Wanderlust Tips Team, Author at WANDERLUST TIPS • Page 115 of 195

Wanderlust Tips Magazine | The mystery of the greatest civilisation in the ancient world – Harappa

Harappa: The mystery of the greatest civilisation in the ancient world

Thousands of years ago, ancient history has revealed the existence of a flourishing civilisation in the Indus valley, situated in what is Pakistan and the west of India today. The Indus valley civilisation, also called the Harappa civilisation, was once one of the largest in the ancient world, along with the Egyptian and Mesopotamia civilisations. Harappa is also considered to be the earliest known urban culture on the Indian subcontinent.

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THE BIRTH OF HARAPPA

The name Harappa comes from the first discovered site of this ancient civilisation. After its discovery in 1800 it was not written about until 1842 when for the first time in the “Narrative of Various Journeys in Balochistan, Afghanistan and the Panjab” Charles Masson described the city of Harappa as a “ruinous brick castle”. In the following years, there were a few small investigations undertaken, but it wasn’t until 1920 that an excavation was seriously started at Harappa, and then in other cities like Mohenjo Daro, Kot Diji, Lothal and Kalibangan. Since then, people have discovered an ancient civilisation stretching across most of Pakistan’s territory as well as a part of India and Afghanistan. The total geographical area of the Harappan civilisation covered about 1,250,000 sq. km which was more than 12 times the combined area of the Egyptian and Mesopotamian civilisations.

Scientists from the Indian Institute of Technology – Kharagpur and the Archaeological Survey of India published their research findings in the Nature magazine (25th May 2016) that the Harappa civilisation was at least 8,000 years old, not 5,500 years old as previously thought by scholars. If so, the Harappa civilisation was born and existed longer than that of the ancient Egyptians and Mesopotamians.

Despite being long-standing and flourishing, the Harappa is the least known of all civilisations as until today it is still impossible to decipher their writing, even though we have found traces of characters and letters on many broken ceramic pieces, seals and amulets.

REVEALING THE SECRETS OF THE PAST

Many research papers have shown that during its most flourishing period, the Harappa civilisation had a population of up to 5 million inhabitants. The two largest urban centres were Harappa and Mohenjo Daro, along with other cities including Kot Diji and Lothal which featured identical architecture and were built in the form of a chessboard, proving the civilisation’s advanced and modern perspective of urban planning and the environment.

The period between 2800-2600BC can be considered as the peak period of their urban civilisation when cities had sophisticated water wells and drainage systems. All houses were built from clay bricks featuring the same standard and size, equipped with toilets and bathrooms, while wastewater was also directed to flow into sewers from the drainage system to places where fertile mud used for agricultural purposes settled.

Along with the development of urban areas, the Harappa economy at that time was quite diverse and took advantage of transport techniques such as ox-drawn carriages or large and small ships. Archaeological evidence has shown that the people of The Indus Valley Civilization had regular contact and exchange of goods with the Sumer by road (through Iran today) and sea (via present-day Bahrain). Further proof of this was found in the tomb of Queen Puabi who lived in about 2,500BC in Mesopotamia, where there was jewellery made of carnelians from the Indus Valley.

In agriculture, it is difficult to gain an understanding of the techniques of the people living in this period because there are too few archaeological discoveries from the era and even traces of dams or irrigation canals have not been found. However, with such a large population, Harappa’s civilisation must have had a very high crop yield to sustain its many thousands of people.

Since the discovery of Harappa, archaeologists have also tried to identify the ruling classes of cities in this ancient culture. However, unlike other urban societies, the ruling class seems to have taken control through trade and religion instead of military power because there were almost no monuments built and no paintings showing war or conquest of new lands.

Unlike the Mesopotamian or Egyptian civilisations, there are no traces of large religious buildings such as temples, pagodas or places of worship. It can be said that the people of Harappa were only concerned about faith, but not the concept of religion and their beliefs and faith were only at a primitive level. Some historians conclude that the beliefs of Harappan people were the precursors of Hinduism. This is visible in seals found engraved with patterns which look like the gods of Hinduism, with one displaying repetitive motifs of a man sitting in a yoga posture surrounded by animals, looking distinctly like the Hindu god Shiva.

Harappan writing is composed of short strings of symbols and uses about 400 of these images. Archaeologists believe that these symbols and characters were used between 2,600-2,000BC. However, today we still cannot decode these symbols and characters, and consequently, the interpretation of documents is still controversial.

A CONTROVERSIAL DISAPPEARANCE

Until today, scientists still cannot explain the decline and disappearance of this ancient civilisation. Many historians have given different opinions as to why “The Indus Valley Civilisation existed separately and gradually disappeared”. Scientists at the American Geophysical Union have argued that an earthquake is the cause of the collapse of not only the Harappa but also other civilisations in human history such as the Togo or Maya.

Others have studied at greater depth, identifying that the shock waves from earthquakes caused the topography of the region to change, blocking the flow of large rivers in the region, leading to agricultural destruction while more floods occurred submerging cities under mud.

There is another thought-provoking hypothesis of an invasion by the Aryans. However, this theory is shrouded in uncertainty because if the Aryans invaded Harappa, they would have imposed both their culture and religious beliefs on the Harappan civilisation. Also contradicting this view reality shows that in Indian history, the worship of Shiva has continued for thousands of years without Interruption.

Most recently, in Climate of the past magazine, 13th November 2018 issue, geologist Liviu Giosan published his research to prove Harappa’s disappearance was due to climate change with the main reason being the changes in the monsoon. People in the Indus Valley lived and cultivated crops relying on monsoon winds instead of irrigation, therefore, when the monsoon moved to the East causing the climate to become cold and dry, the water supply simply dried up. This forced the Harappa people to migrate toward the Indo-Gangetic Plain where climate conditions were more favourable to build new villages. However, these small villages could not create surpluses to support large cities, leading to a reduction in production, limited external trade activities and the cities of the Harappa civilisation gradually being abandoned and disappearing.

Despite the efforts of archaeologists and historians, many truths about the Harappa civilisation are still obscured by the mists of time. We need more time, effort and even luck to reveal all the mysteries of the world thousands of years ago.

Wanderlust Tips

Dong Thap where flowers blossom in Sa Dec village and local hospitality blooms

On the fifth day of our journey to visit the southwest, we went to Dong Thap, a fertile land on an estuary of the Tien river. In the previous days, our group of three young people had travelled to Can Tho, Tien Giang and Vinh Long, granting us the chance to absorb the true essence of the mekong delta. From Vinh Long, we rented motorbikes and set off driving along the Tien river to dong thap.

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At first, all of us thought perhaps it would be similar to the other lands on this journey featuring canals, monkey bridges, floating markets and orchards. However, Dong Thap and especially Sa Dec brought a huge surprise. A deep imprint was left in our hearts not only during that trip to the Mekong delta but also until now when i have visited many other places in Vietnam and abroad.

FAMOUS ORNAMENTAL FLOWER VILLAGE ON THE BANKS OF THE TIEN RIVER

We visited Dong Thap in December, at the end of the flood season. Although it is not the best time to visit, it offers double the fun for those who love to seek experiences as we not only could enjoy the remaining essence of the flood season but also dive straight into the bustling atmosphere of the spring in the most famous ornamental flower growing area – Sa Dec flower garden.

When Sa Dec flower village appeared before our eyes, overwhelming feelings rose in our hearts. The road along the banks of the Tien River was covered with flowers and there were flower gardens spreading over an extremely large area assembling like vast rice paddy fields.

The flower growing industry in Sa Dec originated in an area on the banks of the Tien River, formerly Tan My hamlet, in Tan Quy Dong commune. Thanks to the alluvial soil the land here is very fertile, which makes the flowers have beautiful bright colours and the flower growing industry has developed throughout Sa Dec. Sa Dec flowers are not only famous for their variety and beauty but also their diversity ranging from traditional varieties to many foreign species, from popular flowers to poisonous and exotic ornamental ones. In recent years, florist’s daisy has become a popular flower, increasing the area this flower is grown; however, roses are still the flowers which are grown over the largest area.

An interesting feature of the flower fields in Sa Dec is that the flowers are grown in separated baskets. The baskets are placed on bamboo frames 0.5 metres above the ground or waterway. There are flower fields located on the water’s surface where growers row small boats along the flower beds to water and take care of the flowers. The method of planting flowers on a truss in Sa Dec only appeared a few dozen years ago making use of the wetlands as it helps the farmers to irrigate more easily and prevents pests from spoiling the flowers, along with the flowers which are planted in baskets being easier to look after and harvest. The flower trusses have spread over a large area becoming a unique beauty you cannot find anywhere else.

FOLLOWING THE LOCALS TO EXPLORE SA DEC

We were so lucky to meet Cuong – a young local who currently manages a fan page named “Sa Dec Flower Village” with over 10,000 fans on Facebook. Cuong is the fourth generation in a famous flower growing family in Sa Dec who after graduating in information technology in Ho Chi Minh City returned to his hometown to start his own flower-growing business which also offers tourism services. In the past, farmers only focused on growing and selling flowers, but since more and more tourists have come to Sa Dec, tourism services here have been developed. The gardens are more neatly arranged with flower gates and mini gardens being decorated eye-catchingly for tourists to take pictures as well as the garden houses, flower coffee shops, flower homestays and car hire services being developed and becoming more diverse. As a trendy intellectual, Cuong quickly captured the trend to provide services for tourists and became a professional tour guide. The schedule Cuong made for us was quite impressive, including visiting the beautiful famous flower gardens of Sa Dec, meeting the famous rose growing artist Tu Ton, trying our hand at planting flowers in the flower garden of Cuong’s family, enjoying flower coffee, staying overnight in a homestay, visiting the ancient house of Huynh Thuy Le and tasting special dishes. Cuong not only offered us an amazing sightseeing trip but also inspired in us the enthusiasm of a young person who loves the beauty of his homeland.

Sa Dec not only attracts tourists with flowers or the rustic beauty of the Mekong Delta, but it is also well known from the novel “L’Amant” (The lover) published in 1984 and the film of the same name released in 1992. “L’Amant” by the famous French writer Marguerite Duras tells of her first love with a wealthy patron named Huynh Thuy Le living in Sa Dec in the early years of the 20th century. To this day, the ancient house of Huynh Thuy Le established at 255A Nguyen Hue Street in Sa Dec City is still preserved as a valuable trace of this famous love story. The house is a harmonious combination of Eastern and Western architecture, built in 1895 and restored in 1917, the entire surrounding wooden wall was replaced by lime and “ô dước” compound (made of lime, sand, adhesives, dó paper and activated carbon) and this structure has remained until today. The house is a destination that attracts many tourists, especially foreign travellers who have read or watched the sad love story of “L’Amant”.

That night we stayed at Bamboo Homestay. It consists of about 10 bungalows built entirely of bamboo in the simple rustic architecture of the Mekong Delta region, surrounded by orchards, lakes and countless flowers. The rooms were quite basic and not luxurious but contained all the necessities. We also spent time talking to the owner, Mr Phong who is a retired teacher from Sa Dec and intently listened to him recounting stories of the history, culture and beauty of this land. The next morning, we woke up to the sounds of birds chirping and the fresh air. A cosy breakfast with vegetables and fruits grown right in the garden was prepared by teacher Phong and his wife. All of this entwined together creating our beautiful memories of the days we stayed in Sa Dec.

UNIQUE CUISINE OF THE MEKONG DELTA

When visiting Dong Thap in general and Sa Dec in particular, you should definitely not miss the local specialities here. In the flood season, you have to enjoy a hot pot of Carp cooked with Sesban or a bowl of vermicelli served with water lily and poached fish. Carp, Sesban and water lily are seasonal products which are only available when the waters of the Mekong river from upstream flow here, bringing along much needed fertile silt. And do not forget to try Sa Dec hủ tiếu (clear rice noodle soup) with its soft white noodles and sweet yet not fatty broth.

If you are an adventurous person, don’t be afraid to enjoy an unusually strange food, both literally and figuratively, vole (field mouse) meat. For the locals here, vole meat is a typical dish of the countryside sold quite often on roadsides, especially in the flood season and after each harvest. The meat can be incorporated into a variety of dishes such as stir-fried vole, shredded vole, grilled vole, fried vole, stewed marinated vole, boiled vole with fermented rice and the most special dish to mention, roasted vole. A fat vole was cleaned and marinated with spices then hooked into a large jar. As it cooked the jar turned steadily, fat and spices were added and about 1 hour later the vole turned golden brown. When the voles were cooked to perfection, opening the jar, we saw the vole had turned golden and had a fragrant aroma, then they were garnished with salt mixed with lemon and pepper, Vietnamese coriander and green banana. Its skin was crunchy, the meat was as tender and as delicious as sambar deer, hence the locals also call it “sambar deer of the countryside”.

As a passionate tour guide, Cuong also led us to visit some dessert shops, which no one at our age can resist, offering ice cream, pancakes of the Mekong Delta and Vietnamese fried shrimp cakes. We will never find the unique tastes of these local specialities elsewhere in this S-shaped country.

Saying goodbye to Sa Dec – a wonderful land with beautiful flowers and the amazing hospitality of the locals, we continued our journey to other tourist attractions in Dong Thap such as Cham Chim National Park, Gao Giong eco-tourism area, Lai Vung tangerine garden and Phuoc Kien pagoda (La Sen pagoda). Our extended journey brought us beautiful and unforgettable experiences.

W.TIPS

ENTERANCE FEES

>> Flower village and Sa Dec flower park: VND20,000 per adult, VND10,000 per child.

>> Huynh Thuy Le ancient house: VND30,000 per person.

TRANSPORTATION

>> From Hanoi, visitors can take a car, train or plane to Ho Chi Minh City. Then you can catch a bus to Sa Dec (about 160 kilometres from Ho Chi Minh City), or if you are a good driver, you can rent a motorbike and ride to Sa Dec.

>> In Sa Dec, you can easily rent a motorbike or bicycle at a reasonable price for sightseeing and exploring the city.

ACCOMMODATION

Sa Dec accommodation services are still not well-developed; however, there are several options for you such as:

>> Homestay: Maison en Bambou Phong-Le Vent (Bamboo homestay), “Ngôi nhà Hoa Ếch” (Flower & Frog) homestay and Huynh Thuy Le homestay.

>> Some suggested guesthouses in the city area include Thanh Cong hotel, Phuong Nam 2 hotel, Hoang Duy hotel, Sao Khue hotel and Minh Dien hotel.

CUISINE

As mentioned in the article, you cannot miss Sa Dec’s famous dishes such as Mrs Xam’s clear rice noodle soup (known as ASEAN’s best clear rice noodle soup) and dessert lovers should not miss Aunt Mai’s ice cream shop. In addition, you can also visit Sa Dec market to enjoy dishes such as dried snakehead fish, Lai Vung fermented pork rolls, Lap Vo fermented pork skin, dried vole, roasted vole in large jars, snakehead fish salad, Vietnamese Noodles in Coconut Cream and Vietnamese fried prawn cakes.

TAKING PHOTOS

If you are a keen photographer, here are some ideal times for you to take photos of locations in Dong Thap:

>> 6.30am: taking photos of Tan Quy Dong Flower Village in the early morning sunlight

>> 8.30am: taking photos of a florist’s daisy garden

>> 10am: taking photos of Sa Dec ceramic and brick kilns

>> 1pm: visit Lai Vung tangerine garden

>> 2pm: Visit Dinh Yen sedge mat village

Wanderlust Tips

Hue: The sweet charm of nostalgia

It seems like i share a peculiar fate with Hue – the ancient capital of Vietnam. From the first time i found my way to this magical land when i was a very young man, till the day i came back full of contemplation at the age when people are supposed to get married, i have returned over ten times. But it is interesting that all my trips to Hue are very different from each other.

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One trip, I came here when I was just a talkative young boy. One trip, I was an inexperienced tour guide clumsily leading a tourist from the North seeking out Vietnamese poem conical hats as gifts for his mother and wife. One trip, I was a lonesome man smoking and walking alone on the small street Huyen Tran Cong Chua at the foot of Vong Canh Hill on a rainy afternoon. One trip, I was a happy man together with my girlfriend as we drove along the Perfume River enjoying the serene atmosphere of the ancient capital. And on my most recent trip, I made my way back to this city with my old friends. Each time, Hue has granted me different extraordinary experiences, but my impression of Hue always bears the colour of nostalgia.

MEMORIES OF THE ANCIENT CAPITAL

The old walls along the streets are steeped in history in this ancient capital. The smell of gunpowder seems to still linger around the old bullet-riddled walls of the Imperial City. The iconic yellow walls covered by green moss, the romantic purple and pink Bougainvillea in the afternoon sunlight or the dusty walls painted with squiggly advertising slogans.

I often wake up early in the morning, walking along the poetic bank of the Perfume River, crossing the breathtaking Trang Tien bridge and finally stopping by a small café opposite Dong Ba market. Leaning against the yellowcoloured wall with its foot covered with the colours of coffee and iced tea, I quietly enjoy a popular iced milk coffee while listening to the bustling sounds of the city.

The taste of iced milk coffee has not changed since the time I drank it alone five years earlier or more recently when I sat down and enjoyed it with my friends at the gate of Dong Ba Market. It still has the sweet flavour of the milk, the subtle taste of coffee beans and the smelll of intimate nostalgia.

Unlike many tourists who come to Hue to visit the royal tombs, I just love to ride around the Imperial City of Huế on an old bicycle I borrow from an acquaintance. Because only then, can I truly indulge in Hue’s ancient atmosphere.

I ride slowly along Doan Thi Diem street to one of the “20 beautiful places in Hue” that King Thieu Tri described in his poems, Tinh Tam lake, where “The porch is reflected off the water along with the starry night sky” and the slender Hong Cu bridge crosses the lake to Bong Lai island and Bong Doanh palace featuring its ancient glazed roof tiles. It is truly the sightseeing and resting place of the kings. The exceptionally charming scenery located in the middle of the capital city city is changing is changing every day, as the local houses, restaurants and shops are built more closely to each other. It is also one of the few places where the shimmering history of the ancient capital still exists today.

TRADITIONAL MELODIES ECHOING ALONG THE RIVER IN THE AFTERNOON LIGHT

But perhaps the place where the most authentic features of the city of Hue of the past can be found is on the winding road at the foot of Thien Mu Pagoda, where I took a photo of my tall, thin day-dreaming friend.

At the end of this road is the Temple of Confucius of Hue and also where the old village of Huong Ho was in the past. In front of the Pagoda, the peaceful and gentle Perfume River can be found flowing quietly through the majestic mountains in Binh Dien and on the inside, the Phuoc Duyen tower stands solemnly and quietly. Occasionally, we heard melodious singing mixed with traditional music echoing across the river. All the features blend extremely beautifully together but I felt a sense of sadness lingering in the air.

Absentmindedly plodding along the path by the lazy Perfume River on a melancholy afternoon, I suddenly remembered the words of a famous song. “Hue …! …Do you know… What song is echoing from the boat? Is anyone waiting for another to cross Trang Tien…”

I rented a small wooden boat from a poor old husband and wife living by the river at the foot of Thien Mu pagoda and then travelled upstream to Trang Tien Bridge. Perhaps this spontaneous and strange decision brought me the most unexpected emotions during my journey in the ancient capital.

The upstream waves were rocking the moss-coloured boat as the sound of the boat’s engine stirring up the water called out as if it wanted to awaken the quiet river. At that moment, there was only the sound of an old cassette radio of the old fisherman who was bashfully singing the sad melodies of “hò Huế” (Hue’s folk music) accompanying the afternoon sun on the green river. The three of us were all silently sitting on the boat; the old man gently guiding it with a cigarette pursed in his lips while his wife was selecting summer vegetables for dinner. I sat with my eyes looking far away to the centre of the ancient capital, contemplating the impermanence of romance by the Trang Tien Bridge.

In that quiet space in that inattentive moment, I felt like I was beginning to fall in love with the melancholy beauty of Hue!

LEAVING MY SOUL IN THE MELANCHOLY ALLEYS

One afternoon, I was taking my girlfriend to a sweet soup house in an alley off Hung Vuong Street, which I called the saddest sweet soup house in the world. She asked me why I called it that but I didn’t know how to explain it, so I told her to just to come and find her own answer.

We walked into the alley which was neither big nor small, the sweet soup house was neither small nor big, the face of the seller was neither happy nor sad, the cup of sweet soup was neither delicious nor bad, and the price was neither expensive nor cheap. The only thing that has stayed in our memories is the flavour of the sweet soup and the calming quiet space.

When we walked out onto the busy streets, we felt like it was so different from the space in the alley and I asked her if she had found the answer. She looked so contemplative, a little sorrowful and her eyes looked up to the blue sky as if she had fallen in love with Hue.

I felt the same as her, fascinated by the ancient capital whenever I arrived. Letting my soul dive straight into the silent ancient abyss and becoming speechless from the familiar smell of the plants and river here.

After visiting Hue many times, I found that I was addicted to the feeling of losing my soul to the melancholy beauty of Hue and only when I went back did I realise. I will definitely return to the ancient capital to satisfy my nostalgia for the intimate moments of my past in my heart.

W.TIPS

TRANSPORTATION

Travelling to Hue: From Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh city, you can travel to Hue by various means such as plane, train, car and even many people like to drive motorbikes. >> Travelling by plane is the most timeefficient option with only a 1 hour flight time to Phu Bai airport in Hue. Currently, airlines such as Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet Air and Jetstar Pacific have regular flights from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to Hue.

>> If you have more time to spare, you can travel by train or bus. Travelling by train from Hanoi to Hue is about 13 hours and about 20 hours from Ho Chi Minh City and although the travel time is longer, you can admire the scenery along the way. A bus takes a similar length of time to a train and the fare will usually be cheaper.

>> Choosing to drive a motorbike or a car to Hue is favoured by travel lovers but for this option make sure you are an experienced driver, have good health and always pay attention to safety throughout the journey.

Moving around Hue: to explore Hue fully, you can use several forms of transport including cars and motorbikes for remote locations and walking, cycling or cyclo in the downtown area. In particular, taking a boat on the Perfume River is an exciting and not-to-bemissed experience.

WEATHER

There are two distinct seasons in Hue: the dry season and the rainy season. The dry season usually lasts from March to August when temperatures can reach 35-40 degrees Celsius and the weather is hot and muggy. The rainy season is from August to January with temperatures generally from 18-20 degrees Celsius although sometimes dropping below 10 degrees Celsius, and from October onwards being the typhoon season. Especially, from the end of January to the end of February, the weather is always particularly beautiful with cooler temperatures and sometimes it is even cold with the late season winds. It is also the time when Sakura flowers bloom. The rainy season lasts from September to December, however, Hue artfully turns this season into a special feature.

CUISINE

Hue cuisine is also extremely popular with many delicious dishes such as: Banh khoai (plain rice flan), Mussels with rice, Bánh cuốn (Rolled cake), bun thit nuong (rice noodles with grilled meat), Bun Bo Hue (Hue-style beef vermicelli soup), Sweet soup…

Phong Du | Wanderlust Tips

InterContinental Phu Quoc Long Beach Resort Launches Phu Quoc’s First Kids Camp

InterContinental® Phu Quoc Long Beach Resort welcomes children and families this summer for their inaugural Planet Trekkers Kids Camp, offering a unique and fun-filled programme for children from ages 5 to 12 on Vietnam’s largest tropical island of Phu Quoc.

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The Kids Camp takes advantage of the luxury resort’s numerous outdoor swimming pools, landscaped gardens, private and pristine white-sand beach, and 250 sqm Planet Trekkers children’s club to host fun-filled days of games, educational activities, and creative arts and crafts.

“We are delighted to be hosting Phu Quoc Island’s very first Kids Camp this summer,” said Anna Rohm, Resort Manager of InterContinental Phu Quoc Long Beach Resort. “Through a range of interactive, creative and educational activities, our new programme focuses on broadening the horizons the little VIPs staying with us, and offers truly memorable experiences for a special family holiday.”

The Kids Camp promises to offer a world of wonder for children in a fully supervised and secure environment with age-appropriate facilities and fun, culturally-inclined indoor and outdoor activities. Professionally trained and certified caretakers are available so that parents can enjoy some relaxed alone time.

Outdoor Activities

Phu Quoc Island is a paradise where kids can soak up the warm sun rays and refreshing tropical air with exciting outdoor activities from swimming classes and pool games at Splash! family pool, sand castle building on Long Beach, and kite wars, to challenging treasure hunts in the resort gardens. Adventurous kids can also zoom down the large waterslide at Splash!

Indoor Activities

After a frolic in the sun, kids can cool off indoors with a number of interactive and culturally enriching activities including Urban and Vietnamese dance classes, “music time’ with guitar lessons, a kids cooking class, arts and crafts, and other educational classes so that time spent at the resort is not only fun but also productive, teaching children valuable lessons that they can take home with them afterwards.

This summer at InterContinental Phu Quoc Long Beach Resort, children will have the time of their lives while parents can enjoy a moment to themselves they so deserve, whether it be luxuriating with a couples’ treatment at HARNN Heritage Spa, or going on a romantic date at the resort’s newly opened signature restaurant LAVA, overlooking the ocean horizon.

The Planet Trekkers Kids Camp takes place every day from 10:00AM – 4:00PM, and includes lunch for USD 50 per full day per child.

Kids Camp Package

Families with children wishing to enjoy the camp can take advantage of the Planet Trekkers Kids Camp Package. Starting from USD 230+ per night, the package includes:

1 day at the kids camp for one child and 20% discount for additional days and children
Daily breakfast at Sora & Umi restaurant
20% off at HARNN Heritage Spa for parents to enjoy during their stay
A minimum two night stay in a choice of room, suite, residence or villa

For more information and reservations, please contact +84 297 397 8888, or email reservations.icpq@ihg.com.

Wanderlust Tips | Cinet

The Ascott Limited launched Ascott Star Rewards

Debuts Ascott Star Rewards as world’s first serviced residence loyalty programme to offer full flexibility to earn and redeem points.

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CapitaLand’s wholly owned lodging business unit, The Ascott Limited (Ascott), is embarking on a digital ecosystem transformation to support its fast- expanding global lodging portfolio. Ascott aims to drive revenue growth, improve operational efficiency and enhance value to its customers and business partners through a comprehensive front-to-backend systems makeover. In addition to its launch of Ascott Star Rewards, the world’s first loyalty programme in the serviced residence industry to offer full flexibility to earn and redeem points, Ascott is adopting a new revenue management system as well as updating its backend global property management system to a cloud-based one.

To augment the growth of Ascott’s lodging brands, which now stands at 13, Ascott has to be smarter about the sales and distribution of these various brands to ensure they deliver the right products for our guests. By combining the technology of cloud commerce, revenue and customer relationship management applications as well as location analytics, Ascott will be able to capture an unprecedented level of data, both online and offline.

Ms Lew Yen Ping, Country General Manager for Ascott Vietnam, said: “As Ascott celebrate 35 years of hospitality excellence worldwide and 25 years of successful business in Vietnam, we would like to say a massive thank you to our customers for your unwavering support. To enable our guests to enjoy the comforts of home in more destinations, as well as to express our appreciation toward our loyalty guests, we’re thriving to harness technology to deliver the right and best products and services based on your preferences”.

Ms Yen added: “As part of Ascott’s digital transformation efforts, our newly launched loyalty program – Ascott Star Rewards is offering members no cap to the points that can be earned, no minimum points required for redemption, no blackout dates, and even the option to nominate other guests to earn points. Its four membership tiers are based on the guest’s accumulated spending during the qualifying period, starting with the complimentary Classic membership tier, followed by Silver, Gold and Platinum”.

Ascott’s digitalisation initiatives

To complement the launch of Ascott Star Rewards, Ascott has revamped its booking websites to enable members to access their rewards, redemptions, booking history and preferences on a personalised dashboard. It has also enhanced members’ online experience by streamlining its room booking process from six to three steps.

As part of its transformational journey to digitalise its business from the core, Ascott is upgrading to a cloud Property Management System. It will allow Ascott to seamlessly interface with new systems as it scales its business, and to consolidate guest and reservation data across all properties. To better predict customer demand and maximise revenue growth, Ascott is the first in Asia to adopt a revenue management system tailored for long-stay business with IDeaS, a leading revenue management solutions provider.

Ascott’s other digital initiatives underway include using advanced emotion analysis of guest reviews to sift out customer insights for operations, marketing and branding strategies; and an enhanced Customer Relationship Management system for Ascott’s sales workforce to access and capture information on corporate clients on their mobile devices while managing leads on the move.

Ascott has also introduced service robots in China to perform a suite of tasks including providing concierge services, leading guests to their rooms or facilities at the property, delivering clean laundry and packages, and providing refilling room supplies. This has increased productivity by about 40%, allowing Ascott staff to spend more time to interact with guests. Ascott also offers the use of self check-in kiosk with facial recognition at Ascott Orchard Singapore, which has reduced check-in time for guests from five minutes at the front office to two minutes at the kiosk. Ascott is the first serviced residence company to adopt the self check-in kiosks with facial recognition, with plans to roll them out to its properties around the world.

Ascott Star Rewards offers

Members can enjoy a range of privileges including year-long 10% off Best Flexible Rates, seasonal offers of up to 50% discount, property opening specials, birthday discounts of up to 40%, early check-in and late check-out , as well as complimentary airport transfers, room upgrades and breakfast.

To celebrate the launch of Ascott Star Rewards, members will receive 3,000 bonus points upon sign-up via Ascott’s brand websites. Existing Ascott Online Advantage members, who will be automatically upgraded to Ascott Star Rewards, will enjoy a tier match based on their spending with Ascott in 2018 and receive 5,000 bonus points upon their first completed stay from now till 31 December 2019.

Ascott Star Rewards members will have the flexibility to exchange points with My TAUZIA Privilege loyalty programme from 1 June 2019, and this flexibility will be extended to other loyalty programmes such as CapitaStar; as well as the donation of points to CapitaLand’s philanthropic arm, CapitaLand Hope Foundation, to support the underprivileged. At a later phase, there are plans to work with partners to allow members to redeem points for various treats such as shopping, dining and entry to attractions.

Wanderlust Tips

Mesmerised by the magnificent scenery of Cao Bang

A pristine, mysterious and poetic land, Cao Bang evokes in people’s hearts a sense of contemplation and admiration with its magnificent scenery and clear blue sky.

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Cao Bang people have a wonderfully beautiful song about their homeland:

If you pound the three-month rice

I will carry the water taken from Cao Bang to you

As soaking rice in this water will it whiten

I wonder if we can get to know each other better

I used to wonder why the man in the song only wanted to bring water from Cao Bang but not any other kind of water for the girl he loves. When I visited Cao Bang, I finally got my answer. Cao Bang’s water is clear, as green as jade and sparkling fresh just like the souls of the local people here.

On 12th April 2018, a resolution was adopted to officially recognise Non Nuoc Cao Bang Geopark as a UNESCO Global Geopark. We decided to take a journey to discover the famous landscapes of this large park, to understand and in the end to fall in love with the breath-taking scenery of Cao Bang.

From Ha Giang, I made my way to Cao Bang on a sunny afternoon. If Ha Giang stands out for its majestic mountains, Cao Bang’s nature is blessed with pristine and spectacular primitive forests. The Quay Son river is so crystal clear that pebble stones are visible on its riverbed and spreading out in front of my eyes were vast bamboo forests with slender stems rising straight into the sky. On the side of the mountains, bunches of pink forest flowers were blooming, the air and breeze filled with their sweet fragrance. As the winds passed through the mountains, the sides of the road were full of reeds fluttering in the wind. All of the scenery was vividly bright and colourful, yet still so peaceful and contemplative. Cao Bang’s nature kept sinking deeper into my heart, simple yet so familiar like it had been part of me for such a long time.

BAN GIOC WATERFALL – A GREEN PEARL ON THE COUNTRY’S BORDER

The first place I visited on the journey was Ban Gioc waterfall – the largest natural waterfall in Southeast Asia, originating from the Quay Son river which lies on the border of Vietnam and China. The falls are formed in two parts, the smaller waterfall in the south is called Cao waterfall, while Thap waterfalls are the main falls in the North on the VietnamChina border. According to the land border treaty between Vietnam and China signed in 1999, the smaller falls belong entirely to the Vietnamese, while the main waterfall is shared, delineated by boundary marker No. 836.

I had travelled hundreds of kilometres to get there and although the journey was quite arduous, when I arrived, the beauty of the waterfalls made the fatigue seem to disappear. Standing high above, watching the waterfall cascading down, my heart was full of a joy difficult to put into words.

The beauty of Ban Gioc waterfall was as splendid as a green pearl in the border area. It is a perfect combination of the mountains and the river perched among the most spectacular natural colours: the blue of the sky and the green of the mountains and forests, the azure of the water reflecting the colour of the sky. After flowing through the primaeval forests, when the water reaches here, it is at its freshest and most invigorating.

Visiting Ban Gioc in the dry season, the volume of the water flowing over the falls is less than that of the rainy season, but the beauty of the waterfalls still overwhelms me. From high above, thunderous flows of water crash down, creating white foam. At the smaller falls, the water flows from a height of 30 metres offering a spectacular and awe-inspiring scene, while at the main waterfall, the water flows more smoothly and gently like soft white silk strips.

I was desperate to walk along the meandering path next to the waterfall and climb the top of the falls. It was definitely worth the effort as I could admire a panoramic view of the sky, land and forest, which was so wonderful that I wished to embrace it all in my arms. The surface of the river past the waterfalls is as calm and clear as a mirror, and on each side, there are green fields of grass with buffalo grazing leisurely. I stood there for a long time, watching this amazing scene and feeling a pleasant sense of happiness.

PAC BO – MEMORIES OF UNCLE HO

The next day of the journey, our group visited Pac Bo Historical Site (Ha Quang), where our beloved President Ho Chi Minh used to live and work. It was here he wrote the history of the Communist Party of Vietnam, living the hard life of a revolutionary soldier, but always believing in the future.

Our visit to Pac Bo was more than worthwhile as its nature is so beautiful and poetic. Lenin stream is clear and gentle with schools of fish swimming around, and Karl Marx Mountain appeared so majestic and solemn in the sunshine with peaceful villages nestled at its foot. Pac Bo Cave is well-known yet humble, marked by the time President Ho Chi Minh lived and worked here. He was modest and transparent with a gentle soul. I suddenly felt my heart soften, my soul was clearer, and all my worries disappeared; to be immersed in nature, to live like a mountain, like a river, like a tree.

Nature was generously bestowed upon Cao Bang in general and Pac Bo in particular as a pristine, natural beauty that anyone who comes here cannot help but be surprised by. These famous sites lauded in poetry and songs appear beautiful and lively.

THANG HEN LAKE – THE SERENE

In the journey to explore the beauty of Cao Bang, Thang Hen lake is a must-see destination. Thang Hen Lake is the most beautiful of 36 lakes in the mountainous area of Tra Linh district, famous for its serene beauty of majestic mountains and peaceful, pristine waters.

Thang Hen lake is also known as “bee’s tail Lake” because if you are looking from above, the lake is shaped like the tail of a bee. Arriving in Thang Hen right at harvest season, I silently watched the yellow rice fields which looked beautifully like a giant woven carpet of nature and smelled of the sweet and pure scent of rice.

Thang Hen has charming scenery with trees stretching along the high and dangerous cliffs, reflecting off the green water, and growing along the valley of rugged rocks. Along with enjoying the poetic scenery of the river and forest, I rowed from one lake to another, enjoying dishes imbued with national identity and tasting the aromatic, delicious wine distilled with corn and yeast according to the traditional methods of the Tay people.

Not only attracting tourists with its incredible scenery, Thang Hen lake is also the source of many mystical tales. Legend has it that in the past, there was a young man from Cao Bang named Sung who was smart and handsome. He passed an exam and was rewarded by the king who gave him 7 days to return to his hometown where he was appointed as a court official. Back home, he married a beautiful girl named Ooc and being so besotted by his beloved wife, Sung forgot about returning to the capital until the sixth night came, when upon remembering he hastily said goodbye to his wife and parents and ran to the capital. In the middle of the night in the forest, after running 36 steps, unfortunately, he slipped, hit his head on the side of the mountain and died. His 36 steps today are the 36 large and small lakes of various names in Tra Linh District, and it is said that the place where he laid down is Thang Hen lake today.

Along with the journey of discovery, do not miss the opportunity to immerse yourself in the life of the local people. Cao Bang people are remarkably friendly and rustic who are simple, natural and hospitable. I was invited to enjoy some Syzygium tea – a very sweet tea prepared by the people here. I could feel in their eyes the hidden desire to conquer the heights of the mountains.

Saying goodbye to Cao Bang, my heart was filled with sorrow. Right from the first moment I came here, I knew that I would come back to once again listen to the wind singing the songs of the deep old forests, and to be immersed in the passionate love and the beautiful scenery of Cao Bang:

I listen to the wind singing by my side

Remembering the vast forests

When I leave, will you forget me

Please send some sunshine to me again …

(from the song “listening to the wind” by Anh Minh)

W.TIPS

BEST TIME TO VISIT:

Cao Bang’s climate is characterised by two distinct seasons: the rainy season lasting from April to September and the dry season from October to March:

>> If you want to visit Ban Gioc waterfall, you should go in August and September. At this time, the many waterfalls will be flowing very beautifully.

>> If you would like to visit Cao Bang to admire flowers, time your visit for the end of the year, around November. It is the season of Buckwheat flowers (at the same time as the season of Buckwheat flowers in Ha Giang).

>> If you like ice and snow, you should visit in winter (from November to February). During this period, in the forest of Phia Oac temperatures drop very low, making snow very likely to happen.

TRANSPORTATION:

From Hanoi, you can take a motorbike or bus to Cao Bang. Passenger ticket prices range from VND170,000-200,000. If travelling by motorbike, it is important to note that the roads to Cao Bang are mainly through steep mountains with heavy traffic, so you have to ride carefully, bring your license and registration, wear protective clothing and safety helmets, and abide by traffic laws. Besides this, you should also carry petrol and a repair tool kit.

LOCAL CUISINE:

Dishes that cannot be missed include Cao Bang hot roll cakes, ant egg cakes, dishes made from bees, roasted duck and sausages as well as dishes made from wild vegetables including Da Hien vegetables, stone moss, forest banana and Bauhinia variegata. Also, Trung Khanh chestnuts are also very delicious, and you can buy them as gifts for your family.

ENTRANCE FEES TO VISIT ATTRACTIONS:

Ban Gioc Waterfall: VND45,000 per adult and VND10,000 per child. Pac Bo Cave – Lenin Stream: VND25,000 per adult and VND5,000 per child.

OTHER POINTS TO NOTE:

>> Bring full identification documents as Cao Bang is a border area.

>> It is recommended to bring any medicine, sunscreen, insect repellent and personal items that may be required while you are travelling.

>> Wear lightweight, well-ventilated and absorbent clothes. It is recommended to wear water-resistant sports shoes as well as elbow and knee protectors.

>> Cao Bang’s topography is mainly mountainous with rivers and streams, so please take note of signs indicating any dangerous underground streams.

Wanderlust Tips

Legend of the Plain of Jars

The Plain of Jars – located on the Xieng Khouang Plateau of Laos, about 400 kilometres from the capital Vientiane – still remains an enigma to archaeologists and a mysterious and fascinating destination for tourists.

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The Plain of Jars has nearly 2000 stone jars scattered over an area of 25 hectares, and there is only a single stone jar that has remained entirely intact. According to the estimates of archaeologists, they date back 1500 to 2000 years.

At the three sites which are open to the public, there are hundreds of jars from one to several metres in height, and weighing from a few hundred kilograms to a ton. Each jar has a different shape and angle, but all are chiselled monoliths of mostly granite or sandstone. The jars have very thick walls, are large in diameter, and their mouths are round or oval. The bodies of the jars are quite smooth, and many of them have elegant shapes curving from the bottom to the mouth, looking as beautiful as jars made of china or porcelain. The insides of the jars are polished while the outsides may have had carved figures adorning them, but these have been worn away by the weather of thousands of years. Currently, only a few blurry carved figures remain, engraved deeply into the stone.

Looking at the stone jars, it seems like we are seeing the testimony of the miracle of a mythical region. Countless questions are raised in the moment of wistfulness at the border of the present and the past. During those ancient times, who could have moved thousands of stones weighing thousands of tons when the nearest stone mountains were kilometres away from the Plain of Jars. What kinds of tools did they use and how many years did it take to chisel out and create such a giant Plain of Jars? And what was the purpose of making these enormous stone creations? Of course, there are also many theories to satisfy the curiosity of visitors.

In the 1930s, a French archaeologist, Madeleine Colani, of the French School of the Far East carried out excavations in the area of the Plain of Jars and discovered many traces of human remains in a nearby cave along with fragments of bones and teeth (mostly juveniles) cremated in a number of jars. From this, Madeleine Colani hypothesised that the area of the Jars had been used as a burial site with the ancient people of the area using the stone jars to store people’s remains and also to store food. In 1994, a Japanese archaeologist, Eiji Nitta, excavated six pits around several large stone jars and found human bones in all six. However, only one jar contained cremated bones and teeth, while the others contained no signs of this at all. Because of this, he thought that the stone jars may have been used to house burial items. Although archaeological results offer some suggestions, they are only hypothetical speculation, not a strong and convincing scientifically-based answer.

I am not convinced by the archaeologists’ hypotheses. Archaeological results also show that many human bones were buried in a nearby cave and underground, while on the plain with thousands of jars, there are only a few containing the charred remains of bones and teeth. To chisel out stone jars like these requires a tremendous amount of time and effort (scientists estimate from ten years to hundreds of years), so they should have been used for some other purpose rather than just for the ritual storing of remains. As the idea of the jars containing the remains of the dead is not particularly convincing, the hypothesis of chiselling out the stone to carry gifts for the afterlife is even less so to me.

I prefer the legend of the origins of the Plain of Jars as told by the local people. It is said that this was the living place of giants and they crafted the stone jars to store water or to brew and keep rice wine. Perhaps they were a generation of people blessed with an enormous physique and extraordinary power, living at the same time as those who built the walls of the Imperial City in Tibet (according to Mundasep’s theory) (1). They chose this vast field to be their residence, and they carried from the mountains far away a thousand giant blocks of stone to create the Plain of Jars. Each jar is a testimony to the strength, skill and extraordinary diligence of those people. I like to look at those jars imagining that once they used to be storing wine or water, reflecting the faces of the pure and innocent people living in ancient times under a clear sky amidst the vast green plains.

When I sat inside a stone jar, looking up at the distant sky, I felt an invisible yet magical connection between the past and the present, between legend and everyday life. Walking through the Plain of Jars, I seemed to be able to travel back in time: present turned into history – history into fairytale – and fairytale turned into legend.

* Note (1): Erono Mundasep is an ophthalmologist, doctor of medicine and former director of the Russian Eye and Plastic Surgery Center. He is the author of well-known books including Where do we come from, Tragic message of the ancients and In the arms of Sambala.

W.TIPS

TRANSPORTATION

The Plain of Jars is a historic cultural area near the commune of Phonsavan, in Xieng Khouang province, Laos. To get there, most tourists choose to travel by car or plane.

>> From Hanoi, you can take a car to Laos along National Highway No.7 to Nam Can border crossing (Nghe An), passing through immigration into Laos. On the way, there are many places along the way with breathtaking views of the mountains and forests.

>> If you choose to travel by plane, from Hanoi you can fly to Vientiane or Luang Prabang, then continue your journey by plane or car to Phonsavan. Phonsavan is about 260 kilometres from Luang Prabang and about 350 kilometres from Vientiane.

ATTRACTIONS

You can rent a tuk-tuk to take a trip to visit the Plain of Jars or contact a travel agent to hire a tour guide for more detailed information during your visit.

WEATHER

Phonsavan has a humid, temperate, subtropical climate due to its high altitude and can be visited at any time of the year. In summer, the weather is quite hot and wet while the winter is short and dry. The average temperature in the hottest month (June) is 23.6 degrees Celsius while the December average temperature (the coldest month) is 14.8 degrees Celsius.

CUISINE

The dishes you should try in Phonsavan are Laotian sticky rice and Tam Maak Hung.

SOUVENIRS

Indigenous crafts made from wood and silk or embroidery works are the most sought after items.

Wanderlust Tips

The heartfelt charm of Phu Quoc island

Phu Quoc island in the South of the country has long been famous for the beauty of its blue sea, white sand and golden sunshine, enchanting tourists who come here. However, many people still do not know about the hidden charm of Pearl Island, a new symbol of unparalleled luxury and refinement in Phu Quoc, the InterContinental Phu Quoc Long Beach Resort.

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Located south of Truong beach, the InterContinental Phu Quoc Long Beach Resort features the privacy of a beautiful pristine beach with diverse marine ecosystem and the azure ocean.

With unique architecture shaped in the form of a starfish and surrounded by verdant jungle matted hills and landscaped gardens offering ocean views, the InterContinental Phu Quoc Long Beach Resort is truly an ideal destination for a relaxing and peaceful holiday.

Miss Vietnam Do My Linh in an opulent ball gown became a beautiful and proud lady and seemed even more gorgeous with the extraodinary design of Bridge Suite of InterContinental Phu Quoc Long Beach Resort.

The sharp cut lines, vivid details, gorgeous ruffling and soft chiffon fabric, stand out under the bright yellow sunshine of Phu Quoc, showing off the youthful beauty of Do My Linh.

Wanderlust Tips

12 The meanings behind warning lights on the car’s dashboard

Wanderlust Tips will give you the most useful information to identify the meaning of the car warning lights.

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Modern cars use a lot of new technologies with sensors, so when some features go wrong, the corresponding warning lights will light up. Many people are panicked when they see a warning light flashing on the dashboard. There are more than 60different kinds of warning lights, depending on the models and car manufacturers. Modern well-equipped cars that are full of electronics often have more warning lights on the dashboard. Of course, you do not have to remember the meaning of all these warning lights, but you should at least keep in mind the following 12 ones that often appear on current car models.

1. Oil pressure warning light

The oil pressure warning light is on when the oil pressure gets too low or the oil temperature gets too high. Another cause can be the failure of the oil pump or a blockage in the oil passage. Some vehicles don’t have the correct oil level, causing the oil pressure warning light to light up.

2. Engine warning light

The Engine warning light is the most frustrating and confusing among car warning lights, as it involves a lot of engine parts. When this light is on, it means that your car is having problems such a high-voltage cable and voltage divider damage, spark plug damage, faulty wind sensor, failing catalytic converter, faulty oxygen sensor, broken thermostat, etc.

3. Brake warning light

When this light is on, the most common cause most drivers encounter is that the handbrake lever is not fully released; so just pull down the handbrake and the light will go off. In some cases, a brake warning light indicates low brake fluid or the loss of oil pressure due to leakage. If the ABS light is on, the problem comes from the anti-lock brake system (ABS) of the car (faulty or dirty sensor).

4. Coolant temperature warning light

Many modern cars have a car temperature gauge system with a needle that swings from C (cold) to H (hot). When the car operates normally, the needle will stay in the middle section of the gauge, between the cold and the hot readings. If the needle moves to H, it means your car›s cooling system is too hot. In other vehicles, the coolant warning light will also light up to indicate that the engine is overheating. If you continue to operate the vehicle, it can cause damage to pistons, cylinders or other parts of the engine.So, as soon as the light is on, or the gauge needle hits H, you should safely pull over. Do not open the coolant tank or auxiliary coolant tank as water may leak and cause burns. In other cases, when vehicles operate continuously in overload conditions or the driver uses improper gears when car runs on the slopes, the cooling system can also be overheating. You also need to use a genuine type of coolant to help the engine operate more stable.

5. Airbag warning light

The airbag is designed to protect passengers when an accident happens. New modern cars often have at least two airbags, some even have more than 10. When the airbag warning light flashes on, it can be a faulty airbag system, maybe a broken airbag sensor, loose or dirty plugs.

6. Windshield washer fluid warning light

This light is on if the windshield-washer fluid is below the allowed level, runs out, or is too dirty. You also need to use the right type of windshield washer fluid for better cleaning.

7. Battery charge warning light

For some vehicles, the battery charge warning light will light up only when you first turn your car on. If it doesn’t go off a few seconds after the engine starts, there could be a problem with your car’s battery and electrical system. Therefore, some companies call this light electrical warning light. Some possible causes include a faulty alternator – the alternator does not provide enough electrical power for the car’s system; faulty battery – it does not provide additional power supply in certain cases when increasing the electronic loads; failing warning system.

8. Diesel particulate filter warning light

As the name implies, this light is only found in vehicles that use diesel fuel. Most diesel vehicles are fitted with a diesel particulate filter that removes soot from the exhaust gases to reduce emissions. This light is on when the filter is in trouble. If you want to check to make sure, it is recommended to drive to the highway and operate at a high speed for about 20minutes for the engine to heat up. The heat from the engine will be used to burn the soot, and the light will turn off. If the light is not off, quickly take your car to the garage for inspection.

9. Automatic transmission warning light

The automatic transmission warning light is usually displayed in the symbol of a round gear with an exclamation mark in the middle. This light turns on if your cars automatic transmission is faulty, either the sensors in the gearbox re damaged or the gearbox oil temperature is too high.

10. Low-fuel level warning light

This light flashes on if your car is running out of fuel, and you should refuel as soon as possible. Normally, when the light is on, you can still drive about 20kilometres depending on the type of car, but it is recommended to refuel at the nearest gas station. In this symbol, besides a gas pump, there is an an arrow; the side where the arrow points to is where the fuel tank lid is usually located, it helps the drive the car to the correct side of the fuel pump.

11. Electronic stability program warning light

The Electronic Stability Program (ESP) is fitted on many modern cars from compact cars. The light will flash on when the ESP is on and ready to activate when needed. Normally, there will be a button on the dashboard or near the gear stick to turn it off. Experts recommend that when driving in normal traffic, drivers should always turn on the system. In many line-ups, this system will automatically turn on when drivers start the car, and they will turn it off when not used.

12. Cruise control

Many modern cars are now equipped with cruise control. Drivers can set different speeds for the car to automatically move without using accelerator. This mode is very useful when driving on the highway or motorways. Depending on the type of car, there will be different colors to indicate the cruise control or deactivated.

Wanderlust Tips

Travel fashion collection: Tropical charm in Sheraton Grand Danang Resort

Appearing like the brilliant sunlight full of vitality from the tropical summer, flowing gowns exude their charming features under the blue sky in Da Nang.

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Supermodel Vo Hoang Yen oozes her gorgeous beauty in willowy yet powerful and fascinating outfits made in transparent white, mysterious blue, luxurious yellow, and sweet pink.

The harmonious green scenery of Sheraton Grand Danang Resort, which offers a full view to the South China Sea and the stretching Non Nuoc beach, is an ideal setting to enjoy your dreamy days.

The highlights of Sheraton Grand Danang Resort include a marvelous private beach, classy architecture, and a 250-metre long infinity swimming pool. In this perfect space, enjoy your morning under the bright sunrise or just relax in the sunset covering the whole space in magenta. Such a tropical summer is enough to create beautiful memories for any visitor.