VietExplorer2026

The job of keeping specimens helps individuals earn thousands of U.S. dollars per month. In a small garden on the terrace of Khai Hoan’s house in District 6, Ho Chi Minh City, insects have been gathering since early this year. Different species of butterflies and beetles come to reproduce on the trees and eventually die. Previously, Hoan used to get rid of them. However, he discovered that the dead insects maintained their shapes and colors for a long time. This prompted him to start keeping them in glass jars. Since the practice wasn’t popular at the time, Hoan had to learn how to make the specimens himself. He found that most creatures can be turned into specimens, but they require sterilization, reinforcement, and drying. The crucial requirement is to maintain their original shape and color. All phases of the process are performed manually and with great attention to detail. Hoan stated, “If the specimens get too dry, they’re easy to break. On the other hand, if they aren’t...

Folk songs, dances, and games from Thailand kicked off the Dien Bien Culture and Tourism Week in Hanoi on the evening of December 15th. The event will take place in the pedestrian area of Hoan Kiem Lake until December 17th, showcasing the best of culture and tourism from the northern province of Dien Bien. The event, organized by the Dien Bien Province People’s Committee, aims to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu Victory (1954-2024), the National Tourism Year – Dien Bien 2024, and to strengthen the bond between Dien Bien and Hanoi.   Tourists joining ethnic minorities from Dien Bien province in a folk dance. Photo: VNA Speaking at the opening ceremony, Vice Chairman of Dien Bien Provincial People’s Committee, Vu A Bang, highlighted that the Dien Bien Culture and Tourism Week in Hanoi initiates a series of cultural and sports activities to be held in Dien Bien in 2024 as part of the National Tourism Year. Bang views this as an opp...

The Korea Tourism Organization in Vietnam (KTO) Vietnam has awarded the Korea Travel Awards to travel agents that have best promoted South Korean tourism in Hanoi. The Korea Incentive Travel Awards 2023 includes three categories: Incentive Diamond Partner, Incentive Gold Partner, and Incentive Silver Partner – based on the statistical performance of agents and individuals in sending tourists to the East Asian country in 2023. KTO Vietnam Director Lee Jae Hoon speaks at the award ceremony. Photo: KTO Accordingly, Vietravel Hanoi was honored with the Most Strategic Partner award. Flamingo Redtours and Vietrantour won the Most Impressive Partner awards for many new and special diverse products such as high-end tours, Korean cultural wave (Hallyu) experience, exploration of Korean sites, and impressive achievements in customer acquisition. Top Travel and Hanoi Tourism were recognized as the Most Creative Partner for their great contributions in building and developing uniq...

France has provided a grant of over EUR700,000 (US$763,595) to the Hanoi People’s Committee for a feasibility study on the renovation of the iconic Long Bien Bridge in Hanoi, according to the French Embassy in Vietnam. The non-refundable grant has been handed over to the Hanoi People’s Committee. The study, conducted by the French engineering firm Artelia and funded by the General Directorate of Treasury, aims to minimize the impact of the renovation on road and rail traffic. The study will propose a renovation plan compatible with the future use of Long Bien Bridge, which is currently under discussion among various departments of the Hanoi Municipality. Despite its deteriorated condition in recent years, the French side hopes that the renovation work can begin as soon as the study’s conclusions are available. The Agence Française de Développement (AFD), which is closely involved in the project, is willing to discuss financing for the subsequent works with the Hanoi authorities. ...

Yasemen Kaner-White, a full-time writer working for Britain’s The Week magazine, spent nearly 2 weeks in Vietnam to see, hear and taste the unique flavors of Vietnamese cuisine and landscapes in three big cities are Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Nha Trang city, the central coastal province of Khanh Hoa. Vietnam is a vibrant country and is best explored taking in a few cities at a time. From the capital Hanoi to HCM City and Nha Trang, each destination had beautiful hotels, unique attractions and experiences to enjoy. For foodies, there is also plenty of fantastic, fresh produce to feast on, she wrote her article published on November 23. Foreign tourists visit Hoan Kiem lake in Hanoi. Photo: VOV Hanoi Located in the north on the western bank of the Red River, Hanoi is roughly 85 miles inland from the Bien Dong Sea. Her first impression of Vietnam was here, in Hanoi, looking out of the taxi window at the clusters of motorbikes transporting people around the capital. Wal...

A Tet atmosphere descends on the traditional flower market in Hanoi as customers head to the market and purchase beautiful peach branches in order to decorate their homes. The blossoming of the flowers marks the initial sign that the Lunar New Year is just around the corner. Small peach branches cost between VND150,000 and VND200,000 each, while the larger ones can fetch up to VND1 million each. A branch is much sought after by Vietnamese people, especially those living in the north, to put it on display on the ancestral altar or to decorate their houses. Peach blossoms are widely believed to represent both luck and prosperity moving into the new year. Aside from Nhat Tan peach blossoms, several traders at Quang An flower market also sell wild flowers ahead of the festive season. According to sellers, branches of wild pear flowers are typically brought from mountainous localities from throughout the north...