Alma Resort’s New Street-Style Venue Pays Tribute to Vietnam’s Vibrant Sidewalk Culture

In Vietnam the sidewalk is used for much more than walking. The curb comes to life with coffee and street food vendors, barbers, exercise groups, mobile masseuses, shoe shiners, street performers and then some.

 

To pay homage to the quintessential Vietnamese pastime of spending hours sipping brews on the pavement with friends, 30-hectare beachfront resort Alma, a Preferred Hotels & Resorts member, has launched Cam Ranh’s most hip and happening venue, Chill’s Snack & Bar.

 

Open from 5pm-10pm daily, the street-style venue is anchored by two American-style food trucks to a backdrop of the resort’s vast Alma Amphitheater. Plenty of plastic tables and chairs are assembled on and alongside the tarmac of one of the resort’s onsite service roads. Twilight lights strung between palm trees create a warm ambiance as the afternoon morphs into the evening.

 

Chill’s menu features a selection of popular street beverages such as Vietnamese coffees, fresh fruit juices, milk teas including bubble milk teas, iced teas and soft drinks. The venue’s signature coffees are coconut coffee and coffee with fresh milk and tapioca pearls. In addition to Saigon, Tiger and Heineken beers, Chill’s also serves cocktails such as ‘Amphitheater Sunset’ with tequila, orange, grenadine, crème de cassis and lime.

 

The likes of seafood pizza, fruit, fried fish balls, shrimp salad, meat sandwiches, cheese sticks, lemongrass chicken feet, and popcorn are written up on Chill’s menu board daily.

 

Entertainment ranges from nightly movies screened under the stars at the amphitheater to live music by performers such as the resort’s resident singer Engie to fire twirlers and flair tenders. Competitions such as high walking competitions are staged for national and global holidays as well as other special occasions.

 

Alma’s managing director Herbert Laubichler-Pichler said the resort’s temporary eight-month closure, due to a flare-up of COVID-19 in Vietnam before Alma’s reopening on January 15, “was a prime opportunity for our team to get creative, spawning the concept for Chill’s as a street-style venue that welcomes locals and tourists alike”.

 

“Everyone who has been to Vietnam knows that everyone is welcome to join the community on the pavement; it is part and parcel of experiencing Vietnam’s culture and its culinary delights famous the world over,” said Laubichler-Pichler. 

 

“We are the only resort in our location that doesn’t have a wall around us. I genuinely believe Chill’s is an open house; like on Vietnam’s ubiquitous sidewalks, everyone is welcome to chill out here and relish life’s simple pleasures.”

 

For more information, or to make a booking, visit alma-resort.com, call +84 258 399 1666 or email reservation@alma-resort.com

Kichijoji: A Day in the Park followed by the Fun of Cool standing Bars

Kichijoji Station

The Kichijoji area often tops Tokyo's most-desirable-place-to-live list, primarily because Inokashira Park is just minutes away from Kichijoji Station, and Shibuya and Shinjuku are both relatively close by. Head out here for a day of relaxing recreation on boats and under trees, followed by an evening of authentic Japanese food and drink as you tour the standing bars of Harmonica Yokocho Alley.

Explore Kichijoji

This west Tokyo neighborhood is popular with families and students for its cool shopping streets, cozy cafés and spacious parks. Head south to Inokashira Park or meander the narrow streets of stylish homewares and fashion boutiques on the north side of the station.

General TipsExplore the streets behind the Tokyu Department Store for ceramics, stationery and crafts
Stroll through Inokashira Park to the Ghibli Museum—but make sure you reserve tickets in advance
Visit the Temari no Ouchi cat cafe, one of the most fantastical, with a Ghibli-like interior and full meals

1) A fashionable life starts here
Kichijoji Station
Convenient to Shinjuku and Shibuya, the station is served by the Chuo Sobu Line, Chuo Line Rapid and the Keio Inokashira Line. Given the desirable location, it's no surprise the station houses a variety of fashionable stores, international cafés and organic grocery stores.
7 mins

2) A vast green playground

Inokashira Park
A popular spot for picnickers, families and couples, Inokashira Park surrounds a large pond that turns pink with cherry blossom petals in spring. Stroll the forest-like parklands, visit the red lacquered Benzaiten Shrine or rent a rowboat for a romantic afternoon.
5 mins

3) A storied zoo and aqua park
Inokashira Park Zoo
While the zoo is famous for its international animals (Hanako, Japan's first elephant once lived here), it also has a large collection of native animals, from squirrels and deer to monkeys and cranes, plus an aquarium. There's also a small museum dedicated to the sculptor Seibo Kitamura.
10 mins

4) A retro shopping experience
Kichijoji Sun Road shopping district
On the north side of the station, this shopping arcade retains its 1970s atmosphere. With everything from fashion and accessories to daily necessities, it's a great place to find a bargain. The arcade is covered, so it's convenient in all weathers.
1 min

5) Bar hopping with the locals
Harmonica Alley
Just off Kichijoji Sun Road, this atmospheric maze of lanes lit by paper lanterns, is a popular place for cheap eats and drinks. Though it started as a flea market after the war, you'll now find delicious local food and traditional sweets, though barhopping is the main attraction.

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Nha Trang towards sustainable thriving tourist city

A corner of southern Nha Trang. Photo: Khoa Tran

Nha Trang is progressing towards a sustainable thriving tourist city, deeply bearing cultural significance, contributing to reaching the target of Khanh Hoa becoming a centrally-governed type 1 city by 2030.

Significant urban progress
Right after the Liberation Day, Nha Trang used to be a very small and thinly populated town with just few hotels, the highest having 4-5 storeys, along Tran Phu Street. Its center was just around some central wards such as Loc Tho, Van Thanh, Van Thang and Phuong Sai. In the suburban communes, the economy used to be still purely agricultural and transportation was underdeveloped.

Over 45 years of development, Nha Trang has turned into a dynamic tourist city with urban space expanding, more and more high-rise hotels and transportation and trade development. According to the 2020 report of the Nha Trang City People's Committee, the city has the population of more than 426,000, 67.6% of whom are urban residents. Under the urban development program of Nha Trang City till 2025, with a vision till 2030, most communes and wards are under approved zoning planning with a coverage rate of 96.3%. The master planning on land use, detailed planning on construction of urban areas and functional areas have proved effective, ensuring the development orientation of the city in the future. In addition to breakthroughs in the development of transport infrastructures, Nha Trang has also developed many modern housing projects and new urban areas, creating an urban environment with new, civilized and modern living conditions.

Nguyen Sy Khanh, Chairman of Nha Trang City People's Committee said the city has 108 projects of new urban areas, housing and infrastructures for residential areas. Some urban projects have been completed technical infrastructures such as: Vinh Diem Trung, VCN - Phuoc Long I, VCN - Phuoc Long II, VCN - Phuoc Hai, Phuoc Long, An Binh Tan, Le Hong Phong I, Le Hong Phong II and My Gia, contributing to painting a brighter picture in the west of the city.

Especially, the newly-built Vo Nguyen Giap Street and Ring Road 2 have highlighted the potentials of Nha Trang to the west. Phan Viet Hoang, General Secretary of Khanh Hoa Association of Real Estate Brokers said: "The proper policy of provincial leaders on the orientation of urban development of Nha Trang to the west with specific actions, including the implementation of 2 strategic links between Nha Trang City and its western area, has created a premise for the growth of modern urban areas now and in the future.

Some major projects are under construction to gradually improve basic urban infrastructures such as a saltwater intrusion prevention dam over Cai River, Ngoc Hoi Traffic Intersection, Embankment in Vinh Nguyen Ward, Provincial Road 3, Road 30 - connecting 23-10 Street with Vo Nguyen Giap Street; Nha Trang General Hospital, etc. In the near future, when these projects are completed, the city will have more advantages for socio-economic development as well as material and spiritual life improvement.

Towards green, sustainable city
According to experts, over the years, Nha Trang has created a dynamic urban image with many attractive tourism products, promptly adapting to the dramatical increase in tourist arrivals. To speed up urbanization, the Provincial People's Committee has approved the Urban Development Program of Nha Trang City till 2025 and vision till 2030 with a total investment of about VND50,000 billion, including community participation funding. The city will promote the implementation of public space development projects with more green space along Tran Phu Street, Pham Van Dong Streets, parks along the banks of the Cai River; step up tree planting campaigns to increase the number of trees to 1,257ha by the end of 2022.

Nha Trang is making adjustments to its master planning towards building a modern city with sustainable development based on current advantages. The project on adjusting the master planning of Nha Trang by 2040, by the National Institute of Urban and Rural Planning (Ministry of Construction) as a consulting unit, is in the completion process with the collection of residents’ ideas and opinions before submission to the authorities for approval.

“The goal is to develop Nha Trang into a green, clean and sustainable city with diverse services and high-class tourism and unique cultural and natural landscape values. At the same time, Nha Trang will become a center of national and international tourism events, a center for high-class healthcare and innovative research with a friendly, healthy living environment, rich in cultural and human values nationally and regionally”, said Nguyen Sy Khanh.

The project on adjusting the master planning of Nha Trang City till 2040 has oriented the development of urban space as follows: Improving the quality and value of existing urban space; expanding urban construction to the north, northwest, west, south and east, while ensuring promoting unique landscape values.

The city will develop to be a multi-center urban area, with the main center being coastal urban areas and other central areas in the former Nha Trang Airport area, along the Cai River, in Dong Trung ecological urban area, south of Phong Chau Street, along Vo Nguyen Giap Street and main urban axes; on Hon Tre Island, along other rivers in the city and around parks in urban areas. The highlight is expected to be high-rise buildings, making urban impression, adding to the urban landscape attraction and tourism values; and increasing urban land use efficiency.

In addition, the project also plans a system of specialized centers to ensure the criteria of urban social infrastructure planning, improve the life quality such as a multi-purpose center of culture, events, services, fair and museum integrated into the Ocean Square; a center of culture and events in the urban area south of Phong Chau Street and in urban areas to meet actual needs; a new sports center in Phuoc Dong; about 14ha of land to medical centers in the communes of Vinh Ngoc, Dien An; new planning about 53ha of land for professional education and vocational training in Hon Nghe and Phuoc Dong. In addition, it is required to arrange at least 30ha of land for professional education and research in the high-tech creative urban area and business incubator in the Western Nha Trang and at least 10ha in the urban area northwest of Vinh Hoa lake together with more high schools in the communes of Vinh Trung, Phuoc Dong, Vinh Phuong, etc.

The planning has received ideas and suggestions from socio-economic experts, consultants and organizations at home and abroad. “According to experts, the project to adjust the master planning of Nha Trang City till 2040 has basically specified some contents about sustainable urban development. I believe Nha Trang will make breakthrough progress, worth a model of smart, sustainable city with unique cultural identity", said Nguyen Sy Khanh.

The urban development program of Nha Trang City till 2025 and vision till 2030 with a target till 2025 focuses on resources on fulfilling standards of type I urban area of Nha Trang City and inner-city areas; investing in the construction of 19 wards meeting the ward standards of type I urban area; Vinh Thai Commune up to ward standards of the type I urban area; by 2030, upgrading communes up to ward standards, achieving an urbanization rate of 95%; ensuring wards already recognized and remaining communes expected to be developed into wards meet ward standards of type I urban area.
T.N
Translated by N.T
Source: Khanh Hoa News - baokhanhhoa.vn/english - March 31, 2022
Tags: Nha Trang, tourist city,

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Tourism Industry Members Work Toward a Resilient Future at Rendez-vous Canada

For the first time in three years, Canada’s largest international tourism marketplace, Rendez-vous Canada (RVC) was back in-person from May 24 – 27. The event hosted by Destination Canada, in partnership with the Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC) welcomed over 1,000 attendees in Toronto and more registered for the virtual component. This included over 300 international buyers from Destination Canada’s key markets who were able to meet with over 750 tourism industry delegates from 450 Canadian organizations. Over 48,000 appointments took place - creating meaningful connections between Canadian tourism business and buyers that will support the recovery of our sector in the years ahead. 
 
On May 26, Destination Canada hosted a press conference at RVC+ 2022, along with the Honourable Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance to provide an update on the current state of Canada’s tourism sector and our collective efforts to drive economic growth for Canadian businesses, while also building resilience for the future.  

We want to say a huge thank you to our sponsors, partners, delegates and media for making our return to an in-person RVC a huge success. It was incredible to see so many familiar and new faces connecting with the common objective of building a resilient future for Canada’s tourism industry.

IHG Hotels & Resorts launches new ‘Live your best winter’ campaign with savings and offers

IHG Hotels & Resorts – one of the largest hotel companies in the world – has unveiled its new winter campaign ‘Live your best winter’, designed to reinvigorate the cooler months ahead with special benefits across 14 resort properties from Hayman Island to the Gold Coast, Fiji, Bora Bora and beyond – or with great savings across the region. Plus, members can save even more with IHG One Rewards.

 

 

LIVE YOUR BEST WINTER OFFERS

 

‘Live your best winter’ package: Guests who book three nights or more at one of the participating resorts will receive breakfast for two daily and a $100 Restaurants & Bars credit to use during their stay. Guests could be warming up the winter with the perks in IHG resort destinations including Hayman Island, Fiji, Bora Bora, Tahiti, Vanuatu, Coogee Beach, Cairns, the Gold Coast, Terrigal and more.

 

‘Advance Saver’ rate: IHG One Rewards Members can book using the 'Advance Saver' rate to enjoy up to 23% (up to 20% for non-members) off their room.

 

• Sale dates: The offer is available now and must be booked before 31 July 2022
• Stay dates: Available for stays from today to 15 December 2022
• Bookings: Guests can search and save using the ‘Advanced Saver’ rate HERE

 

IHG ONE REWARDS

 

IHG One Rewards, the new global loyalty program from IHG Hotels and Resorts, welcomes guests to the next chapter of travel with its first bonus points promotion since its introduction last month. IHG One Rewards members can earn up to 4X bonus points based on the number of qualifying nights stayed starting on 18 May 2022 through to the end of August. Visit IHG One Rewards to learn more or register to become a member. 

 

IHG’S TOP WINTER PICKS

 

Hunter Valley Escapes

Wine? Check. Fireplace? Check. For the ultimate winter weekend, the Hunter Valley is hard to beat. Only a two-hour drive from Sydney, enjoy some of Australia’s finest wine tasting and gourmet dining as you look out to beautiful vineyards and gardens.

 

Winter Indulgence Package at voco Kirkton Park

voco Kirkton Park

Enjoy waking up in soft, warm sheets overlooking a crisp orange valley, sipping steaming hot chocolate by the open fireplace or drinking red wine in a toasty hotel bar at voco Kirkton Park. 

• Winter Indulgence Package: Includes overnight accommodation for 2 adults, a gourmet buffet breakfast each morning, a s’mores plate, bottomless hot chocolate, a complimentary bottle of wine and late check-out. Stay between Sunday and Thursday from $279 per night (save 20%) or between Friday and Saturday from $519 per night (Save 15%). 

 

Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley

As the weather gets cooler, there’s nothing better than enjoying a wine or two by an open fire. Available for stays between June 1 and August 31, book the Winter Indulgence package at Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley to enjoy open fire pits, mulled wine, cheese platters and music.

• Winter Indulgence Package: Includes buffet breakfast, free parking and entry for two people to the Winter Indulgence Experience to enjoy a relaxed picnic style atmosphere at sunset with open fire pits, mulled wine, cheese grazing stations and music. Book between 16 May to 24 August to save up to 20% off your stay in your choice of a Standard Room, 1 Bedroom Villa, or Premium Spa Suite.

 

Hitting the slopes at Crowne Plaza Queenstown

With New Zealand now open to Australian travellers, there has never been a better time to cross the pond for a ski trip. Boasting one of the most powerful landscapes and mountain ranges in the country, guests are in the heart of the action with Crowne Plaza’s lakeside location. Get ready to explore the best of Ski with easy access to the major parks, breathtaking hiking trails, nearby wineries and gourmet dining. The hotel also offers heated onsite ski-gear storage, ample parking and access to the ski bus transfer points.

• Ski, Stay & Play Package: Available for stays between 24 June to 15 October 2022, early bird ski seekers will receive 25% off their accommodation in the peak winter months, including complimentary breakfast for two, welcome drinks on arrival and kids under 12 will eat and stay free.

 

Escape winter completely at InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa

If you’re a year-round beach lover, look no further than InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa. There is something romantic about relaxing on the beach and listening to the rhythmic sounds of crashing waves while having a sip of your favourite Fijian cocktail. Located on the picturesque Natadola Bay and nestled amongst 35 acres of tropical gardens, you can forget all about winter at InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort and Spa.

• Romantic Spa Getaway Package: Includes daily breakfast at Sanasana Restaurant or Navo Restaurant, a 60-minute couples Fijian Aroma Massage, A Chef of the Year Navo dinner experience for two and an exclusive Cleopatra bathing ritual.

Looking ahead to the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee

Britain is preparing to celebrate a moment 70 years in the making – Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee. To mark the momentous occasion, events and celebrations are taking place across the nations, and the following is just some of what visitors can expect.

Efforts are already underway to plant a great floral river that will lap around the moat of the Tower of London. But it’s the Platinum Jubilee Weekend that has got people talking. The Trooping the Colour ceremony returns to officially mark the monarch’s birthday, accompanied by a flypast by the Royal Air Force. There’s also a huge party at the Queen’s official London residence and everyone is invited – a massive concert featuring international performers will rock Buckingham Palace and will be beamed to big screens across the nations. There’s a special Platinum Jubilee Pageant and clusters of events around Britain for visitors to enjoy, including giant picnics, parades, exhibitions and more.

The run-up
The run-up to the big celebration in early June has already begun. Visitors can see the Queen in all her glory from her coronation in 1952 to now, thanks to special displays on the billboards at London Piccadilly. The Tower of London moat is also being sewn with 20 million seeds, which are set to bloom just in time for the start of June. Smaller plantings are also taking place at sites all over Britain.

To find out what’s happening across Britain, visitors can look at this ever-evolving interactive map of events.

1 June
Visitors can see the Platinum Jubilee award winning emblem design revealed at London’s Victorian and Albert Museum.

2 June
Trooping the Colour will return to mark the monarch’s birthday, with plenty of pomp and pageantry. It features some 1,400 soldiers, 200 horses and 400 musicians, as well as a big RAF fly-over. The day will also see 1,500 beacons lit throughout Britain, overseas territories and Commonwealth nations.

3 June
A private Thanksgiving service will be held at St. Paul’s Cathedral, paying tribute to the Queen’s reign.

4 June
The Platinum Party at the Palace will see more than 5,000 street artists, theatre, music and circus performers celebrate 70 years of the Queen’s reign. A live concert at Buckingham Palace will feature some of the world’s top musicians and artists, including George Ezra, with the concert shown on big screens across Britain.

5 June
Visitors will be welcomed to join the Big Jubilee Lunch, with events taking place across Britain, at locations from village greens to specially organised festivals. Windsor is planning the world’s longest picnic table (the minimum would be 500m-long table to seat some 1,600 people). The very long table will run from Cambridge Gate, down the Long Walk towards the Copper Horse, a monumental statue of King George III.

Sequins and pom-poms at the ready. The Platinum Jubilee Pageant will feature some 5000 people from the UK and Commonwealth, bringing a big burst of colour and sound to the streets of London.

Visitor can also rub shoulders with local punters as pub opening will be extended until 1am.

Sandringham House and Balmoral Castle will also be open for visitors to have a look around.

Other events
There’s a host of other events taking place across Britain in 2022 too. The Palace of Holyroodhouse will display a look back at Her Majesty's previous Jubilees, including the outfits, the gems and the jewels worn on each of the Silver, Golden and Diamond celebrations.

Windsor Castle is hosting its own display, including the original Coronation Dress and Robe of Estate worn by The Queen on her accession. It took 12 embroideresses, using 18 different types of gold thread, more than 3,500 hours to complete just the needlework alone.

And in July visitors will be able to explore the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace to see portraits, and diamond tiaras, among other royal items. For something very regal, visitors can enjoy a privately guided tour around the private gardens of the palace, or take a horse drawn carriage around Windsor Great Park under the gaze of the castle, with Windsor Carriages. And if it’s a quick toast to the queen, then visitors could raise a specially created Jubilee golf-leaf-topped champagne cocktail at The Goring, just minutes from Buckingham Palace.

CAROL IS TUNED IN TO THE MUSIC OF CRUISING

Professional musician, Carol Johns

The fine tuning of P&O Cruises Australia’s flagship Pacific Explorer extends to also fine tuning the ship’s five beautiful pianos. 

 

After more than two years of not sounding a note, the onboard pianos needed some special tender loving care from piano tuner Carol Johns. 

 

A professional musician, Carol has a good ear for the music of cruising and so it was for her a labour of love to strike the right note with Pacific Explorer’s pianos. 

 

According to Carol, it takes about two hours to tune a piano properly and she also acknowledged that two years of no playing had taken a toll on Pacific Explorer’s five. 

“After nearly two and a half years, they’ve got themselves to under concert pitch so you have to lift them back up to get them in tune,” Carol said. 

 

“That happens with any piano but it’s exaggerated because of the time and being on a ship is a tough time for a piano. 

“It takes about two hours to tune a piano if you want to make it really beautiful because there are about 88 notes but there are more than 220 strings and they’ve all got to be tuned, some of them more than once.”

During normal operations, piano tuners made regular “ship calls” to P&O Cruises ships but that was impossible during the pause when the fleet was far from their Australian home.

After being carefully tuned by Carol, the pianos will be glad to be home as well.

Sun World Halong Complex: Queen Cable Car officially reopened

Sun World Halong

The entertainment complex of Sun World Halong in Ha Long city has reopened the Queen Cable Car after a long period of suspension due to Covid-19 pandemic.

The entertainment complex of Sun World Halong in Ha Long city has reopened the Queen Cable Car since April 2.

Sun World Halong Complex has resumed the operation of the Queen Cable Car and the entertainment park on Ba Deo mountain on Saturdays and Sundays every week.

On this occasion, Sun World Halong Complex offers a preferential price of only VND 250,000/ticket/adult and VND 200,000/ticket/child of 1m - 1m4 height. Children under 1m height have to pay no fee. Visitors can experience the Queen Cable Car, see the beauty of the heritage bay and have fun at the Mystic Hill.

Visitors must be really excited when coming back to World Halong Complex due to the new landscape beautified by a series of gardens with colorful flowers in full bloom at the moment. Brightening up a corner of the sky are Yellow Yen Tu apricot and sunflower garden. Also, chrysanthemum, jade and countless kinds of tiny flowers are blooming in the cool weather of late spring and early summer.

Tourists to Sun World Halong Complex can experience the Queen cable car to admire the picturesque heritage bay from above, take check- in photos at exquisite sceneries with the brilliant flower carpets that are carefully planted to wait for the return of tourists, enjoy the view of " Japan in miniature" while walking in the Japanese garden, see the red Koi bridge next to unique bonsai shapes and funny Koi aquarium.

They are likely to have fun in the world of slot games at Kido Land indoor amusement park or admire the spiritual complex of Bao Hai Linh Thong Tu as well.

Such experiences are sure to leave a distinct impression on every tourist to this complex.

By Dieu Huong
Source: english.baoquangninh.com.vn - April 6, 2022
Tags: #Sun World Halong, #Queen Cable Car, #Ha Long city,

The Holiday and Travel Magazine
https://theholidayandtravelmagazine.blogspot.com.au

Vietnam National Administration of Tourism
https://vietnamtourism.gov.vn/english/

Kagurazaka: Where Japanese Tradition meets French Chic

Photo © AC Photo

This is a small stylish neighbourhood close to Shinjuku which was once a lively geisha district. These days, with cobbled streets, chic shops, French schools and French restaurants, Kagurazaka is better known as Tokyo's little Paris. Stroll the quiet backstreets and you'll still find signs of the area's geisha heritage.

Explore Kagurazaka

Neighbor to bustling Shinjuku, head to Kagurazaka and discover the discreet charms of one of Tokyo's oldest neighborhoods. Lined with traditional craft and souvenir shops, restaurants and sellers of Japanese confectioneries, the area's main sloping street once marked the outskirts of Edo Castle. Kagurazaka is a former prominent geisha entertainment district and remnants of this fascinating culture exist in its cobbled backstreets today.

General Tips

• To navigate its cobbled pavements and sloped streets, comfortable shoes are a must
• Kagurazaka boasts the largest concentration of French restaurants in Tokyo
• Visit the area at dusk and you may be lucky enough to see a geisha

1) Your journey begins here
Kagurazaka Station
Reach Kagurazaka Station via the Tokyo Metro Tozai Line and head to Exit 2.
1 min

2 Design is holy
Akagi-jinja Shrine
Kengo Kuma's touch is also apparent at this Shinto holy site, which the architect modernized in 2010. Pay your respects and admire the latticed wood and steel-plate roofing that mimics traditional yamato-buki tiling before heading off for some lunch.
3 mins

3) Where European charm and Japanese culture meet
French dining
Home to much of the French expat community, Kagurazaka is one of the best places in Tokyo to dine francais. You'll find everything from French pastries to backstreet bistros, along with Japan's first creperie and Michelin-starred restaurants.
3 mins

4) A taste of Kyoto's Gion in Tokyo
Kakurenbo Yokocho
Especially alluring at dusk, Kagurazaka's cobbled backstreets speak of the area's past. Wander this winding alleyway, lined with discreet high-end restaurants, to capture the essence of this former geisha district.
2 mins

5) A symbol of the neighborhood
Bishamonten Zenkoku-ji Temple
Veer back to the main street of Kagurazaka and you'll see the commanding red pillars of Bishamonten Zenkoku-ji Temple in your sights. Founded by shogun Ieyasu Tokugawa and relocated to its current location in the late 18th century, this temple is a Kagurazaka hub.

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Community-based tourism thriving in Ninh Thuan

The south-central province of Ninh Thuan has recently seen positive changes in community-based tourism, with local people strengthening their investment and turning agricultural fields into tourism sites to attract more visitors.

One young Cham ethnic, Quang Ngoc Nhien, in Phuoc Dan town in Ninh Phuoc district, has turned his muddy fields into fragrant lotus ponds. During the peak season, the pink lotus flowers show off their beauty under the bright sun, attracting visitors from far and wide.

In addition to sightseeing and snapping photos, visitors can also enjoy tea and dishes made from lotus, while learning more about the life and music of the Cham ethnic people in Ninh Thuan.

In a bid to utilise the beauty of the rural coastline and attract more tourists, Nguyen Thai Lai from Ninh Hai district started painting murals on the walls of local households next to romantic Thi Nai Lagoon.

Visitors to the Hon Thien mural village also have the chance to experience other tourism activities, such as hiking out to watch the sunrise, enjoying fresh seafood, and learning about local culture. Such services have brought in extra income for local people while promoting the strengths of indigenous culture.

Ninh Thuan has set a target of welcoming 1.9 tourists this year. It will step up the mobilisation of resources and ideas from organisations and individuals to invest in tourism in general and community-based tourism in particular, creating new tourism products to meet the increasing needs of visitors.
Source: VNA - en.vietnamplus.vn- April 3, 2022
Tags: #Ninh Thuan, #community-based tourism,

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Vietnam National Administration of Tourism
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