Yen Tu area is a good place for visit during Vesak 2008.

After experiencing the two recent holidays, National Liberation Day (Apr. 30) and May Day, tourists will have another chance to learn about cultural values at two upcoming festivals; the fifth United Nations Day of Vesak (UNDV) celebrations, or Vesak 2008, held on May 13-17 in the capital city of Hanoi, and the annual Festival Hue 2008, in the central city of Hue on June 3-11.

To facilitate this, tour operators are launching special tours for the two events which will allow tourists to either study the characteristics of Vietnam and international Buddhism, or visit beautiful pagodas while they learn spiritual values in the culture of Hue, the former imperial city of Vietnam.

From Yen Tu and Bai Dinh Pagoda

Tourists can climb to Yen Tu Mountain and visit the Hoa Yen Pagoda to study about the origin of Truc Lam Zen, one of the most popular Buddhism sects in Vietnam, established by King Tran Nhan Tong in the 13th century.

The Yen Tu area is comprised of 11 large pagodas, hundreds of small pagodas and more than 20 ancient buildings. The nearby Ancestor area, with 97 sophisticated towers worshipping King Tran Nhan Tong and his 97 mandarins, is also very special. It is said that pilgrims travel to the area not only to worship the Buddha but also to visit the landscape there, which has been compared with a fairy land.

This is one of three tours launched by Saigontourist Travel Services to the North on the occasion of Vesak 2008. The two-day Ha Long-Yen Tu tour costs VND1.235mil to VND1.320mil a person.

The two others are a one-day Hanoi-Bai Dinh Pagoda- Kings Dinh and Le Temple tour priced at VND478,000 a person, and a five-day Hanoi-Ninh Binh-Yen Tu Halong tour for VND3.580mil.

At the Bai Dinh Pagoda in Ninh Binh Province, tourists can see the biggest bronze statue of Buddha in Vietnam, weighing 100 tons. It is also home to three bronze statues featuring three tenses - past, present and future - weighing 50 tons each, and 500 of the largest stone Arhat statues in Vietnam. Bai Dinh Pagoda has been chosen as one of the locations for activities during Vesak 2008. Studying Buddhism at Yen Tu Area and visiting Bai Dinh Pagoda are the main attraction of eight tours to the North offered by HCMC-based tour operator Vietravel. Visiting Huong Pagoda in Ha Tay Province and Hoa Lu ancient capital are other highlights of the tours.

To Hue's cultures

Saigontourist has also launched tours to the central city of Hue and neighboring areas for those who want to join Festival Hue 2008, the annual cultural event held on June 3-11.

With a choice of three tours, the four-day Danang-Hoi An-Hue tour (VND2.230mil-3.305mil), the five-day Danang-Hoi An -Hue-Phong Nha tour (VND3.175mil-VND4.670mil) and the eight-day Hue tour (VND4.512mil-6.774mil), tourists can visit Phong Nha Caves, My Son Sanctuary and Hoi An Ancient Town while also enjoying the cultural festival in Hue City.

June is also a perfect time to enjoy fresh air at beautiful beaches along the central region like Ca Na, Non Nuoc, Sa Huynh and Lang Co.

Ben Thanh Tourist, another tour operator in HCMC, is also launching different tours on the occasion of the Festival Hue 2008. On the three-day HCMC-Hue tour (VND3.726mil-4.057mil), tourists may join local and foreign artistic performances inside the city's lmperial Citadel, such as a Russian classical dance, a Turkish Berrak Yedek dance and a Vietnamese circus, among others.

The two others tours, the four-day HCMC-Hue-Phong Nha tour (VND3.855mil-4.893 and four-day HCMC-Hue-Hoi An-Danang tour (VND4.212-VND4.621mil), will take tourists to the beautiful caves of Phong Nha and beaches in Hoi An and Danang.

All of the tours include participating in the opening ceremony of the Festival Hue 2008, as well as activities during the event.

Saigontourist Travel Service: 49 Le Thanh Ton St., Dist. 1, HCMC. Tel: (08) 829 8914.

Vietravel: 190 Pasteur St., Dist. 3, HCMC. Tel: 8228898.

Ben Thanh Tourist: 89A Ham Nghi St., Dist. 1, HCMC, Tel: 8218989

( Copy SGT - VNN )