Pu Mat National Park and the Pu Huong and Pu Hoat nature reserves are the core zones of the UNESCO-recognized Western Nghe An Biosphere Reserve, at 1.3 million hectares the largest such reserve in Southeast Asia. The park, whose name means high slope in the language of the Thai tribe, is located in the southwest of Nghe An Province along the border with Laos and extends from the crest of the Truong Son Range down [...]

Ho Chi Minh City’s urban planner has completed a study to introduce walking streets into the city’s downtown in an effort to restrict personal vehicle use, Tuoi Tre quoted an official as saying Tuesday. According to Huynh Xuan Thu, director of the HCMC Department of Planning and Architecture’s Center for Zoning Information, the popular “backpackers’ area” in District 1, where many expats and tourists gather, is among the three areas targeted by the study as [...]

The Consulate General of Japan, together with the municipal Youth Cultural House, organized the Vietnam-Japan festive day in HCM city on November 13. The annual event attracted more than 1,000 people including young people and students aiming to promote cultural exchanges and mutual understanding between Japan and Vietnam. Diverse traditional activities were held during the event including coloring Japanese paintings, introducing Japanese culinary arts and exploring study opportunities in Japan.

The Super Star Aquarius cruise ship, bringing 2,100 foreign tourists, from Hong Kong, China docked at Chan May port in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue on November 14. While in Hue, visitors visited Ancient Hue relics complex and enjoyed Hue Royal Court Music. This was the first time they had taken a long tour of Vietnam from Ha Long Bay in the northern province of Quang Ninh to the central city of Da Nang.

A US$3-million restoration project will be carried out by Indian experts at My Son Relics Complex, which is recognized by UNESCO as a world cultural heritage site in central Vietnam. According to the Relic Management of Quang Nam Province, the project is supported by India’s government as well as experienced Indian architects and archaeologists. The project, part of several activities in celebration of Vietnam-India Friendship Year 2012 that commemorates the 40th anniversary of the two [...]

The joy at Vietnam’s Ha Long Bay entering the temporary list of the seven new wonders of nature has been tempered by concerns the high profile could see an unmanageable spurt in tourism, damaging the world heritage site. The announcement that it is on the temporary list is based on first counting of global votes on Friday. It sparked celebrations all over the country. Local tourism firms said it would be a boost for the [...]

What’s wrong with Ec 10? The dozens of Harvard University undergrads who walked out of the school’s famous introductory economics course this month think they know.The students’ general criticism is that Ec 10, in which some 700 students are enrolled, “espouses a specific — and limited — view of economics.” Their specific criticisms are that economics as taught in this class, formally called Economics 10, failed to prevent the financial crisis and does nothing to [...]

The United States urged Asia to do more to stimulate global growth to offset the eurozone crisis, ahead of a summit in Hawaii where Washington is seeking to shape the rules for the emerging Pacific region.After hosting a meeting of Asia-Pacific finance ministers, US Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner said talks had been dominated by how to make growth more balanced and sustainable in the future, given the crisis in Europe.

FPT Securities Joint-Stock Co., a brokerage unit of FPT Corp. (FPT), Vietnam’s biggest publicly traded telecommunication and software company, canceled its share listing scheduled for next month amid a stock-market slump.

Vietnam on Tuesday granted the license of one of the most sought-after land lots in Ho Chi Minh City’s downtown to the German Embassy to build the base of all German organizations in the city.