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“Halong Bay In My Eyes” – Photo Contest

activetravelvietnam — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 04:36:04 +0000

“Halong Bay In My Eyes” - Cuộc thi ảnh “Hạ Long trong mắt tôi”

Photo Competition sponsored by Indochina Sails, Halong Bay, Vietnam - Thể lệ:
The competition is intended to highlight the incredible beauty of Halong Bay and encourage more travellers to see the Bay for themselves. In addition, it is hoped that more people will become aware of the online “New Wonder of the World” competition and vote for Halong Bay. To participate in the contest please go to http://www.facebook.com/halongbay.indochinasails

Góp phần trong chiến dịch bình chọn cho vịnh Hạ Long trở thành di sản thiên nhiên thế giới và quảng bá hình ảnh Hạ Long đến với những người yêu thích du lịch trong nước và nước ngoài, du thuyền Indochina Sails tổ chức cuộc thi ảnh “Hạ Long trong mắt tôi”. Cuộc thi sẽ được tổ chức chính thức trên Facebook của Indochina Sails http://www.facebook.com/halongbay.indochinasails. Hình dự thi sẽ được đăng tải trực tiếp trên Facebook Indochina Sails.

Duration of contest - Thể lệ chấm giải:
Indochina Sails will choose the two winning photos from the websites top ten LIKE getters.
10 ảnh nhận được nhiều like nhất sẽ được vào vòng chung kết và các giải cụ thể sẽ do Ban tổ chức chấm giải từ danh sách 10 ảnh này.

Contest dates: 25/8/2011 to 5/10/2011
Cuộc thi diễn ra từ 25/8/2011 đến 5/10/2011

The prizes will be announced on 10/10/2011
Thời gian thông báo kết quả: 10/10/2011

Prizes - Giải thưởng:
First prize: Indochina Sails Premium Holiday package valued at 450 USD for 2 people all inclusive.
Giải đặc biệt – 01 giải, 1 chuyến du lịch trị giá 8 triệu cho 2 người trên du thuyền Indochina Sails – Hạ Long

Second prize: Indochina Sails Deluxe Holiday package valued at 350 USD for 2 people all inclusive.
Giải khuyến khích – 10 giải, 1 chuyến du lịch trị giá 6 triệu cho 2 người trên du thuyền Indochina Sails – Hạ Long

First five entrants will receive an Indochina Sails Souvenir T-shirt.
5 người gửi ảnh đầu tiên sẽ nhận được phần quà là áo T-shirt Indochina Sails.

Term and condition – Điều kiện & Ghi chú:
Prizes are non-transferrable and cannot be redeemed for cash.
Các giải thưởng không có giá trị qui đổi thành tiền mặt và không có giá trị chuyển nhượng

Submitted photos must be the property of the contestant. Submitted photos cannot be prize winners of any previous photo competition.
Bài dự thi phải là tác phẩm của chính tác giả, chưa tham gia các cuộc thi và các giải thưởng khác.

Contestants are responsible for any copyright infringements or violations
Tác giả hoàn toàn chịu trách nhiệm về bản quyền ảnh tham gia dự thi.

Indochina Sails maintains the right to use submitted photos for publicity purposes.
Indochina Sails có quyền sử dụng bài dự thi vào mục đích quảng bá nhãn hiệu mà không cần thông báo trước.

Winners may be required to participate in publicity programs
Indochina Sails có quyền từ chối quyền tham dự cuộc thi của những hình ảnh có nội dung không lành mạnh, không phù hợp và có quyền từ chối trao giải nếu phát hiện bất cứ vi phạm nào từ người dự thi.

Indochina Sails confirms that overnight cruises on Halong Bay are safe.

activetravelvietnam — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 09:19:03 +0000

Indochina Sails is well known for providing the most luxurious and highest quality cruise ships on Halong Bay. As the first operator to offer overnight cruises on the Bay, Indochina Sails has over ten years experience hosting international travelers, and has consistently set the benchmark for luxury cruising on Halong Bay.

Indochina Sails has always maintained the highest level of safety standards as well.

With the recent addition of two new vessels our fleet now consists of six boats comprising a total of 74 cabins. With all of our boats safety has been and will continue to be an utmost priority.

All six boats in our fleet (Indochina Sails 1, 2, 3, Indochina Sails Premium, Valentine and Valentine Premium) have life vests in every cabin (1 per guest, including children). Additional life jackets for all guests are stored in public areas.
The boats are equipped with life buoys and life rafts with capacity for all guests and crew on board.
Each boat has a tender (also equipped with life jackets) to assist in any emergency or rescue operation.
All of our boats are under professional daily on-board technical supervision.
Our Captains possess long term experience and are extensively trained and fully licensed.
Our crews are fully trained with clear procedures as to how to deal with emergencies.
All guests are briefed and given safety procedures on board with clear instruction in case of emergency.
All boats are fitted with professional marine safety equipment: VHF, GPS, radar, walkie-talkies, water leakage alarm systems, water pump systems, fire alarm & fire extinguisher systems.
All boats undergo one-month extensive dry dock maintenance yearly and are fully checked by local marine registration authorities before and after leaving dry dock.
All boats are covered with maximum boat insurance and maximum passenger & crew insurance.

The safety of our passengers and crew is of utmost importance. We provide safe passage for all our guests.

If you require any more information please feel free to contact our Hanoi office.

INDOCHINA SAILS
Hanoi Office
Add: 27 – A6 – Dam Trau Quarter – Hai Ba Trung District – Hanoi – Vietnam
Tel: +84 – 4- 39842362
Fax: +84 – 4 – 39844150
Email: info@indochinasails.com
Website: www.indochinasails.com

How to find safe travel in Halong Bay Vietnam

activetravelvietnam — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 02:43:09 +0000

ACTIVETRAVEL ASIA would like to give out some advices about how to travel safely and enjoyably in Halong Bay. There are some something you should concern about as you plan your trip there.

Halong Bay, Vietnam

1. Overnight junk (vessel) or hotel?

When you travel you can stay in hotel anywhere, anytime and that is just so normal. If you want to have a unique travel experience in Halong Bay it worth spending a night aboard of an overnight vessel amongst thousands of islands and islets. Though the recently tragedy incident happened to an overnight vessel I still vote for it. The question now is how to minimize the risk.

2. How to choose a reliable overnight vessel?

Stick to popular names like Indochina Sails, Huong Hai Junk, Bai Tho Junk, Hai Long Junk,… there are many boat fleets recommended or not recommended on Trip Advisor by travelers. We all know that the big brand is likely a guarantee for the quality. In this case, it is so true. A wooden vessel of a big fleet after some year in operation would be sold to smaller fleet who is targeting at cheap services. These old wooden vessels are not reliable especially in bad weather.

When you book overnight vessel ask your travel consultant or reservation license of the vessel for doing its business. That can tell a lot how reliable your overnight vessel is.

3. What else a popular big vessel fleet can offer?

Their crew are better trained and more discipline. They concentrate on what they do better than crew of a small and unorganized fleet. The vessels are well maintained and safety equipments aboard are better equipped. There are many more things about quality and safety that a small and cheap fleet can not offer traveler since they just target at cheap services.

4. Already aboard, what you should concern?

There should be a hummer in your cabin which can be used to break the glass window in case of emergency. The hummer should be hang right on either sides of the window and you have locate it so you can have it when you need (hope not). If you do not find the hummer you should ask for one from the crew or you make something yourself for that purpose.

There should also be life-vest in your cabin. You have to be sure that you have them ready in case.

Scan the whole vessel for emergency escape way, fire extinguisher,… that would be useful in case of emergency

( Source: news.activetravelvietnam.com)

Indochina Sails, the unique Guide Awards’ Winner for Luxury Cruises in Halong bay Vietnam

activetravelvietnam — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 04:08:15 +0000

Indochina Sails (www.indochinasails.com ) has just won the Guide Awards 2010 for “the Year’s Best” products and services in the tourism sector in Vietnam in Furama Resort Danang, celebrating their award winning service.

The Guide Magazine has choosen 125 tour operators hotels and travel suppliers in Vietnam who make contribution to Vietnam Tourism such as protect travel environment, supply sustainable travel services and responsibility to local people. Besides, The guide Magazine have shown the beautiful pictures of landscapes and daily life in Vietnam

Indochina Sails is the first company to offer overnight cruises on the bay and now widely known as the number one choice for discerning travelers, operating a fleet of four newly built wooden junks designed in time-honored traditional style, with contemporary and luxurious cabins and facilities.

This award – winning luxury cruises are also offering terrific deals, to tempt travelers who travel with family members and are keeping their wallets tightly closed these days.

Ha Long Bay listed among the world’s most surreal landscapes

activetravelvietnam — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 02:30:31 +0000

The Telegraph has recently selected the world’s most surreal landscapes, including Vietnam’s Ha Long Bay, a world natural heritage recognised by the UNESCO.

Halong Bay, Vietnam: This stunning landscape features some 3,000 limestone pillars rising out of the emerald waters on the northwest coast of the Gulf of Tonkin. Local legend has it that the islands were created by giant dragons, summoned by the gods to fight Chinese invaders.

Valley of Desolation, Dominica: This valley was a lush rainforest until a volcano erupted in 1880. Fauna is now reduced to lizards, ants and cockroaches while boiling mud and fumaroles dot the landscape.

Painted Desert, Arizona, USA: Vibrant reds, oranges, blues, greys and pinks decorate the sun-baked Painted Desert on a high plateau in Arizona. Home of the Hopi and the Navajo peoples, the latter known for their ceremonial sand paintings, it’s an utterly unique part of the planet.

Purnululu National Park, Australia: Until the release of aerial photos in the early 1980s, this remote area in Western Australia was all but unknown to the outside world. Traditionally used by Kija Aborigines during the wet season, the rugged web of gullies, cliffs, gorges, domes and ridges hold aboriginal works of art and burial sites.

Petrified Forest, Argentina: This flat arid land in Patagonia’s Santa Cruz province is strewn with the stumps of fossilised trees. Some 130 million years ago, during the Jurassic period, wet forests of giant araucaria trees covered the area. During the formation of the Andes, large-scale volcanic activity buried Patagonia in ash and these forests turned to stone.

Wadi Rum, Jordan: The forbidding beauty of Wadi Rum was the perfect backdrop for the 1962 epic Lawrence of Arabia. This desert wilderness is certainly cinematic – sand valleys and dunes punctuated by a maze of monolithic rock, natural arches, slender canyons and fissures, beautifully moody colours at dawn and dusk, and night skies sprinkled with a multitude of stars.

Lake Myvatn, Iceland: The Apollo 11 crew were sent here to train for their moon walks. It is lined with craters, lava pillars and mud pits, while volcanic islets are scattered across the water. If not for all the ducks roaming the sandbars, it could well be on another planet.

Cappadocia, Turkey: So inhospitable is the landscape here in the heart of Turkey that early dwellers went underground, building churches and houses into the soft cliffs. Above ground, honeycomb cliffs and volcanic cones – known as ‘fairy chimneys’ create dramatic landscapes.

Lake Bogoria, Kenya: So shallow is the earth’s crust in this sinister landscape that the surface looks like a giant witch’s cauldron, with scorching springs and geysers. Rich in sodium salts and minerals, the lake has no life bar the blue-green algae, eagles flying overhead and the incredible number of flamingos that feed here.

Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia: Blindingly white and dizzyingly high, this vast salt flat near the crest of the Andes could easily be mistaken for a Salvador Dali painting. Eerie and otherworldly, Salar de Uyuni holds intensely blue skies, red and green lagoons, pink flamingos, smoking volcanoes, giant cacti, hot springs and spitting geysers.

Source: Telegraph

Crystalline waters shine in Ha Long Bay, Vietnam

activetravelvietnam — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 02:53:54 +0000

Last April, I finally had a chance to get a glimpse of the country where my maternal grandfather fought in the Vietnam War. Based on the stories my grandfather told me while I was growing up, I arrived in Vietnam expecting to see evidence of the war. Instead I was surprised to see how modern the country is.

Halong bay view

But honestly, the thing that really impressed me was the food, and the bakeries in particular. Although we have bakeries in Korea, the coffee and bread in the bakeries of Vietnam overwhelmed me with their flavors, a mix of tastes and textures from France and Asia, surely a remnant of the country’s colonial past.

I was in Vietnam at the invitation the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry and Asia Europe Foundation to report on an Asia-Europe Meeting workshop that took place from April 28 to 29 in Ha Long Bay in Quang Ninh Province in the northeastern corner of Vietnam. At the workshop, ASEM workshop participants agreed to forge stronger ties through cultural diplomacy linking Asia and Europe.

On the last day of the workshop, the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry took us on a cruise of Ha Long Bay, which covers 1,553 square kilometers (600 square miles) and has 1,969 islands. After the 10-minute ride from the Halong Plaza Hotel where we were staying we arrived at the pier and boarded a waiting cruise ship.

The other passengers and I sat down at tables set out on the deck and were treated to a feast that was a mixture of Western and Asian cuisine. Around us, thousands of limestone islets rose out of crystalline emerald waters that glistened in the sun.

Pham Sanh Chau, director general of the department for cultural relations and UNESCO under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam, said Ha Long Bay is the first World Heritage Site in Vietnam. UNESCO recognized it as a World Heritage Site in 1994 and again in 2000 in recognition of its natural beauty and geological value.

“Ha Long Bay deserves to be named as one of the seven new wonders of nature because it’s like paradise. There is nothing like it anywhere in the world,” Chau said. “It’s not an area just for tourism. It also serves as buffer zone against climate change. It’s rich in marine biodiversity and many scientists say this should be a geological park.”

As we sat back with our plates full of food, fishing boats large and small passed us on their way to their next catch. People exclaimed in excitement when they saw a small tent set up on the waters of Ha Long Bay. The tent, we learned, had been built to accommodate fishermen in need of a break or a place to sleep.

Our trip around the bay was nothing if not idyllic, but our tour guide explained that tourists who visit the area usually take overnight cruises to Ha Long Bay. The cruise starts with lunch aboard the ship and continues with stops at various caves for kayaking and swimming. Guests then sleep on the boat that night.

Because of my tight schedule, I had to return to my hotel that night and wasn’t able to take advantage of what sounded like a lovely diversion, but before I did I took a tour of the boat’s lower deck, where the sleeping rooms are located. The rooms are cozy and designed to accommodate two people. Each one is fully furnished with a bed, sofa, shower booth and toilet, just like in a hotel.

Although my journey to Vietnam was short, I picked up a few tips for my next trip that I’d like to share. First, you don’t have to set an alarm because there is an endless stream of honking motorbikes whizzing by every morning in Hanoi and the noise is enough to force your eyes open. Most Vietnamese people start the day early and most offices open at 7:30 a.m.

Second, you need to be extremely brave when crossing the street. There are no street lights like the ones you find in other major cities. When you try to wade into the traffic that is rushing by, drivers of cars and motorcycles swerve around you without slowing down. On my first day in Hanoi, I stood on the street for 10 minutes waiting for the right time to cross when I finally found a group of Vietnamese women intent on jaywalking.

Third, although the traffic is insane, make sure you stroll around the city on foot. This is the best way to experience a typical day in the life of the Vietnamese people. Women balance poles laden with heavy baskets of vegetables and flowers on their shoulders, passing people who squat on the sidewalk or sit in plastic chairs, sipping tea and eating pho (beef noodle soup) at outdoor food stalls. This is where you can feel the energy of the people.

If you are planning a trip to Vietnam, I recommend you go to Hanoi first, take a tour of Hoan Kiem Lake and the Old Quarter and then take the overnight cruise of Ha Long Bay.

By Kim Mi-ju [mijukim@joongang.co.kr]

Recommendation in Halong bay, Vietnam: Indochina Sails

Indochina Sails makes donation to Cua Van School in Halong bay , Vietnam

activetravelvietnam — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 09:32:24 +0000

On 12 March, 2010 the Staff and Management of Indochina Sails made a gift of twenty new desks and chairs, along with a large assortment of school supplies to the students of the Cua Van Floating Primary School. The school is located in the Cua Van Floating Fishing Village and has about 70 students aged from 6 to 14 years old. The village itself is home to about 600 people, who live there permanently, on about 130 floating houses.

Cua Van Primary School in Halong bay, Vietnam

The school is an important part of our daily itinerary. We visit the Fishing Village every afternoon and on days that school is in session our guests are allowed to visit. It is a fascinating experience, as you can see from the pictures. The schoolrooms and equipment are very basic, and the dedicated teachers do a fantastic job with limited resources.

In the past, Indochina Sails has made cash donations for the betterment of the village in general. However, recently, one of our staff suggested; “What if we collect some money ourselves and try to fix up the school somehow to make it better for the kids?”

So, the idea was born. Donations were collected from every member of our staff, and added to that was a donation from the company’s Management Team. We then asked the teachers how best we could use the money to help the students.

Mr. Jerry Bowes, the General Manager of Indochina Sails makes donation in Cua Van Primary School in Halong bay, Vietnam

If any guest coming to Ha Long Bay would like to help the young students of the Primary School we suggest you bring donations such as pens, pencils, markers, crayons or chalk. Also, coloring books for the younger students and notebooks for the older ones. And what kid wouldn’t like some sweets!

Indochina Sails

Add: 27, A6, Dam Trau Quarter, Hanoi, Vietnam
Tel: 84-4-39842362
Fax:84-4-39844150
Email: info@indochinasails.com
Website: http://www.indochinasails.com

Ha Long Bay

activetravelvietnam — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 08:45:30 +0000

Halong bay view

On December 14th 1994, at the 18th session of the World Heritage Commission in Phuket-Thailand, Ha Long Bay was inscribed in the World Heritage List by UNESCO. The decision to recognize Ha Long Bay as a World Heritage area confirmed the exceptional and universal value of its landscape.

For Vietnamese people Ha Long Bay is not only a great landscape but it is also a sacred and long-standing symbol of the country. In the Vietnamese people’s consciousness the stone islands in Ha Long Bay are not only limestone but biotic. When the Nation was in danger a Mother Dragon and her children descended from the sky to create Ha Long Bay and stayed forever to defend the country.

In Vietnamese the bay is called Vinh Ha Long (Where the Dragon Descended to the Sea). The Bay is situated on the northwest coast of the Gulf of Tonkin, near the city of Hong Gai, in Quang Ninh province, in northern Vietnam. It is 102 miles (164 km) southeast of Hanoi. The 580-square-mile (1,500-square-kilometre) area contains some 3,000 rocky and earthen islands, typically in the form of jagged limestone pillars jutting out from the sea, and several caves and grottoes. The system of grottos in the islands of Ha Long Bay are considered heavenly palaces in the world. The most impressive of the grottoes is Hang Dau Go, a huge cave of three chambers, while the Thien Cung Caves are also very impressive.

Visiting travelers can see the impact left by primitive people from the last 20,000 years. Three famous prehistoric cultures continuously developed in this landscape from the late Paleolithic age to the early Metal age. They are the Soi Nhu culture, Cai Beo culture and Ha Long culture.

Taking a tour of the bay is the main activity here; most book a tour at a cafe or hotel in Hanoi. If you want to arrange things independently, be ready for lots of hard sell from touts in Ha Long City. To see a lot, choose a fast boat. If you want a romantic experience but with the risk of getting hardly anywhere, look for one of the old junks. You have to charter the whole boat, but there are usually enough travelers around to make up a party and keep costs down.

The main town in the region is Ha Long City, which is split in two halves, bisected by a very modern bridge over the bay. Bai Chay (the western part) is the more scenic and has the most hotels, restaurants and persistent touts. Hon Gai (the eastern part) is connected to Haiphong by a ferry. Masochists might try seeing the bay on a day-trip from Hanoi. Another option is to travel to Cat Ba Island, where you can arrange a tour of the bay with less hassles.

The name Ha Long Bay is literally translated as “Bay of Descending Dragons.” Prior to the 19th century, this name was not recorded in any document or archive. When mentioning the present-day Quang Ninh Sea or Ha Long Bay, old historical books often referred to them as the seas of Giao Chau, Luc Chau, Luc Thuy, Van Don, Hai Dong or An Bang. Not until in the late 19th century did the name of Ha Long Bay appear on the Bac Bo (Tonkin) Gulf chart or in press articles in French and in Vietnamese.

A legend has been handed down in the local area relating to the name Ha Long Bay, which says: Long ago, in the first founding days, the Viet people were attacked by foreign aggressors. The Jade Emperor sent the Mother Dragon and a herd of Child Dragons to help the Viet fight the invaders. While the enemy vessels were launching massive attacks against the mainland, the dragons descended in flocks from the sky. They spat out innumerable pearls which, in a moment, were changed into innumerable jade stone islands linked together into firm citadels that checked the enemy’s advance and smashed their vessels into pieces. The Viet won at last.

After the invaders were driven out, the Mother Dragon and her Child Dragons did not return to Heaven but stayed on earth, right at the place where the battle occurred. The spot where the Mother Dragon landed was Ha Long, and where the Child Dragons came down was Bai Tu Long. The place where their tails violently wagged was called Long Vi, the present-day Tra Co Peninsula with its soft sandy beach stretching dozens of kilometers.

Ha Long Bay: one of the world’s natural wonders

admin — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 06:43:05 +0000

The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism said on October 8 that Ha Long Bay has been ranked as one of the 150 most beautiful natural wonders in the world by a French leading e-magazine.

Indochina Sails on Halong bay

An article portraying Ha Long Bay – a world natural heritage, was published in September in the Voyager (tourism) column of L’Internaute magazine.

The article noted that apart from its thousands of charming islands and beautiful caves, Ha Long Bay is also home to a wide biodiversity that includes eco-systems like mangrove forests, coral reefs and tropical forests.

The Bay, twice recognized by UNESCO for its landscape and geological value, has advanced to the final stage of a campaign to vote for the world’s seven new natural wonders by the NewOpenWorld.

It currently ranks 4th out of the 28 successful landscapes in terms of votes.

Vietnam is making an effort to promote and preserve the Bay to encourage the community, especially friends across the world to vote for it.

Reported by: VOVnews

Recommended for vessels on Halong bay, Vietnam:

Indochina Sails: info@indochinasails.com

Website:http://www.indochinasails.com

Mid-Autumn Children’s Festival, Vietnam

admin — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 00:59:08 +0000

Mid-Autumn Children’s Festival or Tet Trung Thu is a wonderful time to visit Vietnam. The festivities last for several days and there is singing and shouting. Children wear masks, parade happily in the streets and bang their drums. Parents buy lanterns and toys for their children and prepare their favorite dishes. Special cakes are made and exchanged, and fruits are plentiful.

Full Moon Festival in luxury cruise on Halong bay

The festival is celebrated on the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month, the day of the first full moon closest to the autumn equinox when the moon is at its fullest. The autumn equinox always falls on September 23. This year, the Children’s Festival will occur on October 8. At the spring and autumn equinoxes the duration of day and night is equal and the sun appears directly overhead at noon at the equator. After September 23 the days become shorter and the nights grow longer.

During the Children’s Mid-Autumn Festival, although the moon is then at its greatest distance from the earth, it appears larger than at any time of the year and takes on a reddish glow. In the West, this large, full autumn moon is called a harvest moon. In its partial phases, the moon represents the incompleteness of life and potential for completeness, fullness and prosperity. The Mid-Autumn celebration is then a celebration and a prayer for the fullness and completeness of life.

In many ancient agricultural cultures, when the nights got longer and the light and heat from the sun decreased, there were prayers and ceremonies urging the sun not to forget to rise again the next year. The theme of light after darkness is a key to understanding fall festivals. In ancient times in northern Europe farmers held a great festival with bonfires and they rolled firewheels down hills to recall the descent of the sun and then to invoke its ascent and return. The lanterns which Vietnamese children play with on this festival day recall the wish for the return of the sun’s warmth and light. There are several different shapes of lanterns including the five-star lantern representing the sun and the frog-shape representing the moon. There are lanterns which spin around when a candle is placed inside, symbolizing the seasonal spinning of the earth around the sun.

During the festival, children wear paper-mache masks of Ra Hu who looks somewhat like a tiger. According to the myth, during the creation of the world the gods stirred up the sea to activate the ambrosia of immortality. The demon Ra Hu, lord of the nine planets and ruler of the gods of the nine planets, stole it and the sun god punished him by cutting off his head. The myth also says that Ra Hu ate pieces of the full moon and that is why it has phases and eclipses. Children wear the masks and growl like tigers to frighten Ra Hu so he will not gobble up the entire moon. Nowadays there are also many kinds of plastic masks, including Mickey Mouse and Superman, to frighten off the monster.

The masks, lanterns, toys, decorations and drums are sold on Hang Ma Street in the commercial quarter of Hanoi. Days before the fifteenth of the month the street is crowded with children and their parents. In the evening, pagodas and temples, especially those temples dedicated to goddesses, are open for worshippers to light incense and make offerings of flowers and fruit and to pray.

Several types of special cakes called banh trung thu are eaten at the festival time and are sold all over town. Some cakes take on the shape of a carp. In Vietnamese tradition the carp represents the soul of the moon. Other cakes are round and white and still others are square and golden brown. The brown ones represent the yang elements, or the sun, and the white ones are the moon. Most of the children don’t know the symbolism but just enjoy the taste. We see a yin and yang aspect to many of Vietnam’s seasonal festivals. In the balance of the female and male elements of the universe, the fall festival represents the ascendancy of the female powers over the male, the prominence of the moon over the sun’s influence.

Banh trung thu are not raised like Western cakes. They are filled with lotus seeds, orange peel, ground beans, and sometimes egg and pork fat for flavor. It is traditional that one offers a box of these special cakes to someone that you want to please or owe a favor, like your landlord or the local police. In addition to cakes, fruits are plentiful during this time, especially watermelon and grapefruit. Grapefruit sections can be transformed into animal shapes like the rabbit of the moon, who according to legend pounds the ambrosia of immortality at the foot of a cassia tree. In addition to the rabbit, there are other mythical inhabitants of the moon. One is the three-legged toad, an incarnation of the moon maiden who stole the elixir of immortality from her husband. And the old man who, as a punishment for displeasing a revengeful god, is forever cutting down cinnamon trees which regrow as soon as his ax chops them.

The dragon dance is an important aspect of many festivals including the Mid-Autumn Children’s Festival. The dragon dance expresses the duality of Vietnamese festivals. The dragon dance is a re-enactment of the earth and sky duality, the yin and yang of the world. The Lord Earth, called Ong Dia in Vietnamese, is the dancer who dances around the dragon, urging it on. Ong Dia has a very round, happy smiling moon-face. He represents the wealth or fullness of the earth.

The meaning of the Mid-Autumn Festival has been transformed over time. Originally it was not specifically for children. The Vietnamese people believe that only when one is innocent and pure can they get close to the natural and sacred world. So by becoming like children, they can acquire attributes of the gods. Because of its interesting legends and customs, and because the weather is mild, the Mid-Autumn Festival is a special time to see Vietnam.

Please enjoy Mid-Autumn Festival with Indochina Sails !!!

Indochina Sails: Email: info@indochinasails.com, http://www.indochinasails.com