LOTUSDELTA.COM

Vietnam Hanoi tour operators

lotusdelta — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 17:34:58 +0000

There are about three hundred tour operators and travel agents in Hanoi, Vietnam. Some of these tour operators, travel agents are still operational while other are inactive. There are lots of so called “tour operators” who are also registered but don’t have an international license. How will you be able to find out the right Hanoi tour operator who responds to your travel needs.

I have spent almost twenty years working in the tourism field. I worked for many reliable travel agents and tour operators such as Exotissimo or Lotussia Travel. But it is still quite hard for you to tell you which company you should pick. This is because each company is specialized in some tours, activities that other are weak at.

First of all, you should know what you will look for, which activities you will be interested the most. Hanoi tour operators offer a wide selection of tours and activities ranging from classic touring to challenging tours. These tours can fit individual, small groups, family or groups. Therefore, each Hanoi tour operator usually specializes in a specific activity such as sightseeing culture tour, bicycle tour, kayaking tour, motorcycle tour or multisport trip vacations.

Then you will need to define the destination you will visit. Northern Vietnam has lots to offer. If you would like to go to the beach, then the southern Vietnam will be the best option. One of the best beach in Vietnam is the Phu Quoc Island beach and the Mui Ne beach. The Nha Trang beach is also very beautiful. If you would prefer something more adventurous, challenging, then jungle trekking or mountain biking may respond to your needs. Good trekking tours, mountain biking tours can be arranged in Mai Chau, Tam Coc, Bac Ha, Ha Giang, Cao Bang.

An experienced travel consultant will not send you a proposal immediately he/she receives your request. The travel consultant needs to know how long your vacation to Vietnam will be and how big your group size will be. And based on the trip length, the travel consultant will suggest his/her proposal.

The most important thing you should know before you book your trip with a local tour operator: make sure that you contact a licensed Hanoi tour operator who can provide both the company business registration and the international travel license. A business registration and a legal stamp will be delivered to a company when its creation is approved by the local authorities for planning and investment. Therefore an international travel license is another thing. This document is granted by the Vietnamese Department of Culture, Sport and Tourism. In order that a company could have a travel license, the managing director needs to have spent at least 5 years in other licensed tour company. If a tour operator is licensed, the company usually publishes this document on its website. Or you can ask them to provide a scanned copy.

Bangkok Thailand Floods (Update Nov 7th 2011)

lotusdelta — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 09:43:57 +0000

The flooding situation in Thailand is mainly affecting the central provinces along the Chao Phraya River including Bangkok and Ayutthaya. Other popular tourist destinations in the central region including Pattaya, Hua Hin, Kanchanaburi and Ko Chang have not been affected by the floods. Tourist destinations in the south of Thailand including Phuket, Krabi, Surat Thani, Ko Samui, Hat Yai and Phang-Nga; and in the north including Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and Sukhothai, also have not been affected by the floods.

Flood waters in Ayutthaya and some other central provinces have begun to subside, although many areas are not yet fully accessible. Tourist attractions in Ayutthaya will reopen once they have been restored.

Events relating to Loy Krathong, an ancient tradition that has been celebrated since the Sukhothai Era, will still take place in many locations throughout Thailand including Sukhothai, Chiang Mai, Tak, Hat Yai and Surat Thani during November 8th to 10th. Some Loy Krathong events have been cancelled in Bangkok, Ayutthaya and Suphanburi due to the flood.

Situation in Bangkok:

Areas flooded in the Bangkok Metropolitan Area includes suburbs in the east and west, the west bank of the Chao Phraya River, and districts in the northern part of the city. In central Bangkok, businesses, hotels, shops and tourist attractions remain open as per normal in areas including:

•   Khao San Road
•   Ratchaprasong (Central World area)
•   Phetchaburi Road
•   Sathorn
•   Ploenchit/ Chidlom
•   Siam Square/ MBK/ Siam Paragon
•   Pratunam
•   Silom/ Surawongse
•   Rama 1 Road
•   Sukhumvit Road/ The Emporium
•   Rama 4 Road
•   Yaowarat (Chinatown)

Given the rapidly changing nature of the flooding situation in Bangkok, visitors should also check multiple sources of information to make an informed decision about whether they should visit central Bangkok at the present time.

The BTS Skytrain and MRT subway are operating normally at this time. Visitors are advised to check with the BTS and MRT regarding the current status of their operations. Taxis and tuk tuks are available as per usual. Many BMTA bus routes have been rerouted or suspended due to the flooding. Express boat services on the Chao Phraya River have also been suspended, as have most water-related tourist activities.

Transportation:

Airports:

Bangkok is served by two airports. Suvarnabhumi Airport, the main gateway to Thailand with 120 international and domestic airlines, remains open. It has considerable flood protection measures in place. Suvarnabhumi Airport is also the main connector for international arrivals to domestic flights serving tourist destinations throughout Thailand such as Phuket, Chiang Mai and Surat Thani. Domestic flights are operating as per normal between Suvarnabhumi Airport and other airports in Thailand.

Transportation to and from the airport into central Bangkok including taxis, buses and the Airport Rail Link have not been affected by the floods and are operating normally. Highways from the airport to tourist destinations southeast of Bangkok such as Pattaya, Rayong and Ko Chang are open.

Don Mueang Airport, the old international airport, is closed due to flooding. The two domestic airlines operating from Don Mueang have temporarily switched their operations to Suvarnabhumi Airport.

A “Tourist Assistance Center” is set up on the 3rd floor of Airport Rail Link’s Makkasan Station to facilitate tourists’ transport from hotels in central Bangkok to the airport. TAT and Thai Hotels Association (THA) are providing free transportation from hotels to Makkasan Station. The Tourist Police will assist tourists at Makkasan Station and at the airport. Tourists who would like to use this service can contact the Tourist Assistance Center via the TAT Call Center at 1672, or the Tourist Police at 1155.

State Railway of Thailand and inter-provincial bus services:

State Railway of Thailand (SRT) and inter-provincial bus services are operating as per usual in areas that are not affected by the floods. In Bangkok and other areas affected by the floods, the SRT and inter-provincial bus service operators are adjusting their routes to best serve passengers given the disruptions caused by the flooding. Inter-provincial buses from Bangkok to southern provinces are leaving from a temporary station with shuttle services to and from the Southern Bus Terminal, also known as Sai Tai Mai.

Train services to northeastern Thailand are operating as per normal. Train services to the northern provinces are operating between Hua Lamphong station in central Bangkok and Chiang Mai. Trains to the north are being rerouted around flooded areas, adding approximately two hours of travel time. Train services to the southern provinces are operating from Hua Lamphong station or Nakhon Pathom if required due to flooding in Bangkok’s western suburbs. The SRT is providing shuttle bus services between Hua Lamphong station and Nakhon Pathom when needed. Travelers are advised to check in advance with these operators and may want to consider flying to their destinations within Thailand.

Accommodation:

For Tourist who would like to move to /check in at hotel in unaffected area in Bangkok and other city of Thailand, Check out the below information(một số khu vực an toàn dành cho du khách muốn thay đổi khách sạn) Sukhumvit Area, Siam Square Area, Pratunam Area, Khaosan Area, Silom Area, Sathorn Area, Suvarnabhumi Airport Area, Petchburi Area, Ploenchit / Chidlom Area, China Town Area, Ratchaprasong Area

Attractions:

•   Future Park Rangsit closed
•   Dream World closed
•   Central Pinklao closed
•   Central Ramindra closed
•   Central Ladprao closed
•   Chatuchak weekend market closed
•   Fashion Island closed
•   The Mall Bang Kae closed

Transportation:

ROAD: Highway 32, also known as The Asian Highway (AH-2), in central Thailand is partly affected by the floods. Inter-provincial buses between Bangkok and the north and northeast of Thailand are operating, but subject to detours and extended travel times.

In Northern Bangkok, the roads closed are:

1. Vibhavadi Road – (inbound) Memorial Intersection to Laksi Intersection – (outbond) from Laksi Intersection
2. Phaholyothin Rd (inbound and outbound), from Memorial Intersection to Phaholyothin 50.
3. Kamphaengphet 6 Rd (inbound and outbound) from Muang Ake Village to Thung Song Hong Estate.
4. Songprapha Rd (both sides) from Srisamarn Intersection
5. Cherdvuthakat Rd (both sides)
6. Veruvanaram Rd (both sides)
7. Liab Khlong Song Rd (both sides) from Saphan Poon Intersection to Intersection in front of Royal Thai Airforce’s unit
8. Chantarubeksa Rd (both sides) from Navy Academy to Chatarubeksa Intersection
9. Kosoom Ruamjai Rd
10. Dechatungka Rd
11. Chaeng Wattana Rd (Soi 14)
12. Chaeng Wattana Road from Lak Si intersection to Khlong Prapa intersection
13. Ngam Wong Wan Road from the Esso petrol station to Phong Phet intersection
14. Watcharapol Road from Persmin Intersection to the Rattanakosin Sompote Road
15. Permsin Road, which links Soi Phaholyothin 54/1 to Sukhapibal 5 Road
16. Sukhapibal 5 Road
17. Vibhavadi Rangsit Road have been closed to traffic from the Samian Naree Temple onward
18. Intersection to the Ratchavibha Interchange
19. Ratchayothin intersection on Vibhavadi-Rangsit
20. Phahon Yothin roads
21. Phraya Suren road
22. Thoet Rachanroad
23. Chaeng Wattana Soi 5
24. Chang Akat Uthit roads
25. Vibhavadi Rangsit road from Lat Phrao intersection to Sutthisarn intersection

In west Bangkok, the roads closed are:

1. Charansanidvongse Rd (both sides) from Bang Phlad Intersection to Rama VII Bridge
2. Sirindhorn Rd (both sides) from Bang Phlad Intersection to Sirindhorn elevated road
3. Arun Amarin Rd (both sides) from Arun Amarin Intersection to Siriraj Hospital
4. Borom Raja Chonnanee Rd (both sides) from Pinklao Bridge Sirindhorn elevated road
5. Borom Raja Chonnanee Rd (both sides) from Buddhamondhol 3 Intersection to Buddhamondhol 4 Intersection
6. Utthayan Rd (both sides) from Utthayan Intersection to Buddhamondhol 3 Intersection
7. Sala Thammasop Rd (both sides)
8. Charansanidvongse Rd (both sides) from Borom Raja Chonnanee Intersection to Bang Khunnon Intersection
9. Elevated frontage road (both sides) from Taling Chan to Buddhamondhol III
10. Buddhamondhol III (both sides) from Borom Raja Chonnanee Intersection to Utthayan Intersection
11. Utthayan Road
12. Salathummasop Road
13. Kanchanaphisek road (from Khlong Mahasawat bridge to Khlong Bang Phai)
14. Ratchaphruek road (Khlong Mahasawat to Boromratchonnanee road)
15. Suan Phak road (the Kanchana intersection to Saphan Kham Thang Rot Fai)
16. Bang Ramat road (Kanchana road to Ratchaphruek road)
17. Thawi Watthana road (Khlong Thawi Wattana to Kanchanaphisek)
18. Phutthamonthon Sai 1 (from the southern railway transport station to Khlong Bang Phai)
19. Thung Mangkon road (Boromratchonnanee to Suan Phak road)
20. Chim Phli road (the Thung Mangkon intersection to the Taling Chan police station)
21. Chaiyaphruk road (Boromratchonnanee road to Wat Chaiyaphruk)
22. Bang Waek road (Khlong Thawi Watthana to the Bang Sao Thong police station)

Chatuchak market open as usual:

The Chatuchak weekend market is still open as usual although floodwater is swelling through the drains at a section next to the army’s Land Transport Department on Phahon Yothin road, market’s deputy director Tinakorn Rujirong announced on Sunday. Pumps are being used to drain water out and keep the market dry.

Vehicles can enter the market through Gate No 1. About 50 per cent of the shops have been opened.

The water level outside the market this morning was 50-60 centimetres high.

The floodwater in the municipality area of Nakhon Sawan has dropped to a normal level but is still inundating four outlying districts, governor Chairote Meedaeng said on Sunday. In the four districts still flooded, the water is being pumped into the rivers and expected to be completely drained out next month, when cultivation of crops and trade are also expected to resume. All main roads leading to Nakhon Sawan are now usable, except some secondary roads which are still flooded. The governor said Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra visited the province yesterday and handed over part of compensation amounting to about 300 million baht to about 70,000 flood-hit families. About 500 roads, 500 temples and 900,000 rai of farmland have been damaged by floods. Rehabilitation and repair work will be carried out to bring them back to normal as soon as possible, Mr Chairote said.

Floodwaters subside from most part of Ayutthaya. The TV Station played footage of dry roads in the central province and showed people started cleaning up the areas around their houses. The provincial administration planned a big cleaning day on November 10, which was initially planned for Loy Krathong celebration.

Images of a Thai Airways International Airbus stranded in deep floodwater at Don Mueang airport have caused misconceptions among many people outside Thailand that Bangkok is closed to air traffic. That has frustrated both airlines and the management of Suvarnabhumi Airport, the country’s gateway, where it is business as usual and flood prevention defences are said to be very strong. They point fingers at the media, particularly international news outlets, which have made insufficient effort to tell their audiences that Thailand has two airports and that the main one is still functioning normally. “As long as [the media] flash images of planes stranded at Don Mueang, and don’t clearly state that the main airport, Suvarnabhumi, is functioning, then we will see more and more visitors shying away, adding insult to injury,” said Somchai Sawasdeepon, senior executive vice-president of Airports of Thailand Plc (AoT).

Executives of Centara Hotels & Resorts, one of Thailand’s largest hospitality operators, agreed that most people outside Thailand were not aware that the flooding affected only Don Mueang. However, they said that Asian tourists were already shifting to other countries and European tourists were postponing trips to unaffected areas including Phuket, Samui, Krabi and Chiang Mai. They complained that the government, the Tourism Authority of Thailand and the Ministry of Tourism and Sports were not doing enough to dispel the misconception.

Mr Somchai, also the acting general manager of Suvarnabhumi Airport, reaffirmed his confidence that the main airport was capable of dealing with floods, though he believed the likelihood of water reaching Suvarnabhumi was low. He took journalists to inspect the flood prevention facilities at the airport on Friday. However, many photographers chose positions that resulted in images of aircraft approaching and taking off above the reservoir adjacent to the airport. Those pictures were widely circulated over the weekend.

With floodwaters receding, people in Uthai Thai province and in Pathum Thani’s Lat Lum Kaeo district have started cleaning up their residences. As of Monday, the water level near Uthai Thani municipality, crowded with markets and department stores, was continuously receding. Some areas were even dry. People in the area were seen cleaning their houses and shops as well as fixing belongings damaged during the inundation. Two months have passed since their lives and businesses were brought to a halt by the major flooding.

However communities near the Sakaekrang River and nearby areas are still facing water varying in height from 40 to 80 centimetres. Some areas such as Koh Te Poh, Sakaekrang, Ta Sung, Namsung and Neonjang precincts are still under one-to-two metres of water and people have to travel by boat.

In Pathum Thani’s Lat Lum Kaeo district as well, flooding is receding and people living in higher areas are seeing dry patches. As people begin cleaning their houses and belongings, people flocked to buy cleaning materials. Shop owner Kamponsak Chantasirilak said his stocks of certain cleaning supplies quickly ran out as the floodwater decreased.Some of those whose cars were submerged were seen spreading motor parts on the roadside to dry.

Source: Tourism Authority of Thailand

ASEAN visa concept offers benefits for tourism

lotusdelta — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 06:28:25 +0000

ASEAN foreign ministers at their 44th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting in Bali recently agreed to study the common visa proposal further, said Widya Rahmanto, an official of the Indonesian Foreign Ministry’s ASEAN Cooperation Directorate General.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono of Indonesia, which holds the current ASEAN Chair, hoped the upcoming ASEAN Summit would agree on the proposed common visa so an official study could be started in 2012, he said.

According to Widya, the ASEAN common visa system is expected to have a positive impact on tourism in the region, because the sector is one of 11 sectors given priority in ASEAN`s scheme to accelerate liberalisation of its market.

An in-depth study on a common ASEAN visa is a must because there are many internal issues that must be addressed first, such as online visa system and coordination among relevant agencies of member countries, he said.

The common visa policy could be applied in stages, Widya said, emphasising that before ASEAN could adopt a common visa system for visitors from non-ASEAN countries, it must first agree on visa arrangements for its own peoples.

In line with “ASEAN Tourism Strategic Plan (ATSP) 2011-2015″ adopted at the 14th Meeting of the ASEAN Tourism Ministers held in Phnom Penh , Cambodia last January, ASEAN member countries have agreed to intensify the promotion of their tourist destinations within ASEAN.

The ATSP is expected to contribute to the overall goals of the ASEAN Community by 2015 through promotion of growth, integration and competitiveness of the tourism sector and at the same time deepen social and cultural understanding as well as facilitating travel into and within ASEAN.

Currently, ASEAN member countries, except Cambodia and Laos, apply a visa-free policy among themselves, particularly to boost intra-ASEAN tourism.

Last year ASEAN attracted more than 65 million visitors, posting a healthy 12 percent growth. Intra-ASEAN travel, meanwhile, continued to be a major share of tourists, making up 45 percent of total international arrivals.

Founded in 1967, ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

An air raid shelter found at the landmark Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi

admin — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 04:49:51 +0000

A long-forgotten air raid shelter was found earlier this week at the landmark Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi when construction workers, who laid the foundation of a new garden bar, struck the shelter’s roof.

After excavating more than two meters of earth and reinforced concrete and then jack-hammering through a 278-millimeter ceiling, the hotel opened the hatch on a warren of flooded corridors, chambers and stairways.

In August, the hotel’s general manager, Kai Speth, and his chief engineer dropped through a square meter-wide hole bored into the ceiling, illuminating a subterranean space of nearly 40 square meters.

They found an old wine bottle, a still-intact light bulb, air ducts, graffiti and eerie echoes of a war that ended almost four decades ago and that raged all about this shelter during the so-called Christmas Bombings, the U.S. terror bombing of Hanoi and Haiphong in particular from December 18-30 in 1972.

No related posts.

Mekong Delta Vietnam Weather

admin — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 07:35:08 +0000

cruise mekong delta Vietnam

The Mekong Delta Vietnam, as a region, lies immediately to the west of Ho Chi Minh City, roughly forming a triangle stretching from MY Tho in the east to Chau Doc and Ha Tien in the northwest, down to Ca Mau and the South China Sea at the southernmost tip of Vietnam, and including the island of Phu Quoc.

Being a low-lying coastal region, the Mekong Delta is particularly susceptible to floods resulting from rises in sea level due to climate change.

Same with Ho Chi Minh City, Mekong Delta Region has a tropical climate. The average humidity level is 68%, average temperature is 26 ~ 28 °C. The city is generally warm, and has a rainy season from May to November and a dry season from December to April. The best time to travel to Mekong delta is from June to September.

Hoian Vietnam Weather

admin — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 07:12:26 +0000

Japanese Bridge Hoian ancient town Vietnam

Hoi An was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999, and a visit to this old-world gem is a sure cultural highlight of any tour in Vietnam. From the 16th to the 18th century, the city was Vietnam’s most important port and trading post, particularly of ceramics with nearby China.

Hoi An is located in a tropical monsoon climate. Temperatures are high and less changing. Each year has two seasons: the rainy season lasts from August to December and dry season from January to July. In the rainy season is often rainy and very humid climate, located beside the sea so often affected by tropical depressions and storms in the last months of year. Therefore, this season is often not suitable for tourism interests unless you have a walk in the ancient town by boat, but the accommodation and travel is equally inconvenient at this time.

The weather is very nice in dry season, ideal for outdoor activities, especially outdoor activities at sea. Besides, you should visit Hoian in the early months as in January, February, March to participate in the festivities this time of year.

Vietnam Mui Ne Phan Thiet Weather

admin — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 06:56:00 +0000

Mui Ne beach Phan Thiet enjoys typical coastal climate with beautiful sunshine nearly all year round. Annual average temperature is 27°C and average humidity is 79%, relatively lower than all other cities in Vietnam. There are two main seasons: dry season is from November to April and wet season from May to October.

The best time to visit Mui Ne beach, Phan Thiet is from September to December for surfing and from November to April for windsurfing. The sea may be quite rough in typhoon season. Other time it is warm and calm, ideal for swimming or beach relax.

There is a wide selection of luxury resorts hotels, beach resorts in Mui Ne, Phan Thiet. Do not forget to check Mui Ne Phan Thiet weather when planning your beach vacations to Mui Ne.

Phu Quoc Island Vietnam Weather

admin — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 06:14:25 +0000

Phu Quoc beach vacations Vietnam

Phu Quoc Island has a tropical climate that varies throughout the year, with an average temperature of 27°C and average rainfall of 190mm/month which is concentrated in the rainy season that runs from July through to Early October. There are 3 distinct seasons.

The Dry season runs from November to March with average temperature between 25 °C to 28 °C during the day. The nights are usually cooler. The sea water at an average of 18°C to 24°C

The Shoulder seasons run from April to June and Late october, is a good time to visit Phu Quoc with less crowds and generally cheaper accommodation prices.

The Rainy season runs from July to Early October, however it only rains for a short period of time. Average temperature during this season ranges between 24°C to 27 °C.

The best time to visit Phu Quoc is before rainy or from December to February since this time is the coolest in year. At this time is very suitable for your vacation.

Most travelers come to Phu Quoc island for its beautiful white sand beaches with luxury beach resorts are located by the beach. Vietnam Airlines offers many flights from Ho Chi Minh city to Phu Quoc island and vice versa.

Sapa Vietnam Weather

admin — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 04:54:05 +0000

The climate of Hoang Lien Nature Reserve is unique to Vietnam. It is highly seasonal, with a subtropical climate in the summer and a temperate climate during the winter. Mean annual temperature for Sa Pa town is 15.4°C, with a maximum of 29.4°C and a minimum of 1°C. The warmest months are July and August, and the coldest months are December and January. Snow falls in some years on the highest peaks such as Fansipan mountain peak, Tram Ton Heaven gate.

In common with the rest of northern Vietnam, Hoang Lien Nature Reserve experiences a marked wet season from May to September, with the heaviest rainfall occurring in July and August. Mean annual rainfall is 2,763 mm, with a high of 4,023mm and a low of 2,064mm. Humidity ranges from 75 to 91 percent with a yearly mean of 86 percent.

Climate varies considerably within the nature reserve. The prevalent wind direction for most of the year is west to east, leading to cloud formation on the upper slopes of the Fansipan massif. These high-altitude areas are covered by cloud most days of the year and have very high humidity. Cloud also penetrates into the valleys but these areas are usually less humid than the mountain slopes.

In the extreme east of the nature reserve, around Ban Ho village, mean temperatures are considerably higher due to the lower altitude of these areas.

The best trekking and cycling conditions in Sapa and the northwest are from September to November and from March to May. Daytime temperatures range from 15-28°C, and night-time temperatures from 10-18°C. Trekking and cycling in Sapa are possible year round, however the wintertime can be rather chilly, and the summer rather wet.

If you need further information about Sapa Vietnam weather, ask your Vietnam local tour operator for help.

Southern Vietnam Weather

admin — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 04:28:55 +0000

Ho Chi Minh city Vietnam

Southern Vietnam is in a tropical weather zone with year-round warm weather with an average annual temperature of 27ºC.

Generally, the best time to visit is between October and February, when it is dryer and a bit cooler.

The hottest months are March to May, followed by the rainy season from May to November.

During the rainy season, rains can be long and heavy, but often are daily rains that clear quickly.

The most popular travel highlights in Southern Vietnam includes such sights as Ho Chi Minh city tour, the Cu Chi tunnels,the Mekong delta area which also offers lots of exotic experiences.