Sapa - LaoCai - VietNam

Sapa - LaoCai - VietNam
Area: 678.6 sq. km
Population: 52.5 thousand habitants(2007)
Administrative division:
- Townlet:Sapa
- Communes:Ban Khoang, Ta Giang Phinh, Trung Chai, Ta Phin, Sa Pa, San Sa Ho, Ban Phung, Lao Chai, Hau Thao, Thanh Kim, Ta Van, Su Pan, Suoi Thau, Ban Ho, Thanh Phu, Nam Sai, Nam Cang.

Sapa - LaoCai - VietNam

Located 38km from Lao Cai City, Sapa is a mountainous district of Lao Cai Province. Sapa District is very well-known with Sapa Townlet, a beautiful and romantic resort.

At the height of 1,600m above sea level, the average temperature of the area is 15-18oC. It is cool in summer and cold in winter.

Visitor to Sapa in summer can feel the climate of four seasons in one day. In the morning and afternoon, it is cool like the weather of spring and autumn. At noon, it is as sunny and cloudless as the weather of summer. And it is cold in the evening. With no advance warning of a thunderstorm short and heavy rains may come at noon on any summer day. Subsequently, a rainbow appears, transforming Sapa into a magic land, which for years has been a constant source of poetic inspiration, lights up the whole region.

The best time to witness the scenic beauty of Sapa is in April and May. Before that period, the weather might be cold and foggy; after that period is the rainy season. In April and May, Sapa is blooming with flowers and green pastures. The clouds that settle in the valley in early morning quickly disappear into thin air.

Sapa has many natural sites such as Ham Rong Mountain, Silver Waterfall, Rattan Bridge, Bamboo Forest and Ta Phin Cave.Sapa is also the starting point for many climbers and scientists who want to reach the top of Fansipan Mountain, the highest mountain in Vietnam at 3,143m. Hoang Lien Mountain Range is also called the Alps of the North Sea area since Fansipan Mountain is not only the highest peak in Vietnam, but also in the Indochina Peninsula. The pyramid-shaped mountain is covered with clouds all year round and temperatures often drop below zero, especially at high elevations.

The first thing you notice when approaching the resort town are some detached wooden mansions and villas perched on a hill top or hillside, behind thick pine forests and almost invisible on this foggy morning. Old and new villas with red roofs now appear and now disappear in the green rows of pomu trees, bringing the town the beauty of European towns.

Fresh and cool air in Sapa is an idea climate condition for growing temperate vegetables such as cabbage, chayote, precious medicinal herbs, and fruit trees such as plum, pear...

Sapa is home to various families of flowers of captivating colours, which can be found nowhere else in the country. When Tet, the Lunar New Year Festival, comes, the whole township of Sapa is filled with the pink colour of peach blossom brought from the vast forests of peach just outside the town. Sapa is regarded as the kingdom of orchids. Here, orchid lovers are even amazed by the choice, when trekking in the forest filled with several hundred kinds of orchids of brilliant colours and fantastic shapes, such as Orchid Princess, Orchid of My Fair Lady's Shoe. Some orchids are named after lovely singing birds such as the canary, salangane's nest, and more.

Sapa is most beautiful in spring. Apricot, plum and cherry flowers are splendidly beautiful. Markets are crowded and merry, and are especially attractive to visitors. Minority groups come here to exchange and trade goods and products. Market sessions are also a chance for locals to promenade and young men and women in colorful costumes to meet, date or seek sweethearts.

Visitors to Sapa will have opportunities to discover the unique customs of the local residents.

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Peach Flower - special flower of the Vietnamese New Year

 The peach flower plant grows only in North Vietnam. It is the special flower of the Vietnamese New Year because of its red colour, which is believed to bring many favourable opportunities throughout the year.

Peach Flower

 There are four varieties of peach flowers. The dao bich has a deep rosy colour and the plant bears many flowers; it is usually planted in jars or pots for entertaining during the New Year. The dao phai (pale peach flower) flower is a pale rosy colour and the plant bears many flowers, but is generally planted for its fruits. The dao bach (white peach flower) is relatively difficult to grow. These three varieties of peach flowers all bear double flowers. The that thon plant is small and low; the flowers are small and of many colours.

Peach Flower Tree

Among those colours, those that are deep red are generally grown in pots and their trunks and branches generally bend so that it becomes an ornamental plant. The sprigs of the peach flowers from the of Nhat Tan are a precious gift sent to relatives living in the South on the occasion of the New Year. The peach flower plant and its flowers are now present in many European countries.

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HaLong city

 Area: 208.7 sq. km
Population: 185,228 habitants (year 2001)
Administrative division:
-Wards: Ha Khanh, Ha Lam, Ha Trung, Ha Phong, Ha Tu, Hong Hai, Cao Thang, Cao Xanh, Yet Kieu, Tran Hung Dao, Bach Dang, Hon Gai, Bai Chay, Hong Ha, Ha Khau, Gieng Day, Hung Thang, Tuan Chau
- Communes: Viet Hung, Dai Yen.
Ethnic groups: Mainly the Viet (or Kinh)

HaLong City

Halong City, formerly the Hon Gai Town, is the cultural, economic and political centre of Quang Ninh Province. It borders Cam Pha to the east, the Yen Hung District to the west, the Hoanh Bo District to the north and Halong Bay to the south with the coastline of 20km.                              
The city is divided into two parts: East Halong and West Halong. The eastern part is an industrial zone where most of the province's official buildings are also concentrated. The western part, also called Bai Chay, is the animated tourism zone.

HaLong Bay

Halong's population are most having emigrated from other places to settle here. Halong Bay is famous internationally, and is recognized as a World Heritage by UNESCO for its thousands of natural islands. Also in the city, there are temples, pagodas and historical relics.In addition to the most active branch of tourism, there are other economic activities such as: trade, seaport, coal, marine products and the production of construction materials

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Hoi An City

 With the total area of 60km², Hoi An City is located in Quang Nam Province, at the lower section of Thu Bon River, about 50km to the northeast of Tam Ky City (the capital of Quang Nam Province) and 30km to the south of Da Nang City.

 The city has 13 communes, wards (9 wards, 3 mainland communes and 1 island commune). Tan Hiep Island Commune has the area of 15km2, includes 7 islands, of which the largest ones is Cham Island (Cu Lao Cham).

The population of Hoi An City is about 88,933 habitants (2009). Mostly of which are Viet (Kinh) and Hoa (Chinese) groups.

Hoi An City is located in the region of tropical monsoon climate. Hoi An's annual average temperature is 25oC, air humidity is 82%, rainfall reaches up to 2,066mm.

From the 16th to 19th century, Hoi An used to be an international trade center on the East - West commercial itinerary and also the busiest trading port in Dang Trong (the South region of Viet Nam). Merchant ships from Japan, China, Portugal, Spain, Netherlands... often stopped here to exchange and purchase commodities.

In the progresses of establishment and development, Hoi An was known with many difference names as Faifo, Haisfo, Hoai pho, Ketchem, Cotam... Archeological and architectural relics prove that Hoi An was an important meeting place of many cultures, such as Champa, Viet Nam, Japan and China...

Until now, a complex of ancient architecture relics in Hoi An has been preserved mostly intact, including many old houses, assembly halls, temples, pagodas, wells, bridges, churches, ports, markets, roads... with mossy ancient color. According to statistics, the relics in Hoi An are classified into 11 categories, including 1,068 ancient houses, 19 pagodas, 43 temples, 23 communal houses, 38 family worship houses, 5 assembly halls, 11 ancient wells, 1 bridge, 44 ancient tombs... The existence of Hoi An Ancient City is the only case in Viet Nam and also rare in the world. Hoi An is considered  as a living museum of architecture and urban lifestyle.

Besides diverse architectures, Hoi An also keep quite grandiose intangible culture values. Daily life of the locals with customs, religious activities, folk art, festivals, traditional craft villages, specialty dishes... have been preserved and promoted.

Hoi An also has 7km-coastline that is favorable for tourism development, of which Cua Dai Beach is one of the nicest and cleanest beaches in Viet Nam.

In December 1999, Hoi An Ancient City was recognized as World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO.

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The Socialist Republic of Vietnam

 

Mainland Territory: 331,211.6 sq. km
Population: 85,789.6 thousand inhabitants (Apr. 2009)
National Capital: Hanoi

Lying on the eastern part of the Indochinese peninsula, Vietnam is a strip of land shaped like the letter “S”. China borders it to the north, Laos and Cambodia to the west, the East Sea to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the east and south.
The country’s total length from north to south is 1,650km. Its width, stretching from east to west, is 600km at the widest point in the north, 400km in the south, and 50km at the narrowest part, in the centre, in Quang Binh Province. The coastline is 3,260km long and the inland border is 4,510km.
Latitude: 102º 08' - 109º 28'  east
Longitude:  8º 02' - 23º 23'  north

Vietnam is also a transport junction from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific Ocean.

Climate: Vietnam lies in the tropics and monsoon (detail)
Topography: Three quarters of Vietnam's territory consist of mountains and hills (detail)
Administrative Units: Vietnam is divided into 63 provinces and cities

(Source http://vietnamtourism.com)

 

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