vietnam study tour programme

Travel Industry Academy in partnership with Hanoi University

VIETNAM TOURISM STUDY

TOUR PROGRAMME

Theme: GLOBAL DISCOVERY VIETNAM

PROGRAM RATIONALE/AIM

Over the last 10 years Vietnam has achieved great results in term of economic and social development. The

recent WTO membership is not only an important milestone for Vietnam in the process of integrating into the

world economy but also a true recognition of the world for its effort in restructuring its legal system, freeing

up its market and create a better business environment for all economic sectors. With stable political

condition, rich of natural resources, skilled and competitively cheap labor, sound economic policies and huge

economic potential, it is expected Vietnam will very soon become one of the most important player and

market in the region. The future is bright!

The aim of this four-week study tour is to give delegates a basic understanding about Vietnam as a potential

economic and business partner. Rather than simply presenting and discussing business related issues, the

program starts by looking at Vietnamese culture from a historical perspective. Then it gives delegates an

overall picture of Vietnam political and legal system with focus on business- related laws and legislations.

Finally, it discusses several key business topics such as Vietnam economy, Vietnam business environment, FDI,

Vietnam EU economic relations and operation of foreign own firms in Vietnam. This approach helps

delegates not only understand what is happening but also the reasons underneath and the direction of

future. Also, the combination of classroom lectures, field trips, company visits and other activities and

excursions makes the program a nice study leisure balance.

DAY ACTIVITIES REMARKS

WEEK 1

DAY

1

AM Orientation and campus tour.

Meet HANU Students.

PM Attend Lecture 1: Vietnam Culture Overview Speaker: Pro. L Vn Lan*

DAY

2 AM

Hanoi City Tour The Old Quarter (Pick up at HNU.

Transfer to Ha Noi centre. Visit Hanoi old quarter: Hang

Ngang str., Hang Dao str., Dong Xuan Market, Hang Gai

str)

PM Visit Museum of History

DAY

3

AM Attend Lecture 2: Vietnamese History: The French time. Speaker: Douglas D. Jardine*

PM Attend Lecture 3: Independence and War: Building socialism

and War of the Revolution.

Speaker: Douglas D. Jardine*

DAY

4

AM Visit Hoa Lo prison, Uncle Ho Mausoleum Complexes

PM Visit Temple of Literature and Museum of Military

DAY

5 AM

Attend Lecture 4: After 1975: Vietnam before Doi moi:

collectivization and the command economy Exhibition on

the command economy period.

Speaker: Douglas D. Jardine*

PM Visit Koto Vietnam An International Non-Profit

Organisation

DAY

6

AM Attend Lecture 5: Todays Vietnam: Present and Outlook. Speaker: Douglas D. Jardine*

PM Free for Leisure or Self-study

DAY

7

Free for Leisure or Self-study

WEEK 2

DAY 8 AM

Attend Lecture 6: Understanding Vietnamese Culture

through Cuisine.

Speaker: Ms. Pham T Thinh *

PM Attend Lecture 7: Pro-poor tourism in Vietnam Speaker: Mr. Nguyen Duc

Hoa Cuong*

DAY 9 AM

Attend Lecture 8: Overview of Vietnamese Economy

Managing State-Owned Organisation.

Speaker: Ms. Nguyen Thu

Huong*

PM Seminar with HANU students: Dos and Donts in Vietnam.

DAY

10

AM Visit Museum of Ethnology/Hanoi Museum

PM Visit an International Airlines Branch/Rep Office in Vietnam

DAY

11

AM Attend Lecture 9: Foreign Direct Investment in Vietnam. Speaker: Ms. Pham My Hanh*

PM Attend Lecture 10 The development of securities market in

Vietnam.

Speaker: Mr. Chu Huy Anh

DAY AM Visit Lac Hong Vien Park a real estate business model.


12 PM Visit a Thang Long Securities trading centre.

DAY

13

AM Attend Lecture 11: The Labour Market in Vietnam. Speaker: Ms. Nguyen Thi

Minh Hieu* PM Free at leisure or Self-study for the Project

DAY

14

AM Free at leisure or Self-study for the Project

PM

WEEK 3

DAY

15 AM

Workshop with HANU students: SIFE projects on developing

business for community

PM Attend Lecture 12: Vietnam EU Economic and Business

Relation.

Speaker from EU/ EC

delegation in Vietnam*

DAY

16 AM

Attend Lecture 13: Living and working in Vietnam How to

adapt?

Speaker: an expatriate in

Hanoi

PM Attend Lecture 14: Business Communications in Vietnamese

organisations.

Speaker: Ms. Tran Tu Linh*

DAY

17 AM

Visit Marine Gift (a Vietnamese social enterprise)

Visit new urban area in Ha noi: Trung Hoa area, My Dinh

area, Ciputra area, the Manor)

PM Visit Vine Group an importation and exportation wine

company

DAY

18 AM

Workshop with HANU students: young entrepreneurs/

business communications

PM Attend Lecture 15: Overview of Vietnamese law Speaker: Ms. Ho Thuy Hang*

DAY

19


PM Presentation on KoTo Project

DAY

20

AM Flight to Ho Chi Minh City.

Upon arrival in Ho Chi Minh City, meet and greets at the

airport with tour guide. Transfer to hotel for check in.

Welcome drink. Free time relax.

PM

DAY

21 AM

Attend lecture 16: History of Southern Vietnam (1954 -

1975)

Speaker: Nguyen Xuan

Thanh*

PM Visit Reunification Palace, War Remnants Museum

WEEK 4

DAY

22 AM

Attend lecture 17: Geography study - Mekong River and Its

roles on economic and cultural life of Southern Vietnam.

Speaker: Ms. Ho Huu Phiem*

PM Workshop with students from HCMC University of Banking.


DAY

23 AM

Visit Notre Dame Cathedral, History Museum, Ben Thanh

Market

PM

Visit Khang Thong Happyland Resort

More information about the project:

http://www.khangthong.vn/

DAY

24

AM Visit a local bank

PM Transfer to Binh Duong - Visit Vietnam Singapore Industrial

Park (VSIP)

DAY

25 AM

Attend lecture 18: HCMCs Business environment. Role of

state management in attracting foreign investment into

HCMC.

Speaker: Mr. Truong Quoc

Trung* and Mr. Nguyen Anh

Vu*

PM Attend lecture 19: Urban planning in HCMC Speaker: Ms. Ha Thi Kieu

Dao*

DAY

26

AM Visit Sai Gon Invest Groups office

More info about SGI: http://www.saigoninvest.com/

PM Free at leisure or Self-study for the Project

DAY

27


PM Students presentations on The Vietnam that I have come

to know

DAY

28

AM Transfer to the airport. Tour ends

Remark: * depending on availability of the speaker, the seminar can be run by another back-up speaker.

LECTURERS/GUEST SPEAKERS PROFILE

Mr. Douglas D. Jardine

Mr. Douglas Jardine is currently a lecturer at that Faculty of International Studies at Hanoi University. He

teaches Perpectives in Vietnamese History, American History and Culture, the Formation of Modern Asia,

The History of Science, Technology and Social Development, Issues in Environmentalism and Development,

Introduction to Regional Studies and World Economic Geography. Also at Hanoi University He co-taught a

course on American culture and society through American Art with Ms. Sherry Goodman a visiting art

historian from Berkley University in CA.

He has also lectured widely on the social meanings of architecture, particularly the architecture of Hanoi and

on the colonial history of Vietnam.

He is also a working artist, He has a wide background in the studio arts (He made his living for years as an

artist in Texas and New York City), he also has a very wide experience with art history. Currently here in

Hanoi, he specializes in black and white film photography, he has shown at the Bookworm Gallery and the

Red Arecas Restaurant and I has been invited to show at the Maison De'Art near the Temple of Literature.

Historian Professor Le Van Lan

Historian Professor Le Van Lan is very well-known in Vietnam. He was born in 1936 in Hanoi. He is a

specialist in ancient history, the Vice-president of the Scientific Board of Hung King Temple and Historical

Place. He is also one of the founders of Institute of Vietnamese History. Prof Le Van Lan has had many-year

experiences as a historical consultant for many Vietnamese television programs. He is also in charge of

historian consultanting for the Science and Life newspaper and Young Pioneer newspaper. Prof Le Van Lan

is the author or co-author of 20 books and has supervised more than 100 graduation papers on ancient

history and Vietnamese culture, which have been published on domestic and international journals.

Ms. Tran Tu Linh

Ms. Tran Tu Linh is an experienced trainer and consultant in human resource, marketing and business

communication issues specializing in business communication and service marketing. Her 8 years plus

experience in the education and training field has included design and delivery of program such as

negotiation skills, team building, advanced project management, effective communication, and recruitment

and selection techniques, developing intercultural and cross culture awareness.

Linh has worked as lecturer for Faculty of management and tourism, Hanoi University and International

Studies of National University. To encourage students volunteer their time, knowledge for community with

good causes, to have meaningful and purposeful lives, Linh has founded AKS Vietnam which operates in

charity, cross culture and education.

Before that, Linh was human resource counselor in restructuring organisaton for Customer service

department of VASC- VNPT corporation. Then she was highly regarded to hold an assistant to the CEO for

VietNamNet Media Group and VH Funds. Linh was also invited to develop educational branch for EQuest in

HoChiMinh city. And then she worked for Hewlett-Packard as Marketing and Communication specialist. She

conducted a workshop for the public, private and community sectors, involving staff at all levels, such as;

corporate executives, fund raising executives, coordinator, senior trainer, volunteer.

Linhs qualification include: Cambridge Certificate of Marketing, Cambridge University, Diploma of Foreign

Affair, Institute of International Relations, Bachelor of Business Administration, Hanoi University and numbers

of short courses like Marketing New concept, Harvard University, Training Deliver Skills, and Branding &

Media, HP Malaysia.

Ms. Pham T Thinh

Ms. Pham T Thinh is the founder of The Deli Fastfood restaurants one of the 1st fastfood restaurants in

Hanoi. She has been a vice president of UNESCO Vietnam Center of Gastronomy since 2006. Thinh has

participated in research on the Vietnamese gastronomy such as Nuoc Mam (Fish sauce), Pho, Jasmine Tea,

vietnamese traditional cakes She provides many cooking classes, and cooking presentations for

embassadors as well foreign organizations and individuals in Hanoi. She is now running a vocational center

in Hai Duong Province.

Ms. Nguyen Thu Huong

Ms. Nguyen Thu Huong obtained an MA in Development Economics of Finance and Credit from the

Vietnam-Netherlands Masters Programme in Development Economics, the Institute of Social Studies

(Netherlands) in 2001. She received formal training in Finance Management at Swinburne University of

Technology (Australia).

Huong has been a lecturer in economics and finance at Hanoi University since 2002 and La Trobe HANU

B.BUS Project since 2003. Before that she worked as a lecturer, supervisor and academic reader at Hanoi

University of Business and Technology, Thang Long University and Phuong Dong University.

She is also a visiting lecturer and subject co-ordinator at the Institute for Research Support of Education

Development, Institut de la Francophonie pour linformatique (Master Program in Informatics) and Ministry

of Planning and Investment.

You can contact her at [email protected].

Ms. Ho Thuy Hang

Ms Ho Thuy Hang is a Law Lecturer at Faculty of Management and Tourism. She obtained Bachelor of

Business Law at Hanoi Law University in 1998. She received her Master of Laws from DEAKIN University in

Melbourne, (Australia) in 2005. She has 5-year teaching experience in law, 2-year experience in legal

consulting and 1-year experience working in legislation in National Assembly Culture and Education

Committee. She began working for Hanoi University and Latrobe University as law lecturer from the end of

2007 till now.

Ms. Pham My Hanh

Ms. Pham My Hanh is a lecturer of management at the Faculty of Management and Tourism at Hanoi

University. She graduated from the Foreign Trade University, majoring in International Economics. Hanh

earned her Master Degree in International Business at the University of Queensland, Australia. She has been

teaching at the Faculty of Management and Tourism since 2007. Her current research work covers issues

related to multinational enterprises operations, globalization, and economic integration.

Mr. Chu Huy Anh

Mr. Chu Huy Anh is currently an Accounting Lecturer at Hanoi University. He obtained a Bachelor Degree in

Economics at University of California, Los Angeles, and a Master Degree in Taxation at California State

University, Fullerton (USA). He has been investing in the stock market for the past 10 years, both in the USA

and in Vietnam. Besides working as a lecturer at HANU, he is also an associate of an investment firm in

Hanoi, which specialized in investing in securities and real estate.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Minh Hieu

Ms. Nguyen T Minh Hieu was born in Hanoi on February 2, 1981. She completed her BA (human resource

management major) from Ritsnumeikan APU, Japan, and her MBA from La Trobe University, Australia.

After graduated, she worked for an UNDP National Project before became fulltime lecturer at Hanoi

University. Besides teaching (specialized in Human Resource Management), Hieu also has been providing

consulting services to local governemnt authorities, Credit Swiss Training Management Program, Ford

Vietnam, Vietnam Association of Craft Villages.

Currently, she is conducting a research of Analysing vietnamese traditional craft works using DACUM

model which is funded by Directorate of Vocational Training.

Mr. Nguyen Duc Hoa Cuong

Mr. Nguyen Duc Hoa Cuong was born in Hanoi, Vietnam on May 8, 1972. He completed a Master of

Science in Tourism Management from CERAM Graduate Business School in Sophia Antipolis, France in

2002.

For several years, Cuong worked as a tourism researcher for Vietnam National Administration of Tourism

where he participated in numerous tourism planning projects at all scales throughout the country. Cuong

has been providing consulting services to local Government authorities and various international

development organizations and projects in Vietnam, in particular the Asia Development Bank (ADB) or

Netherlands Development Organization SNV. In addition, Cuong is a university tourism lecturer and a

tourism professional skill trainer, working for a number of universities and tourism HRD projects in Viet Nam.

At present Cuong is a full-time lecturer in Hanoi University, specializing in teaching tourism planning and

sustainable tourism.

Cuong Nguyen Duc Hoa has written several dozen articles and planning documents that were published in

tourism magazines as well as publications of various international development organizations in Vietnam.

Mr. Nguyen Xuan Thanh

Doctor Lecturer at University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Ho Chi Minh City

Mr. Ho Huu Phiem

Lecturer at College of Sai Gon Tourism

Mr. Truong Quoc Trung

Doctor Deputy manager of Faculty of Business Administration, University of Banking, HCMC

Mr. Nguyen Anh Vu

Head of Securities Market University of Banking, HCMC

Ms. Ha Thi Kieu Dao

Chief Editor of Banking Magazine, HCMC

LOCATION DESTRIPTION

FACULTY OF TOURISM AND MANAGEMENT - HANOI UNIVERSITY

Since the establishment in 1959, Hanoi University (HANU) is a leading reputable and qualified training and

research institution in Vietnam on international studies, business, and tourism at graduate and post-graduate

levels, a provider of tailor-made foreign language services of high quality. It is striving to become an

international university in the region. With its traditional strength in foreign languages, HANU has clearly

defined its strategy for development and expansion of international exchanges through joint programs,

academic exchanges, research cooperation projects with foreign partners. The long-term development

objective in this regard is to become a regionally recognized international university, attracting more foreign

students to study at HANU.

Faculty of Management and Tourism is a new faculty of Hanoi University (HANU). Established in 2002, the

Faculty now has grown to one of the biggest units in the university with more than 1200 full time

undergraduate students enrolled. Currently, the Faculty is offering four undergraduate programs:

Bachelor of Business Administration (Financial Management)

Bachelor of Tourism Management

Bachelor of Finance and Banking

Bachelor of Accounting

These programs together with Bachelor of International Studies from Faculty of International Studies and

Bachelor of Computer Science from the Computer Science Department - are the only formal undergraduate

programs in Vietnam in which English is used as a language of instruction and assessment for all subjects.

HOA LO PRISON

Prisons frequently were important urban facilities in colonial cities. Designed by a

formally trained architect, it stands in the very centre of the city. During the Vietnam

War (Second Indochina War), prisoners nicknamed their place of interment the "Hanoi

Hilton". Mostly demolished since 1995, save for the main entrance, it will be the site of

a new hotel.

There's not much left of the infamous "Hanoi Hilton," the prison that once housed

captured American servicemen during the Vietnam War, including U.S. Air Force pilot

Douglas "Pete" Peterson, the first U.S. ambassador to Hanoi. What does remain,

however, is a small section of the old prison, which is now a museum, and the tree

under which Do Muoi, the former general secretary of the Communist Party, used to

sit while writing on the backs of leaves during his imprisonment by the French in the

years of Vietminh resistance.

Hoa Lo Prison Museum is a blunt reminder of the horrors of colonialism and wartime

imprisonment. Here, through the front gates of the old French Maison Centrale

(Central House, or Prison), built in 1896, you can get a handle on what life was like for

Vietnamese prisoners held during France's occupation of Vietnam. (The number of

prisoners under the French grew from 615 in 1913 to 2,000 in 1953.) In the southern

hall, beyond the grisly guillotine and body basket, are cells where death row prisoners,

including Hoang Van Thu, Tran Dan Ninh, and Nguyen Van Cu (who escaped and

became a powerful early leader of modern Vietnam), were held. These cells are dank,

dark, and anything but welcoming.

On exhibit upstairs are Vietnamese propaganda photos of American POWs, including

Senator John McCain and former Ambassador Peterson, cheerily shooting pool,

cooking, and writing letters. You won't be able to see the building where the American

pilots were kept since it has been torn down, as has the cell from which Do Muoi and

100 other prisoners escaped in 1945 through the maze of sewers that ran under the

prison, parts of which are on display in the courtyard.

HO CHI MINH MAUSOLEUM

Revel in the nation's history in a nutshell when you visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum

and Museum, housed in a large and impressive modern building. Most cyclo drivers

and locals will be able to point it out to you.

You can find out about Ho Chi Minh's life and work, from his early travels around the

world and final victory over the South here.

Opened in 1990 to celebrate Ho's centenary celebrations, the mausoleum is the best-

arranged and most innovative museum in Vietnam. No bags and cameras are allowed

inside in order to preserve the sanctity of the display.

The wide, open spaces of Ba Dinh Square, 2km west of Hoan Kiem Lake, are the

nation's ceremonial epicentre. It was here that Ho Chi Minh read out the Declaration

of Independence to half a million people on September 2, 1945, and here that

Independence is commemorated each National Day with military parades. The

square's west side is dominated by Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum, where, in the tradition

of great leaders, Ho Chi Minh's embalmed body is displayed under glass in a cold,

dark room. Huge crowds come here to pay their respects to "Uncle Ho", especially at

weekends

Follow the crowd on leaving Ho's mausoleum and you pass the grand Presidential

Palace, constructed in 1901 for the governor-general of Indochina, en route to Ho Chi

Minh's house. After Independence in 1954 President Ho Chi Minh built a modest

dwelling for himself behind the palace, modeling it on an ethnic minority stilt house.

The ground-level meeting area was used by Ho and the politburo; upstairs, his study

and bedroom are sparsely furnished and unostentatious.

HO CHI MINH MUSEUM

This museum, dedicated to the life and deeds of Ho Chi Minh (broadly defined), was

built with the aid of the USSR. Though modern in architectural style, its shape alludes

to the lotus, symbolically associated in Buddhist mythology with perfect

understanding.

This museum is located nearby Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. It was completed on May

19, 1990, on the occasion of President Ho Chi Minh's birthday. It is a 4-story building

covering a total area of 10,000 m2. The museum is designed in the shape of a lotus

flower, as a symbol of President Hos noble character. The main showroom displays

more than 2,000 documents, articles, pictures, and exhibits illustrating not only

historical events that took place in president Ho Chi Minhs life, but also important

events that occurred in the rest of the world since the end of the 19th century. The

museum also contains other rooms such as a library, a large hall, meeting rooms, and

research rooms. Since its opening, the museum has welcomed millions of local and

international visitors.

MUSEUM OF HISTORY

Just behind the Opera House, Hanois History Museum offers a good overview of

Vietnams history from prehistoric times to the end of the Second World War.

Although the arrangement of the exhibits follows the usual chronological sequence,

many of the individual artifacts are good quality.

Built in 1931 as a French cultural research and conservation institution, the present-

day museum carries on that tradition. The architecture is typical of the of the later

French Colonial period that incorporated Vietnamese elements to create a unique and

impressive style.

VIETNAMESE MUSEUM OF ETHNOLOGY

Vietnam Museum of Ethnology is both a research centre and a public museum

exhibiting the ethnic groups of Vietnam. The mission of the Museum is scientific

research, collection, documentation, conservation, exhibition and preserving the

cultural and historic patrimony of the nations different ethnic groups. The museum

also serves to guide research, conservation, and technology that are specific to the

work of an ethnographic museum.

The Vietnam Museum of Ethnology is a valuable centre for the exhibition and the

preservation of cultural heritages of the 54 ethnic groups in Vietnam. To date, the

Museum has collected 15,000 artifacts, 2,190 slides, 42,000 photographs, 237

audiotapes, 373 videotapes and 25 CD-ROMs. It is also a centre for ethnographic

research employing many experts on the different ethnic groups. People come to the

Museum just not to visit or entertain, but also to learn about these ethnic groups, their

cultural diversity and the uniqueness of each group and region, as well as traditional

values throughout the Vietnamese country. For this reason, national and international

visitors, children and students, professionals and non-professionals are attracted to

the Museum.

The artifacts of the Museum are not only priceless antiquities, but many are everyday

objects, such as knives, baskets, garments, flutes, pipes and mats. These objects reflect

tangible and intangible cultural heritages of the communities, representing lives and

creative activities of the people. Thus, artifacts of the Museum are so varied that they

are organized into different collections. The Museum has 54 collections of each

individual ethnic group. Functionally classified, there are collections of clothing,

jewellery, of agricultural tools, fishing instruments, weapons, household utensils and

musical instruments. In addition, there are collections of artifacts related to the various

religions, beliefs, wedding ceremonies, funeral ceremonies and other social and

spiritual activities. Based on the specific collections, the Museum organizes exhibitions

and publishes books and catalogues in different formats in order to meet the needs of

various audiences of different backgrounds.

MUSEUM OF REVOLUTION

The rustic Museum of Vietnamese Revolution houses mostly photos that document

the country's various struggles for independence and the history of the Communist

Party. Aside from capturing revolutionary moments, the images, which date from 1858

to the present, provide a glimpse of the changing rhythm of Vietnamese streets

spanning across three centuries. The objects on display offer a creative and multi-

dimensional insight. Some of the more original artifacts include a 1920s jar that stored

revolutionary documents, a Japanese Buddhist drum used to rally support for the

Party in the 1960s and Vietnam's first sewing machine.

Bao Tang Cach Mang - Built in 1926 to house the French tax office, this cavernous

museum opened its doors in 1959 and now has 29 halls, individual rooms that focus

on specific events or periods in Vietnam's arduous road to independence. The focus

naturally lands on the country's efforts against French colonialism, Japanese fascism,

and American imperialism. The photographs from the August 1945 Revolution are

particularly interesting. History buffs may do better here than at the Museum of

History, just across the street: just about all the exhibits here have English and French

commentary, so a few hours of exploration can be a great learning experience. On the

other hand, it may be difficult to swallow some of the museum section titles, such as

"The Peaceful Struggle for National Reunification, 1954-1957." English-language

guided tours must be arranged in advance.

THE ARMY MUSEUM

Officially the Museum of Military History, the Army museum is located in the south-

west corner of the Hanoi Citadel.

A large assortment of military paraphernalia clutters up the front gardens, balefully

overlooked by a statue of Lenin on the other side of the road.

The main exhibition covers events during the war against the French colonists from

the 1930 uprising to the victory at Dien Bien Phu in 1954. The American War is

described in a separate exhibition stall.

Putting aside a strong propaganda element, the rare photographs and video images

of Ho Chi Minh, the legendary General Giap, the battle of Dien Bien Phu and the Ho

Chi Minh Trail makes a visit an unmissable experience for military history buffs as well

as those simply interested in seeing the Vietnamese side of the conflict. However,

youll need a guide with you to assist with language and contextual interpretation.

A bonus is an opportunity to ascend the Cot Co Watch Tower adjacent to the

museum. Apart from being of considerable interest as one of the few remains of

Emperor Gia Longs mighty edifice, the view from the top includes the whole Citadel

area and its surroundings.

MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS

The fine colonial mansion that houses the museum was given an oriental-style roof

when it ceased to be a residence. Nevertheless, the effect is pleasing.

The various collections are eclectic inevitably, the Soviet inspired social realism

school is well represented but is by no means dominant.

Among the many reproductions, there are some fine originals. Particularly noteworthy

are a delightful collection of folk art, and a good range of modern art including some

excellent water colours and innovative contemporary work.

HANOI MUSEUM

Hanoi Museum is an outstanding cultural work reflecting the images of Hanoi in the

integration and renewal process. On display at the museum are thousands of objects

from different stages of Vietnams history and photos introducing the images of Hanoi

in the past and at present.

This is a beautiful museum with modern and unique architecture and a cultural

wonder of the capital city and the nation.

The museum is located near the My Dinh National Stadium on an area of nearly

54,000 m2 with a total investment capital of VND2,300 billion.

BAT TRANG POTTERY VILLAGE

The Bat Trang ceramics village, a 500-year-old village, is located about 10 km

northeast of Hanoi on the left bank of the Red River. According to Vietnam's famous

history book, Dai Viet Su Ky Toan Thu, the name of Bat or Bat Trang Commune was

first known in 1352. However, unofficial records said that in the Ly dynasty (1010-

1225), villagers from Bo Bat commune in Ninh Binh Province resettled in this area and

called it Bat Trang Commune.

The villagers chose the area because they found porcelain clay - a good material to

produce high quality porcelain and ceramics. The land is also easy to access by a

water way as it lies next to the Nhi or Hong (Red) River.

Bat Trang ceramics were sought for by people of all walks of life from royal families in

Thang Long (Hanoi) city to farmers. Since the 15th century, ceramic house-utensils

made by the Bat Trang village were also among the tributes to Chinese kings.

Since then, throughout the ups and downs of history, Bat Trang village has confirmed

the value of its products. The traditional craft of ceramic making in Bat Trang has

survived all challenges and continued to develop, especially over the past decades,

with thousands of kilns on fire round the clock. Many kilns in Bat Trang are now

fuelled by gas, thus helping reduce environmental pollution and ensuring the quality

of products.

According to artisans in the village, Bat Trang ceramics have been mainly decorated

with paintings of dragons and phoenixes, parallel sentences, floral designs, images of

people and landscapes, which all reflect the Vietnamese people's daily activities and

spiritual life.

Bat Trang, in the several past centuries, mainly made worshipping objects, then

produced house-utensils, including bowls, plates, vases, cups and pots. The village has

recently diversified its products, producing many items of fine art ceramics and high

quality porcelain.

Bat Trang ceramics have also been shipped to many countries, such as Japan, the

Republic of Korea, the US and EU member countries. Many ancient ceramics of Bat

Trang are being kept in major museums in the world, such as the Royaux museum in

Belgium and the Guimet museum in France.

John S. Guy from the Victoria and Albert museum in London praised the value of Bat

Trang ceramics in the Ly-Tran dynasty, saying that they reflected the independence of

the nation. He said Bat Trang ceramics are truly the pride of Vietnam.

Since 2002, Bat Trang artisans have promoted their co-operation in the Bat Trang

Ceramics Association to boost production and marketing. The association helps Bat

Trang people and ceramics businesses get information about the market, learn about

new technology, trading ways and opportunities for their trade in order to raise their

competitiveness.

The association has established a centre to promote its exports and is building the

trademark of "Bat Trang Vietnam - a 1,000-year tradition".

The Bat Trang village festival is held annually at the middle of the second month

according to the lunar calendar, which usually lasts for seven days.

REUNIFICATION PALACE

Reunification Palace (Vietnamese: Dinh Thng Nht) formerly known as Independence

Palace (Dinh c Lp), built on the site of the former Norodom Palace, is a landmark

in Ho Chi Minh City. It was designed by architect Ng Vit Th and was the home and

workplace of the President of South Vietnam during the Vietnam War. It was the site

of the end of the Vietnam War during the Fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975, when a

North Vietnamese Army tank crashed through its gates.

On April 30, 1975, the moment of conquering the Palace of Independence was also

the moment of terminating victoriously Ho Chi Minh City campaign and the campaign

of full liberation of the South. The Palace of Independence became the convergent

point of victories. In Nov. 1975, the political consultative conference for reunification

of two North South parts took place there. With such great historical meanings, in

1976 the Palace was speciality recognized by the State as the Cultural Historical relic

of the Palace of Independence (Decision No. 77A/VHQD dated June 25, 1976).

WAR REMNANTS MUSEUM

The War Remnants Museum (Vietnamese: Bo tng chng tch chin tranh) is a war

museum at 28 Vo Van Tan, in District 3, Ho Chi Minh City. It primarily contains exhibits

relating to the American phase of the Vietnam War.

Operated by the Vietnamese government, the museum was opened in September

1975 as "The House for Displaying War Crimes of American Imperialism and the

Puppet Government [of South Vietnam]." Later it was known as the Museum of

American War Crimes, then as the War Crimes Museum until as recently as 1993. Its

current name follows liberalization in Vietnam and the normalization of relations with

the United States.

The museum comprises a series of eight themed rooms in several buildings, with

period military equipment located within a walled yard. The military equipment include

a UH-1 "Huey" helicopter, an F-5A fighter, a BLU-82 "Daisy Cutter" bomb, M48 Patton

tank, and an A-1 attack bomber.

One building reproduces the "tiger cages" in which the South Vietnamese government

housed political prisoners. Other exhibits include graphic photographs, accompanied

by short copy in English, Vietnamese and Japanese, covering the effects of Agent

Orange and other chemical defoliat sprays, the use of napalm and phosphorus

bombs, and atrocities such as the My Lai massacre. Curiosities include a guillotine

used by the French and the South Vietnamese to execute prisoners, last in 1960, and

three jars of preserved human fetuses deformed by exposure to dioxin.

There are a number of unexploded ordnance stored in the corner of the yard,

seemingly with their charges removed.

NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL

Situated right in the heart of Hochiminh City is the most famous landmark as well as

core Cathedral of the city, Saigon Notre-Dame Cathedral (translated as Nh th c

B Si Gn). Notre-Dame Cathedral, or Notre-Dame Basilica to be exact, is a famous

age-long cathedral in Southern Vietnam. It is a magnificent building located at the

Paris Square in Hochiminh City downtown, attracting not only Catholics but also most

tourists for its neo-Romanesque style architecture and a sacred atmosphere.

Historical story

Established by French colonists, the cathedral was constructed between 1863 and

1880. It has two bell towers, reaching a height of over 58 meters (190 feet). Following

the French conquest of Cochinchina and Saigon, the Roman Catholic Church

established a community and religious services for French colonialists.

The first church was built on Rue 5 (today's Ngo Duc Ke Street). This had been a

Vietnamese pagoda, which had been abandoned during the war. Bishop Lefevre

decided to make this pagoda a church. In 1959, Bishop Joseph Pham Van Thien,

whose jurisdiction included Saigon parish, attended Holy Mother Congress held in

Vatican and ordered a Peaceful Notre Dame statue made with granite in Rome. When

the statue arrived in Saigon, on February 16th, 1959, Bishop Pham Van Thien held a

ceremony to install the statue on the empty base and presented the title of "Regina

Pacis". It was Bishop Pham Van Thien who wrote the prayers "Notre-Dame bless the

peace to Vietnam". On the following day, Cardinal Aganianian came from Rome to

chair the closing ceremony of the Holy Mother Congress and solemnly chaired the

ceremony for the statue, thus the cathedral was then-on called Notre-Dame

Cathedral.

The cathedral boasts its honored status as a Basilica consecrated tens of years ago. In

1960, the Vatican founded a Roman Catholic dioceses in Vietnam and assigned

archbishops to Hanoi, Hu and Saigon. Notre-Dame cathedral was titled Saigon Chief

Cathedral. Yet, in 1962, Vatican anointed the Saigon Chief Cathedral, conferred it

basilique in honor of the tri-cenetary of the Bishopric of Saigon. Since then, this

cathedral was called Saigon Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica, which has enhanced its

value and absorbed hundreds of thousands of Catholics as well as international

tourists to pay a visit.

Apart from the religious meaning that attracts tourists, the even more special

captivating point of Notre-Dame Cathedral is its special neo-Romanesque style of

architecture. During its construction, all its red bricks were imported from Marseilles

and colored glass windows made in Frances Chartres Province, France. Tiles have

been carved with the words Guichard Carvin, Marseille St Andr France (perhaps

stating the locality where the tiles were produced). Some tiles were carved with the

words Wang-Tai Saigon. Many tiles have since been made in Saigon to replace the

broken tiles caused by war. There are 56 glass squares supplied by the Lorin firm of

Chartres province in France. The cathedral foundation was designed to bear 10 times

the weight of the cathedral. In front of the cathedral is a statue of the Virgin Mary. On

a whole, the neo-Romanesque architecture and two 58m-high square towers tipped

with iron spires dominate the citys sky line, creating a beautiful religious site!

HISTORY MUSEUM, HCMC

Through the different exhibits that can be seen, the museum portrays Vietnams

history from ancient times (approximately 300,000 years ago) up to the 1930s, when

Vietnams Communist Party was founded. The History Museum was built in 1929 and

was called "Muse Blanchard de la Bosse". Until 1956, it was renamed Saigon National

Museum, and finally in 1975, after some renovations, the museum was expanded and

became the Ho Chi Minh City History Museum.

The museums exhibits are divided according to the following topics:

- Rise of the Hung Kings

- Fight for Independence (1st-10th centuries)

- Ly Dynasty (11th-13th centuries)

- Tran Dynasty (13th-14th centuries)

- Le Dynasty (15th-18th centuries)

- Tay Son Dynasty (18th-19th centuries)

- Nguyen Dynasty (19th-middle of the 20th centuries

BEN THANH MARKET

Ben Thanh market has long been one of Saigon's most famous landmarks. The market

has been in existence since the French occupation. The original market was located on

the shores of Ben Nghe river by old fort Gia Dinh. Its proximity to the fort and the river

where merchants and soldiers would land was reason for its name (Ben meaning pier

or port and Thanh meaning fort). In 1859, when the French invaded Saigon and

overtook fort Gia Dinh, Ben Thanh Market was destroyed. It was rebuilt shortly

thereafter and remained standing until it was moved to its present location in 1899.

Built on a landfill of what was once a swamp named Bo Ret (Marais Boresse), the new

Ben Thanh Market is located in the center of the city. Under the French government,

the area around Ben Thanh Market was called Cu Nhac circle (Rond point Cuniac),

named after Mr. Cuniac, the person who proposed filling the swamp to create this

area. The area was later renamed Cong truong Dien Hong.

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