A group of Duong Quang Chan's friends from Los Angeles was very excited about a two-day home stay tour in stilt houses in Lac Village. The village is located in the north-western province of Hoa Binh's Mai Chau District, some 120km from Ha Noi.

The Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) International Forum on Climate Change opened in Ha Long city, the northern province of Quang Ninh, on September 6, aiming at strengthening international cooperation in response to climate change.

The Hoi An City People’s Committee in the central province of Quang Nam on September 5 said a waste treatment plant would be built on Cham Island and would provide microbiology fertilizer.

Dozens of peach trees in the resort city of Da Lat unexpectedly blossom in the rainy season, instead of in spring to welcome the new year. Many people come to see the out-of-season flowers.

Discovered in 2005, the Heaven Cave is the longest dry cave in Asia. Located in the ecological restoration area of the Phong Nha-Ke Bang national park, Quang Binh province, the cave has been opened for tourists as of September 3.

Contestants from nearly 90 countries and territories will take part in the month-long Miss Earth beauty pageant to be held in Vietnam in November. HCM City’s Miss Vietnam World 2010, Luu Thi Diem Huong, will represent the host.

Rascals cut tails of two elephants, which are serving at the Prenn Waterfall Tourist Area in the Highland city of Dalat on August 31. Hunting elephants for tail hair has boomed in the Central provinces, which is famous for elephant taming, because people believe that luck will come to those who wear elephant-tail-hair-made jewelry.

A forest rangers station in the central Binh Thuan Province has succeeded in protecting 20,000ha forest for the last 16 years despite having only 11 rangers, thanks to local residents embracing the cause.

Dambri waterfall is about 20 minutes riding from Bao Loc Town. Many like to retreat to the more comfortable pace of Bao Loc to getaway from the city for a few days. The cooler weather is another draw card.

Rather than build up Routes 8 and 12 as a trade route competing with Route 9, Thailand, Laos and Vietnam should jointly develop Routes 8 and 12 as an eco-tourism routes linking the three countries, suggests the Thai ambassador to Laos.