It's been six months since one of the worst storms in years wreaked havoc in central Vietnam, and many poor households in the mountains of Nam Tra My District in Quang Nam Province are struggling to get back to normality. Typhoon Damrey killed 36 people and injured 34, while causing damage worth trillions of dong. On the afternoon of November 6 last year, the slopes of Mount Ong Tuan, which is home to the Ca Dong ethnic minority group, were turned into a burial ground, leaving hundreds of families homeless and almost wiping out the underprivileged area. In the wake of the storm, residents were relocated to a new village called Khe Chu, but still face a serious shortage of infrastructure, houses, fresh water and schools. While the villagers are trying to rebuild their lives, their children are being sent to two temporary classrooms, housed under steel frames and canvas. Ngo, one of the two teachers who works at the "school" in Khe Chu, said the only thing she wants right now is a … [Read more...] about Storm-hit village in central Vietnam in dire need of education access for ethnic children
Central vietnam
A trekking adventure into the heart of central Vietnam
A little under 50 kilometers to the south of Vietnam's former capital Hue, Bach Ma National Park prides itself on offering bold expeditions into the forest. The park is known for its biodiversity, with more than 1,400 species of fauna and flora spread out across 37,000 hectares and guarded by a mountain peak standing 1,430 meters above sea level. It's collection of lakes and waterfalls along the trail attract avid trekkers looking for a one-day adventure. Although a staple of Hue tourism, Bach Ma is visited more by international travelers than locals. Their adventurous nature, unsurprisingly, is cited as the rationale. The adventure starts gently with a drive up the mountain to a 2-floor roundhouse known as Vong Hai Dai that acts as viewpoint and rest-stop. The trail then winds past five pristine lakes and waterfalls. Driving three kilometers down, you reach the starting point of the adventure to the first lake. The seven-kilometer mission is a steep descent down concrete … [Read more...] about A trekking adventure into the heart of central Vietnam
Size doesn’t matter when it comes to eating snails in central Vietnam
These delicate morsels pack a tasty and beautiful punch. Snails might not be the most popular dish among tourists in Vietnam, but they're certainly different. Photo by Ngoisao.net Snails might be considered a bizarre snack in some countries, but in central Vietnam, these tiny, colorful seashells are parts of the local cuisine. These little snails, or oc ruoc in Vietnamese, are farmed at the end of spring and in early summer. They wash up on the beach naturally, but to catch large quantities, fishermen need to go further out to sea and scrape them from the seabed using nets. Oc ruoc are popular in coastal provinces such as Quang Nam, Binh Dinh and Phu Yen, from where they are delivered to markets in Ho Chi Minh City. The snails are then boiled with lemongrass, chili and salt. The colorful shells retain their beauty after being boiled, with all the intricate texture. A can of snails costs 15,000VND ($0.6). Photo by Ngoisao.net Getting the snails out of their … [Read more...] about Size doesn’t matter when it comes to eating snails in central Vietnam
Fire engulfs VPBank office in north-central Vietnam
A trading office of Vietnam Prosperity Joint-Stock Commercial Bank (VPBank) in the north-central province of Quang Binh was engulfed in flames on Sunday evening. The fire broke out at around 7:30 pm at a VPBank office located at 59 To Huu Street in Quang Binh’s capital city of Dong Hoi, according to provincial police. Eyewitnesses reported seeing the fire starting from the four-story building’s first floor, before it grew and spread to the second floor in minutes. Four fire trucks and dozens of firemen accompanied by local police officers were dispatched to the scene to put out the raging fire and prevent it from catching on to adjacent houses. Firefighters managed to get the flames under control after nearly 30 minutes, though by that time the exterior of the office’s first and second floors had been completely burnt down. The exterior of a VPBank office in Dong Hoi City, Quang Binh Province in north-central Vietnam was burnt down after a fire on … [Read more...] about Fire engulfs VPBank office in north-central Vietnam
‘Holy’ fish draws hundreds in north-central Vietnam
Hundreds of locals in a small commune of north-central Nghe An Province have been gathering around a ditch over the past few days to watch a fish with “strange” behaviors they believe to possess divine powers. The aquatic animal started catching attention on February 16, when it was found surfacing by a local who happened to pass by a ditch in Hien Son Commune, in Nghe An’s Do Luong District. Attempts to catch the fish were unsuccessful even with the use of electrofishing equipment, giving rise to rumors that the animal must be a divine being trapped inside the body of a fish. Since then, the curious animal has drawn a crowd of hundreds who gather around its habitat to watch it resurfacing and sinking numerous times in a day. Many even offered fruits, sweets and incense to the “holy fish” to wish for a successful year. Hundreds gather around a ditch in Hien Son Commune, Do Luong District, Nghe An Province in north-central Vietnam to watch a … [Read more...] about ‘Holy’ fish draws hundreds in north-central Vietnam
Passenger bus carrying 29 foreigners burns down in central Vietnam
A passenger bus transporting 29 foreign tourists from Da Nang City to Hue City in central Vietnam was burnt down completely while passing the Hai Van Pass on Thursday morning in a fire that had reportedly broken out from the luggage compartment. All passengers had been evacuated to safety and were not harmed in the incident, police said. The fire started at around 10:00 am on Thursday on a 45-seater passenger bus operated by the Khanh Hoa tourism services company, which offers tours between Da Nang and Hue. When the bus was halfway across the 25-kilometer Hai Van Pass that connects the two cities, its driver, 34-year-old Le Van Quoc, noticed fire and smoke coming from the luggage compartment located beneath the seating area. Quoc promptly pulled the vehicle over and evacuated all 29 foreign passengers to safety, before calling for help from locals to try and put out the fire. As the fire grew too fierce and started catching on nearby plants, locals decided to notify the fire … [Read more...] about Passenger bus carrying 29 foreigners burns down in central Vietnam
Central Vietnam to organize various cultural activities during Tet
Accordingly, fireworks will be displayed at three places, including Nguyen Van Troi Bridge, the Administrative Centers of Lien Chieu and Hoa Vang districts in Da Nang city at 00:00 on February 16 (New Year’s Eve). Photo for illustration Continuing the festivities, a continuous display of water and fire on Dragon Bridge on the evening from February 14 to 18 is hoped to entertain locals and tourists. According to the Da Nang municipal Department of Tourism, the city is expected to receive 285,750 tourists during the Lunar New Year Festival, up by 9.7 percent compared to the same period in 2017. Of the tourists, 132,079 are foreigners, an increase of 27.6 percent against that in 2017. There will be Sun World Ba Na Hills Festival 2018 from February 10 to March 9, a “Fairy World” festival in Sun World Da Nang Wonders between February 16-25, cultural activities organized along two sides of the Han River, including spring flower markets, … [Read more...] about Central Vietnam to organize various cultural activities during Tet
World Bank provides US$118 million for post-disaster reconstruction in central Vietnam
The World Bank has agreed to provide Vietnam with US$118 million of official development assistance (ODA) for disaster relief in the country’s central provinces. A workshop was organized in Quy Nhon, a beach city in the south-central province of Binh Dinh, on Monday to launch the Emergency Natural Disaster Reconstruction Project in several localities in central Vietnam. The event was attended by representatives of the World Bank and Japan International Cooperation Agency, by competent authorities in Vietnam, and leaders of five Vietnamese provinces that are eligible for the program. The localities include Binh Dinh, Quang Ngai, Phu Yen, Ninh Thuan and Ha Tinh, which were previously approved by the prime minister to be the beneficiaries of the project. The five provinces are home to about 5.1 million residents. During the gathering, an agreement was signed between the World Bank and the Vietnamese government, in which the WB will offer a $118 million ODA for disaster relief in … [Read more...] about World Bank provides US$118 million for post-disaster reconstruction in central Vietnam
Backlash over plan to build resort inside marine reserve in central Vietnam
The administration of Quang Ngai Province in central Vietnam has faced opposition after it agreed in principle to the surveying of a large area within a local marine reserve for the construction of a resort. The surveys are to be carried out by Vietnam Infrastructure Investment & Development Joint Stock Company (VIID) on Quang Ngai’s Ly Son Island to complete dossiers for the company’s proposal to invest into a local resort project. The planned resort would encompass an area of around 70 hectares within the Ly Son Marine Reserve and the Binh Chau Global Geopark, the latter of which is being filed for recognition by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). According to Nguyen Anh Tuan, deputy director of VIID’s Quang Ngai office, 80 percent of the project would float on the water’s surface, with only one block of villas built on land next to an existing residential area. There are currently two construction … [Read more...] about Backlash over plan to build resort inside marine reserve in central Vietnam
Backlash over plan to build resort inside marine reserve in south-central Vietnam
The administration of Quang Ngai Province in central Vietnam has faced opposition after it agreed in principle to the surveying of a large area within a local marine reserve for the construction of a resort. The surveys are to be carried out by Vietnam Infrastructure Investment & Development Joint Stock Company (VIID) on Quang Ngai’s Ly Son Island to complete dossiers for the company’s proposal to invest into a local resort project. The planned resort would encompass an area of around 70 hectares within the Ly Son Marine Reserve and the Binh Chau Global Geopark, the latter of which is being filed for recognition by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). According to Nguyen Anh Tuan, deputy director of VIID’s Quang Ngai office, 80 percent of the project would float on the water’s surface, with only one block of villas built on land next to an existing residential area. There are currently two construction … [Read more...] about Backlash over plan to build resort inside marine reserve in south-central Vietnam