Hanoi Opera House

Hanoi Opera HouseLocation:

The Hanoi Opera House is situated on Le Thanh Tong St., Hanoi; near the Red River and several hundreds meters east of Hoan Kiem Lake. Characteristics: It is an old theatre with French architecture and typical Gothic and Mosaic characters reflected on the door domes and the glassed room respectively.

For a long time, the Hanoi Opera House has been a rendezvous for those who love theatrical performance and traditional songs and music, symphonies, opera and classical opera. It is also a tourist attraction for local and foreign visitors.

The Hanoi Opera House is renowned for its unique architecture and good composition. It is furnished rationally and harmoniously. Since its establishment, the Hanoi Opera House is the largest theatre in Vietnam. Its construction started in 1901 and completed in 1911. Previously the site was a big pond, adjacent to the city gate of Tay Long (also called Tay Luong) of the ancient Thang Long Capital. The construction met with many difficulties, because the foundations of the theatre were built on the pond. Before building a concrete foundation, nearly one metre thick, the pond was emptied and dredged, then 30,000 hard bamboo stakes were placed on its bed.

The Museum in vietnam

The History Museum


The museum is a national museum. It was founded in 1926 and named "Ecole d'Etreme Orient." In 1958 it was restored and renamed the Vietnam History Museum. On display are rich collection of archaeological findings of great scientific and artistic value, illustrating the development of the nation and the State of Vietnam from the dawn of its history to the period prior of the coming into being of the Vietnam Communist Party. Address: 1 Pham Ngu Lao St, Hanoi. Tel:(84-4) 8252835 or 8253518



The Revolution Museum





The museum is a national museum. It was founded in January 1959, It exhibits relics from various phases of the Vietnamese people's patriotic and revolutionary struggle from the founding of the Vietnam Communist Party up to the present day. Address: 25 Tong Dan St, Hanoi. Tel:(84-4) 8253766 and 8254151 or 8254323





The Army Museum



The museum is a national museum which was established in June 1959. War relics and trophies reminisce great periods of the armed struggle of the Vietnamese people. Evolutions of the two recent great historic battles: the Dien Bien Phu battle in 1945 and the Ho Chi Minh Campaign in 1975 are unfolded again on miniature models. Address: 28A Dien Bien Phu St, Hanoi. Tel: (84-4) 8234264

The Fine Arts Museum

This is a national museum founded in June 1966. It displays art works and objects of the various nationalities living in Vietnam in every period. Prominent are collections of painting of great values by such famous contemporary artists as To Ngoc Van, Nguyen Phan Chanh, Tran Van Can and Bui Xuan Phai, etc,. Address: 66 Nguyen Thai Hoc St, Hanoi. Tel: (84-4) 265801 or 233084

One Pillar Pagoda

The original name of the pagoda was Dien Huu pagoda which literally means long lasting happiness and and good luck. The pagoda is situated in the western part of the city. It was first built in 1049 in the reign of King Ly Thai Tong. legend has it that at time King Ly Thai Tong was very old and had no sons of his own. One night he had a dream that he was granted a private audience with Buddha with a male baby on his hands. Buddha seating on a lotus flower in a square-shaped lotus pond in the western side of Thang Long Citadel, gave the king the baby. Month later the queen got pregnant and she gave birth to a male. To repay the gift from Buddha, the king ordered the construction of a pagoda with was supported by only one pillar resembling a lotus seat on which Buddha had been seated. The pagoda was dedicated to Buddha.

Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum

After two years of construction, the mausoleum of President Ho Chi Minh was officially inaugurated on August 29,1975. The facade of the mausoleum faces the historic Ba Dinh Square. The mausoleum is divided into three layers with a combined height of 21.6 meters. The lowest layer forms a terraced stand exclusively used for the presidium of grand meetings organized at the grassy Ba Dinh Square. The second layer is the central piece of the mausoleum where the remains of the president is kept in a chamber accessible through a series of passages and flights of marble staircases. The upper part of the mausoleum is the roof resembling a three terraced steps. The facade of the upper part bears an inscription "President Ho Chi Minh" made of dark violet precious stone. The mausoleum is the place to keep the remains of President Ho Chi Minh, the great patriotic who had been conferred the title "World Cultural Activist" and the national hero. The conferment was made on the occasion of the centenary anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh's Birthday (1890-1990). The mausoleum project was the results of artistic labor of both Vietnamese and former Soviet Union scientists in respect for President Ho Chi Minh.

Quan Thanh Temple

The three ancient Chinese which are still seen today on the top of the entrance to the temple means Tran Vu Quan. That is literally the temple which is dedicated to Saint Tran Vu. A temple is a place for worshipping saints while a pagoda is dedicated to Buddha and faithful disciplines. Saint Tran Vu was a legendary figure which was a combination between a legendary character in

Vietnam's legend and a mystic character derived from China's legend. The legendary character in Vietnam's legend was a saint who had earned the merits of assisting King An Duong Vuong in getting rid of ghost spirit during the King's construction of his citadel at Co Loa. The Chinese legendary figure was a saint who made great contributions in safeguarding the northern border. Quan Thanh Temple was built during the reign of King Ly Thai To (1010-1028). In 1893 the temple was given a grand facelift to have the shape as we can see it today. Special attention should be paid to a black bronze statute of Saint Tran Vu. The giant statute, formally placed in the main hall, was cast in 1677. Another special object is an ancient bronze bell, 1.5 meters high, which is hanged at the top of the three-gate entrance. Another object of no less significant is a smaller black bronze statute of Old Trong, a chief artisan of the bronze casting team who had made the giant statute of Saint Tran Vu and the great bell on top of the tree-gate entrance. To commemorate the great contributions of the teacher Old Trong, his students of bronze casting cast his statute and placed in the temple for their for their younger generations to remember Old Trong for ever.

Ngoc Son Temple

Hoan Kiem lake which had been considered the most beautiful lake in the city was in the 19th century added with another object to make it more beautiful and famous. That was the construction of a temple on the Ngoc (Jade) islet in the lake. Initially the temple was called Ngoc Son Pagoda. Later it was renamed Ngoc Son Temple because in the temple is dedicated to saints. Saint Van Suong was a person considered the brightest star in Vietnam's literature and intellectual circles. Tran Hung Dao was worshipped because he was the national hero who led the Vietnamese people to a resounding victory over the Nguyen aggression. The temple as it is seen today was attributable to the restoration afforts of Nguyen Van Sieu in 1864. A great Hanoi literature writer, Nguyen Van Sieu himself had a large pen-shaped tower (Thap But) built in at the entrance to the temple. On the upper section of the Thap but there are three Chinese characters Ta Thanh Thien which means literally that to write on the blue sky is to imply the height of a genuine and righteous person's determination and will. Behind Thap But is Dai Nghien (Ink Stand). The ink stand is carved from stone resembling a peach, which is placed on the back of the three frogs on top of the gate to the temple. Passing through Dai Nghien visitors are to tread on the wooden bridge called The Huc. The Huc is literally understood as the place where beams of morning sunshine are touching. On the long way that leads to the temple there are several cau doi (parallel sentences) written on the wall. These cau doi are considered part of a traditional ward puzzle entertainment, a lifestyle literally educated persons of ancient Thang Long used to follow.

The temple of Literature- Quoc Tu Giam in Hanoi capital

The temple of Literature- Quoc Tu Giam in Hanoi capital

Temple of Literature-Quoc Tu Giam was the first university of Vietnam where many students
graduated with high flying colors. Some became doctors of philosophy. In 1482 King Le Thanh Tong ordered the erection of steles with inscription of all the names, birth dates and birth places of doctors, and other excellent graduates who took part in examinations since 1442. At present there remain 82 steles standing in the premises of Van Mieu. Aprt from its cultural value, each stele presents an artistic project of stone carving. Each stele is placed on the back of a turtle representing the nation's longevity.

Geography of Hanoi Capital at a glimpse

Geography

Hanoi is located in the Red River Delta, in the center of North Vietnam. It is encompassed by Thai Nguyen Province to the north, Vinh Phuc and Ha Tay to the west and south, Bac Giang, Bac Ninh and Hung Yen provinces to the east and south-east.Hanoi means “the hinterland between the rivers” (Ha: river, Noi: interior). Hanoi’s territory is washed by the Red River (the portion of the Red River embracing Hanoi is approximately 40km long) and its tributaries, but there are some other rivers flowing through the capital, including Duong, Cau, Ca Lo, Day, Nhue, Tich, To Lich and Kim Nguu.

Vietnam tours

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' eastLongitude: 8º 02' - 23º 23' north

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

Laos

Laos Overviews:Laos provides the traveller a chance to truly experience Asia as it once was. Largely undeveloped, devotedly Buddhist and blessed geographically with natural beauty, this country will forever leave a lasting impression on all travellers.

Time - Laos is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time in Australia.Language - The official and dominant language is Lao, a tonal language of the Tai linguistic group but English is spoken in the main cities as is French by the older generation. Thai and Vietnamese are also common.Entry Requirements - Passport must be valid for 6 months beyond the length of stay.

Visas are required for all nationalities, the price of which is already included in the fully inclusive price of all our group tours for Australian Passport holders.WHAT'S NEW THIS YEARThis year we have expanded our Laos Encompassed Group tour to incorporate more of Thailand into the itinerary.

Now called Thailand and Laos Encompassed this tour allows you to experience the lifestyles of the hill tribes in the north of Thailand and along the Mekong River in Laos. We have also added more departures to our popular Grand Tour of Indochina which covers not only Laos but Vietnam and Cambodia within the same tour.VIENTIANEWeaving along the Mekong River, Vientiane, is the capital of Laos and the largest city in the country, yet is still small enough to get to know easily.

The tree-lined boulevards and old temples impart an old world charm in spite of passing traffic.LUANG PRABANGSet amidst a striking mountainous skyline, Luang Prabang is a beautiful town retaining its original enchanting character and is perhaps the best preserved traditional city in South East Asia. This UNESCO listed city is the crown jewel of Laos and royal residence of the last king Sisavan Vatthana.VANG VIENGVang Vieng is the Laos equivalent to Guilin with similar limestone mountainous landscape. Once a favourite destination for backpackers, Vang Vieng is fast becoming a destination for more mainstream travellers.PAKSELocated on the confluence of the Mekong and Se Don Rivers, the capital of Champasak Province is the departure point for Wat Phou, Four Thousand Islands and the coffee plantations of Bolaven Plateau. From here you can also visit Khone Pha Pheng Waterfalls, reputed to be the largest waterfalls in Asia.PLAIN OF JARS (Phonsavan)Situated in Xieng Khuang Province, the Plain of Jars is home to the mysterious and reputed 2000 year old stone jars. Phonsavan (Phonsavanh), the official provincial capital is the closest city and airport to the Plain of Jars.CHAMPASAK (Wat Phou)A small and quiet former French colonial town, Champasak is now better known for its Pre-Angkorian temple dating back to the 8th century AD which has been listed as a World Heritage site. Wat Phou is thought to have been the possible capital of the first Khmer Kingdom before they moved south to the Ton Le Sap area.