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Touring Saigon, for a city tour or an excursion to Cu Chi & Tay Ninh or on a day trip to My Tho & Cai Be, email
dungzoom@gmail.com
or
call
0902999540
Thorough knowledge and photographic pictures on sites are my commitments.
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My writing on a deep memory
Travel to VN with a great heart
The family of Jay A. Alix, a wealthy business man in USA, have just spent their holiday in Vietnam by own private jet plane. From July 25 to August 2, 2009 this American family flew along the length of the country for enjoyment.
The trip began by the plane landing on Tan Son Nhut airport July 25th. Saigontourist, the local travel service provider, had two months before started working with other service companies like T&T, Sasco for welcoming the client family right down the staircase of the plane, or Park Hyatt hotel for decent preparation of accommodation, or rep. offices in Danang, Hanoi and Halong for the continuation of their itineraries.
At 11h55 July 25th the jet plane landed and taxied to its expected parking lane. As the door opened the local tour guide from Saigontourist with special permit of the airport authority was ready at the staircase. All entry formalities including body heat check were carried out quickly keeping them smile on the way to hotel.
In less than two short days Alix family were shown to see the renowned Cuchi tunnels, a round in town and a happy hour on the Rooftop bar of Rex hotel where they could poked cameras to achieve good shots of night time cruising motorcycles round the city park. At Cuchi tunnels relic and on the way to and fro much time was spent on drawing an image of the situation during that hard time of Vietnam war. Dad Alix used that chance to explain the briefings from the local guide more detailed and clearly to one of his daughters whilst the other did not miss any photo opportunity along way. Nam Chia, former guerilla in Cuchi during the war showed them around and very surprised to see them enjoying khoai mi ( steamed tapioca ) at the end of the visit.
The last afternoon was for visiting an orphanage. It is located inside Dieu Giac pagoda- Dist.2. There the family members played with some of 130 orphans being raised in love by the nuns and Dad Alix made a donation. Su, Tour leader from Akorn said he did the same in Kampuchea.
Departing from Tan Son Nhut airport at noon July 27th Alix voiced his thanks to Sasco staff who took good care of his plane. His pilot and co-pilot standing by nodded in confirmation. From HCM they flew to Hanoi for a 3-day visit to Vietnam’s 1000 year old capital and Halong bay, World’s culture heritage. From Hanoi the plane took Alix family down South to Danang where they would spend the whole 3 following days in complete quietness and relax by the shore of one of the 10 nicest beaches in the world.
They flew straight back to the US on August 2nd .
This story is first something like a good point for Vietnam tourism in the low season and; especially, in the economic depression and influence of swine flu. The affluent family came as they were charmed by Vietnamese lands' beauty, that's the point. They came; furthermore, with a kind heart giving donation to needy children.
The coordination between Saigontourist , T&T and Sasco in service of the charter plane is significant. It's the second goal scored promising best services for private planes to be owned by the Vietnamese as well as for those coming from abroad like this one.
Should the special visit be acknowledged by the family and put for Vietnam Tourism’s promotion on mass media, certain positive feedback could be brought.


Serving a great American family touring to Vietnam with a heart
I had a very special client family just coming in and out like flash but leaving me with a deep memory.
Alix is a consultant from Illinois, USA. He travelled to Vietnam with his two daughters by his own private jet plane. On July 25 his plane landed on Tan Son Nhut airport, HCMC and I was granted a special permit to greet the family right down the stairs of the plane. In less than two short days I showed the family to Cu Chi, making a city tour and more specially, coming to an orphanage for giving a donation.
He left Vietnam today the 2nd of August after spending one more week in Hanoi, Halong bay and Danang.
This story is first something like a good point for Vietnam tourism in the low season and; especially, in the economic depression and influence of swine flu. The affluent family came as they were charmed by Vietnamese lands' beauty, that's the point. They came; furthermore, with a kind heart giving donation to needy children.
The coordination between the travel company and Sasco in service of the charter plane is significant. It's the second goal scored promising best services for private planes to be owned by the Vietnamese as well as coming from abroad like this one.

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The private jet plane of Alix family

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Visiting the War Remnants museum

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Visiting Cuchi tunnels

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Making a donation at an orphanage

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So long since we do not know when we can come back

Vespa scooters
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used for wedding photos
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And, new model vespas made in Vietnam
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whilst vespa super from 1970's still in use
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700 meter walk

The walk from Rex hotel to Ben Thanh market is fantastic
Rex Hotel
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City Hall
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Tax shopping plaza
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Le Loi shopping road
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Scene at a crossroads
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The shopping walk continues
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And the market
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Cups of coffee in Saigon
It could be a big cup at his kitchen while checking mails or browsing morning news
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or at at elegant cafes like Givral or Highland

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or somewhere on the sidewalk
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Rowing boat ride in Mekong Delta

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By the Mekong river

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Boat, bridge and the Mekong river

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A cyclo driver tied down by old age

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Game of war at Cu Chi

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Ruthless gun smoke still attracts many people to the land
]]> General http://www.saigontouring.com/blog/index.php?itemid=58 Tue, 23 Jun 2009 21:28:18 -0400 http://www.saigontouring.com/blog/index.php?itemid=57 null


null]]> General http://www.saigontouring.com/blog/index.php?itemid=57 Tue, 9 Dec 2008 18:47:25 -0500 http://www.saigontouring.com/blog/index.php?itemid=56 By Tri Dung
Early November a group of 26 students and 4 teachers from Northview secondary school, Singapore paid a week long tour to HCMC. The trip was conducted by Sapio & Vietcircle in Hanoi and HCMC. In HCMC they took a city tour and an excursion to Cu Chi and then, a day tour to My Tho, Mekong Delta. The special thing with this group is that the staff of Northview school aimed their students to learning the history of Vietnam and the hardship the Vietnamese had to paid in the past for regaining their independence as well as in framing today’s life. There are; thus, two lecturers in HCMC and one more in My Tho for embedding them with necessary information.
Initially at the History Museum of HCMC the group was briefed by Mr. Phan Xuan Anh, MBA, well-known travel service advisor in HCMC, lecturer at the International school for Tourism and Marketing, HCMC. The 4,000-year long path of national defense and reconstruction was recalled. The resettlement of the people in all places by no means lessened their unity and support for each other especially at risk of danger or being invaded. The nation’s thread binds everyone and all siblings will stand up arm in arm straight forwarding for salvation.
At the Cu Chi tunnels relic located some 65 km NW from downtown Saigon the group first met with Mr. Nguyen Tri Dung, a senior tour guide in HCMC. Named expert on smoke and fire Mr. Tri Dung gave the audience a 45 minute presentation on Vietnam war history threading from the first steps of the French in Indochina to the American involvement in the theory of Domino effect, from the ascalation of wars in Vietnam to the history-making moment of 11:30 hrs, April 30th, 1975 when the NLF troops marched onto the Independence Palace ending the war.
And, on the background, Cu Chi came up with a flame honoring the sacrifices and perseverence despite of land-shaking bombings and tunnel rats' ferocious attacks.
The hardship experienced by the local people was once again highlighted the day after in My Tho, Mekong Delta by Mr. Dang Van Thanh, Deputy Rector of the International school for Tourism and Marketing, HCMC. The mud coloring earliest settlers in the rice granary of Vietnam is now the mud in which the students stood half-legged in water catching fish, learning how to grow rice.
More than normal tourists’ enjoyment, the students learnt about humanity and the teachers were very pleased. Danz, one of the teachers, revealed the target of this kind of tour. Singapore is a high developed country. The young generation now have everything for a modern life. They have cell phones at hand; they have cyber games to be absorbed in. But, they only see sky scrapers blocking the blue sky; they enjoy comforts but know hardly anything about losses and sufferings taken by their parents and previous generations for their happiness today. The schools feel worried and need a change. They contacted and decided to go to Vietnam. They at last selected HCMC and Mekong Delta since this region has lots of things to see and learn in service of the targets aimed.
History and Hardship tour is not a new thing abroad but for the Vietnamese market, it is. Vietnam has been preferred by foreign travel companies thanks to its long history of fighting the invaders and the hard working people along with their efforts in struggles across the country. Through those above-mentioned activities and even military training lessons or field attack rehearsals on request the students will learn about team building, hardship sharing spirits and eventually, love their family, society and nation more.
Vietcircle has been known for its success in mapping and operating this kind of tour. This time saw another fulfillment of commitment for this pioneer company.
For contact:
Vietcircle, 53C Ho Hao Hon, Dist.1, HCMC
Tel: 08.38389069
Website : www.viet-circle.com

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]]> General http://www.saigontouring.com/blog/index.php?itemid=56 Mon, 17 Nov 2008 05:23:13 -0500 http://www.saigontouring.com/blog/index.php?itemid=55 Saigon Times Daily
While walking on downtown roads tourists, from guide books or accompanying guide’s explanation, learn that the French were first developers of this land by late 19th century whose heritage was the title “Pearl of the Orient or Paris of the Far East” being given to Saigon. One might thus wonder where the town of Saigon was first started in the French construction.
Two cardinal directions planned by the French architects are now Le Duan and Dong Khoi. The Norodom Palace built in 1873 and the Botanical and Zoological garden built in 1865 marked the first one, Avenue de Norodom. The road now connects the Reunification Conference Hall with the Zoo and History museum. It used to be called the Ambassadors’ road since for a time, the Embassies of the US, the French and Great Britain were located on the road. We can now see those reminders which are now the US Consulate General , French Consulate General and British Council to HCMC.
A walk on Le Duan Ave. has first photo opportunities from the palace itself and the scene of college students browsing on the internet in the park lining French-style cafés. In front of those historic buildings read more from the book or listen more to your guide about the presence of the French and the American in Vietnam. The tallest building in town, Saigon Trade center, 33 floors high, is also worth-photograghing. Just a few meters away, the History museum of HCMC should not be missed. Be in there for a visit to the museum, watch the water puppet show and take a rickshaw ride to the Central Post Office for the second cardinal direction.
La rue de Catinat, a ninety degre angle with the first one, stretches from the complex of Notre Dame de Saigon and Central Post Office, built in 1880 and 1871, to Majestic hotel, built in 1925. Spend half an hour for the church and the post office. Timing is best from 8-10 am for taking photos and a church visit. Do not forget to come and say hello to Mr. Ngo, an old retired postal clerk in this majesticly nice post office. He is now serving as the only and unique existing letter writer in Vietnam. That service was started by the French in 1871 when Saigon Post Office ( GPO ) was inaugurated.
The land marks on la rue de Catinat are the Continental hotel, the Opera House and Majestic hotel. The Continental is Vietnam’s oldest hotel built by in 1880. La rue de Catinat ( then Tu Do and now, Dong Khoi street ) was designed for a colonial French atmosphere of such a place teeming with monsieurs ( sirs) having fun with ladies in wine bars or casting eyes over cups of coffee to the pulled cart drivers to and fro whose lifestyle was another French heritage. Added to their enjoyment, Givral and Brodard cafés gave the road a more special flavor. The superior image of the road with more French buildings than any other road gave a prestige to itself. “ I saw him on Catinat yesterday” usually referred to high respect.
After 45 minutes of leisure walking from Notre Dame down to the Saigon river, one should be relaxing at Majestic hotel. Standing at 3 - 4 pm at the 8th floor restaurant promises a broad panoramic view of the Saigon river. Poke your camera to the ships, boats and people down there and achieve good photos.
The sun is going down ending a happy tour day. Nguyen Hue and Le Loi Avenues, in parallel with these two, have their own stories to tell visitors on next walking which always entertains people more with history on each stop.

]]> General http://www.saigontouring.com/blog/index.php?itemid=55 Mon, 27 Oct 2008 05:43:23 -0400 http://www.saigontouring.com/blog/index.php?itemid=54 For viewing a video clip ( 1'46" ) on mid-autumn lanterns visit :

www.youtube.com/watch?v=0URIX9XFbm4

Thank you!]]> General http://www.saigontouring.com/blog/index.php?itemid=54 Wed, 10 Sep 2008 20:15:04 -0400 http://www.saigontouring.com/blog/index.php?itemid=53 Every year busy or not at the beginning of the 8th lunar month I have to ridefour or five times through the quarters of Luong Nhu Hoc and Phu Dinh – Dist. 5. I stopped there gazing at the lanterns of various types and styles, Ðèn ông sao ( star lantern), ðèn býõm býớm ( butterfly ), ðèn kéo quân ( Parade ), to ðèn xếp ( Chinese lantern ) or battery lanterns brought a whole childhood back to me. The scenes of children shown by parents to the lanterns for a happy look and choice gave me a complete pleasure of coming back to the time when we were nine or ten.

My family was then a month-wage civil servant. My father earned just from hand to mouth so an expense for buying moon cakes was unaffordable. He saved to buy them by handing in a small amount monthly and two weeks before Tet Trung Thu ( mid-autumn festival ) he could come and take eight cakes wrapped in papers seen through with the oil absorbed from inside the cakes. And, every evening, after dinner, my father cut one into 4 pieces. One for my Dad, one for my Mom and I always had two pieces as the only son. Ðậu xanh trứng ( Cake with green bean and eeg ) is most tasty. I melted bit after bit in my mouth running about in the old small house dreaming of another half the next day.

One week before our kids in the hamlet talked about making lanterns. We came to Ton Tho Tuong st collecting extra bamboo tube; then cut into splints and shaped the frame. We bought cellophane and glued it to the bamboo frame. On the evening of the 14th of the 8th lunar month my mother prepared chè kho ( soft green lentil cake ) a special dish for me and my friends in the same hamlet. We played in the outer yard, hanging all the self-made lanterns from planes, stars, butterflies… on the wall, singing and eating che kho and then, with a lantern in hand, we strolled out to the street in the practice of ruoc den Trung Thu ( lantern parade on mid-autumn festival ) until late. Back home I still found half of the moon cake in the dish cover on the table. That late night I felt happier than any other day, never expecting that moment of the day would never die in the next fifty years.

Ups and downs of life came to me but the images and the contentment on Tet Trung Thu remain intact. Every time I see a lantern or a moon cake shop or hear the melodies of the song Ruoc den Trung Thu ( mid-autumn lantern parade ) I fret with obsessive memories of the past. Love from my poor parents seen through the cakes saved month to month and preparation of che kho sometime generously allows tears from the corners of my eyes. My parents both passed away; my childhood friends are now scattered. The lights and the warmth of those live in me and return every year when the calendar counts the 8th lunar month. In the childhood of my son, on this occasion, while tasting the sweetness of moon cakes I did not forget to retell him this story. He’s grown up from such a past & background and memories on his father as well as his grand parents. Soft education is thus successful and successive from generation to generation.
]]> General http://www.saigontouring.com/blog/index.php?itemid=53 Thu, 4 Sep 2008 21:08:57 -0400 http://www.saigontouring.com/blog/index.php?itemid=52 www.youtube.com
and search zoomsgn
and you'll find my video clips on Saigon and Mekong Delta.]]> General http://www.saigontouring.com/blog/index.php?itemid=52 Thu, 28 Aug 2008 21:00:38 -0400 http://www.saigontouring.com/blog/index.php?itemid=51
Le Loi Ave. was inundated on August 1. ]]> General http://www.saigontouring.com/blog/index.php?itemid=51 Sun, 3 Aug 2008 04:07:29 -0400 http://www.saigontouring.com/blog/index.php?itemid=50

With warmest thanks from Nguyen Tri Dung to all visitors. With special thanks to Pham Ngoc Than, USA and CVAs who from the very beginning have been constructive and cooperative in designing and building this website. With heartfelt dedication to my family who has been sharing the bitterness and happiness of a Tour guide's and realistic Writer's life. With deep sympathy to true Guides and Operators who have been at least once worried about Vietnam's tourism.



]]> General http://www.saigontouring.com/blog/index.php?itemid=50 Fri, 18 Jul 2008 08:57:48 -0400 http://www.saigontouring.com/blog/index.php?itemid=49 By ZOOM

Charles Percy was a US Senator from the State of Illinois in 1967. Vietnam war was then escalating. Percy came to Saigon in a Senator’s responsibility. In such commitment Percy flew to a village northwest of Saigon to investigate the sufferings of the local people. He was pressed down by fierce shelling to an underground shelter just after the helicopter landing. Fifteen minutes under heavy fighting and shelling was a century for that brave and proud Senator. Percy survived with living memory about war astrocity and that would be presented later to the Senate hearings in efforts to end the war.

Roger Dickerson Percy and his wife & son landed at Tan Son Nhut airport earlier this month in their father and grandfather’s utmost wish from across the ocean. Former US Senator Percy is very old now; he cannot come back to Vietnam; therefore, his next generation has that commitment. The special request had been delivered to Saigontourist long time before and a senior guide who is specialized in Vietnam war history has been reserved.

Dak Son, that was all given to Tri Dung, Saigontourist guide in preparation for such an excursion. The family arrived with no military map and relied all on Dung. That late night he burnt the midnight oil in search for the location of the geographic name. Even the telephone operator of Binh Phuoc province failed to pinpoint it as the guide tried earlier. Anyhow, Dung browsed the internet as well as reviewing his memory and at last, he found it. One mile from Phuoc Binh town, Binh Phuoc province. The clients burst out happy laughing in knowing that and early next morning they headed northwest with Dung sitting briefing on all events related to the situation from the Geneva Accords to the Paris Peace Agreement and the ending of the war.

The town of Phuoc Binh is 150 km from Saigon. Upon arrival, the group had a late lunch at TMT café on a red-soil road winding in immense rubber trees. Two young men there were earger to show the way. Five kilometers more on the way from Phuoc Binh to Buon Me Thuot the Percy saw an ethnic people village of the S’tieng and that was the place.

In a peaceful environment families were sitting outside, peeling off the cashew skin. Cameron Percy, the grandson, took a lot of photos as his parents bumped their hands onto the children’s in a greeting manner, Roger Percy was more curious on an old man who said he was born in 1931 and spent his time with the villagers. He nodded his head on hearing Roger’ s memory from his Senator father’s stories. Roger then shook Dung’s shoulders , “ You are fantastic. Your kindness will be remembered by our family”.

It rained on the way back but the clients did not care. They just waited for a stop. And that stop would be at a café with free wifi internet at town of Thu Dau Mot. A message was sent to the family briefing on the day’s itineraries. That evening, Loraine Percy, the former Senator’s wife called the young Percy congratulating on finding the place.

The visiting time at Dak Son village was only an hour but that gave pleasure to the family. It is an act of keeping the family’s fire of encountering hardships. They did come and they did win. His grandfather and now his parents showed the spirits, Cameron will be well educated by those shining examples. In serving the requests related to veterans and hardship-encountering and overcoming, Vietnam is an ideal destination. The return of Percy family is also in the scope of a hardship tour. Its success meets the utmost desire across the ocean and the need to show the next generation how difficult and challenging it has been with their predecessors. Fulfilling their jobs that way, the local travel agent is proud in being serviceable to top-notched clients who visit the country with nostalgia.
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]]> General http://www.saigontouring.com/blog/index.php?itemid=49 Tue, 15 Jul 2008 23:43:24 -0400