ATA and some owners of Adventure Tour Operators in Vietnam have meeting with NGO’s representative such as FFI and SNV with purpose to support and promote responsible travel products in Vietnam

Fauna & Flora International (FFI) was established in 1903, it was the world’s first international conservation organization and the pioneering work of its founders in Africa led to the creation of numerous protected areas, including Kruger and Serengeti National Parks

SNV is a Netherlands-based international development organization that provides advice to local organizations in developing countries. SNV have 30 field offices and 1200 staff working mostly in poor and marginalized communities in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe and Latin America

With 3 days meeting in Vu Linh, leaders of tour operators and NGO’s representative have found the co-operated way to create responsible travel package, fund for reponsible and sustainable tourism projects and support the rural and ethnic community in travel industry such as house building, clean the rubbish on trails or in Halong bay.

Tour operators and NGOs have agreed to establish the club where is gathered by Tour Operators who supports responsible and sustainable travel and NGOs who support poor communities and preserve flora and fauna in National forest by funding responsible tourism projects in Vietnam.

ATA expresses a desire to promote Vietnam as Responsible and sustainable travel destination as well as become the leader of Tour Operators in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos to develop responsible travel products.

For reference, please review some tours as below:
- Trekking in Pu Luong Reserve: http://www.activetravelvietnam.com/tour.php?op=detail&tourId=30
- Biking in Pu Luong: http://www.activetravelvietnam.com/tour.php?op=detail&tourId=36
-Sapa trekking & Homestay http://www.activetravelvietnam.com/tour.php?op=detail&tourId=25

By Huyen Vu, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Sapa biking tours

PU DAO, LAI CHAU PROVINCE, Vietnam — I told a man in nearby Sin Ho Township that not long ago a British travel company (Gecko Travel) rated this place as one of the top five trekking destinations in Southeast Asia. He looked doubtful.

To many Vietnamese, Pu Dao, a collection of villages in the northwestern province of Lai Chau, offers no touristic lure. A community of only 900 H’mong people, it’s isolated by woods, mountains, ignorance and poverty.

But the rating piqued my interest, and I wanted to experience the trails for myself.

After a three-hour bumpy ride from Dien Bien Phu City — the only city in northwest Vietnam — I got off the bus at Lai Ha Bridge, which spans a tributary of Vietnam’s longest river: Song Da. From there I watched oblong boats, the common means of transportation in the Northwest, drift by.

On the other bank, there was Chan Nua, a typical village of Thai people with stilt houses hiding under coconut fronds. Through the roofs, smoke rose, threading through the foliage, dispersing into the misty air.

From Lai Ha Bridge, I began the 15-mile trek to Pu Dao. The trail spiraled up into the woods, where millions of bamboo sprouts shot upward and thick groves were interwoven as it had never been touched by humans. In H’mong language, Pu Dao means high mountains.

Hong Ngai, the first village I encountered, was a light patch adorning the interminable flora of the region. Four or five wooden houses of Vietnamese teachers clustered around the local government building. Several bamboo houses of H’mong people squatted on the hillside.

I visited Ngo Thi Thanh Nuong, a 35-year-old woman, and learned about part of a teacher’s life working in a school in the mountains.

For 15 years in Pu Dao, Mrs. Ngo had been struggling to teach the H’mong children the national Vietnamese language, known as tieng Kinh. She visited every family, begging the parents to let their children go to school. To keep the kids coming back, she would buy them candy.

At the village’s communal water tank, I saw a group of H’mong women and kids bathing. Their naked bodies sparkled under the sun.

I ran into Pa Thi Lau on her way to get water. With a brown complexion, high nose and large eyes, Lau had the face of an Indian beauty queen. The little girl had nearly finished her elementary education when her older brother had another baby and made her quit school to run domestic errands.

Lau had nine siblings. Her older sister got married the year before and became pregnant at the age of 15, but the baby died at birth. Lau carried the 2-gallon cans toward the thatched hut at the corner of the soil path; her torn skirt tangled her feet.

I dropped in at the nearest house, where a villager was grinding corn. Around and around, the stone grinder lagged at every push and pull of the little woman, sifting layers of powder, fine and pure like flakes of snow.

Then I met Vu A Ca, the secretary of the local Communist party, on his way home from the field. A hoe hung loosely on his shoulder, sweat dripping from his wrinkled face. Nearby, a girl and a boy, about 9 or 10 years old, were crawling up a slope. The baskets of bamboo shoots on their backs weighed them down.

Night came in Hong Ngai quietly as if someone lowered a curtain. There were no electric lights, no TVs, no motorbikes. The village slept under a chorus of insect shrieks.

I spent the night in a small room with Vu Thi Quynh Hoa. The 24-year-old woman came to Pu Dao from Nam Dinh, 370 miles away, to work as the only accountant for the local government.

“A thousand years from now, Pu Dao will still be behind the present development level of the lowland,” my hostess said as she blew out the oil lamp before going to sleep.

The next day, I set off for the second village, Nam Doong, though Ms. Vu warned, “You’ll die halfway.”

I followed the only rugged trail linking the two villages; dry leaves cracked under my steps. In one stretch of glades, I could peek between the many tree trunks and admire white clouds and see mountain after mountain. Another time, I passed lawns full of rose myrtles with quivering young flowers.

I crawled along a narrow track between what seemed like a bottomless abyss and a topless cliff. Bubbling explosions resonated. From behind a hill, smoke spewed out — people were burning down the rain forest to prepare the field for a new crop.

Despite the country’s reported growth rate of more than 6 percent even in the global economic recession of 2008, despite the The World Trade Organization membership it received in 2007, this region — 350 miles to the northwest of Hanoi –still relies on slash-and-burn agriculture.

I approached Nam Doong to a chorus of goat bleats and cock crows.

A H’mong man named Hang A Pao came out to the dung-covered yard and said, “Hello.” He asked, “Where is it?” when I told him I was from Hanoi, Vietnam’s capital and the nation’s largest city. Mr. Pao invited me into his home, offering me water from a soot-stained kettle. Then he went to the oil lamp at a corner, stuffing tobacco into the pipe-stopper. One moment later, smoke filled the hut, and the man indulged in delight. The sun receded behind the mountains. Dusk brought the village to its fullest animation. Following a buffalo, a boy carried a younger brother on his back and a parrot on his shoulder. A woman bent down under a bunch of firewood with a plastic can in one hand, a hoe in the other.

As I left Nam Doong, I had to climb over a communal bamboo gate. The last villager coming home from the field had knotted it too tightly.

The moon floated over the top of the trees.

I thought of the “wood ghost,” which for thousands of years was the utmost power in H’mong people’s spiritual life. A story about a gold miner dying of marsh fever, or about the many H’mong victims of cholera came to my mind. I visualized the corpses wrapped in mattresses, buried in the shallow holes right by the trail I was walking.

The fires on the field across the valleys flared up, flickering like will-o’-the-wisps.

The woods opened then closed. The moon poured mysterious moving patterns on the path. Hoots resonated from the abysses. Rattles rolled down from the hills.

I looked up at the Great Bear to keep my bearings. The starry sky was peaceful as ever.

There were no electric lights, no TVs, no motorbikes. The village slept under a chorus of insect shrieks.

Huyen Vu/Post-Gazette

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Introduction

Vietnam has done very well tourism-wise since reopening its doors to foreign tourists in the mid 1990’s. Combined with a good train system, affordable and frequent flights and a tourist-orientated minibus system, a bunch of very worthwhile destinations have developed into what has become a pretty well worn path running up and down the length of the country.

Most first time visitors try to get a taste of the north and the south of the country, but be warned, Vietnam is deceptively large and if you try to do too much in too short a time, you’ll wind up needing another holiday to get over your Vietnamese one.

Running north to south, visitors commence with the capital Hanoi, with many doing side-trips to both Sapa and Ha Long Bay before heading south, generally stopping at Hue, Hoi An, Nha Trang then either Da Lat or Mui Ne before running into Saigon. From there many do a trip into the Mekong Delta. For those with more time, the northwest mountains, the Central Highlands and deep into the Mekong Delta are all well worthwhile extras. How long a holiday?
While you could see the basics on a top to tail trip in as little as a week to ten days, we’d strongly suggest — at least — two to three weeks as being a more realistic timeline. If you can’t give that much time to Vietnam, then consider just seeing one part of the country and saving the rest for another trip.

Ways to see more in less
Fly, fly, fly Both Vietnam Airlines and Pacific Airways have affordable domestic fares — a couple of one hour flights can save you 36 hours on a train or bus.

Suggested itineraries for Vietnam

	HIKING TOURS
•	Trekking Mai Chau (4D/3N)
•	Mai Chau easy trek & home stay (3D/2N)
•	Sapa Trekking & Home-stay (4D/4N)
•	Sapa trek & Topas Eco Lodge (5D/5N)
•	Sapa Long Trails (6D/6N)
•	Different Sapa - Different Trek (6D/6N)
•	Conquer Mount Fansipan - Cat Cat Route (6D/6N)
•	Conquer Mount Fansipan - Heaven Gate Route (4D/4N)
•	Conquer Mount Fansipan - Sinchai Route (5D/5N)
•	Conquer Mount Fansipan - Mt. Fansipan & Hoang Lien National Park & Ban Ho Valley (11D/11N)
•	Trekking in Pu Luong Nature Reserve (6D/5N)
•	Trekking Cuc Phuong National Park (2D/1N)
•	Bach Ma National Park Trek & Camping (2D/1N)
•	Trekking Nam Cat Tien National Park (2D/1N)
•	Jungle Fever - Trekking Dalat (2D/1N)
	MOTORCYCLING TOURS
•	Motorcycling the Ho Chi Minh Trail - Half Challenge (11D/10N)
•	Motorcycling the Ho Chi Minh Trail - Complete Challenge (18D/17N)
•	Motorcycling Northwestern Trails (7D/6N)
•	Taste of Ho Chi Minh Trail (3D/2N)
	KAYAKING TOURS
•	Kayaking Halong Bay 4days(4D/3N)
•	Kayaking Halong Bay 3days(3D/2N)
•	Kayaking Halong Bay & Trekking Cat Ba National Park (5D/4N)
•	Trekking Cat Ba National Park & Kayaking Lan Ha Bay - Halong Bay (4D/3N)
	BIKING TOURS
•	Mekong Explorer (4D/3N)
•	West to East Biking Exploration (11D/10N)
•	Biking Pu Luong Nature Reserve (4D/3N)
•	Biking Hidden Paths of Mai Chau & Ninh Binh (4D/3N)
•	A Taste of Mekong (2D/1N)
•	Biking Mai Chau (2D/1N)
•	Biking Dalat - Northwest Circuit (2D/1N)
•	Biking Adventures Mekong & Centre Highland (11D/10N)
	FAMILY TRAVEL
•	Family Adventures in Vietnam (12D/11N)
•	Northern Highlights (10D/9N)
•	The Mighty Mekong (3D/2N)
•	Discover Vietnam & her National parks (20D/19N)
	INDOCHINA ADVENTURE
•	Vietnam-Laos Adventures (17D/16N)
•	Mekong Delta & Angkor Wat (10D/9N)

Keywords: vietnam motocycling tours, motobike vietnam, Ha Giang province, Khau Vai love market, H’mong ethnic market, Meo Vac, Dong Van, Discover Northeast of Vietnam

Ha Long bay is very picturesque with many magnificent landscapes and seascapes. Nowadays it sparkles even more with the appearance of big sea sails printed with the letters Indochina Sails.

In the immense atmosphere permeated with sunlight and wind, one suddenly feels lonely. In the distance, ranges of mountains emerge from the sea.

The Indochina Sails cruise ship moves gently towards Bai Tu Long Bay.

In the luxurious dining room, every one looks out through the big windows. The European and Asian dishes are delicious, prepared by outstanding chefs and served up by a professional staff. The cruise ship moves out towards the centre of the bay. Hon Trong Mai (Male and Female Chicken island) appears before us. This island attracts a great number of visitors and is the pre-eminent symbol of Vietnamese tourism.

Vung Vieng fishing village is more beautiful in the weak sunlight of dusk. The Indochina Sails cruise ship drops anchor so that tourists can visit the village. The sunlight gleaming on the sea looks like an oil painting, but is formed entirely by the hand of nature.

Staying overnight on the Indochina Sails cruise ship is a memorable experience. This is not only because one floats in one of the most remarkable natural wonders of the world. It is also due to the cozy and luxurious cabins on Indochina Sails cruises. Though the buffet has finished, everyone wants to stay on deck and enjoy the stunning scenery. The melodious light music, played in the traditional style, creates an unforgettable atmosphere.

Further information:
- Indochina Sails are the newly built wooden junks designed in the contemporary traditional Vietnamese style
- The cruise ship has spacious cabins and suites with large private bathrooms, a big sun deck, elegant dining room (32 seats), bar, beauty spa, massage, kayaking and entertainment. This luxury is enhanced by the professional manner of the friendly and enthusiastic management and staff.
- At the present time 3 Junks are operating in Halong Bay, namely Indochina Sails I with 14 cabins, Indochina Sails II with 15 cabins and Valentine with 5 cabins. By the end of October 2008 an addition to the fleet is expected, namely Indochina Sails III with 15 luxury cabins.

*Services:
- Excellent local cuisine
- Vietnamese and International buffets
- International Wine and Drinks List
- Daily light Music Performances
- Cruise Itinerary and Program
- In-house English speaking Tour Guide
- Kayaking and Snorkeling
- Movie nights, Board Games and night fishing

Summer Promotion from 1st to August 30th, 2008:
For US$180/person/twin shared, you can stay in a luxurious cabin of Indochina Sails on Halong bay. The package includes shuttle bus return from Hanoi to Halong bay, kayaking on Halong bay, entrance and sight seeing fees, Vietnamese buffet lunch and dinner, International breakfast buffet, you can also enjoy BBQ seafood dinner and the International wine tasting with a wide selection of wine from Spain, Chile, US and Italy. Click Here

Supported by Active Travel Vietnam & Active Travel Shop

Meet & Greet in Vietnam

	What you should do when meeting Vietnamese at the first time? These are some general notes which help you to be polite with Vietnamese culture and people.

Greeting People

Most of the Vietnamese in urban areas no longer bow when they meet each other. In formal gatherings, at religious place, and sometimes in the country areas, one may see the people clasp their hands together in a prayer-like gesture and bow slightly. This is not practiced to any extent in everyday life in Vietnam as it is in neighboring Thailand.

The custom of handshaking, formerly considered barbaric to the Vietnamese, is now achieving popularity due to the Western influence in the country. Men will generally shake hands and say the equivalent of “how are you” and tip their hats when greeting people. Women, especially those in the countryside, still shy away from shaking hands, especially with men from their own country. It is best not to offer to shake hands with a woman unless she offers her hand first.

Introductions

Whereas Americans often immediately introduce themselves in given situations, the ordinary people of Vietnam think this to be rather bold and like to have a mutual acquaintance make the introduction. They will rarely introduce themselves when going into a home or office until asked to do so. This may be due to their innate shyness and modesty.

Names carry great importance in Vietnam. Often Vietnamese will have secret names, known only to themselves and their parents. If it is given away, the person believes he is exposed to evil spirits. Except in rare cases, family names are seldom used outside of the family circle. Children are often called names in rank of birth, such as Chi-hai, Chi-ba (daughter two, daughter three).

One should call Vietnamese people by Mr., Mrs., or Miss until asked to go on a first name basis. They do not do this as quickly as Americans in their relationships with people. Especially important, when in the company of a third person, your friend must be called by his name with a Mr., Miss, or Mrs. proceeding it, as the case may be. If this is not done, it may suggest great intimacy or friendliness, or can also be interpreted as being arrogant treatment of the individual by a superior.

Most Vietnamese names consist of a family name, middle name and a personal or given name. The order is reverse to the American custom. For instance, John Paul Jones’ name in Vietnamese style would be Jones Paul John. However, we do not call someone by his family name in Vietnam. If we use the names for instance, Miss Hau Dinh Cam. Hau is the family name. We would call her Miss Cam. Jones Paul John would be Mr. John. On very informal occasions, we might at their request call them Cam or John, but would always add a Miss or Mr. to the name in the presence of other people outside of the group.

An exception to this rule dates back to traditional customs of long ago when beloved leaders were called by their family names.

It is desirable to call Vietnamese professional and government officials by their title, i.e., Mr. Assemblyman, Mr. Doctor, Mr. Lieutenant, etc.

Taboos in Personal Relationships

It is best to call to people in a quiet voice, using their names preceded by Mr. Mrs., or Miss. Waving or beckoning with an upturned finger is considered highly impolite. If you must silently signal for someone to come toward you, do so by using the whole hand with the palm turned down. Not to do so would indicate an air of authority or superiority over the person being called or beckoned.

Never touch anyone on the head as this would be considered as a personal insult to the individual and perhaps even to his ancestors. Many Vietnamese believe the spirit resides there. Hence, the belief is that if a person is beheaded, his spirit will roam forever without finding a resting place. Also, don’t touch anyone on the shoulder. Some people believe that a genie resides there and it is undesirable to disturb him. If you mistakenly touch one shoulder, you must also touch the other shoulder and this helps offset the bad luck.

Confusing Personal Traits of Vietnamese

Vietnamese people have a habit of not looking into your eyes when they talk to you. This is often because of shyness, but one of the main reasons is that traditionally they do not look into the eyes of those they respect or those higher in rank when talking to them. This is to indicate politeness.

The smile of a Vietnamese can be very confusing in Vietnam to an outsider and cause misunderstandings. In some Oriental countries, a smile can mean sorrow, worry, or embarrassment. In Vietnam, it may indicate a polite, but perhaps skeptical reaction to something, compliance or toleration of a blunder or misunderstanding, or on occasion represents submission to judgment that may be wrong or unfair. This is particularly true if the one making the judgment is at a superior level and perhaps has lost his temper. For instance, a laundress may ruin a favorite shirt and is called in by her employer to be asked about it. She may smile. This does not mean that she thinks it is funny that she burned the shirt, but instead is submission to the fact. If the owner of the shirt loses his temper, she may keep smiling indicating politeness or patience with superiors.

Because of this, foreigners should be very cautious in voicing their opinions and perhaps be a little more delicate, more tolerant and restrain from being obstinate.

Loud arguments or heated discussions are frowned upon and are seldom heard among the Vietnamese. Well-bred people are trained in self-discipline. It is best, therefore, for Americans or other foreigners to do their best to keep tempers in check, no matter what the circumstances, lest they be looked upon with disdain.

Vietnamese seldom use a direct approach in their dealings. To do so indicates a lack of tact or delicacy. Directness is appreciated in the Western world, but not in Vietnam. The Vietnamese do not like to say “no” and will often reply “yes” when the answer should be negative. This problem is further complicated by Americans posing negative questions such as, “It doesn’t look like it will rain today, does it?” The correct answer is often the one given by the Vietnamese–”Yes.” We expect to hear “No.” Think it out and you will see that the Vietnamese is really correct.

Best advice, don’t ask negative questions.

Hospitality

The Vietnamese love to be hospitable and will often invite you to dinner. If gifts are taken for the family, they should be items that they could not easily obtain themselves. To take something that they could buy easily would be a bad reflection on their economic means. They love anything from western countries, and it does not have to be expensive. If you give the children things, each should have a separate gift. It is not polite to take a whole bag of candy and give it to them as a group.

On short visits, drink the tea that is offered, even if you don’t like it and are afraid of the local water. It shows that you are welcome and well respected.

Rank is always carefully observed by the Vietnamese in their homes and elsewhere. Servants never sit at the same table with their employers if outsiders are present, and only in rare cases otherwise.

On some occasions at an informal meal, the whole family except for the person inviting you to dinner, may get up from the table and eat elsewhere. This is not a show of disrespect for you but is simply a way of letting the guest spend time with his special friend.

At banquets, one should arrive on time and greet elderly persons first. If the dinner is served Chinese style, food should be transferred from the main bowl to your individual bowl before eating. It is impolite to eat anything with your chopsticks directly from the serving bowl. A guest may refrain from taking something he doesn’t like, but if the hostess serves it to you unknowingly, force it down if at all possible. If the guest refuses, the host may doubt his sincerity and coax him even more. Individual bowls are usually changed with each course and are generally removed only when empty, except the last course. Here, a little something should be left to indicate to the host that there was enough food and everyone is satisfied.

More information at: Active Travel Vietnam

Supported by Active Travel Shop, New 7 wonders 2008, http://www.indochinasails.com

Alternative site name(s)
Phu Luong
Province(s)
Thanh Hoa
Area
17,662 ha
Coordinates
20o21′ – 20o34′N, 105o02′ – 105o20′E
Distance(s)
From Hanoi: 180 km
Eco-tours
Trekking, Mountain Biking … more information

Topography and hydrology

Pu Luong proposed nature reserve is located in Quan Hoa and Ba Thuoc districts, in north-western Thanh Hoa province. To the north-east, the nature reserve is bordered by Mai Chau, Tan Lac and Lac Son districts, Hoa Binh province. The proposed nature reserve lies along two parallel mountain ridges, that run from north-west to south-east, and are bisected by a central valley. This valley contains several human settlements and a large area of agricultural land, and, hence, is not included within the proposed nature reserve.

The two mountain ridges in the proposed nature reserve have starkly contrasting landforms, based on their different substrates. The smaller, south-western ridge is made up of mostly igneous and metamorphic rocks, and consists of rounded forested hills and wide, shallow valleys. The larger, north-eastern ridge is composed of heavily dissected limestone karst, and is a continuation of the limestone range that runs from Cuc Phuong National Park to Son La province. Elevations in the proposed nature reserve range from 60 to 1,667 m.

The hydrology of the limestone ridge is complex, and there is little or no permanent surface water. On the south-western ridge, surface water is more common and streams are much less seasonal. However, the main drainage features of the proposed nature reserve are located in the central valley. This valley is not continuous but has a saddle at its mid-point, which forms the watershed between two small rivers. One of these rivers flows north-west along the valley, and joins the Ma river, which runs to the west and south of the proposed nature reserve. The other river flows south-east along the valley, and joins the Ma river further downstream.

Biodiversity values

The primary forest at Pu Luong nature reserve is classified as closed evergreen tropical seasonal forest. Five major subtypes occur as a result of local variations in underlying substrate and elevation: lowland broadleaved forest on limestone (60 to 700 m); lowland broadleaved forest on schist/shale and clayey sandstone (60 to 1,000 m); broadleaved submontane forest on limestone (700 to 950 m); coniferous submontane forest on limestone (700 to 850 m); and broadleaved submontane forest on basalt (1,000 to 1,650 m). The nature reserve also supports a range of secondary vegetation types, including secondary forests, bamboo, scrub and agricultural land.
The results of recent botanical work at Pu Luong indicate that the nature reserve supports a diverse flora, with at least 1,109 vascular plant species documented at the site. From a conservation perspective, three primary forest subtypes found at the site may be considered particularly significant. The first, primary lowland forest on limestone and schist/shale, occurs near the eastern border of the site, in the Co Lung area. Primary forest in the area extends from 60 to 1,000 m, and, at the lowest elevations, supports very high plant species diversity.

The second significant primary forest subtype, primary coniferous submontane forest on limestone, is restricted to a few peaks within the uplands of the Co Luong area and supports outstanding plant diversity, particularly with respect to lithophytes and epiphytes. The globally threatened conifer Pinus kwangtungensis forms a conspicuous element of the flora within this forest subtype.

The third significant primary forest subtype is primary submontane forest on basalt, which occurs on the upper slopes of the south-western mountain ridge within the proposed nature reserve. The primary forest on these upper slopes is characterised by very high plant species diversity, including several nationally threatened conifers.
With regard to the vertebrate fauna of Pu Luong, a total of 84 mammal species (including 24 bat species), 162 bird species, 55 fish species, 28 reptile species and 13 amphibian species have been recorded at the nature reserve to date. Pu Luong nature reserve is an important site for the conservation of the globally critically endangered, endemic primate, Delacour’s Leaf Monkey. The population at Pu Luong has been estimated to number 40 to 45 individuals, making it one of the largest known populations in Vietnam.

Knowledge of the invertebrate fauna of the proposed nature reserve remains rudimentary. However, recent surveys conducted at the site indicate that its insect fauna includes at least 158 species of butterfly and 96 species of land snail, including 12 snail species possibly endemic to the site. Most promising perhaps, the botanical uniqueness and natural isolation of certain forest formations at the site suggests that the proposed nature reserve has strong potential to support high levels of invertebrate endemism and, quite possibly, new taxa to science.

It is likely that Pu Luong has strong faunal and floral affinities with Cuc Phuong National Park, which is situated to 25 km to the south-east, along the same limestone range. However, the higher elevations at Pu Luong and the presence of more extensive areas of evergreen forest means that Pu Luong can be expected to support a number of species that do not occur at Cuc Phuong. Indeed, the results of recent survey work conducted at Pu Luong nature reserve indicate that this is in fact the case.

Other documented values

Forest in the proposed nature reserve has a role in protecting the watershed of the Ma river, the largest river in Thanh Hoa province. Just as importantly, the forest has an important role in protecting the water resources of local communities. Already, water is scarce during the dry season, because of the limestone geology of much of the area. Therefore, forest loss would be expected to increase periods of drought, leading to reduced agricultural productivity.

XIN CHAO Vietnam…

Vietnam is a country most people have heard of but until recently few have had the opportunity to visit. It was not until the early 1990s that the first intrepid travelers started arriving. Things have come a long way in the past decade and visitors from all over the world are now discovering what a hidden gem of a country Vietnam is. Brilliant green rice fields, exotic temples and pagodas, grand colonial buildings, bustling city streets, thatched bamboo huts, grand colonial buildings, exotic temples and pagodas, deserted sandy beaches, breathtaking mountain scenery, conical straw hats, colorful ethnic minorities, graceful women in ao dai tunics, delicious cuisine, great out door activities luxurious hotels, stunning resorts and more, much more, it’s all here in Vietnam.

The two great metropolises of the country are the elegant capital city Hanoi and the dynamic, economic powerhouse Ho Chi Minh City. Since 1993 UNESCO has declared five World Heritage Sites in Vietnam, four in central Vietnam and one in the north. The four sites in central Vietnam are the former imperial capital Hue, the historic trading port of Hoi An, the centre of the former Cham Kingdom, My Son, and Phong Nha Caves. The fifth World Heritage Site is the spectacular natural wonder that is Halong Bay in northern Vietnam, breathtakingly featured in James Bond and other films. More information

Active Travel ShopAn online travel shop offering both online and call center bookings for hotels, tours, flights, visa, travel packages, holidays, city breaks, car rental in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia

Adventure tours on Vietnam - Active Travel Vietnam, 303, Building 30 Nguyen Du, Hanoi, 04 944 6230

Vote for Halong Bay - new Natural Wonders in Vietnam

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