Category: Blog

How to use US dollars and withdraw cash from ATMs in Vinh City

Using US dollars in Vietnam, especially in Vinh City, has some limitations. However, we will provide you with some useful information for your reference:

1. Using US dollars in Vietnam:

   • Limitations: The US dollar is not the official currency in Vietnam. Therefore, not all places accept payment in US dollars.
   • Places where you can use it:
     • Gold shops: Some gold shops may buy or exchange US dollars, but the exchange rate may vary depending on the shop.

2. Withdrawing cash from ATMs in Vinh City:

   • Types of cards: You can withdraw cash at ATMs in Vinh City using domestic ATM cards or international cards (Visa, Mastercard, JCB…).
   • Banks: Major banks in Vietnam such as Vietcombank, Vietinbank, Agribank, Techcombank… have extensive ATM networks throughout Vinh City.
   • Fees: When withdrawing cash with an international card, you will incur some fees such as foreign ATM withdrawal fees and currency conversion fees.

3. Exchanging currency:

   • Banks: This is the safest and most reliable place to exchange currency. You can bring US dollars in cash to banks to exchange for Vietnamese dong.
   • Gold shops: As mentioned above, some gold shops also offer currency exchange services, but the exchange rate may not be as favorable as at banks.
   • Foreign exchange counters: In some tourist areas, you may find foreign exchange counters. However, you should choose reputable places to avoid risks.

Note:

• Exchange rates: Exchange rates can fluctuate daily. You should check the exchange rate before making a transaction.
• Fees: Be sure to understand all the fees associated with exchanging currency or withdrawing cash from ATMs to avoid unexpected costs.
• Safety: When carrying a large amount of cash, you should be careful to keep it safe and avoid exposing your personal belongings.

Tips:

• Carry an adequate amount of Vietnamese dong: This will be convenient for shopping and paying for services locally.
• Notify your bank: Before traveling, you should notify your bank of your plans to use your card to avoid having your card blocked.
• Use banking apps: Many banks now offer mobile apps that allow you to monitor your account and make transactions easily.

For more information, please contact Vinh Guru.

Pu Mat National Park: A Hidden Gem in the Heart of Nghe An

Pu Mat National Park, with its rich biodiversity, cultural experiences, and conservation efforts, is a must-visit for those seeking to connect with nature.

If you’re seeking an escape from the hustle and bustle of city life and yearn to immerse yourself in pristine nature, Pu Mat National Park is your ultimate destination. Nestled deep within the Truong Son Mountain range, Pù Mát is a breathtaking masterpiece of nature, adorned with lush forests, winding rivers, and majestic mountains.

A Glimpse into History and Significance

The name “Pu Mat” translates to “high slopes” in the Thai language, aptly describing the region’s distinctive topography. Established in 2001, Pu Mat National Park serves as a vital sanctuary for countless rare and endangered flora and fauna, making it a treasure trove of biodiversity.

Location and How to Get There

• Location: Situated in western Nghệ An Province, Pù Mát spans across three districts: Anh Sơn, Con Cuông, and Tương Dương.
• Getting There:
  • By Air: Fly to Vinh Airport (Nghe An) and rent a car or join a tour organized by Vinh Guru Tours to reach Pu Mat.
  • By Bus: Take a bus from other provinces to Vinh, then continue your journey to Pu Mat by bus or motorbike taxi

Climate and Best Time to Visit

Pu Mat boasts a tropical monsoon climate with distinct seasons. The ideal time to visit is from October to April when the weather is cool, pleasant, and less rainy.

Exploring Untouched Beauty

• Explore the rich ecosystem of the primeval forest

• Pu Mat is celebrated for its abundant biodiversity, boasting 2,494 plant species, of which 70 are classified as endangered, representing 2.81% of the overall ecosystem. Additionally, it shelters 132 animal species, notably elephants and tigers, and is also home to 361 bird species, of which 287 are listed in the Vietnam Red Book. 

  Amidst this lush landscape, visitors will encounter a diverse array of wildlife and rare flora, including Gaoligong and silver pheasants, argali, saola, monkeys, black gibbons, and serows, as well as gastrodia, fleeceflower root, cinnamon, and reishi mushrooms.

• Boating on Giang River
  

• Drifting along the peaceful Giang River on a small boat offers a serene experience, allowing you to admire the stunning mountain ranges and verdant forests.
• Visit Khe Kem Waterfall

• Khe Kem Waterfall stands as a highlight among Pu Mat attractions. Amidst the park’s breathtaking natural beauty, this majestic waterfall, towering up to 150 meters, promises to immerse visitors in a stunning paradise. The pristine waters cascading down from high cliffs form a picturesque backdrop, perfect for photography.

  Some adventurous souls even dare to take a refreshing plunge into the cool waters, making this experience enjoyable during the summer months. Furthermore, you can explore nearby caves to enhance your wonderful experience.

• Cultural Exploration:
• Pu Mat National Park is home to a diverse community of ethnic groups, including Thai, Kho Mu, H’mong, Dan Lai, Poong, and O Du. This rich cultural mosaic infuses the park with vibrant traditions, from traditional musical instruments and brocade textiles to a distinctive culinary heritage. Visitors can join locals in fishing on the Giang River or engage in cultural activities like bamboo dancing, Lam Vong dancing, and sipping rice wine.

• Take a boat ride along Giang River

• When visiting Pu Mat, visitors should not miss the chance to experience a boat ride along the stunning Giang River. They can also join locals in casting nets to catch fish in this river, then grill the fish on glowing red charcoal stoves to enjoy with friends and family.

  The Giang River boasts not only clear and beautiful water but also a diverse array of fish species. Its picturesque and romantic scenery is ideal for leisurely sightseeing cruises, where many tourists have captured stunning photos to cherish their memorable experiences.

• Go trekking in Pu Mat National Park

  Trekking tours in Pu Mat typically journey through iconic sites like the Giang River. Along this trek, adventurers will be captivated by the breathtaking and serene mountain landscapes. They will also have the chance to experience the vibrant cultural and culinary traditions of the local communities, making for a truly enriching and challenging adventure.

Vinh Guru Tours: Your Partner in Adventure

For a seamless and unforgettable Pù Mát adventure, consider joining a tour organized by Vinh Guru Tours. With years of experience in the tourism industry, Vinh Guru Tours offers a variety of well-crafted itineraries to cater to diverse preferences.

Pu Mat is more than just an ecological destination; it’s a cultural treasure trove. A visit to Pu Mat offers a unique opportunity to reconnect with nature, immerse yourself in a diverse ecosystem, and experience the warmth of local communities.

Traveling to Vietnam can be an exciting adventure, but the language barrier and unfamiliarity can be daunting. To ensure a smooth and enjoyable trip, here are six essential apps every traveler should install:

• Grab: Known as the Uber of Southeast Asia, Grab allow you to book a scooter or car to get around the country. Simply enter your starting and ending points, and the app calculates the fare automatically. Payments can be made by credit card or cash.

• Zalo: This is a popular messaging app in Vietnam. If you meet new Vietnamese friends and want to stay in touch, Zalo is a must-have.

• Facebook: Almost all establishments in Vietnam have a presence on Facebook, making it easy to ask questions or find information.

• Google Translate: Arguably the most useful app for understanding written Vietnamese. You can even download the Vietnamese language pack in advance to translate offline.

• TripAdvisor: Excellent for reading reviews of hotels, tours, popular sites, and restaurants.

• Google Maps: Perfect for navigating unfamiliar streets, Google Maps is ideal for those who prefer exploring on foot or bike. Its intuitive interface lets you mark locations, plan routes, and even share them with others. Plus, the satellite map feature offers a detailed view of your surroundings. Like Google Translate, you can download

By installing these apps, you’ll be well-prepared to navigate and enjoy your time in Vietnam.’

Muong Long Commune (Ky Son) is considered the “heaven gate” of Western Nghe An. Muong Long is located in a valley on a mountain peak nearly 1,500m above sea level in the Truong Son range, near the border with Laos. The road to the commune starts from Muong Xen town, Ky Son district, Nghe An province, stretching over 50km of dirt road along small passes, then passing through the “heaven gate” called “Muong Long heaven gate” because of the cool, gentle climate, and chilly nights.

Due to its high altitude, the climate is always cool all year round, so Muong Long is likened to “a Da Lat in the middle of the scorching Central region” or “a Sapa in the middle of the white sand Central region”. The reason is that although Muong Long valley is located in the sweeping range of Lao winds, at a high altitude, it is sheltered by the surrounding high mountains, so the climate in the summer is very cool. The mountain peaks here are covered with clouds all year round, and a day has 4 types of weather: Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter.

The climate at the “heaven’s gate” is cool all year round and lower than the plains. This place is an ideal destination for adventure seekers. On weekends and holidays, many groups travel more than 250 km from Vinh City and Ha Tinh to come here. Besides the flower valley, Muong Long Heaven’s Gate is one of the beautiful cloud hunting spots in Nghe An with an extremely romantic and magical scene. When you set foot here, you will immediately feel overwhelmed by the sea of ​​clouds and wind. Clouds blend with flowers, flowers play with wild grass in the typical cold of the mountains, all will make you want to soar with the poetic beauty.

Persimmon season Muong Long

The road up the mountain is winding and shaded by cool green trees. The fresh, cool climate will always make you feel refreshed and full of energy. The people in the village are also very gentle, friendly, always ready to help and guide you to explore this place.

If you enjoy camping,make sure to secure your overnight spot with a clear view the previous afternoon. After a night’s rest, remember to wake up at dawn, this will be the best time to hunt clouds. If you do not have enough camping experience, try to wake up when it is still foggy.  It will take about 30 minutes to an hour to reach Muong Long, so plan to leave early to catch the most beautiful moments.

When traveling from Mường Xén to Mường Lống, be sure not to miss the stunning moments along the way. Take a moment to stop, snap a few photos, and you’ll be captivated by the majestic beauty of nature here.

If you go with a group of friends and family, it will be fun to light a campfire, grill food and watch the stars in a peaceful place like Muong Long. Beautiful scenery, pleasant weather, delicious food, what could be better than a peaceful vacation like that!

After enjoying the beautiful sunset, you can continue to explore Muong Long by visiting the villages of the local people here. The slow, peaceful pace of life with friendly people will help you feel peace in your soul. You can immerse yourself in the cultural identity when visiting the tea hills of Pha Sac village, or visit the gardens and ponds of the people…

One experience you should try when coming here is to explore the mountains and forests, check in and experience the sweet rose garden. Although the persimmon tree is not native to the area, it thrives in the climate of this border district. The branches are laden with fruit, and the yellow ones are still a bit astringent; visitors should only eat the ripe, red, and soft ones for the sweetest taste. Picking persimmons is a popular activity, along with taking stunning photos in the garden. In addition to enjoying the fruit, many tourists love to buy branches heavy with persimmons to take home for decoration.

However, because it is hidden in the mountains and forests, the road to Muong Long is quite difficult to travel. Therefore, if you are not good at finding your way, choose to travel on a tour so as not to miss the opportunity to explore the Muong Long Nghe An Heaven Gate. 

Vinh Guru will help you adventure and discover wonderful experiences.

The Mid-Autumn Festival is an important traditional holiday in East Asian cultures, especially in Chinese culture and East Asian countries such as Vietnam, Korea, and Japan. The Mid-Autumn Festival is also known by different names such as Tsukimi in Japan and Chuseok in Korea.

In Vietnam, the Mid-Autumn Festival is also related to the legend of Banh Deo and Cuoi. The story tells of Cuoi and the banyan tree unexpectedly flying to the moon and meeting Hang.

The Mid-Autumn Festival is also an occasion for families to reunite, express gratitude, enjoy the moon and give gifts to each other, especially children. Today, the Mid-Autumn Festival still retains its traditional cultural value and is still enjoyed and memories  each year.

Learn about Mid-Autumn Festival of the past  and present

 Mooncakes

The old mooncakes are rich in cultural flavors, made from familiar and simple ingredients such as mung beans, pork, lime leaves, peanuts, and sesame seeds for the filling. Traditional mooncakes are handcrafted by the skillful hands of people.

Nowadays, mooncakes are made with more beautiful designs. 

Changes in Mooncakes: Modern mooncakes not only include traditional types such as sticky cakes, baked cake but also feature a variety of new, rich, and innovative creations to meet the tastes and demands of consumers.

Go out for the Mid-Autumn Festival

The old Mid-Autumn Festival, under the full moon shining through the bamboo groves, was the bustling, boisterous sound of drums and lion dances. Children from the neighborhood would spread mats in the yard, with a few simple rustic gifts sitting together to enjoy the moon-watching feast.

Nowadays, there are many places for people or families to go together to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival such as: shopping malls, parks, lantern streets decorated with sparkling and magical lights. Participation of Companies and Enterprises: Nowadays, many companies and enterprises organize events, cultural programs and charity activities on the occasion of the Mid-Autumn Festival, contributing to creating a vibrant atmosphere and creating conditions for everyone to participate and have fun.

Mid-Autumn Festival Toys

Characteristics of the old Mid-Autumn Festival image. About 20 years ago, the image of star lanterns, drums, lanterns made from beer cans, milk cans, masks of characters in Journey to the Tay Du Ky, etc. were very familiar every Mid-Autumn Festival. And then, the children followed each other to carry lanterns, follow the lion dance troupe around the village, play blind man’s buff, hide and seek, dragon and snake up to the clouds, sing nursery rhymes, etc. Every time the occasion came, the children looked forward to the time to light the lanterns to go out and show off to their friends.

Today’s Mid-Autumn Festival does not require much effort to make, Mid-Autumn Festival toys are available on the market. There are no longer paper lanterns with candles inside, instead there are battery-operated lanterns that play music and have a variety of character designs.

Mid-Autumn Festival Tray

In the traditional Mid-Autumn Festival tray, there are usually 5 different types of fruit with the common symbolic meaning of the five elements: grapefruit, persimmon, banana; a pair of moon cakes, sticky rice cakes and some simple candies, but they are arranged by mothers and sisters very meticulously, skillfully and simply, making everyone happy and bustling.

Nowadays, Mid-Autumn Festival trays have been “modernized” more than before with many different types of domestic and foreign candies. Not only grapefruit, persimmon, banana… but also many more diverse types of fruit, more colorful. Therefore, today’s Mid-Autumn Festival trays are more brilliant and sparkling than before.

Although the Mid-Autumn Festival today has changed a lot to suit modern life, traditional cultural values ​​are still preserved and promoted. This is still an occasion for families to reunite, children to play and everyone to enjoy the typical dishes of this holiday.

Do you have any special memories of the Mid-Autumn Festival in Vietnam? Please share with us!

BEFORE NATIONAL DAY, HOT TREND OF CREATING THE NATIONAL FLAG ON HOUSES

On September 2nd, the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (now the Socialist Republic of Vietnam) was born. On this occasion, a nationwide trend has emerged across the three regions of the country. People are decorating their homes with the national flag of the country, expressing their  love for the nation.

The national flag on houses is becoming a hot trend with countless series of photos posted by many fanpages and forums attracting hundreds of thousands of likes and hearts. In recent days, photos from all over the three regions of the North – Central – South show that many people have created large-sized Vietnamese flags on their own houses, from the roof to the large doors.

The love for the country of Vietnam is not only expressed through its culture, people, and destinations, but also through the smallest actions of the Vietnamese people, through the shape of the national flag.

Vietnam is a very peaceful and beautiful destination, and you should have an experience in our country. We will take you to explore the many places of Vietnam.

In particular, you should visit Vinh – Nghe An. Although Vinh – Nghe An is not as well-known for its famous tourist attractions as Da Nang, Quang Binh, Hue, Nha Trang, and others, this land is the homeland of President Ho Chi Minh – the person who found the path to save the country and gave birth to the nation of Vietnam.

By coming here, you will be able to experience the cultural essence of the people of Nghe An, visit historical sites of Vietnam, discover the experiences of the local people, and explore the beautiful mountain landscapes of the western region of Nghe An.

In Nghe An, the roofs are dotted with bright red flags on the tiled roofs, seen from above.

“The trend of painting  the national flag in Nghe An responds to the patriotic spirit towards National Day September 2nd”.

Let’s admire some updated images of the national flag on the roofs of Vietnam

If you have the opportunity to visit the beautiful homeland of Nghe An, please contact Vinh Guru. We will help your journey be wonderful.

Vinh Guru Tours & Events

Address: No.110, Phan Chu Trinh, Vinh City, Nghe An Province

Hotline: +8497 1900 990

Email: Vinhgurutours@gmail.com

Website: vinhgurutours.com

Tripadvisor link: https://www.tripadvisor.com.vn/Attraction_Review-g1554764…

We hope you find it easy to use with tips and top things to do in vinhgurutours.com

How was your trip to Vinh city? Was it a great experience? Or are you struggling to find a tourist destination in Vinh, remember to contact Vinh Guru to advise on your itinerary to help you have the most perfect trip!

1. Lap Vinh – Banh Mi & Banh Bao

If you come to Vinh city, Nghe An, you should try Banh Mi at Lap Vinh – Banh Mi & Banh Bao once. Banh Mi at Lap Vinh is not only famous for its delicious taste but also wins customers’ hearts thanks to its reasonable price and guaranteed food hygiene and safety.

This Banh Mi shop is always crowded, there are a few other shops along this road but they are not as good. Banh Mi at Lap Vinh is made from hot, crispy bread, filled with char siu, pate, eggs, herbs… and  meticulously processed to ensure the bread is crispy and the filling is full of flavor.

Lap Vinh- Banh Mi are filled with minced pork, mushrooms, eggs, onions and natural spices. The buns are wrapped in soft bread crust and steamed to retain moisture and delicious taste.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Address: 270 Nguyen Van Cu, Vinh City, Nghe A

Opening hours: 06:00 – 22:00

2. Sticky Rice at Post Office

You can visit the sticky rice stalls at Vinh Post Office

Here they sell a lot of food such as sticky rice, vermicelli, chicken porridge, eel soup,… However, we recommend you to try the sticky rice here.

Sticky rice is made from sticky rice, fragrant and soft, eaten with meat, spring rolls or fried eggs. A dish with traditional Vietnamese flavors for many generations

Stalls at to sell until 2:00 am

3. Cháo Canh

Cháo Canh (thick rice porridge) at the City Gate in Vinh City is an extremely famous local specialty. In fact, it ranks in the top 10 best Cháo Canh restaurants in the city. Every visitor to the area simply can’t resist the allure of this delightful dish.

The price range for a bowl of Cháo Canh here is only 15,000 – 20,000 VND. Though the restaurant has been around for a long time, the fragrant, slightly spicy, and subtly sweet flavor of the cháo canh remains an indelible memory in the hearts of all who try it. In addition to the delicious broth and chewy homemade noodles, the porridge here is also served with hot fried bread. The flavor of the fried bread mixed with the rich sweet porridge will make everyone unforgettable.

If you visit the City Gate in Vinh, you should also try some of the other local specialties like grilled corn, bánh lọc (a type of steamed dumpling), and grilled potatoes.

4. Grilled Skewers at Vinh University

Go straight on Le Duan Street, Vinh University, you can see eye-catching grilled skewer stalls. You can freely choose the delicious food you want, the stall staff will grill it and you just have to wait a few minutes for the delicious food to be displayed on the table.

You should invite a few friends to go with you, it will be very fun.

Don’t worry, the stalls here close late until 5:00 am the next morning.

Above are suggestions for late night food. You can refer to our Vinh and around tour to have a great experience when coming to Vinh.