Kontum The highland central of Vietnam

The most northerly of the three towns on the Highland plateaux, the provincial capital of Kon Tum is located on the banks of the Dakbla River about 900km from Ho Chi Minh City and around 200km from Qui Nhon. It’s a pleasant, unassuming sort of place. There are well over 600 ethnic minority villages and hamlets in the province, mostly Ba Na, Xo Dang, Gie Trieng and Gia Rai. A sizeable proportion of the population has converted to Catholicism.

The French used Kon Tum as their administrative centre for the Central Highlands and built a large prison to subdue the local population. They deployed the prisoners as forced labour to build Highway 19 – needless to say, many died.

One of the best-known international guidebooks has much to say about Kon Tum’s historic prison, concluding that the “local tourism authorities have not quite grasped the economic potential of this would-be war museum.” Had the authors checked, they’d have known that the prison was demolished after the war and completely rebuilt between 1998 and 2000 by the tourism department to capitalise upon an unwitting tourist market. Oops!

If you travel with Haivenu, you get accurate information. As we’re not interested in ‘fake’ attractions, we give the prison a miss.
However, the town has two French-built churches that definitely shouldn’t be missed. The small, whitewashed Tan Huong Church was built around the 1850s. It stands on stilts, although it’s not immediately obvious. Inside, it’s a gem. Most of the stained glass is original, and there’s a splendid vaulted ceiling. The roof has been replaces, but the original ‘fishscale’ tiles can be seen on the tower.

The better-known ‘Wooden Church’ was built in 1913, and has been carefully restored. The stained-glass window includes both Christian and local imagery.

The Bishop’s Palace isn’t open to the public, but it’s worth a look from outside.

While in Kon Tum, we encourage our guests to visit the town’s Ba Na orphanage. It’s a poorly funded charitable foundation, but the children are well cared for despite the somewhat Spartan surroundings. You’ll get a very warm welcome, and they’ll get a decent donation on your behalf, a transaction that sends everyone away happy.

The main attraction of the area around Kon Tum is dozens of easily accessible ethnic minority villages. Visitors can stroll through ethnic communities, meet the people and experience their daily life. You’re very unlikely to run into beggars or other nuisances: even the children don’t cluster around or pester strangers. People are very friendly, and happy to welcome guests into their houses. Homestays are available.

‘Rafting’ down DakBla River in an inflatable dingy, a riverside picnic, swimming, dinner in the Rong house of a Ba Na village followed by wine and conversation with the locals typifies the experiences offered by this little-known area and its easygoing, good-natured people.

If you want to get further away, there are plenty of good trekking routes taking you through attractive countryside and across precarious bridges to reach more remote villages. Accommodation will most likely be in the local ‘rong’ house. You need to be flexible and adaptable, though – the local authorities have differing ideas about what’s allowed and what isn’t, which is why you need one of our expert guides to smooth the way!

World’s largest cave in Vietnam to be introduced in 60 countries

The world’s first 3-dimension scientific reportage is about Vietnam’s Son Doong cave and it will be broadcast in 60 countries on June 25.

The 3D reportage was produced by Japan’s Kyodo Film and will be broadcast on Japan’s NHK World TV in 60 countries, according to officials from Quang Binh province, the home to Son Doong, which is classified as the largest cave in the world.

The reportage, called “Let’s Fell the Grandness of Nature”, has been made by Japan ’s Kyodo film studio with assistance of Quang Binh province and the British Cave Research Association (BCRA).

Son Doong (Mountain River) Cave was announced as the largest in the world by BCRA, and selected as one of the most beautiful in the globe by the BBC news. The cave can contain a 40-storey building.

Son Doong cave was first spotted in Quang Binh’s Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park by a local man named Ho Khanh in 1991.

The cave was then made known publicly as lately as in 2009 by a group of British scientists from BCRA, led by Howard Limbert, after their surveying trip in Phong Nha-Ke Bang Park .

According to Limbert, the cave is five times larger than the nearby Phong Nha cave, previously considered to be the largest cave in Vietnam.

Son Doong cave is found to have a length of at least 6.5km. It is estimated to be 200m in width and 150m in height. The largest chamber of the cave is judged to be 250m in height.

Scientists have also discovered a great number of stalactites in astonishingly extraordinary shapes and also primitive forests in the cave.

Son Doong Cave in National Graphics’ photos:

A giant cave column swagged in flowstone towers over explorers swimming through the depths of Hang Ken, one of 20 new caves discovered last year in Vietnam.

A climber ascends a shaft of light in Loong Con, where humidity rises into cool air and forms clouds inside the cave.

A half-mile block of 40-story buildings could fit inside this lit stretch of Son Doong, which may be the world’s biggest subterranean passage.

A jungle inside a cave? A roof collapse long ago in Hang Son Doong let in light; plants thickly followed. 
Mist sweeps past the hills of Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, its 330 square miles set aside in 2001 to protect one of Asia’s largest cave systems.

Going underground, expedition members enter Hang En, a cave tunneled out by the Rao Thuong River. Dwindling to a series of ponds during the dry months, the river can rise almost 300 feet during the flood season, covering the rocks where cavers stand.

Headroom shrinks in the middle of Hang En as cavers pass beneath a ceiling scalloped by eons of floodwater rushing past. The river shortly reemerges onto the surface, then burrows into Son Doong after a few miles.

Like a petrified waterfall, a cascade of fluted limestone, greened by algae, stops awestruck cavers in their tracks. They’re near the exit of Hang En.

Moss-slick boulders and a 30-foot drop test adventurers at the forest-shrouded entrance to Son Doong.

Son Doong’s airy chambers sprout life where light enters from above—a different world from the bare, cramped, pitch-black spaces familiar to most cavers. Ferns and other greenery colonize rimstone. In the jungles directly beneath
roof openings, explorers have seen monkeys, snakes, and birds.

Rare cave pearls fill dried-out terrace pools near the Garden of Edam in Son Doong. This unusually large collection of stone spheres formed drip by drip over the centuries as calcite crystals left behind by water layered themselves around grains of sand, enlarging over time.

Navigating an algae-skinned maze, explorers lead the way across a sculpted cavescape in Hang Son Doong. Ribs form as calcite-rich water overflows pools.

The trickiest challenge for the expedition team was to find a way over the Great Wall of Vietnam, an overhanging mass of flowstone that blocked the way deep inside Son Doong.

Like a castle on a knoll, a rock formation shines beneath a skylight in Son Doong. A storm had just filled the pool, signaling that exploring season was coming to an end.

Dubbed the Great Wall of Vietnam, a 200-foot cliff halted the advance of the first team to enter Son Doong, in 2009.

“It sounded like a roaring train,” said an explorer, describing the noise a second before a waterfall exploded into Son Doong through the Watch Out for Dinosaurs doline, or sinkhole opening.

In the dry season, from November to April, a caver can safely explore Hang Ken, with its shallow pools. Come the monsoon, the underground river swells and floods the passages, making the cave impassable.

Taking the only way in, a climber descends 225 feet by rope into Loong Con. A survey party discovered the cave in 2010, hoping it would connect with the enormous Son Doong. A wall of boulders soon blocked the way, but a powerful draft indicated that a large cavern lay on the other side.

Streams of light from the surface unveil stalagmites fat and thin on the floor of Loong Con. Cavers called the new find the Cactus Garden.

Visiting Hue, Vietnam’s last imperial city

Situated on the Perfume River, Hue is a relaxed and peaceful city full of lakes, canals and lush vegetation. Once the imperial city of the Nguyen dynasty, this Unesco world Heritage Site is home to some of Vietnam’s greatest historical buildings and sights. The Nguyen dynasty was the last royal family to rule Vietnam with a dynasty spanning 143 years, from 1802 to 1945.

Thien Mu Pagoda

Ngo Mon Gate, Citadel

Possibly the most impressive sights within the city are the citadel and the royal mausoleums. Of equal interest is the Thien Mu pagoda, the largest in Hue, and an unofficial symbol of the city. It is very fortunate that these historic sights survived somewhat unscathed during the bombing of Hue during the Tet Offensive in 1968 when much of the city was levelled.
The Citadel
Hue’s glory days kicked off in the early 19th century when Emperor Gia Long began the construction of a vast citadel comprising three concentric enclosures. The citadel bears a striking resemblance to the Forbidden City in Beijing and must have been a sight to behold when completed. Today, only 20 of the original 148 buildings remain.
Ten gates lead into the citadel, but by far the most impressive is Ngo Mon, the principal entrance. The gate itself consists of five entrances: the central one for the emperor, two for civil and military employees and two for the royal elephants. Of the remaining palace buildings, Thai Hoa Palace boasts a spectacular interior containing gold and red lacquers and was where major ceremonies were held.
The Royal Mausoleums
If the citadel were not enough to convince one of the decadence within the royal court, the royal mausoleums surely are. Built in the valley of the Perfume River, these mini palaces are built in beautiful surroundings. Artificial lakes, waterfalls and lush gardens were set out with the three buildings comprising the mausoleum taking pride of place. The main temple was dedicated to the worship of the deceased emperor in question, followed by a stone stele recording details of his reign and finally, the tomb, which is enclosed behind a wall.
There are in total seven mausoleums although the mausoleums of Tu Duc, Khai Dinh and Minh Mang are the most attractive and best preserved. These are easily accessible from Hue by taxi or motorbike. It’s also possible to see the mausoleums as part of a cruise on the Perfume river and if this is the route chosen, it should be possible to see a further three mausoleums.

Thien Mu Pagoda
Equally impressive is the Thien Mu Pagoda, also known as the Heaven Fairy Lady pagoda. It is seven stories high and is the tallest pagoda in Vietnam. It was originally built in 1601 after the then governor of the region heard a local legend. According to the legend, an old lady known as Thien Mu sat at the site, rubbing her, cheeks, and professed that the lord would come to the site and build a pagoda to pray for the country’s prosperity.
It’s possible to wander around the site at leisure taking in the calming atmosphere and smell of incense burned by Buddhist worshippers. After removing shoes, it is also possible to enter the temple behind the pagoda and catch a glimpse of the Buddhist way of life.

Imperial Cuisine
Hue has many cafes and restaurants serving both traditional Vietnamese food and for those that have been on the road a while, more prosaic pizza and burgers. The best known Hue dish is banh khoai, a small, crispy yellow pancake that is fried with shrimp, pork and bean sprouts and is served with a peanut and sesame sauce.
A food experience unique to Hue is to indulge in an imperial feast. There are a number of restaurants that offer this. Food in the imperial court had to be both visually stunning as well as delicious. Don’t be surprised if served a bird carved from cucumber. The food was meant to amuse and delight the diner, as well as satisfy their hunger.
While not a bustling city like Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi, Hue provides a break from the usual frenetic activity that is Vietnam. Whether taking a cruise down the Perfume River, or renting a motorbike to explore the rice paddies on the edge of town, Hue is wonderful place to relax and experience the quieter side of Vietnam.

Hoi An Ancient Town

The ancient town of Hoi An, 30 km south of Danang, lies on the banks of the Thu Bon River. Occupied by early western traders, Hoi An was one of the major trading centers of Southeast Asia in the 16th century.
Hoi An has a distinct Chinese atmosphere with low, tile-roofed houses and narrow streets; the original structure of some of these streets still remains almost intact. All the houses were made of rare wood, decorated with lacquered boards and panels engraved with Chinese characters. Pillars were also carved with ornamental designs.

Tourists can visit the relics of the Sa Huynh and Cham cultures. They can also enjoy the beautiful scenery of the romantic Hoi An River, Cua Dai Beach, and Cham Island.

Over the last few years, Hoi An has become a very popular tourist destination in Vietnam.

Light Bright

In a wood-fronted shops a woman in traditional dress sits at a desk, bathed in the light of a lantern made from a simple bamboo fish-trap. Outside, two old men are absorbed in a candlelit game of Chinese checkers. These scenes, straight out of the 19th century, still take place in Hoi An, a sleepy riverside town in the central province of Quang Nam.

Hoi An has long been a cultural crossroad. More than five centuries ago the Vietnamese nation of Dai Viet expanded its territory southwards, encroaching on the Indianized Kingdom of Champa, which covered much of what is now central Vietnam. Hoi An, located on the Hoai River, emerged when Japanese and Chinese traders built a commercial district there in the 16th century.

These diverse cultural influences remain visible today. Visitors will find Hoi An's Old Quarter lined with two-storey Chinese shops, their elaborately carved wooden facades and moss-covered tile roofs having withstood the ravages of more than 300 years of weather and warfare. These proud old buildings, which back onto the river, remind visitors of another era, when Hoi An's market was filled with wares from as far afield as India and Europe. Colourful guildhalls, founded by ethnic Chinese from Guangdong and Fujian provinces, stand quietly, a testament to the town's trading roots.

While Hoi An's old-fashioned charm is always visible, on the 14th of every lunar month modernity takes another step back. On these evenings the town turns off its street lamps and fluorescent lights, leaving the Old Quarter bathed in the warm glow of coloured silk, glass and paper lanterns. In ancient times, Vietnamese people made lamps out of shallow bowls filled with oil. Later, foreign traders introduced lanterns, ranging from round and hexagonal designs from China to diamond and star shaped ones from Japan.

Let there be light

When developing plans to preserve their town's ancient character, Hoi An residents decided to revive the practice of using coloured lanterns. Starting in the fall of 1998, one night each month is declared a "lantern festival". On the 14th day of each lunar month, residents on Tran Phu, Nguyen Thai Hoc, Le Loi and Bach Dang streets switch off their lights and hang cloth and paper lanterns on their porches and windows. Television sets, radios, street lights and neon lights are turned off.

In the ensuing quiet the streets of Hoi An are at their most romantic, the darkness broken only by jeweltoned lanterns in all manner of shapes and sizes.

Strolling through the lantern-lit streets is like walking into a fairytale. It is all the more picturesque since motor vehicles are banned from Hoi An's Old Quarter. On Trai Phu Street, stop at the beautifully preserved Faifo Restaurant to sample some traditional Chinese-style pastries. Or walk on to the Treated Café, where bamboo baskets, commonly used to wash rice, have been transformed into unique lanterns. These basket lamps are but one example of people's creativity as they experiment with new shapes and materials, including lights made from hollow bamboo tubes.

A Warm Glow

The 14th day of the lunar month is a Buddhist day of worship. Residents place offerings of food and incense on their ancestral altars and visit one of Hoi An's many pagodas. The scent of incense and the sounds of people singing add to the town's enchanted atmosphere. On these evenings, visitors will get a rare glimpse into another era. These nights are a welcome reminder of life's unexpected beauty.