Passage to Vietnam - back to Vietnamese origins |Among hundreds of tourism sites around the country, one stands out for what it represents – the original version of what we call the agricultural-based Vietnam – the complex of eco-tourism and craft village Mot Thoang Viet Nam (Passage to Vietnam) in HCMC’s Cu Chi district.
Starting from a war tortured landscape of about 19.6 hectares of wetland with 700,000 cubic meters of debris and sand poured in, the site now includes an 8-kilomter road and 53 buildings alongside thousands of species of plants. The investors scoured the country for over a decade collecting historical relics showcasing the four millennia history of Vietnam and craftsmen of forgotten traditional craft villages. All the painstaking efforts have been fruitful with the step-by-step formation of the site including a series of linking sections introducing tourists to the most featured items and displays of Vietnam. Following a guide to the site, tourists will see relics considered rich as any national museum in the country and traditional craft villages with craftsmen performing their skillful operations in papermaking, pottery, jewelry making and weaving. These villages sell their products at shops that will surely attract visitors on the way to exploring the peaceful, green area. Traditionalists can find authentic houses of each region of Vietnam with their interesting characteristics. Nga told the Daily she wanted to create a private space with a traditional atmosphere in which young Vietnamese could feel the sacredness of the term ‘fatherland’ and learn how their ancestors sacrificed their lives for the preservation of their culture. The place inspires even foreigners to pay their respects to Vietnam. Located about 50 kilometers from the center of HCMC, tourists who want to pay a visit to the well-known Cu Chi Tunnels can go 10 kilometers further on the same route to arrive at the green-carpeted site that is worth at least a day of exploring the real Vietnam on a smaller scale. VietNamNet/SGT News for Tuesday 29 September, 2009 View all news for Tuesday 29 September, 2009 on one page Recent News
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