Tourism in Sapa marred by bad sales tactics

While the tourism industry has been growing quickly in recent years, there have been some hurdles that potentially damage the prestige of the destination. In the streets and alleys of Sapa it is not uncommon for tourists to hear phrases like, "no money, no photo," or, "no money, no talk". Beggars and street vendors also seem to be a put-off to potential travellers.

Cultural week on Mu Cang Chai terraced fields to be held in September

The cultural, sport and tourism week at Mu Cang Chai terraced rice fields will be held in four communes of La Pan Tan, De Xu Phinh, Pung Luong and Che Cu Nha in the northern province of Yen Bai from September 14 to 20. The event is organised to celebrate the 55th anniversary of the establishment of Mu Cang Chai District.

New face for HCM City’s most polluted canal

Nhieu Loc-Thi Nghe, widely considered the most polluted canal in Ho Chi Minh City, has got a face lift, showing a huge difference. The drainage system of the canal’s basin receives both household and rain water drainage, causing obviously dirty and smelly water.

Work starts on sewage treatment plant in Nha Trang

A ground breaking ceremony for a waste water treatment plant in the central coastal city of Nha Trang was held on August 17. The 25 million USD plant has a designed capacity of 40,000 cu.m/ day and night, which will be increased to 60,000 cu.m per day and night by 2025.

Striving for a green and clean Vietnam

As a Vietnamese successfully working in the environment, Vietnam Waste Solutions' Chairman of the Board and CEO businessman David Duong decided to contribute to the development of his home country. With that in mind, he decided to establish the Vietnam Waste Solutions Ltd. Co in Ho Chi Minh City. Vietnam Economic News' Cong Hoang and Xuan Bac interviewed him.

Preventive forest in central region torn as people hunt for teak wood

The Ba Ren forest in Quang Binh province is reportedly “bleeding” because it has been poached by a lot of groups of people, hunting for teak wood. More and more groups of people go very far to Ba Ren, where they pitch camps to stay for several months and chop down trees, to look for rare and precious wood in the very large preventive forest in the central region of the country.

Enertec Expo 2012 opens in HCM city

(TITC) - From 15th to 18th, August, 2012, Department of Industry and Trade and Ho Chi Minh City Power Cooperation organized an international exhibition on power saving products and green energies, Enertec Expo 2012, at the Tan Binh Exhibition and Convention Centre (TBECC) in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC).

Phan Thiet gears up for Nghinh Ong Festival

Local authorities in Binh Thuan Province have mapped out plans for Nghinh Ong Quan Thanh Festival 2012 in Phan Thiet City. As expected, the 9th biennial festival will take place from September 4- 6 (or July 19th-21st of the lunar calendar).

Hanoi considers cutting off park areas to build car parking lots

After giving a nod to a series of steel made car parking lots in many areas, the Hanoi authorities are now considering setting up car parking lots in parks or public flower gardens. Urban development programmers have warned that this would damage the green space of the capital city.

Rare flora and fauna species found in Phu Quoc National Park

(TITC)- Recently, the Phu Quoc National Park (Kien Giang Province) and Animal Rescue Center have found some rare local species of fauna and flora such as Sus scrofa, Pteropus, gibbon…, specially, Liparis cf. rhodochila rolfe (Nhan Diep luoi do) and Calanthe lyrogolossa Reichenb.f (Ai Lan la dep) are found for the first time in Viet Nam.