Vietnam Photos IV

Vietnam's impression

Vietnam’s impression on National Geographic

May 26, 2012

LookAtVietnam – Vietnam’s beauty appears on National Graphic through pictures featuring girls in ao dai, romantic sandy banks in Binh Thuan, terraced fields in northwestern Vietnam…

Terraced rice paddies ring the Vietnamese countryside in bright green. The crop,
a staple of Southeast Asia, has been grown in Vietnam for thousands of years.

Perched on the edge of the Mekong Delta and a stone’s throw from Cambodia, Chau Doc is a
 river city where the local economy depends on fishing. The Mekong’s iconic floating houses,
wooden boats, and fish farms offer a glimpse into Vietnam’s hardworking agricultural communities.

This riverboat captain ferries passengers through the ancient trading town of Hoi An, a U.N. World
Heritage site. Considered a well-preserved example of a Southeast Asian trading port,
Hoi An’s harbor mouth is now filled with fishermen and guided boat tours.

A woman rows a boat along the Thu Bon River in Hoi An, Vietnam.

Hoai River, Hoi An town.

An ancient house in Hoi An.

Cao Dai Ceremony: Cao Dai is a Vietnamese religious movement that unifies elements of Buddhism,
Taoism, Confucianism, and Catholicism. Formally established in 1926, this syncretist faith maintains
that all religions are the same in principle. Cao Dai temples dot the Mekong Delta region, with the
epicenter at the Holy See in Tay Ninh province, southern Vietnam.

A peddler in Hoi An town.

Hmong Women, Bac Ha: A festive event held every Sunday, the Bac Ha market in northern
 Vietnam is an occasion for neighboring ethnic groups to gather for gossip, food, and handicrafts.
Within a sea of color, Hmong women stand out in their vibrant head scarves and elaborately embroidered tops.

Child in a Red Dao Village in Sapa.


A young girl of the Red Dao Hill Tribe of northern Vietnam gets help from her
grandma putting on her earrings.

Hmong Woman and Child, Cao Son

Sapa Valley: Nestled among the Hoang Lien Son Mountains in northwest Vietnam, the Sapa Valley
is home to a diversity of hill tribes. Due to variable climate conditions and steep terrain, the productivity
of farming in the region is at the mercy of nature, as only one crop can be cultivated within a single year.

A young girl enjoys a meal in Ho Chi Minh City.

Noon Gate, Hue: Of the ten entrances to the city of Hue, the most dynamic is the Noon Gate, or Cua
Ngo Mon, which leads to the Imperial Palace. Constructed in 1833 during the reign of Emperor
Minh Mang, this southern gate has borne witness to significant political announcements,
destructive battles, and modern-day processions.

Old Quarter, Hanoi: Pedestrians and motorists surge through Vietnam’s capital city at night.
 Keeping a thousand years of history intact, the Old Quarter preserves the original layout and
architecture of the 36 streets that made up old Hanoi. Each street name still reflects the
trade specializations of its 20th-century inhabitants.

A woman burns incense inside a Ho Chi Minh City temple.

Three young girls gather in their ao dai, the traditional dress of Vietnam, to offer prayers
 at a vigil held at Tay Phuong Pagoda on the outskirts of Hanoi.


Tour boats moored in Ha Long Bay at dusk enjoy a serene seascape of limestone sculptures hewn by nature.
 This UNESCO World Heritage site is host to a diversity of ecosystems including sandy beaches,
mangrove forests, and offshore coral reefs. Some of its roughly 1,600 islands and islets boast
beautiful grottos with hidden ponds and unusual stone formations.

A buffalo boy in Sapa.

Street scene, Hanoi.

A fruit vendor in Hanoi.


A balloon peddler on the busy streets of Hanoi.

Man in Rain, Ho Chi Minh City.

Cua Lo Beach, Nghe An province.

Sand dunes, Binh Thuan.

Ba Vi National Park, Hanoi.

Three girls look up to Elephant Falls, Da Lat, Vietnam.

Food ready to go, Hoi An.

A woman peers through an incense display at her shop in Hue.

Red Shanked Douc Langur at the Endangered Primate Center in Vietnam.

Scooter

This lady was coming home late on her bicycle and passed by the big tree.


Traffic police.

A fisherman’s wife and son waiting for him to return. Mui Ne harbor

NG

HCM City schools to raise tuition fees | Look At Vietnam

HCM City schools to raise tuition fees

May 25, 2012

LookAtVietnam – Tuition fees at primary and secondary schools in HCM City will increase by at least 10 per cent the next academic year, according to the city’s Department of Education and Training.

The department has completed its new scheme on tuition fees, which is based on Government Degree No.46 that focuses on tuition fees at State-owned schools between 2010 and 2015, according to the department’s deputy director Le Hoai Nam.
Under the scheme, tuition fees will be no more than 5 per cent of average household income, or VND40,000 (US$2) to VND200,000 (nearly $10) a month per student.
Students living in remote areas will receive preferential fees.
The fees will be adjusted every year, according to the department.
“The city government is working to complete the department’s tuition scheme before it is applied,” said Nam.
The department reported that local private schools would increase tuition fees by 10-50 per cent in 2012 and 2013.
Most schools will charge about VND1.5 million ($75) or VND2 million ($100) a month per student.
The tuition at some schools with better facilities will be between VND3.8 million ($190) and VND7.4 million ($360) a month.
The department has asked private schools to announce any of their increased tuition fees at earlier dates than usual, and to keep their new school fees stable.
Tuition fees at many private colleges in the country will also increase by between VND500,000 and VND2 million the next academic year. The colleges have said the new fees will only be applied to new students.
The tuition for first-year students at Ha Noi’s Business and Technology College will be VND9 million (nearly $450) a year, an increase of VND600,000 ($30) compared to the 2011–12 academic year.
VietNamNet/Viet Nam News

Nha Trang Arts Craft Embroidery Center