Journey through hallowed ground

So he can finally segue into the next life. The ceremony is one of Vietnam's most sacred death rituals, an ancient custom usually carried out before the Tet Lunar New Year, which falls in early February this year, as the final act in life's journey. Many Vietnamese, especially in the north, honor their dead with reburials - normally three years after their loved ones are first laid to rest. Modernity is chipping away at the tradition with cremations preferred as a more simple, clean and cheap passage into the afterlife. For Thang's relatives, however, meeting his wishes of a reburial three years after he died of cancer aged 59 was never in question. "Finally, he can rest in his nice new home. I feel so blessed and happy," said his wife Ha Thi Thua from his graveside at a cemetery on the outskirts of Hanoi. The hours-long ceremonies are not for the impatient - or faint of heart. Beginning in the evening, a shaman makes offerings to the spirit guardian and the deceased - in Thang's case, … [Read more...] about Goodbye, again: Vietnam’s reburials send souls on final journey

Take a peek into the past to see how the cherished traditional Tet looked like. The Tet rush usually starts a month before the clock strikes Lunar New Year, with people busy shopping, preparing for the homecoming, cleaning and decorating houses, and cooking Tet specialties, and the celebration can last to another month after the official holiday. Yet many are arguing Tet is losing its magic amid the modern fast-paced life, and whether the country should abandon the long-standing festival and its accompanying “exhaustion”, joining the rest of the world to celebrate only the Gregorian New Year instead. Others on the other hand, are trying to revive the flavors of Tet to prove how it has been a sacred, venerable tradition passed on for centuries that should be kept for the next generations. While the debate spirals on, take a look back at the Tet spirit in Hanoi almost a century ago, before the wars, the Subsidy Period and then the modern lifestyle rolled in. … [Read more...] about A journey through time: Old photos of Tet in Hanoi 90 years ago

Vietnam appeals to tourists in many ways, and there’s one way where you can just sit, stare and take in all its beauty: a train journey. The U.K.-based Telegraph recently selected its 10 best train journeys in Asia for 2018, and two of them are in Vietnam. Travelers can take a trip on the Reunification Express that winds north-south down Vietnam’s coast connecting Hanoi and Saigon and all points in between in just 36 hours. Those with more time can hop off along the way and dig deeper into coastal towns to feel the sand and local life in Da Nang, Hoi An or Nha Trang. Rural and natural landscapes dominate the 1,600km (1,000 miles) journey on a “pastoral parade of pagodas, paddies and conical farmers hats,” said the Telegraph. Last year, travel publisher Rough Guides also named the route one of the most scenic in Asia, where one can watch buffalos grazing in rice paddies and fishermen casting their nets in the sea as well as deserted white beaches and lush … [Read more...] about Telegraph names top 10 train journeys in Asia, and 2 of them are in Vietnam