Life
Russian motorcyclist falls in love with Việt Nam
Lê Hương
Wearing a dark mask, dark glasses, a helmet and riding a rusty motorbike, you would be forgiven for thinking Ivan Os is not a usual part of the scenery in the central province of Bình Thuận. However, he is well-known to the locals.
Os, who is 43-year-old and originally from Russia, had travelled widely around the world before his first visit to Việt Nam in 2015.
Living outside of what many would consider their comfort zone is nothing new for Os. Born in Russia, he grew up in Africa, where his parents worked as geologists and often took him along on their field trips.
“Most of my life I lived and travelled in Asia, from Nepal to the Philippines,” he told Việt Nam News.
“Before coming to Việt Nam, my knowledge of this country was very poor. I discovered Việt Nam slowly, starting from the southern provinces – Phan Thiết, Mũi Né, Đà Lạt, Phan Rang, Nha Trang, then I expanded the range of my trips to the Central – Đà Nẵng, Huế, Hội An”.
“I always travel by motorcycle. As I travelled more and more I fell deeper and deeper in love with this country. I intend to stay here, in Việt Nam, amongst its nature and culture.”
His first impression of the country was a little different and he did not find it easy to adapt to local lifestyle, culture, cuisine or even the traffic.
Though he had travelled by motorbike in many other countries, it was not easy to ride a bike in Việt Nam at first.
As most westerners find, motorbikes here are smaller than usual, but Os was pleasantly surprised by their power ratio and how efficient they are on fuel.
In his first year in Việt Nam, Os spent time exploring the province of Bình Thuận; particularly the sand dunes, beaches and pagodas, before moving on to the neighbouring provinces.
Then, his trips began to last longer and longer.
“The more I travelled, the more I understood the country and people,” he said.
In summer 2020, he travelled alone on a Honda Wave from Mũi Né to Đà Lạt, along coastal provinces like Phan Thiết, Khánh Hòa, Đà Nẵng… to northern provinces and cities such as Ninh Bình, Quảng Ninh, Hà Nội, Cao Bằng, Sơn La, and Lào Cai…
Ivan Os prefers travelling by motorbike than car. Photo courtesy of Ivan Os
After three months and 7,000km, he reached the remotest areas in the north of Việt Nam.
He said travelling by motorbike is the best way to enjoy the scenery, unlike travelling by car where your vision is restricted.
“I am amazed by Việt Nam’s interesting nature, traditional way of mountain life, gigantic caves, rice fields on the slopes of mountains, karst islands, but most of all I love simple and open people,” he said.
“I was extremely surprised at a mountain dubbed ‘Angel’s Eye’ in Nà Ma Valley in the northern province of Cao Bằng and terraced rice fields in Mù Cang Chải, Yên Bái Province.
“The tranquil and spectacular scenery make me fly high.”
Os did have some minor accidents and sometimes his bike broke down, but they all added to his remarkable memories of the trip.
He said it’s hard to say which memories are the most impressive, as he met lovely people everywhere. Việt Nam hosts a diverse nature and well-preserved national identity culture.
“Once I almost drowned in a cave; it was unforgettable but worth it. I was completely alone, in an incredibly gigantic cave. It was magic to be in a dark cave that is tens of millions of years old,” he recalled.
“Every trip teaches something. Travel is one of the best ways to educate yourself.
“Maybe that’s why I love this country. Việt Nam is like my second homeland.”
In regards to cuisine, the north occupies his mind with delicious dishes. The same street food can be processed differently in different regions.
Phở (beef noodle), bánh mỳ (sandwich), seafood and Vietnamese beer are his favourites.
He was also invited to try local specialities like thuốc lào (black tobacco smoked in a bamboo pipe) but he refused for fear of being stoned [sick].
He said in comparison with other countries, Việt Nam has fairly mild weather.
“You can easily find places to relax, like sunny beaches or highland areas with fog,” he said.
Os runs Instagram and YouTube accounts with thousands of followers who join him on his journeys around Việt Nam.
He has also joined social networks that share Russian tourism experiences in Việt Nam.
“I have a lot of free time right now because of the pandemic. At the moment I am looking back into my archived content, as well as studying motion-design, video editing and graphic programmes for design,” he said.
He plans to make a documentary on Việt Nam based on the footage he has shot during his trips.
“I want to show the diversity of Việt Nam to attract new visitors to this country,” he said. “I hope to show them something new and amazing.”
Os plans to make another trip to the Mekong Delta when the pandemic is under control. He also wants to visit Sơn Đoòng Cave in central province of Quảng Bình, Hạ Long Bay and villages in the north.
“I hope industrialisation will not take over the traditional cultural values,” he said. “I think tradition is a magnet for foreign tourists.”
“I consider Việt Nam to be one of the best countries in Asia for independent travel and tourism,” he said.
“Of course, I faced problems during my travels. I had motorcycle breakdowns, there were injuries, I lost and broke shooting equipment, including losing a drone in a waterfall, but none of these problems can stop me.”
Source: https://vietnamnews.vn/life-style/expat-corner/1036741/russian-motorcyclist-falls-in-love-with-viet-nam.html
Cruise ship Zhao Shang Yi Dun brought 721 Chinese passengers to Quang Ninh Province, northern Vietnam on Tuesday to visit its world-famous Ha Long Bay and other popular tourist sites.
This was the first group of Chinese cruise passengers to pass through the Ha Long international cruise port this year, according to the provincial Department of Tourism.
As scheduled, these cruise passengers will spend one day exploring Ha Long Bay, and another day touring Ha Long City as well as visiting some tourist destinations in Hanoi.
The cruise ship is set to travel to Da Nang City in central Vietnam and Hong Kong before returning to the port of Shekou in Shenzhen, located in Guangdong Province, mainland China.
The first cruise ship from the port of Shekou entering Ha Long City showed a positive sign of Quang Ninh’s inbound tourism and Chinese travelers’ soaring return after the COVID-19 pandemic.
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| The first Chinese cruise passengers are given flowers after they enter Quang Ninh Province, northern Vietnam. Photo: T . Duong / Tuoi Tre |
Cruise ship Zhao Shang Yi Dun is expected to make five port calls in the city and take over 4,000 Chinese guests to the bay from now until the end of the year.
By March 2024, the Chinese-flagged ship will have brought more than 12,000 passengers to Quang Ninh Province.
The province will also welcome multiple Chinese ships in 2024.
A representative of the Ha Long international passenger port said that the 2023 cruise season started in October, with many international cruise ships from Europe and America docking in the city.
The province has received 60 registrations from international cruise ships to dock at the Ha Long international passenger port in 2024.
Among them are Mein Schiff, Celebrity Solstice, Noordam, MSC Splendida, and Westerdam.
Accordingly, over 70,000 international cruise passengers will visit the province next year.
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Source: https://tuoitrenews.vn/news/ttnewsstyle/20231128/vietnams-ha-long-bay-welcomes-first-chinese-cruise-passengers-this-year/76984.html
Dong Ho Lagoon and a charming long coastline hugging Den Mountain, coupled with numerous tasty dishes such as bun ken (noodle soup), grilled chicken, and stretchy rice noodles make Ha Tien City an ideal getaway for domestic and international tourists, mainly travelers from neighboring Cambodia.
Nguyen Thi Mong Quyen, director of the Ha Tien trade and tourism promotion center, said on Sunday that the city, situated in Vietnam’s Kien Giang Province, shares both land and maritime borders with Cambodia, smoothing the path for the neighbor’s visitors to enter the city.
Over the past few months, the number of Cambodian travelers visiting Ha Tien to explore its natural beauty and savor delicacies has been growing.
“Since the start of the year, Ha Tien City has welcomed over three million domestic and international tourists,” Quyen said.
“In particular, throngs of holidaymakers from Cambodia have toured the city.
“Some 1,000-2,000 Cambodian tourists travel to the city each holiday or festival.”
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| A beach in Ha Tien City woos locals and foreigners. Photo: Chi Cong / Tuoi Tre |
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| ‘Bun ken’ (noodle soup), a must-taste specialty in Ha Tien City Kien Giang Province, southern Vietnam. Photo: Chi Cong / Tuoi Tre |
To get ready to welcome Cambodian travelers on the forthcoming Christmas and 2024 New Year holidays, travel agencies in Ha Tien are working to offer new tourism products and adorn the current tourist attractions such as Dong Ho Lagoon, a seaside path skirting Den Mountain, Thach Dong Cave, and Da Dung Mountain.
Tourists are fond of sea bathing, playing water sports, and savoring seafood as well as the city’s specialties.
Du To Tuan, director of travel firm Vietravel’s branch in Rach Gia City under Kien Giang Province, said that Cambodia is a potential tourism source market.
A huge number of tourists from the country have traveled to the province over the past few months.
They often go sightseeing in Ha Tien first, and then take a speedboat ride to famous Phu Quoc Island, he said.
“We are looking forward to welcoming the crowds of tourists to Ha Tien City during the upcoming 2024 New Year holiday,” Tuan said.
“We will roll out various community-based tourism products to diversify services to delight international visitors.”
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| ‘Bok lo hong,’ a popular dish of the Khmer ethnic group in Ha Tien City, Kien Giang Province, southern Vietnam. Photo: Chi Cong / Tuoi Tre |
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| Visitors enjoy an alpine coaster ride to explore a breathtaking mountain in Ha Tien City, Kien Giang Province, southern Vietnam. Photo: Chi Cong / Tuoi Tre |
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| Tourists explore the beauty of Thach Dong Cave in Ha Tien City, Kien Giang Province, southern Vietnam. Photo: Chi Cong / Tuoi Tre |
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| Travelers on an electric three-wheeled motorcycle take a look around Ha Tien City at night. Photo: Chi Cong / Tuoi Tre |
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Source: https://tuoitrenews.vn/news/ttnewsstyle/20231127/stunning-scenery-delicacies-in-vietnams-mekong-delta-draw-cambodian-visitors/76961.html
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