VietExplorer2025

The Norwegian diplomat is excited to explore the cultural similarities between their country and Vietnam during the New Year holiday, a time for family reunion. In the photo, the diplomat’s family poses for a group picture with local residents in Duong Lam. Mia Pagoda was constructed during the Tran Dynasty (1225-1406) and still houses numerous ancient artifacts. It has the largest collection of ancient statues in Vietnam, with 287 statues. Duong Lam is renowned for its architectural charm and culinary traditions, making it a must-visit destination for tourists in Hanoi. Tourists often get to taste a local specialty, chè lam cake, in the ancient houses. The cake is made from simple ingredients such as glutinous rice, mung beans, ginger, honey or sugar, and peanuts. It is a popular treat during Tet, the Vietnamese New Year. Exploring the ancient houses and experiencing the old architecture is a fantastic experience for the Norwegian diplomat’s family. ...

Posters are displayed everywhere throughout the city, some with the messages “Happy New Year 2024 – the Year of the Dragon,” “Happy New Spring,” or “Celebrating 94 Years of the Communist Party of Vietnam.” Office buildings across Hanoi are adorned in red as part of the festive celebrations. A large banner has been erected at the headquarters of the Hanoi Party Committee, displaying the message “Celebrating 94 Years of the Communist Party of Vietnam.” The festive atmosphere can be felt on every corner of the capital city. The Lunar New Year holiday is the largest celebration in Vietnam, lasting for seven days this year for State employees. Many venues have undergone major transformations to celebrate the Lunar New Year. Large posters have been placed on the main streets of the capital city to welcome the Lunar Year of the Dragon. As the new year begins, local residents are hopeful that the economy will rebound from ...

The purpose of the visit is to encourage them to remain strong in protecting the country’s sea and island sovereignty. In Ly Son district, the officers and reporters toured administrative units and brought gifts to the staff working at the Ly Son Radar Station. The delegation deliver Tet gifts to soldiers and local people in Con Co island district of Quang Tri province. For their participation, military units have planned duty timetables to ensure their staff can enjoy a cozy Tet, which is the country’s largest festival of the year. The post Preparatory visit made to isolated island districts before Tet appeared first on Vietexplorer.com .

During their state visit to Vietnam, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his wife, Elke Büdenbender, visited the Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre. Elke Büdenbender went behind the scenes and talked to the artists to gain a deeper understanding of the art of water puppetry and their work. As part of their visit to the Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre, the first ladies of Vietnam and Germany received special gifts from the theatre. Water puppetry is a traditional art form in Vietnam that dates back to the 11th century. The shows depict scenes from rural life, including landscapes, bamboo trees, and traditional activities like fishing and rice cultivation. The wives of the Vietnamese and German Presidents posed for a photo with the artists at the Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre. Vietnam and Germany established diplomatic relations in 1975 and elevated their ties to a strategic partnership in 2011. The year 2024 is significant as it leads up to the 50th anniver...

According to Hoang Viet, a skilled craftsman, his facility produces more than 5,000 dragon figurines every day. Every stage of making these clay figurines needs to be done with great care to ensure a perfect product. With the increasing demand for clay figurines in recent years, a wide range of attractive designs is being produced. Lai Thieu’s clay figurines are gaining more attention and competing with plastic and wooden items. These artisanal products are distributed to provinces such as Tien Giang and An Giang, as well as the southwestern and southeastern regions of Vietnam. They are also exported to markets in Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand. The price of each figurine varies based on its size and design, typically ranging from VND30,000 to VND170,000 per piece. The painting stage is a meticulous piece of work as the paint must be evenly coated without smears. The crafting village experiences its highest level of sales du...

President Vo Van Thuong invites German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier to step on the podium while military bands play the national anthems of both nations. Vietnam and Germany first established diplomatic relations in 1975. The two countries lifted ties to strategic partnership in 2011. Germany is Vietnam’s biggest trade partner in Europe, and more than 350 German businesses are operating in Vietnam. As of May 2023, Germany had 444 valid projects worth over US$2.36 billion, ranking fourth from a total of 24 European countries investing in Vietnam. The two leaders inspect the guard of honour. This is the first foreign visit of the German President in 2024 and the first high-level delegation exchange between the two countries this year – a pivotal year towards the 50th founding anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties in 2025. The two leaders hold talks immediately after the welcome ceremony. During two-day visit, German Presid...

All streets, entertainment centres, and markets have been beautifully decorated to welcome the New Year. This creates a lively atmosphere and offers young people the opportunity to take memorable photos. Some people enjoy strolling around the streets of Hanoi these days to fully experience the festive ambiance before Tet. Various items commonly used as offerings to ancestors or as gifts during Tet are available for sale in many wet markets. Ceramic products are highly sought after in markets as Tet approaches. Hoa Cúc (chrysanthemum) and roses are in high demand in markets these days as housewives prefer them for offering to ancestors. Street vendors selling flowers can be easily seen in various locations across Hanoi these days. Groups of young people gather in Hanoi’s Old Quarter to take photos and capture memories of Tet. Coriander is also popularly sought after in wet markets. People, especially in northern Vietnam, be...

The festival, organized by the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Industry and Trade and the Vietnam Cuisine Culture Association, showcases a combination of traditional and contemporary art programs, along with various national Tet rituals. The event features over 150 booths exhibiting a diverse range of Vietnamese products and specialties from different regions. Many tourists gather to observe artisans wrapping and cooking “banh chung” (a square glutinous rice cake), a traditional dish during the Tet holiday. A special attraction of the festival is a calligraphy market where calligraphers, dressed in “ao dai” (Vietnamese traditional long dress), sell calligraphy works written in black and yellow ink on red paper. Visitors also have the opportunity to participate in traditional folk games such as stilt walking, tug of war, blindfolded clay pot breaking, and mandarin square capturing. A booth showcasing “To He” (toy figurines) attracts...