The An Dinh Palace in the former imperial city, Hué, was the first site for which German restorers (now of GCREP) developed a joint restoration, which they implemented in several phases from 2003–2008. Investment was close to 500,000 Euros to restore the wall paintings and decorations.

The Palace is one of the classic structures of Hue imperial city, built on the northern bank of the An Cuu River under an order from King Dong Khanh (1886-1888) after his accession to the throne.

The tropical climate and inadequate maintenance had taken its toll on the building. Extensions, coats of paint and fixtures, along with the interim use of the palace as emergency accommodation and as a trade union centre had also taken their toll.

The conservation and restoration of the An Dinh Palace were carried out strictly to UNESCO standards, in compliance with the internationally ratified Venice Charter – which is by no means a matter of course in Vietnam.

The conservation and restoration of the wall and ceiling paintings at the An Dinh Palace was funded in the framework of the Cultural Preservation Programme maintained by Germany’s Federal Foreign Office.

The An Dinh Palace is open once again to Vietnamese and international tourists. Today, entering the grounds from Nguyen Hué Street via what was originally the rear gate, one can revel in lotus ponds and beautiful trees before reaching the main building.

Hoang Tang Tourist Co Ltd and AAPC Singapore Pte LTD have decided to terminate the management contract of the Mecure Gerbera. As of the 30th of April 2011, the hotel has been trading under the name: Gerbera Hotel Hue and will no longer be operated by Accor. For more information please contact, Vietnam@exotissimo.com

Vietnam Airlines will increase airfares by an average of 22% from 02^nd May 2011. A formal notice has not yet been received and new tariffs have yet to be issued, however, we recommend to issue all confirmed bookings immediately and before Saturday 30^th April at the latest to avoid paying higher fares!

All bookings confirmed now, but issued after 02^nd of May will be charged with the new higher rates. If some names are missing for some groups, our sales teams will ask you to try as much as possible to provide us with their names ASAP to avoid the increase.  If tickets were issued before the increase and clients have to cancel, a cancellation fee will apply, which would be still lower than the expected increases. If you have any further questions or queries contact your regular sales consultant or vietnam@exotissimo.com

Beginning in Luang Prabang, travelers can use their time here to better acquaint themselves with the ethnic populations inhabiting the country with a visit to the Traditional Arts & Ethnology Center. Take the time to absorb the faded grandeur of the city that fuses traditional Buddhist architecture with provincial French to mesmerizing effect. Time spent in the spiritual capital affords travelers omnipresent Laotian experiences including the feeding of the alms to the monks, temple exploration and local exhibitions.
Leaving the charm of Luang Prabang behind, the tour takes an intrepid twist in heading north to Nong Khiaw, a rustic town on the banks of the Ou River. Absorb the tranquil rhythms of river life that surround the town, idyllically squeezed in between some of the most visually spectacular limestone mountains to be found north of Vang Vieng. A definite highlight of this 8-day itinerary is the excursion to the ‘Hidden City” in Viengxay. During the Vietnam War locals took refuge here, establishing everything from hospitals to schools inside a network of caves. To see more about this fascinating tour please, click here.

Vietnam’s booming economy has again seen a rise of inflation since the start of 2011 and North Africa and Middle East turmoil have resulted in a sharp fuel price increases of 25-30% within March alone. We are trying our best to contain the increases with the suppliers and hold back on increasing our rates. However, given the amplitude of the price hikes, an increase of our rates will be unavoidable for new quotations as well as a ‘fuel surcharge’ on confirmed bookings from May, 2011.

Expected domestic airfare increases of 20% from Vietnam Airlines in March (See our March ENL) have not yet been approved but are now anticipated for end of April. We will keep you informed of developments and the deadlines to issue existing bookings at the old prices.  For more information on this issue please contact us directly at Vietnam@exotissimo.com

Effective from 28 April 2011 Vietnam will launch a new route from the northern port city of Haiphong (which is located 1 hour from Halong Bay), to the central coastal city of Danang and vise versa.  Flights will depart 5 days per week on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays by ATR72 aircraft. This new route offers an excellent advantage rather than driving 3.5-hours to Hanoi’s Noi Bai Airport however flight departures are only in the evening departing Haiphong at 2045  2230 to Danang and leaving Danang for Haiphong at 1830  2005. As a smaller aircraft is used flying time will be longer than the Hanoi – Danang route and will take 1hr 35min. Also best as an option for FITs and not GIT’s as seat availability may be limited due to the size of the aircraft.

Exotissimo is pleased to announce a 10 day join-in culinary tour of Vietnam departing on 11th Oct, 2011. Led by Daniel Hoyer, the author of Culinary Vietnam as well as four other cookbooks and has resided in Hanoi Vietnam for nearly three years. His enthusiasm for Vietnamese food and the people is contagious and you are sure to enjoy this gastronomic exploration. Using food as the focus and a window into the culture, Daniel will lead you through Vietnam from north to south.
Hoyer’s experiences and insight into this exciting culinary destination allow you to experience Vietnam from a unique, intimate and well-informed perspective. The tour is not soley about food, it uses food as a catalyst for understanding the people and eating great food will benefit from this tour. You will interact with locals in each location and even stay in an ethnic minority home in Sapa. For more info on this program please, click here.

BAC CAN, 14 March 2011-Ramsar Convention has named Ba Be National Park in the northern province of Bac Can in Vietnam as a “wetland site of international importance”. Regional assistant advisor for Asia-Oceania, Marian William, says Ba Be National Park is the most important wetland in the country and it is the only site that has a natural lake surrounded by a mountainous karst ecosystem.

Ba Be National Park covers an area of 100.48 sq km which is a home of 1,268 species of flora and fauna. The park acts a protective shield for a freshwater lake along with surrounding limestone and lowland evergreen forest. It is located 240 km northwest of the capital city Hanoi. The site earlier was designated as an ASEAN Heritage park in 2004. The Convention on Wetland, known as the Ramsar Convention-is an inter-governmental treaty that encourages member countries to maintain the ecological character of their wetlands regions.

Two Mekong region world heritage site towns, Luang Prabang, Laos and Hoi An,  Vietnam, gained top slots in a British travel magazine’s list of top 10 destination. Luang Prabang retained its number one position in Wanderlust travel magazine’s 2011 list with a score of 96.89%. Luang Prabang won the title from 2006 to 2008 before falling into seventh place in 2009 and then regaining the top slot in 2010.Vietnam’s Hoi An, a world heritage town near Danang in the central coastal region of the country came in second with 96% of reader votes.Hoi An was also selected as one of Asia’s top 10 destinations for 2010 by Smart Travel Asia, a Hong Kong-based online travel magazine. Wanderlust, launched in 1993, publishes eight editions and claims a circulation in 112 countries with over 100,000 readers.

A new alternative airline in Vietnam is Air Mekong (P8). Currently routes are limited (no flights yet to the central cities of Danang and Hue) however from SGN connections are available to Con Dao and Phu Quoc as well as the Central Highlands.  From April direct flights to Phu Quoc from Hanoi will be launched.

More information on Air Mekong.com