Vietnam is Back - Fully Reopened Borders

Vietnam is Back - Fully Reopened Borders

Vietnam is back! Effective 15 March 2022, this exquisite Southeast Asian nation has fully reopened its borders to fully vaccinated international travelers from all around the world. To celebrate this important milestone, Marriott Bonvoy®, Marriott International's extraordinary portfolio of 30 hotel brands, award-winning travel program, and endless experiences is inviting its cherished guests to rediscover the beauty of Vietnam. With a choice of desirable destinations all across the country, from stylish cities to chic beach resorts, visitors can start planning their dream vacation.

Hanoi: Vietnam's capital promises a wealth of wonders for international visitors. Take a stroll through the Old Quarter and experience the serenity of Hoan Kiem Lake, then soak up Hanoi's rich historical and cultural heritage at the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long, Perfume Pagoda or Water Puppet Theatre.

Ho Chi Minh City: The country's largest city is a vibrant metropolis with activities for all ages. The iconic Reunification Palace and poignant War Remnants Museum are unmissable attractions, while the bustling markets and soaring skyscrapers show the contrasting faces of this ever-changing city.

Danang: Central Vietnam's largest city is great for guests who want to combine a beach break with an urban escape. Chill out on the long sandy shore, shop in the upmarket malls, marvel at the Dragon Bridge, or head out into the lush countryside where many wonders await amid forests and mountains.

Phu Quoc: The pristine "Pearl Island" is a haven of tropical adventure. Nestled just off the country's south coast, this dreamy destination promises the perfect combination of sun, sea, sand and stunning scenery. Take the breath-taking Hon Thom Cable Bar, which stretches almost 8km over the ocean.

Nha Trang: This popular seaside town on Vietnam's southeast coast is a paradise for couples and families alike. Kids will be thrilled by the local theme parks and beautiful beaches, while all ages will be captivated by the cultural attractions, including ancient temples from the Cham civilization.

To celebrate the reopening of Vietnam, Marriott Bonvoy has unveiled "Earn, Eat, Enjoy", a rewarding promotion that promises daily breakfast for two people and up to VND 1.1 million (USD 48) of hotel credit all across the country. Marriott Bonvoy members will also be treated to complimentary Wi-Fi and bonus points on every stay.

"Earn, Eat, Enjoy" is valid for bookings made from now until 30 June2022, for stays taken until 30 September 2022.

Marriott Bonvoy encompasses Marriott International's extraordinary portfolio of brands – including the largest collection of luxury properties, award-winning loyalty program, Homes & Villas by Marriott International, online retail shop with 13 branded boutiques, and access to endless experiences – all available through the Marriott Bonvoy Mobile app. Members can earn and redeem points for stays and accelerate the points they earn with co-branded credit cards from JP Morgan Chase and American Express, among others.

Intriguing Towns and Cities

Intriguing Towns and Cities

Vietnam intrigues many visitors year after year. The country has plenty of heritage, rich culture, and natural beauty. Vietnam is basically bordered by mountain ranges to the east; to the west, there's the South China Sea. At the north and south ends are the Red River and Mekong deltas. Vietnam's diverse landscape ropes in rich paddies, white sand beaches, and lush jungles. You are free to visit Vietnam's beautiful towns, easily bookable through a cultural trip.

Hội An: Hội An is a select Unesco World Heritage Site. Undoubtedly, Hoi An is one of Vietnam's most important tourist destinations. The city has terrific cuisine, irresistible charm, and intriguing history. If you want to get an accurate idea about what Vietnam is, make a visit to Hoi An. Between the 16th and 18th centuries Hoi An served as a major port. The city owes its splendid beauty to several factors, including a mix of Asian and European influences. The town is actually small enough for a visitor to explore on foot. The town's streets are generally dotted with various Chinese temples, wooden-fronted shop houses, and lively food markets.

You'll find many galleries selling native artwork and laid-back, open air coffee shops. All these add a charming bohemian element to Hoi An. And if you arrive there at the right time, you can enjoy the annual lantern festival; it's usually held along the Hoai River. When visiting the city on a culture trip you can have a guided walking tour on a 12-day, specially curated Vietnam adventure.

Mũi Né : Mui Ne is another one of Vietnam's architectural landmarks and natural features. Visiting Mui Ne you're likely to catch a silhouette of several women carrying small baskets and trudging along the sand dunes at sunset hours. Mui Ne was once known as a sleepy fishing village. Today it's a favorite getaway destination for many immigrants who want to taste Vietnam's urban life. You'll find most of them occupying the nearby Ho Chi Minh city; the latter was previously known as Saigon. Although the city is increasingly popular with tourists, Ho Chi Minh still retains an attractive low-key atmosphere. The city's 9-mie beach is beautifully lined with several low-rise resorts, shops, and restaurants. The town bay is a fairly well-known hotspot for various kinds of wind and kite surfing. Happily, the wind levels are generally consistent throughout the year. Do you need a small break around the beach? Just take a short tour of the surrounding sand dunes. These actually contribute to the town's pleasant microclimate. As a result, the rainfall is relatively minimal even during the wet season.

Thoai Pham: Thoai Pham is located at an altitude of about one mile ( 1.5 km) above the seal level. It has a beautiful, serene mountain scenery and enjoys a year-round cool weather. The quaint town once served as a favorite retreat for hordes of Vietnamese emperors and French colonialists eager to get away from the country's summer heat. You can still notice much European influence especially depicted by French colonial architecture usually found in the central area of the city. Here, the streets are ever lined up with red-roofed stone buildings. The city has lovely markets, churches, colourful gardens, and winding streets. This is one place that's always delightful to stroll across. The town's surrounding area is dotted with beautiful lakes, waterfalls, and forests. Yes, this is the perfect place for various fan activities, including biking, trekking and rock climbing.

Nha Trang, Vietnam Nha Trang is a well-known Vietnamese city that's also home to several of the country's top beaches and dive sites. The city's crescent-shaped beach that covers some 6km is set against a beautiful, picturesque mountain drop. Apart from the gorgeous scenery, Nha Tang features many beautiful shorelines with soft sands. Here you will get a pleasant promenade, scenic parks, sculpture centres, and beautiful gardens. Several companies are available to take visitors around delightful day trips traversing the city's 20 islands. The islands are located just a short distance from the coast. While visiting you can enjoy various snorkeling and hiking experiences. Visiting the city centre, you can grace some fantastic restaurants and later visit the Po Nagar Cham Temple; the temple dates back to the 8th century.

So, visit Vietnam to enjoy all kinds of pleasant and glamorous things that a tourist would have. No doubt, Vietnam's cities and towns will never disappoint.

Historic Wall That Heals Monument

Historic Wall That Heals Monument

In 1996 during the Veterans Day, the VVMF (Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund) went ahead to inaugurate a replica of the veterans memorial in Washington DC. The monument was specially designed to be a mobile facility that would be carried and displayed to communities all over the US. The monument was named the Wall that Heals.

Ever since the inauguration ceremony, the Wall that Heals has already been displayed at almost 700 US communities. The mission is to spread the memorial's healing legacy to as many people as possible. There's little doubt that the gallant efforts to bring the wall home to various communities throughout the country are a beneficial venture. As a promoter said, who knows? The noble activity might even allow the souls that are enshrined on the memorial to continue existing among friends and family in comfort and peace. And they can do this in familiar surroundings.

Certainly, the traveling exhibit gives a chance to thousands of veterans who could not previously face the Wall to take up courage and strength and do so in a controlled setting. In this way, the healing process can actually begin. The Wall that Heals' main components are the mobile Education Center and the Wall replica.

The Wall features a ¾ scale replica of the actual Vietnam Veterans Memorial that's kept in Washington DC. The monument stands 7.5 feet high at the tallest point. It measures 375 feet in length. While visiting, tourists can actively feel the great Wall rising high above them. They can experience as they walk towards the monument's apex. This is one of the most important features of the Washington DC war monument. The Wall That Heals is basically designed and erected in a chevron-like shape. This is a key resemblance to the original memorial. Here, visitors can perform name rubbings of the individual service members' names right there on The Wall. The replica itself is made of Avonite; this is basically a synthetic granite- its 140 numbered panels are all supported by aluminum frames. There's a machine engraving of over 58,000 names. Also, modern LED lighting provides readability of The Wall at all times.

The names engraved on The Wall That Heals are inscribed by the day of casualty. Starting at the apex/centre the names start from the East Wall on the right hand side and work their way out, reaching the end of the wing. They pick up, once more, at the West Wall's far end (on the left hand side) before working their way back to the apex/ centre. Ultimately, the inscriptions join the beginning at the centre (at the end of the conflict). The trailer carrying the Wall That Heals- a 53-foot behemoth- slowly transforms into a beautiful mobile education center. The trailer's exterior also features "The War and the Wall" timeline. The timeline offers extra information regarding the Washington DC Veterans Memorial. Other exhibits provide visitors with a better understanding of the veteran's memorial's legacy. They also give more information on the various collection of items that remain the DC Wall.

Some of the Wall's displays include: Photos of several service members on the Wall (it's known as the Hometown Heroes). From the local area, the members list their home of record. These photos constitute a part of the famous Wall of Faces. This is –essentially- a special effort to assign a face to each name inscribed on the Washington DC Wall. Another feature is known as the In-Memory Honor Roll. These are actual photographs of the local Vietnam war veterans. The veterans are honoured through the VVMF In Memory Program. The program honours veterans who managed to return home and died later. There are several digital photos of the In Memory honourees-originating from the actual states where the exhibits are displayed. There's also a replica or copy of the In Memory plaque kept on the grounds of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington. It generally reads: "This is in special memory of all the men and women who bravely served in the Vietnam War and died later as a result of their gallant service. We highly honour and remember their valiant sacrifice."

Finally, there is the Items Left Behind. This is a display of the items that represent what is kept in the Washington DC Memorial. It's a special remembrance of the heroes inscribed on The Wall.

How to Enjoy a Memorable Visit to Hanoi City

How to Enjoy a Memorable Visit to Hanoi City

On October 10th 2010, something exciting happened in Hanoi- the city celebrated its 1000th birthday! You probably plan to visit this fascinating Vietnamese city in the near future. How can you make the best of your trip? Consider these exciting suggestions:

Take a Thrilling Ride around Hanoi's Famous Streets: Take Hanoi's famous cyclo-, the local taxi- and get ready to explore the real Hanoi. Visitors are usually ushered in the front rider to enjoy a spectacular, once in a lifetime experience around the city, but get ready for some nail-biting experience- the vehicle will soon hurtle around town with all kinds of traffic flying around in every direction. Beware!

Visit the Temple of Literature: Is there any notable ancient building for everyone visiting Hanoi? If there ever was this kind of place, then it's the Temple Literature building. The structure embodies the veritable Confucianism sanctuary; it is considered Vietnam's foremost centre of learning; it has been around for a respectable 1000 years. While visiting the Temple Building, you can admire the spectacular monument's swooping tiled roofs, the tranquil ponds, the well-trimmed lawns, and its elaborate gateways. You can conclude your visit with a delightful experience characterized by the traditional music performance right there in the famous music room.

Visit the Ho Chi Min National Mausoleum: The influence of the legendary Ho Chi Minh in his Vietnamese homeland can never be overstated; yes, you cannot overestimate this man's powerful influence across the country. To get a picture of Vietnam's national situation, you definitely need to visit Ho Chi Minh's mausoleum.

To most visitors, the experience is both unusual and moving. While visiting here, tourists and locals are expected to dress respectfully in a manner that befits the occasion. You are guaranteed to sense the stunning admiration for Vietnam's foremost hero figure. No wonder the Ho Chi Minh Museum is always a crowd-puller for thousands of tourists every year; the stream of tourists pouring into the area is always endless.

Discover Vietnam's Exciting history: Not many countries in the world have gone through what Vietnam has- the country has a turbulent natural history. Do you want to get the best overview while visiting here? Then you must visit Vietnam's famous History Museum. The story really started in the 1930s with the moniker L'Ecole Francaise Oriente. Some of the items displayed here include the battle scenes of dioramas, the Imperial Court paintings and the images of the legendary Ho Chi Minh in his youth.

Get Away to Hanoi's Backstreets: Just like you might visit other major capital cities of the world, you can discover Hanoi's authentic culture in the backstreet areas (rather than the city centre). No, you won't find these in places regularly visited by tourists. Well, you know it- the tourist areas are always neatly staged to give the appearance of the perfect city. While wandering away to the backstreets, do not forget to carry your camera. Carry your notebook as well- you're just about to start making new friends. Yes, it's a lifetime's event visiting Hanoi's backstreet; get to know the real Hanoi.

Buy Something at the Traditional Crafts and Silk Shops: You'll find many boutiques and shops located in and around Hanoi. Most of these have attractive window displays. Here you can always spend your dong on several offerings of traditional textiles and crafts. One of Hanoi's most fabulous buys is silk. And they really come in dazzling colours. There are other neat souvenirs, including propaganda posters and water puppets.

Watch the Thrilling Hanoi Water Puppet Performance: Watch the spectacular water puppet event: Have you ever heard of quadratic baboons? Well, visit Hanoi for a taste of the most exciting event in town. Undoubtedly, the water puppet performance will leave you dazed. The event is usually characterized by the operation of a complex system driven by levers and pulleys. The entire event is a primary feature of peculiar Vietnamese entertainment.

While visiting, you'll watch sketches of dragons that glide through the water. There are ";maidens"; who keep busy dancing on the water's surface. Every year these events keep thousands of enthusiasts attentive and entertained. The traditional musicians are not left behind- they always have a bevvy of entertainment lined up.