The Hanoitimes - According to economists and tourism experts, it is not hard for Vietnam to devise proper strategies and promote a variety of services for night business activities providing that the policy-makers could identify the demand of tourists and understand the readiness of the locals. Hanoi’s Ta Hien street being spruce up Hanoi - a vibriant city with intertwining old and new cultures that receives millions of foreign and domestic tourists annually - has huge potential to tap into its night economy. Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has recently instructed Vietnam’s major cities, Hanoi included, to find measures to spur the night-time economy, which has proven to be enormously beneficial for the economic, cultural and social development in some countries including China, Japan, the UK, VnExpress reported. Hanoi Opera House at night. Photo: TopsVietnam. Night economy is all business activities that take place from 5.pm to … [Read more...] about Night economy – an irresistible charm of Hanoi
Hanoi night life
Hanoi-Ha Long Bay trip an affordable luxury, says UK newspaper
A night scene at the Temple of Literature, a popular destination in Hanoi. Photo by VnExpress/Vu Quang Ngoc The trip is included in a list of favorable travel options priced from £100 to £800 ($128-1,026). For £300 ($384), a package tour that includes two nights in Vietnam’s capital city and an overnight stay on a cruise boat in the world-renowned natural heritage site Ha Long Bay, is great value for money, the newspaper said. The Independent’s other recommendations include driving around the French Riviera in a rented retro-style car, or enjoying the beach at a three-star hotel in Crete, Greece. Transportation fee is not included. Hanoi and Long Bay are among Vietnam’s most prominent tourism attractions. Hanoi, Vietnam’s capital city, is a major social and cultural center. It carries its ancient history and modernity with a special charm. It’s cuisine, on and off its streets, is continually raved about. The city’s … [Read more...] about Hanoi-Ha Long Bay trip an affordable luxury, says UK newspaper
John McCain’s Hanoi Hilton jailor recalls ‘stubborn’ POW
Tran Trong Duyet, the former director of the infamous 'Hanoi Hilton' prison, grew to respect the young John McCain AFP/Nhac NGUYEN One of them, the former director of the infamous Hoa Lo prison, recalls verbally sparring with the famous inmate and says McCain's refusal to budge on his views eventually earned his admiration. "It was his stubbornness, his strong stance that I loved when arguing with him," retired colonel Tran Trong Duyet told AFP. In the decades following the Vietnam War, McCain - who died Saturday at the age of 81 -- forgave the enemies who once held him captive, and helped reconcile the two countries that today enjoy strong ties. His five and a half years in prison began in October 1967 when McCain was thrown into the French-built jail after his Skyhawk divebomber was shot down over Hanoi's Truc Bach lake. Fished out with a broken leg and two broken arms he was shipped to the cold, crowded facility where some 500 prisoners of war were held. His captors quickly … [Read more...] about John McCain’s Hanoi Hilton jailor recalls ‘stubborn’ POW
Hanoi’s development hoax upturns 200,000 lives – VnExpress International
Back to English Comments News - August 21, 2018 | 01:32 pm GMT+7 Ten years ago, land tilled by thousands of farming families was reclaimed for "development" projects that never took off.It was the summer of 2008.Thien, a resident of Yen Nghia District in Ha Tay Province, had to sell all his belongings, including his herd of 38 buffalos. At 21, he had to leave his beloved hometown and look for a new life elsewhere. His home and his paddy fields were no longer his.In this age of “participatory” development, Thien and hundreds of thousands of Hanoians had no real say as eminent domain took away their livelihoods, along with their rice fields and vegetable gardens. That fateful summer, authorities in Hanoi decided to expand the city’s territory, assimilating neighboring provinces like Ha Tay and Vinh Phuc.A deluge of developmental projects followed. Apartments, industrial complexes, universities... you name it, it was there. On paper.Even as the nation sought … [Read more...] about Hanoi’s development hoax upturns 200,000 lives – VnExpress International
Hanoi cartoon exhibition revisits ‘subsidised’ humor
Nearly 30 cartoons by Thanh Phong and Huu Khoa, chosen from a book published earlier this year, are on display. The cartoons are funny yet realistic. They deal with the tough times before Doi Moi (Reform) in Vietnam, when life was shaped by a reliance on governmental rations. Amidst constant struggle, many people composed funny poems to describe their lives and relieve some of the stress. The cartoon reflects on a time when owning a “favourite” model bicycle and a portable radio guaranteed a high status in Vietnamese society. Photo by Bao Ngoc A clever word play with the word “nuoc” in this cartoon refers to such a severe water shortage that “during the day, the whole country does housework and during the night, the whole family does ‘water work’. On the left, an official says “wait for me, let me finish washing these clothes” as a colleague tells him that it is time for the meeting, while at night, the entire family waits for … [Read more...] about Hanoi cartoon exhibition revisits ‘subsidised’ humor