely visited mall village nearby. However, Lang Co might not be a hidden charm for long. Local authorities hope that it will become a member of The Most Beautiful Bays of the World Club. Currently there are just a few resorts and a small number of guest houses. The largest is Lang Co Beach Resort with 70 spacious and private villas built in traditional Hue style. Right next door is Thanh Tam, a small resort which is currently expanding. In the distance bulldozers are levelling ground for the construction of luxury resorts. The Singapore-based Banyan Tree group is said to be building a $1 billion resort in the area, featuring more than 1,200 rooms and a golf course. For the time being it’s just you and Mother Nature. All around Lang Co you can discover canyons, mountain springs and lagoons nestled in a tropical forest. One local I meet tells me I can go night fishing with local fishermen. The thought of fishing reminds me it’s lunchtime. Seafood is foremost on my mind. Off the coast of Lang Co I’m told you can find lobster, crabs, squid and clams. Yet, there are no seafood restaurants on the beach. I walk towards Thanh Tam Resort but I’d rather enjoy seafood away from a resort. My friends have already consulted our driver who assures us he knows just the spot. We drive back towards Danang and just before the entry into Hai Van tunnel, there’s a line of seafood restaurants on the banks of a lagoon. We choose Be Den, a rustic looking spot with a stunning panoramic view of the lagoon and majestic mountains above. A nice setting though the service at first is worryingly incompetent. Judging by the crowd the restaurant is well known to tour operators, truck drivers and expats living in the locale. At lunchtime the flustered staff can hardly cope. Our first waitress answers ‘yes’ as if she heard our order clearly but then she disappears without a trace and our dish never materialises. When we complain to another waitress about the service, she quickly turns the tables and barks at us: “You should have ordered all your dishes at once. We can not serve you plate by plate. We have a lot of customers to serve!” The seafood however is fresh and delicious. We order steamed squid, grilled clams, grilled shrimp, crab in tamarind sauce and plenty of Saigon beer to quench our thirst. Soon everyone is completely stuffed. Well, not everyone. For dessert one of my travelling companions orders another plate of steamed squid. “Hey, it’s really delicious and sweet,” he says in his defence.