Wanderlust Tips Team, Author at WANDERLUST TIPS • Page 119 of 192

Tibetans and their pure faith in Buddha

Only when I came here did I truly realize that the beauty of this land was far beyond my imagination. Tibet’s mountains are covered in the sacred atmosphere; ancient monasteries are hidden amidst flowing clouds in the sky; the deep quiet holy lake is so clear as if it can reveal the biggest secret of our soul. However, above all of those majestic charms, the Tibetan people are the core element which enables me to sense the mystery and sacred atmosphere of Tibet. Whenever and wherever they are, their way of life and peaceful souls always exude a touching beauty of the purest faith and belief.

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THE SINCEREST FAITH IN THE HEART

Buddhism was adopted in Tibet since the 7th century and began to flourish under the kingdom of Songtsän Gampo (617 – 650) – the greatest King of Tibet. Songtsän Gampo and his two wives – Nepali princess Bhrikuti and Chinese Princess Wencheng (later called Dol-jang, or ‘the green Dolma,’ and Dol-kar, or ‘the white Dolma,’ by the Tibetan people). They not only built pagodas and monasteries, but also propagated Buddhism and followed the teachings of Buddha to set an example for their people. They ruled the land with their tolerance, peace-loving spirit and dedicated their whole life to guide people to follow Buddha’s teachings. The foundation and cultural quintessence have been built, developed, and preserved throughout 1,400 years until now. Travelling to Lhasa – the capital of Tibet, I saw most of the people holding a string of beads and Mani wheel (a hand prayer wheel used while praying) in their hands, reciting Buddhist Sutras while walking. Their faces appeared genuinely sincere. I once asked my tour guide Po-pua:“On the 1st day of the month or whenever you visit a temple or pagoda, what do you often wish for, and what offerings do you prepare?”. Po-pua was surprised and seemed not to understand my question. Just after I explained carefully did he smile and say: “We wish for peace of life, the bad karma to be removed after many circles of life, we wish for the cattle to not suffer from diseases. We wish for the weather to not be too harsh. We wish for no natural disasters like avalanches and earthquakes. And we do not need to prepare offerings for the Buddha, as temples and pagodas are always full of offerings.”He said that while placing his right hand on his left chest.

This is how it always is, Tibetans devote their purest faith to the Buddha. The days I spent in Tibet convinced me to believe in what Po-pua said: “Our biggest wish in life is to be purified and approach the completeness of ourselves after each lifetime to come closer to Buddha”.

In Tibetans’ houses, I did not see any alters; instead, they hang pictures of Buddha, Bodhisattva, Padmasambhava, Dalai Lama, and Panchen Lama on the wall. In front of the pictures and statue, they just place 5 or 7 bowls of water, no fruits, cakes, and money. Tibetans when visiting pagodas only bring a blanket or thin mattress to sit on when praying. Nowhere in Tibet did I see people bring a full tray of offerings to the pagodas, but I could find the sincere belief shining on people’s faces, in their eyes, and gestures wherever I went to.

On the main streets of Lhasa, from 5am, you can see many people going to Jokhang to pray or performing a Kora – making a circumambulation around a sacred site. The surface of the stone-paved street has become smooth and shiny as many citizens and pilgrims have come here to perform the 1-step-1-bow and 3-steps-1-bow throughout hundreds of years. They come to the yard of the pagoda to pray for 30 minutes to 1 hour: standing and placing their hands together, bowing and kneeling on the ground. I stood looking at them for a while and realized they paid all of their attention to perform the ritual as if they were living in another dimensional space and exploring another world.

THE RECITATION OF THE SUTRAS

The faith of Tibet does not exist in praying rituals, but is presented in the daily life of people. Tibet’s children are lulled to sleep by sutras and their first words are “Om Mani Padme Hum”. In the past, monasteries were also schools and Dalai Lama taught both sutras and language to the children. Every Tibetan chooses for themselves a spiritual teacher and is attached to this teacher teacher for their entire life each day as a Tibetan begins and ends with a Buddhist prayer. When walking on the street, Tibetans always hold Buddhist prayer beads and Mina wheel in their hands while reciting the sutras.

During the days wandering in Tibet, the stories I heard and the people I met gave me an insight of the beautiful and profound faith in the life of Tibetans. When the long-distance bus took us across rough roads or dangerous mountain passes, all Tibetans on the bus would recite the sutras. Though I did not understand its meanings, I felt relieved and protected. Or the day when we visited Lake Namtso, we were allowed to take photos with a Domestic yak with two big horns on its head. A domestic yak is a kind of animal that does not like water, so it gradually gets anxious when soaking its legs into the water for too long. The boss came to comfort it by singing a short passage of sutras. We saw the yak tilting its head to listen, the sutras calmed it down and it did not threaten us any more.

In the vast Lake Manasarovar, though the water is very clear and clean, the residents living by the lake never come here to get water; instead, they travel 2 kilometres from their village to the stream for the water. They believe that the water of the holy lake should be kept clean to purify all the dust of life and karma for people.

Following the teaching of Buddha, very few Tibetans are considered greedy, deceitful, or cruel. They sincerely believe in the protection of Buddha, to the protection of Buddha, so Tibetans live a life of peace and calmness. Though their life is hard and poor, they are still honest, kind, and live a life with dignity. If you miss your trip, they are willing to invite you to stay in their house without a single word asking who you are and where you are from. If you get lost, they may stop what they are doing to show you the way. They create and preserve an extraordinary holy atmosphere in their community, where no one allows themselves to do bad things. I kept thinking that they did not live alone but were accompanied by the Buddha.

In the long-distance bus taking us around Tibet, there was a joyful and emotional scene happening every morning: the driver Tup-den and the police officer Pa-chis recited the sutras together. Tup-den was older and remembered all the sutras by heart, while Pa-chis was just 23 years old, he needed to open the book to read the sutras, but still misread sometimes and was then beaten over the head by Tup-den. After helping Pa-chis learn the sutras, both of them recited together. It was so touching that it made me cry many times when looking at them and listening to their Buddhist prayers in gentle and calm rhythms, as if they were trying to comfort us.

THE BUDDHIST PRAYERS THAT ECHO IN THE SPACE OF TIBET

Pure faith is what influences both the material and spiritual life of Tibetans. In every village, on the paths leading to the river or grassland in Tibet, there are always private spaces for citizens to pray. The Buddhist prayer flags are hung everywhere, on houses, in streets, villages, grasslands, mountains, and rivers. Mina wheels are not only held by the hands of Tibetans, but are also built in pagodas, monasteries, and villages. You will see Buddha’s teachings whenever you look up to the sky, touch impermanence whenever you stretch your hands, and hear the sound of transmigration whenever you listen to hear.

In cities and towns, you can easily find soaring prayer pillars which are wrapped by silks in five colors at the middle and covered by Lungta prayer flags in white, red, green, yellow, and blue at the foot. Amidst the vast grassland, by the river or on the hilltop, the colors of Lungta prayer flags filled with the sutras appear prominent on the land and in the sky. The old flags with faded letters and the newlyhung ones waved in the cool wind of the highland. I did not know the language written on the flags, but my soul still felt so relieved when I looked at them. Later Tup-den told me that the custom of prayer flags originated from Tibetan families. Previously, they often hung the flags on their houses on special occasions such as weddings and the birth of new borns to share blessings with others.

After thousands of kilometers passing through the vast grassland of Tibet, I suddenly saw a person placing and arranging white stones to form the prayer “Om Mani Padme Hum” on the mountainside. It was the greeting, the farewell, the wish for peace, and the loving message for anyone who has a chance to admire this holy land. The silent prayer by stone was so touching that it left me with a very emotional memory. In the places I went to, I saw the stones stacked on top of each other many times, creating all kinds of shapes. Po-pua said that it has always been a way of praying for Tibetans since ancient times. They entrust in each stone a word of thanks, a wish for happiness, a prayer, or a thought to share with Buddha.

Sometimes, it is a cluster of stones rising 15 to 20 centimeters from the ground, and sometimes it is in the shape of a person who is kneeling to perform a ritual. Tibetan pilgrims also stack stones on their way to the monasteries or by the holy lake. Thousands of stones stacked over each other have remained there for years. I reached out and touched the stones everywhere I went and it always left me with an unspeakable feeling of millions of silent and perseverant prayers that have been in existence there for years.

The pure and intense faith of Tibetans greatly touches anyone who still holds their belief in the existence of the Beauty and the Goodness of life.

W. TIPS

Best time to visit

A good time to visit Tibet is from mid-May to October. However, the most ideal time is from mid-May to mid-June and from the end of August to October. It is summer in Tibet with the highest temperature (ranging from 29°C) and the highest amount of oxygen, so it is the safest time for visitors. From November to March, when the temperature goes down to -15°C and snow covers the road, is the low season in Tibet. And Tibet closes during January and March when the ice and snow block the roads leading to tourist attractions.

Transportation

There are no direct flights from Vietnam to Tibet, so visitors will often have to transit at an airport in China before flying to Lhasa, the capital of Tibet. Or you can travel by train; however, this will take more travelling time.

Visa and permits

Tibet belongs to China, so you must apply for a Chinese visa at the Embassy of The People›s Republic Of China in Vietnam at about USD60-65. However, after entering China, visitors must continue to apply for permission to enter Tibet; depending on the schedule, you will have to apply for the corresponding permits:

>> The popularly known one is the Tibet travel permit (TTP): issued 10to 25days before departure date. Passengers must bring the original permit when carrying out the boarding process to L›hasa.

>> Military area entry permits: For some sensitive areas and border areas between Tibet and neighboring countries, A Military area entry permit is required. These areas include Ali, the Guge Kingdom, Manasarovar Lake, Mount Kailash, Gyirong, Nyima District, and Tsochen.

>> Alien›s travel permit (ATP): If you travel to restricted areas, you must apply for a permit issued by the Public Security Bureau. This bureau specializes in dealing with diplomatic issues with foreigners.

Travellers are often not permitted to travel by themselves in Tibet, they are usually accompanied by a travel company. These companies will take care of the schedule and required permits.

Other notes

Tibet is a plateau near the Himalayas with an average elevation exceeding 4,500meters, featuring low pressure and very thin air. Visitors coming here often suffer from altitude sickness with symptoms which include headache, dizziness, nausea, breathing problems, nosebleeds, and fever. To avoid this, you should prepare medicines from Vietnam under the guidance of a doctor.

Cuisine

Famous dishes of the Tibetans include butter tea, tsampa, Tibetan noodles soup, and yogurt.

Nguyễn Thị Nương | Wanderlust Tips

Meditation in Myanmar: The journey of mindfulness

It is said that everything in life does not happen by chance. I am not superstitious and I do not have much interest in this. However, many things happened to me, many coincidences led me to an unexpected crossroad in life which I cannot explain by logicality, and I could only call it fate. My journey to meditation also began this way.

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In the last days of winter, I went to visit my friend who lived in Da Lat. She said she was going to Myanmar for meditation. I have been to Myanmar several times and was deeply impressed by the kindness and sincerity of people there. Thinking for a while, I asked to accompany her. My friend had someone ask for permission from the monastery, and then two weeks later, we packed our luggage and flew to Myanmar.

Previously, I never had any intention to learn about meditation. However, in my 30s, I have a strong desire to get a deeper understanding of the true nature of life and learn how to train my mind. I found my way to mediation and religion, not to forget the tribulations of life but to get insights into my true self and build a strong philosophy as a guide on my journey in life.

LIFE IN THE MONASTERY

Thanks to luck, I got the chance to learn meditation at a prestigious place. It is the Panditarama Forest Center located in an area of tens of hectares in the forest. The founder of this center is a famous Zen master in Myanmar; he is known as an excellent student of Mahasi Sayadaw, one of the two world famous meditation masters who succeeded in propagating the vipassana meditation exercises to the Western world. It is a very fabulous place with an abundance of green trees, ponds, and lakes. Every morning when we practiced meditation, we saw the sunlight beautifully lighten the dust of translucent mist lingering around the trees in the forest. In the evening, after finishing meditation, on the way back, we came across a white pond full of water lilies exuding such a gentle pure fragrance, making us feel like we were in another world.

Every year, the monastery holds a meditation course that lasts for two months. One of the requirements is that candidates must attend the course for at least 10 days. This course gathers hundreds of monks and participants from many countries around the world such as England, United States, Danmark, Australia, Korea, Japan, and China. The materials for the class were written in many languages, including Vietnamese, for the convenience of foreign participants. And like other monasteries, meditators do not need to take care of the expense for meals as the monastery is supported and receives charity contributed by Buddhists from around the world. During the first few days in the monastery, I had to get adapted to a very strict daily schedule which includes waking up early in the morning at 3am, practicing meditation for 14 hours per day, not being allowed to eat after 12am, and only being allowed to drink juice in the afternoon. Regulated time for sleeping is 4-6 hours per day. Participants are recommended not to keep in touch with the outside world or use electronic devices. Five restricted activities are talking (except for talking to the meditation master), reading, writing, looking around (called indriya-sa vara-sīla in Buddhism). Those regulations may arouse an uneasy feeling, but after many days of practicing, I realized those regulations enable participants to concentrate on observing what happens inside their mind, which enhances the effectiveness of meditation.

Here, I was taught about the basic theory and practice of meditation. There are two kinds of Buddhist meditation, which are Samatha and Vipassana. Samatha can be accomplished by concentrating on a meditation-object like a flower. Vipassana is a kind of meditation practiced by Buddha after he had used other methods. My master taught me how to observe my breath through the rise and fall of the belly.

Praying “rise” under your breath when breathing in and the belly rises. Praying “fall” when breathing out and the belly falls. Whenever any thought or feeling would arise, we were asked to observe and practice praying again. After many days of practicing, we were so used to the routine that I did not get bored with a fixed and repeated schedule. Every day, I discovered a brand-new conception on the journey to mindfulness. My rambling thoughts gradually disappeared.

And at some points, I could be aware of a negative thought just rising in my mind. People often cannot recognize the root of their thinking. That is why they are not aware of when and why a negative thought arises. The meditation master compares our minds to a garden, and depressing thoughts are weeds; if we do not pay careful attention, the weeds will grow abundantly in the garden. After days of devoting to the mediation, my mind felt relieved and and many unnecessary thoughts disappeared. Like in calm water, the dust remains at the bottom, making it clean and clear.

PERFORMING A PRAYER RITUAL

After nearly a week, one day, after meditation class, my friend gave me a piece of paper in which she asked me to come to Kyaikhtiyo with her. Kyaikhtiyo is one of Buddhism’s holy sites in Myanmar, home to the Golden Rock. According to the regulations, we were not allowed to go out during the course. However, as I accompanied some Buddhist nuns who supported a group of Buddhists from Vietnam to Myanmar to make offerings to Guru, they wanted to travel to Buddhist sites on the way, and they asked me to go with them. I was not really interested because practicing meditation was all I wanted to do, but finally, I was convinced by the head of the delegation that it was a rare chance for us to visit those sites together.

After a couple of hours travelling by bus to the small village Kinpun at the foot of the mountain, we boarded on a truck, the only available transportation here, to reach the top of the mountain where the Golden Rock was located. Travelling on the winding road along the mountainside is like riding a rollercoasters, many old ladies were frightened. I looked out of the truck at the blue sky above the lush green forest.

When we reached the top of the mountain, I took a deep breath. It was not easy to describe the atmosphere here; it was so pure and gave me a sense of peace. The nuns told me the energy here was very healthy and powerful, that’s why after many days of searching in different locations, the king in the legend decided to load the Golden Rock and built a sacred pagoda here. Legend has it that one day when the Buddha was delivering a speech, he gave a single hair to a hermit. After a period of time, this hermit gave this hair back to the king who ruled the kingdom. In return, he wished this hair would be kept in a rock in the shape of his head. The king used magic to pick up the rock from the bottom of the sea and found a perfect place that gathered holy atmosphere of the Earth and the Heaven to build a pagoda to preserve the hair. According to the legend, thanks to the hair of Buddha, the Rock has always stayed perfectly balanced at a tipping point with an area of solely some ten centimetres, not rolling down the mountain. It may be thanks to the climate of the highland or the good energy of this holy land that I found a sense of peace and felt refreshed on the way walking to the top of the mountain.

When arriving, the Golden Rock appeared so majestic in front of me. Perched atop a rugged location, the Rock looked like it might roll down the abyss at any moment. It was extraordinary that such a structure could survive for thousands of years.

Around the rock, all Buddhists were praying then respectfully sticking thin golf leaves on the surface of the Rock. During high season, approximate 10,000 people come here to perform praying rituals. It is said by the locals that the pagoda and holy rock has turned wishes of Buddhists into reality. Standing next to me, the head of delegation found her place facing the Holy Rock, sitting and quietly saying Buddhist prayers. I also found a place where there were few people, wishing for peace for my family and success for my ongoing meditation course.

At sunset, the huge Rock shone brightly in the ultramarine light of the sky. We went back to the monastery in which I found peace and calmness.

ANOTHER DEFINITION OF HAPPINESS

A milestone in my meditation learning process happened when I had some individual meetings with a Nepalis meditation master. The individual meeting is for you to have a short conversation with the teacher so that he can directly observe you while practicing and give you helpful guidance.

My teacher was very knowledgeable and his teaching and explanation skills were admirable. His method of teaching was really scientific and easy to understand. And when answering my questions, he would explain very thoroughly step by step. He helped me understand what mindfulness was and why we should try to achieve mindfulness as why we should apply meditation into our lives. Under his thoughtful guidance, I made progress in my practice and learned a lot of new things.

He taught me to practice continuous mindfulness at all times from the morning when I wake up until the evening when I go to bed. When following his teaching, I realized how unaware and half-hearted the way I lived was. I began to do everything at a slow pace, took slower and calmer small steps on the ground, felt the muscles tighten and loosen and the smooth movement of the bones. I felt grateful for my body and so lucky that I was able to walk on the ground, as each step was a miracle.

Practicing continuous mindfulness in daily activities helped me make progress in meditation. Days after that trip, I no longer felt pain when sitting cross-legged. Without any wonder of the past or worry about the future, now I could just concentrate on breathing. And I realized my mind was really good at this, and I loved to do things one at a time. My mind was relieved of burdens and filled with joyfulness.

Each hour spent on practicing meditation was a time for me to play with my breath, it became my close friend. After hours of meditation, standing up and walking, my mind was enlightened with a sense of pureness and freshness. It became a spotless mirror and a clear calm water surface, and I felt like I was being purified inside.

Closer towards the end of the course, I got a deeper understanding of what was called “dwell in the present moment”. I found a happiness which I have never experienced before. It is not happiness arousing when we get a promotion, salary increase, when a wish is fulfilled or when someone brings joyfulness. It is not the same happiness that arouses when our mind keeps focusing on the present, not being bothered by any expectations or thoughts. It is a feeling of peace when we are not disturbed by any anxiety, fear, or sadness. It is a deep and stable happiness that is not affected by any outside conditions. It is not affected by the surrounding circumstances, and no one can take it away. It is a result of the effort to practice meditation and keep the mind in the present. The happiness from inside helps me to recognize new meanings of simple little things and also to find true joy and gratitude in life.

Since that first time, I spend a few weeks a month practicing meditation in Myanmar each year. I consider it as the time I spend to learn more about myself, to rest and recover my energy, and to live a more meaningful life. Each time I return from a course of meditation, I learn valuable lessons and find out the rooted problems of my life, making it easier to identify and work on becoming a better person.

W. TIPS FOR MEDITATION

Climate

From November to January is the most pleasant time in Myanmar. There is hardly any rainfall and the average temperature ranges from 21-28°C. From February, the temperature begins to rise.

Location

Panditarama Forest Meditation Center is located about 60 kilometers north of Yangon city. The center was built on an area of 100 hectares in the forest, so it has beautiful natural scenery. It has separate rooms for men and women, dining room, sleeping room, and meditation area.

Transportation

From Vietnam, there are many direct flights to Myanmar. You can fly from Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City. Ho Chi Minh City has flights to Yangon, provided by Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet Air. When arriving, you can take a car to the Panditarama Forest.

Time

Each year Panditarama Forest offers a two-month course, from 1st December to 31st January. Registered participants should attend at least 10 days. To participate in this course, you will need to apply in advance, no later than November 20th, before the meditation session. To register, students may visit: http://www.saddhamma.org/html/retreat-form.shtml

Clothings

Every year, Panditarama Forest offers a two-month course, from 1st December to 31st January. Registered participants have to attend the course for at least 10 days. To apply for this course, you will need to register in advance, no later than 20th November when the course begins. To register, visit: http://www.saddhamma.org/html/retreat-form.shtml

Rosie Nguyên | Wanderlust Tips

I left my heart in Bali

Elizabeth Gilbert wrote in her memoir “Eat, Pray, Love”: “Those who come to Bali will find their true love”. And she did find her true love in Bali. For me, on this beautiful island, I also found a passionate love, but in a different meaning.

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THE LAND OF ARTS

From Vietnam, after two flights (transit at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia), I finally arrived at the most famous destination of “the Land of a thousand islands” Indonesia – Bali. When arriving at the airport, all my fatigue vanished as I was feeling so overwhelmed. Bali airport was extremely clean, spacious, and the path from the immigration area to the main gate of the airport was decorated with elaborate motifs, murals, and masks that bore Bali’s cultural features. Visitors would recognize that the place they just arrived at was nowhere else but Indonesia, Bali. These identities are the pride of the Balinese people, and what they want to show off to visitors around the world is: Bali is a land of arts.

Balinese people are considered the most talented of the 300 ethnic groups in Indonesia. Thus, they combined the Hindu religious culture with their unique polytheism, which became the inspiration for people to develop many brilliant forms of art. In addition, during those days travelling all over Bali, I often thought that if people here did not do business in tourism and concentrate on artworks, they might become talented artists. You can see it through the impressive temple architecture they built like the mysterious Gates of Heaven with its beautiful split gates, the fascinating dances, or countless handicrafts.

Until now, I still remember Jalan Raya Andong in Ubud when visiting the Tegallalang Rice Terraces. I like to call it The Road of Arts as there are various shops selling handicrafts on this long road. Each store usually sells one kind of product such as sculptures, clothing, decorations made of shell, and ceramics. And it is interesting that the products of nearly 100 stores are almost all different. That is the creativity which brings unique style to each store here.

I was fascinated to admire countless colourful handicrafts. Miraculously-made hammocks were hung all over a store. Meanwhile, another shop sold dreamcatchers made in a variety of weaving styles and some other sacred items such as certain feathers. A few feet away, a shop sold terrarium (a sealable glass container containing soil and plants) displayed on large trunks, and each terrarium was a wonderful blue world. If you love to buy furniture, you might get over-excited when wandering on this road of art. There are sets of tables and chairs, wooden shelves in a variety of styles, from simple modern to vintage classic style, painted in a different range of colours including single light colours and many garish colours. Moreover, in the mirror store, you should not miss the chance to admire the elaborate metal trim around mirrors of all shapes and sizes, which will turn any customer’s room into a little corner of a fairy tale.

Besides the Jalan Raya Andong, a must-see place with many souvenir shops for visitors to Bali is the Ubud Art Market. This traditional market is always crowded with stalls selling all kinds of goods: clothes, shoes, bags, sarongs, and paintings. Walking through narrow streets, the sweet invitation of the owners and the finely crafted items almost made me forget about the time and my limited budget.

THOUSANDS TEMPLES BUILT AROUND THE ISLAND

Bali has thousands of temples. It is estimated that Bali has about 11,000 temples, and if shrines in the houses of residents are counted, the number is probably up to 200,000 temples. There are 2 main types of temples found in Bali: public temples and family temples. Public temples were built in massive scale and fabulous architecture with the contribution of the community, and they are used as a place of worship. Meanwhile, family ones are the place to worship ancestors, being kept and developed through many generations.

Through the architecture of the temples (the area, the number of temples and towers, and sculpture details), we are able to guess the prosperity of the family. I drove through the beautiful streets; there were many family temples in all styles and scales from large to small ones. If you pay close attention, you will see that on many roads, people do not place numbers on their houses but in the temples of the family located next to their house.

The vast majority of Bali population follow Hinduism, so the architecture of the temples here is strongly influenced by this religion. The temples were often built in a familiar structure, including three parts to represent the ‘three worlds’: the underworld, the human realm, and the heavens. At the central area of the temple, there are usually three high towers worshiping Hinduism’s three prominent deities: Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. The Shiva temple is located in the middle; the temples of two other gods are on either side, symbolizing the circle of creation, maintenance, and destruction.

The most important, largest, and holiest temple of Hindu religion in Bali is the Pura Besakih. Back on the volcano Mount Agung, the Pura Besakih is surrounded by beautiful nature, majestic mountains, and green rice fields. Wearing a sarong made of traditional Indonesian batik, I followed the pilgrims to climb up the steps leading to the temple.

Approximately 30 works of gates and towers appeared impressive, featuring a harmonious combination with the surrounding landscape. In 1963, when the volcanic eruption killed 1,700 people, the lava flowed to the Pura Besakih, but then stopped only meters away from it. People believe that it was a miracle and the sign of the gods.

The next day, I spent time visiting the Tirta Empul Temple in Tampaksiring, a town in central Bali. The temple was built in the 10th century, surrounded by a stream. Water from the stream flows into a sacred pond, and from that, the water continues to flow into two large rectangular pools through preciously engraved fountains in the temple.

Though the Tirta Empul Temple is not as large as the Pura Besakih, it attracts tourists to the special traditional ceremony of the Balinese people. They step into the water, move through each fountain to cleanse, purify themselves, and pray for goodwill. Soaking in the cold and crystal water, my mind suddenly became clearer than ever, my whole body was relieved and purified.

Because I did not have enough time to visit all of the temples in Bali, the third temple I chose was the Tanah Lot Temple, which played a very important role in the spiritual life of the Balinese. The temple is where the Balinese people show their loyalty to the sea god, Baruna. The people here also believe that the poisonous snakes dwelling in crevices around the rock are to protect this sacred place from evil spirits. Built by a Javanese Buddhist monk, Tanah Lot Temple resides on top of a giant rock mass, surrounded by deep blue sea. Interestingly, at high tide, waves flood the causeways, separating the rocks and the island. At low tide, you may cross the path hidden in the water to get closer to the temple. After wandering around every corner of the temple and taking pictures, I decided to rest at the nearby green grassland where there were many trees decorated with patterns made of colorful threads. Sitting under the tree, looking at each beam of sunlight shining through the leaves, the red, purple, yellow, blue bands of threads swaying in the wind, and admiring blue waves splashing the shore, I enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere. Had this time stopped for a moment, I would have stayed in Bali a bit longer.

FABULOUS NATURAL SCENERY

If the beautiful temples or flourishing arts are all that this island has, Bali will not be that famous. Another reason that makes people fall in love with Bali is its beautiful nature. Bali has dreamlike beaches, majestic volcanic mountains, waterfalls, and green rice terraces. Although each of these features is not the most beautiful in the world, when they are put together on this island, it creates a special impression for visitors.

In the hot sunshine of the afternoon, not even minding that my skin would be burned, I ran on the stretching sandy beach, straight to the sparkling water. Diving under the clear blue water, I could see the colorful coral reef and school of small fish swimming around. Meanwhile, my friend chose another way to enjoy the moment, which was to order a cocktail and then lie on the beach, feeling the refreshing atmosphere of the sea. The tourism services in Bali are very well-developed so if you love sports activities, you can participate in many sports such as windsurfing and scuba diving. Each experience brings a different excitement.

As mentioned above, in addition to the romantic beach experience, Bali also has an abundance of natural attractions like the famous Tegallalang Rice Terraces. If in other places, people can only stand still to admire the fields; in Bali, I could enjoy the view in a completely unique way – on a swing. I still remember the feeling of surprise when the first swing brought me up high reaching the blue sky. However, after overcoming the fear, I felt like I was flying over the rice fields and the branches of coconut trees. Above my head, the white clouds were drifting, while the golden sunshine was dancing along the swing.

Or you can enjoy the anxiousness and extreme excitement when falling down the Aling Aling waterfall. Here, a faint-hearted girl like me dared to close my eyes and dropped myself at a height of 10 metres to the strong currents. Feeling like you are falling from a high building, all the scenes slips before your eyes until the body sinks into the cold water. Then with the help of staff, I was taken from the foot of the fall to the shore. Looking back at the high waterfall with white foaming water, I felt my heart still beating constantly and my limbs weaken, but a sense of happiness and joyfulness rose in my heart when I just overcame one of my fears.

After you try a lot of exciting activities to explore nature during the day and get exhausted, it is recommended to go to the bar for relaxation. You can choose the most beautiful location in the railing area to fully enjoy the sunset in beautiful Bali, with the bright red sun disappearing under the sparkling sea surface. Alternatively, you can also admire the sunset on the spectacular volcano. Whatever the scene was, the sunset in Bali was fascinating. I continued to immerse myself in the beautiful moment until the last beam of sunset completely disappeared, leaving many beautiful and sweet aftertastes for my last moments in Bali.

Embracing my love for Bali back to Vietnam, sometimes I still remember this island of sacred temples, natural wonders and talented people. You should make time to visit Bali at least once to fall deeply in love, as I have dropped a part of my heart in Bali.

W. TIPS FOR BALI

How to get to Bali

From Vietnam, there is no direct flight to Bali, so you will have to take transit flights. The three major airlines that provide flights to Bali are Vietnam Airlines (transit in Jakarta, Indonesia), Tiger Air (transit in Singapore), and Air Asia (transit in Kuala Lumpur). You should look for promotion programs and book flights early to get the best price.

Best time to visit

The best time to visit Bali is in Autumn, from May to October, when the weather is cool and dry with no heavy rains. However, in July, August, and September, Bali is very crowded with visitors and rooms are generally fully booked, congestion may happen, while the cost of living, eating, and visiting attractions increase greatly. Therefore, you should avoid these 3 months and go in May, June, and November.

Accommodation

Bali is a famous destination with various hotels with beautiful architecture and unique views. Prices vary to suit the needs of different ranges of visitors. However, nice cheap hotels are not always available, so it is recommended to book a hotel about two months in advance, especially if you plan to go in peak season.

Language

Indonesians speak English quite well, so you can communicate with them in English when greeting, shopping, asking for directions, or asking about food, transportation, and time.

Currency

Like many other areas in Indonesia, Bali residents use Rupiah with a rate of IDR1 = VND1.59 (it may change depending on the time). You should exchange at the airport or banks to get the best price.

Transportation in Bali

Motorbike is a convenient transportation to travel in Bali as it is very cheap and suitable for visitors to explore the island by themselves. However, note that people here drive in the left lane instead of right lane as in Vietnam. When renting a motorbike, you also need to check your gas tank and helmet. Downtown, traffic jams often happen, especially in the evening.

Shopping

In Bali, there are different prices for local people and tourists. Especially in markets, people often say double or even triple, quadruple the original price. If you are smart, you can bargain. You can even bargain with services that seem to have fixed prices such as hotels or tours.

Clothing

Many temples require visitors to wear a Sarong; it is a long tube of fabric, often wrapped around the waist down to the feet. You can buy Sarongs at the markets with a wide variety of options, or rent it at the temples. Sarongs are made of batik, traditional Indonesian fabric rich in patterns and colours, and is popular among tourists.

Cuisine

There are many delicious dishes in Bali that you should try such as nasi goreng, sate lilt, babi guiling, lawar, betutu, to name a few.

Wanderlust Tips

CEO of Muong Thanh Group: “Build a brand that features Vietnamese identity and culture”

Taking the CEO position in Muong Thanh Group at the age of 30, MS. Le Thi Hoang Yen earns people’s respect and admiration not only by her marvelous talents but also an impressive mindset, bringing Muong Thanh hotel group to international market: “In the future, Muong Thanh will always uphold Vietnamese traditional cultural values and beauty to create our own identity of a Vietnamese brand featuring great values including gratitude, sincerity and friendliness in reception services. And we will continue to enhance service quality to be the deservedly representative in the hospitality industry of Vietnam and become a messenger promoting Vietnam’s traditional culture to the world”.

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As the job requires, you must have often travelled to many places. Which place has left you with the greatest impression?

Every destination brings me different feelings; however, there are some places I would love to go back to as they not only have splendid beauty but also offer excellent services. In Vietnam, Nha Trang and Da Nang both have beautiful scenery, good food, and high-quality accommodation which guarantee to satisfy the needs of exploration and relaxation for visitors. You can choose to stay at Muong Thanh hotel in the city center for convenient transportation. Or if you would love to find some quiet and peaceful resorts, you should go to seaside resorts.

Hospitality services is one of the features that attract tourists to return to certain destinations. Which are the essential elements in hospitality branding?

In addition to hotel standard, I am very interested in some brands that have successfully created their own cultural identity, especially by bringing regional cultures into the brand spirit to become unique and distinguished in the market, as well as evoking a lot of different emotions from customers when enjoying their time at the hotels.

What has Muong Thanh Group carried out to build a unique brand image?

We build Muong Thanh brand image to bear the soul of Vietnamese culture and distinctive identity of the wet rice civilization. The most recognizable Vietnamese feature is the name Muong Thanh. In Thai language, Muong Thanh means Heaven, which is associated with the legend of the origin of Thai people living in Northwest Vietnam. This name represents not only the hospitable spirit and lifestyle of Vietnamese people, but also the love and gratefulness of the founders towards Dien Bien Phu – where the Group was founded, showing appreciation to the origin is one of the traditional values of Vietnamese. Besides the name, the staff uniform, hotel design, and food here all bear the characteristic of Vietnamese culture. These are crucial elements which make Muong Thanh’s position become more sustainable in foreign markets.

By building a unique brand, what success has Muong Thanh Group achieved up to now?

At present, Muong Thanh Group has 53 hotels and some upcoming hotel projects in Vietnam and Laos (1 Muong Thanh Luxury Vientiane Hotel in Laos). The total numbers of rooms ranging from 3 to 5 stars are up to 10,000 rooms, accounting for 10 percent of the total rooms in the luxury accommodation segment in Vietnam’s market. Muong Thanh Hotel Group was recognized as the largest private hotel chain in Indochina.

At the end of January 2018, Muong Thanh Hospitality Group won two MICE ASEAN Venue Standard prizes for Muong Thanh Luxury Cần Thơ and Muong Thanh Luxury Vientiane, honoring their high-quality tourism services. Recently, Muong Thanh was honoured to be the national representative and Vietnam’s only brand among the nominations for “Asia’s Leading Hotel Brand 2018” of World Travel Awards (WTA). Muong Thanh was also recognized as “The hotel chain with major contributions to the tourism industry of Vietnam” by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism. These are precious recognition and a source of inspiration for us to try our best to improve services in the future.

While the tourism industry is flourishing and the demand for people to travel is growing, the accommodation system needs to be built and developed to satisfy this demand. Could you share with our readers the plan of Muong Thanh Group to meet the increasing demand for quality and quantity of the hospitality market?

I have mentioned above about the scale of Muong Thanh Group to meet the quantity demanded. In addition, to satisfy the need of various customers ranging from premium to mid-range category, we have divided Muong Thanh hotel chain into 4 segments: Muong Thanh Luxury, Muong Thanh Grand, Muong Thanh Holiday, and Muong Thanh. Muong Thanh Luxury is the most luxurious segment of Muong Thanh Group, often located in major cities and famous tourist centers in Vietnam and abroad. Featuring large-scale and excellent services, Muong Thanh Luxury promises to bring the best ambiances that bear Vietnamese values in whole-hearted services and unique local food culture for the customers. Muong Thanh Grand is a group of luxury hotels located at favorable locations in major urban areas. Hotels in this segment will meet all the needs of customers whether they are travelling for pleasure or business. Muong Thanh Holiday is a group of luxury hotels situated at famous tourist destinations in Vietnam. We believe that when spending time in Muong Thanh Holiday, visitors will have chances to admire majestic nature and enjoy local experiences like-never-before. Finally, Muong Thanh is a group of 3-4 star hotels, located in the city or town centers throughout the country. In this segment, we hope to bring cozy ambiances and intimate, familiar experiences as a home in a faraway land for customers.

Above all, Muong Thanh always focuses on the service quality; we improve and renovate the hotels in our system on a regular basis according to the local socio-economic development.

What is the plan for Muong Thanh Group to bring the band to the international market?

For a brand bearing Vietnamese identity and culture like Muong Thanh, approaching the international market not only defines our growth, but also contributes to the positioning process of Vietnam’s brands in the foreign market. We are putting all efforts to this major target. We believe Vietnam’s brands will gradually gain success in the hospitality market in the world. Muong Thanh Group is planning to launch the brand-new brand awareness named “Vietnamese identity” – Muong Thanh’s identity is youthful, modern, and luxurious, yet still uphold Vietnamese identity. In addition, the fact that Muong Thanh is a Vietnam’s only brand among the nominations for “Asia’s Leading Hotel Brand 2018” of World Travel Awards (WTA) along with 14 international brands such as Hilton, Dusit, and Intercontinental is also one of our strategies to approach the foreign market.

Thank you very much for sharing meaningful information with us. We wish you and Muong Thanh Group success!

Wanderlust Tips

Vegetarianism: A culture of goodness

Religions not only influence the belief and behaviors of people but also encourage them to spread humanity, tolerance, and kindness. Vegetarianism, which advises people not to kill animals or cause negative effects to the environment or other species, is a typical example of humanity and empathy.

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ISLAM

Following the teachings of the Qur’an, Muslims have for themselves very strict and detailed rules on eating to ensure humanity in the consumption of animals, maintain purity, and nurture the soul.

Muslims are not allowed to eat dead animals that are not slaughtered according to shari’ah. The butcher must say “Allah” (the Arabic word for God) before slaughtering each halal animal. The act is performed by sharpening a very sharp knife to reduce the pain and distress of the animals. In addition, the animal must be fed a natural diet that does not contain animal by-products.

The animals and products which are considered forbidden in Islam are pigs, dogs, donkeys, and carnivorous animals like lions, tigers, and bears; reptiles and insects that are considered ugly or filthy (e.g., worms, lice, flies, and cockroaches); amphibians (e.g., frogs, crocodiles, and turtles); scorpions, centipedes, rats, and similar animals.

The animals and products that are considered legal include milk (from cows, goats, and sheep), honey, fish, fresh or naturally frozen vegetables, all legumes & nuts, grains, fresh or dried fruits. Animals such as cows, sheep, goats, deer, chickens, birds, and ducks are all considered legal (Halal) if they are slaughtered according to Islamic rites.

One of the major events of Islam is Ramadan – the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. During this month, Muslims must strictly obey the rule of fasting and no smoking from sunrise to sunset. A day in the month of Ramadan begins with Suhoor, a light meal consumed early at dawn, and then Iftar, the evening meal at sunset. Muslims end the daily Ramadan fast by bathing in water with added fragrance leaves.

JUDAISM

Referring to vegetarianism in Judaism, we consider Kosher a set of Jewish religious dietary laws. Kosher in the Hebrew language means “suitable”, and as opposed to Kosher is Treif – food that does not conform to Jewish law. The Jews believe that the lives of every species are priceless as they all have souls like humans. Therefore, the slaughter of kosher animals for meat must be carried out according to strict regulations to reduce the pain of the animals. Meat is only considered inherently kosher when it is certified and stamped.

According to Kosher Rules, Orthodox Jews are only allowed to eat the meat of land animals that chew the cud and have cloven hooves such as cattle, sheep, goats, deer, and bison. And they only eat the front half of an animal. For example, in a cow, they eat chuck, rib, short plate and do not eat the short loin, flank, sirloin, and round. They do not eat or drink the blood and organs of animals and poultry. Also, Jews are only allowed to use milk and cheese from Kosher animals (cow, goat, and sheep). Fruits from trees under three years old and dishes or juice made from such fruits are forbidden.

In addition, basari (fleshy food) and chalawi (milky food) must be separated. People have to use different spoons, pots, and pans to cook basari and chalawi, and they have to wash them in different sinks.

HINDUISM

Vegetarianism is a practice adopted by Hinduism since its birth. Regarding vegetarianism, Vedas said: “One should be considered dear, even by the animal kingdom […] You must not use your God-given body for killing God’s creatures, whether they are human, animal or whatever”.

In ancient times, devotees of Hinduism in India were not allowed to eat meat. It is said that the nephew of Muhammad told his senior devotees that: “we should not turn our stomachs into graveyards for animals”. But today, Hinduism does not force devotees to be vegetarians; it just encourages people not to eat meat, especially beef, because cows are considered a sacred animal in Hinduism.

Just as Islam has the fasting month of Ramadan, Hindu devotees maintain the custom of not eating meat for one day every two weeks. While Muslims are not allowed to eat or drink anything from dawn to sunset, Hindu devotees can still eat potatoes, sweet potatoes, or other kinds of vegetables on their Vegan days.

BUDDHISM

In the teachings of Mahāyāna Buddhism, vegetarianism is the practice of abstaining from the consumption of meat and five spices including asafoetida, shallot, garlic, mountain leek, and al-lium Chinese, as they tend to stimulate the senses.

In Buddhism, there are two types of vegetarians: strict vegetarians who refrain from consuming animal products all of their lives, and semi-vegetarians who occasionally eat meat. Currently, strict vegetarians are divided into three groups. Lacto-ovo-vegetarians eat both dairy products and eggs; Lacto-vegetarians eat dairy products but avoid eggs. And vegans do not eat dairy products, eggs, or any other products which are derived from animals.

Semi-vegetarians are those who practice vegetarianism on particular days of the month. There are six types of semivegetarian diets: Nhị trai (2 days of vegan diet on 1st and 15th of the Lunar month), Tứ trai (4 days of vegan diet on 1st, 14th, 15th and 30th of the Lunar month), Thập trai (10 days of a vegan diet on 1st, 14th, 15th, 18th, 23rd, 24th, 28th, 29th and 30th of the Lunar month); Nhất ngoại trai (a month of a vegan diet); Tam ngoại trai (three months of vegan diet including January, May, and September of the Lunar month).

Although there are many different forms of vegetarianism, those who pursue vegetarianism all want to have a peaceful soul, good health, and more blessings in life.

Wanderlust Tips

“Taste of Thailand” at Hanoi Daewoo Hotel

From 17th to 26th August 2018, experience the “Thailand culinary paradise” right at the heart of the Hanoi – Hanoi Daewoo Hotel.

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Co-hosted by Royal Thai Embassy and Hanoi Daewoo Hotel, “Taste of Thailand” at Café Promenade is the occasion to explore culture and culinary art of “The Land Of Smiles”. Gourmet lovers are invited to savor authentic Northern and Central Thai delicacies prepared by guest chef YanatMaartloet and 3 experienced chefs from Suan Dusit International Culinary School.

Thailand signature dishes

Special ingredients to make Thai main dishes and desserts including Foi Thong – golden egg yolk threads, Luk Chup – fruitshaped mung beans, etc . .. are well prepared for the event. Corners of the hotel are beautifully decorated with colorful hanging umbrellas, Chiang Mai khom kwaen lanterns, etc.

The hotel lobby

Model of Wat Benchamabophit Dusitvanaram Temple made by Hanoi Daewoo Hotel team

Enjoy premium buffet with authentic Northern and Central Thai delicacies like Khao Soi noodles, traditional Nam Ngiao, flavorful Tom Yum soup, delicious green cury or spicy Phrik King. Moreover, each dish will be an eye-catching art work created by fruit and vegetable carving chef.

Café Promenade restaurant

Especially, diners coming to Thailand Food Festival will have the opportunity to get 2 two-way tickets of to Chiang Mai sponsored by Bangkok Airways.

Chiang Mai – Thailand’s rose of the North

Mr. Erwin R. Popov – General Manger of Hanoi Daewoo Hotel shared: “Hanoi Daewoo Hotel has hosted many cultural activities including Russia food festival, Taste of Vietnam, etc. As a key leader of these events, I always believe that food festival is the perfect opportunity to promote tourism as well as to strengthen the relationship between countries.”

“Thailand dishes have the perfect balance of flavors, herbs and spices. The event is sure toprovide our guests an unforgettable culinary experience.” said Mr. Gerald Prinz – Director of Culinary at Hanoi Daewoo Hotel.

HANOI DAEWOO HOTEL

Address: 360 Kim Ma, Ba Dinh, Ha Noi.
Tel: +84 243831 5000/Fax: +84 43831 5010
Email: info@daewoohotel.com
Website: www.daewoohotel.com

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Oriental Sails: Shined by love and belief of guests

Established on March, 2009, Oriental Sails supplied from three-star to five-star overnight services in Halong Bay which was one of the best quality services of Vietnam Cruises, recognized by Vietnam Ministry of Tourism and international guests as well as domestic guests.

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CLIENTS HELP ORIENTAL SAILS TO BE SHINED MORE BRILLIANTLY

Oriental Sails goes towards to the high requests for the quality of services from guests. Clients felt to be satisfied, want to come back and give recommendation to friends and beloved people when they come and stay with Oriental Sails.

Aline Hagemeire was so excited and said in the email to Oriental Sails: “Oriental Sails is very convenient, thank for bringing to me an unforgettable trip. I was really excited, the foods were great, I surely give recommendation about this trip to my best beloved friends”.

With the luxurious and modern appearance of five-star cruises, Oriental Sails brings the satisfaction of foreigner guests by the different services. “Your services are very good. How a great trip, a really exciting experience. I shall share and encourage people to come and visit by ship the destination which recognized by UNESCO. I will come back with my friends” – Alam Monsurul said after the trip on five-star cruise of Oriental Sails.

Moreover, guests were satisfied by the well prepare meals on cruise. Many kinds of seafoods, plenty of dishes, even vegetarian foods for your choice. The decoration and demonstration of the dishes, quality of foods and the behavior of staffs during the meals are cared by guests. “Your services are really good, great foods, nice cabins” – Warne Karen said on 18th June 2018. “Could you give us the ingredients of the food that you made at the cooking demonstration so we can do it at home” – David C Hubble said on 9th June 2018. That are how happy we are.

Not only that, massage service, entertainments of Oriental Sails are also make guests enjoy. “How great services”, “We were so happy”, that are the beautiful words feedback us after the trip.

Especially, the behavior of staffs, tour guides are determinants make clients come back with Oriental Sails. This is very challenge but Oriental Sails won. This is also make Oriental Sails different from others. Clients always remember Oriental Sails by the smiles and friendly, the specially take care, enthusiasm and warmly welcome guests back.

“We had a great time during the trip. Tour guide is very friendly and open, answer all the questions. I will recommend this trip to my friends and my family for these great experiences. Thank you very much. How a wonderful trip” – Mss. Abigail Brett said on 5th June 2018.

The recommendation of the guest made their trade mark – Oriental Sails in Halong Bay. On 8th August 2018 – Grateful season, Oriental Sails Co., SJC has a special policy for guests who book the trip in advance 5 days before departure.

ORIENTAL SAILS

Address: Floor 8, Building 2, Yen The Street, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi
Tel: + 84 24 3926 4009/ +84 24 39264010
Email: sales@orientalsails.com
Website: www.orientalsails.com

Thai Airways launched LIVE TV on Board to enable broadcast programs

Thai Airways International Public Company Limited (THAI) received approval from the Office of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission Board to broadcast “LIVE TV on Board” which allows THAI to broadcast streaming television programs on its aircraft.

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Mrs. Usanee Sangsingkeo, THAI Acting President, said that digital era helps viewers to keep abreast of the latest news through various online media. THAI is fully aware that passengers need to keep informed of the latest news while traveling on board and has launched a new “LIVE TV on Board” service that enables passengers to watch broadcast television programs, such as news channels and sports competitions. Available television channels are CNN, BBC, NHK, and Sport 24. Passengers can watch real time news with viewers around the world and enjoy exciting live telecast sport matches just as they did at home.

In addition, “LIVE TV on Board” will be in service beginning on 14h June 2018 on twelve Airbus A350-900 aircraft that operate flights to and from Chiang Mai, Singapore, Seoul, Tokyo, Osaka, Beijing, Shanghai, Rome, Milan, and Brussels and on eight Boeing 787-8 and Boeing 787-9 aircraft that service flights to and from Tokyo, Taipei, Dubai, Vienna, Brisbane, Auckland, and Manila. Panasonic Avionics Company is entrusted to provide inflight connectivity via satellite transmission from the ground.

Mr. Wiwat Piyawiroj, THAI Acting Executive Vice President, Commercial, said that “LIVE TV on Board” makes it possible for THAI, a premium national carrier, to offer more products and services for passenger comfort and satisfaction. Passengers can watch real time news and sports competition for free, while some airlines may require additional payment for such services. This service helps strengthen THAI AIRWAYS marketing strategy and increases ticket sales. Passengers who board THAI’s flight can enjoy the added convenience of keeping abreast of world news.

For more information of LIVE TV on Board, please ask the cabin crew on THAI AIRWAYS flight.

Wanderlust Tips

Enjoy Mid-Autumn Festival 2018 at Hôtel Des Arts Saigon

The Mid-Autumn festival, named “Tết Trung Thu” in Vietnamese, celebrates full-moon event calendar. Traditions and myths surrounding the festival are formed around the concept of family reunion, occasion to show gratitude for well-being, longevity and prosperity.

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Hôtel des Arts Saigon escalates the festival spirit by choosing the concept that depicts the essence of culture preservation from generations to generations. Each detail of the MoonCake box design highlights the timeless elegance of the Vietnamese traditional costume, Ao Dai. Moreover, the detail of the jade handle provides the elegance touch for the box.

While all crystals promote harmony between the mind, body and spirit, the Jade crystal is a superstar in the world of crystal healing thanks to its powerful connection to the heart chakra and its varying degrees of intense, piercing shades of green. When it comes to bringing prosperity and abundance into your life, the Jade crystal stone is the ultimate good luck charm.

This Mid-Autumn festival, let’s celebrate the occasion and magnify your taste with the exquisite Mooncakes heart-picked by Hôtel des Arts Saigon.

The Hotel offers guests an exquisite selection of Mooncake with four flavours:

Pandan Royal: A creamy white soft crust blending the ever popular Pandan with the Truly and uniquely Malaysian coconut concoction makes this mooncake an unforgettable delight.
Golden Harmony: Enjoy mouthful of moisture Salted egg Yolk Custard mixed with aromatic Custard, pleasant smell hold your taste until the next bite!
Heaven Delight: Made from 100% lotus seeds with single egg yolk, added with an aromatic presence of pure peanut oil, giving you refreshing fragrance and delicate taste.
Imperial Pearl: A mixture of varieties of nuts like Almond, Walnut, melon seed, white sesame, and more that brings a great biting texture.

**Pricing

Mooncakes come in boxes of four priced at: VND1,588,000 per box (this price does not include 10% VAT). Exclusive 10% discount for AccorPlus members.

HOTEL DES ARTS SAIGON – MGALLERY COLLECTION

Address: 76-78 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
Tel: +84 (0) 28 39 898 888.
Email: h9231@accor.com
Website: www.hoteldesartssaigon.com

Wanderlust Tips | Cinet

Wanderlust Tips Magazine | Sheraton Grand Danang Resort elevates central Vietnam’s restaurant scene with launch of The Grill

Sheraton Grand Danang Resort elevates central Vietnam’s restaurant scene with the launch of The Grill

Sheraton Grand Danang Resort, the stylish beachfront destination on central Vietnam’s golden coast, has launched The Grill – an impressive new restaurant that is set to raise the bar for international dining in Danang and the entire central coast region.

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Located in heart of the resort, The Grill will deliver a delectable selection of sumptuous steaks, sublime seafood and social shared platters in a casual yet lively setting.

The Grill is bright and contemporary, with panoramic windows overlooking the landscaped gardens, beach and azure East Sea. The main restaurant features an interactive open kitchen, central bar and towering wine “cellar”, creating an unsurpassed setting for memorable evening meals. Alternatively, the expansive outdoor terrace and four exclusive private dining rooms provide options for all occasions. The menu at The Grill focuses on the finest ingredients, including prime imported beef and fresh local seafood, with a creative à la carte selection complemented by a series of daily specials written on a large chalkboard. Chefs use a charcoal oven grill to ensure that every cut of meat is cooked to perfection.

Signature dishes include The Grill Cold Seafood Tower – a stunning selection of lobsters, oysters, scallops, king prawns, crabs’ legs, whelks and razor clams, which is perfect for sharing. Vietnam’s marine delicacies are showcased throughout the menu, including indulgent whole Nha Trang lobster served in a choice of styles.

The Grill is set to become one of Vietnam’s leading steakhouses, offering a choice of premium meats from top global producers. Guests can choose from USDA prime cowboy or sirloin steaks, or the finest tenderloin or rib-eye cuts from Australia. For the ultimate feast, the Australian tomahawk steak is a spectacular prime beef rib that is likely to be “Instagrammed” by delighted diners time after time.

Other notable dishes include Australian black angus beef tartare, seared black cod and clams, grass-fed New Zealand lamb rack, and wagyu beef cheek bourguignon, plus a selection of vegetarian options, side dishes and cheese and charcuterie boards that are perfect for sharing.

Guests can choose from a wide assortment of beverages to accompany their evening meal, including an extensive wine list. More than 120 labels are showcased in a transparent wine tower that rises from the center of the restaurant, and guests can learn more about the origins of these vintages from chalkboards that illustrate the world’s leading wine regions. Guests can also visit the restaurant’s own wine tasting room, which can be used for pre-dinner drinks, private events or tasting classes.

Alternatively, diners can choose from a range of local craft beers, creative cocktails, premium spirits and other drinks. Finally, the dessert menu features a series of unique sweets such as Café Vietnam panna-cotta and a “reinvented” carrot cake, plus delectable desserts for two people to share. Whether you’re seeking an intimate table for two, a memorable venue for an evening meal with friends, or a celebratory setting for your next family feast, The Grill is the perfect choice. Discover this dynamic new culinary destination only at Sheraton Grand Danang Resort.

“The Grill’s modern concept and mouth-watering menu are set to transform the culinary scene on Vietnam’s Central Coast. I look forward to welcoming our hotel guests and local residents alike to this exceptional new restaurant and raising the bar for upscale dining in Danang,” said Didier Guiaux, Director of Food and Beverage, Sheraton Grand Danang Resort. The Grillis open from 6pm to 10pm, Wednesday to Sunday. For more information and to book your place at this exciting new restaurant, contact danang.grandgrill@sheraton.com.

THE GRILL | SHERATON GRAND DANANG RESORT

Add: 35 Truong Sa, Hoa Hai, Ngu Hanh Son District, Danang
Tel: +84 236 3988 999
Email: Sheraton.danang@sheraton.com

Wanderlust Tips