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Start: Penang
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Thailand
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Cambodia
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Vietnam
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Arrival:
Hainan
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Kek Lok Si, Air Itam
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Khaosan
Rd., Bangkok
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Angkor Wat, Siem Reap
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Imperial Palace, Hue
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Forum for Asia, Boao
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PREAMBLE
The first part of the
expedition (November 2002) was to travel over land from Penang
(Malaysia) to four Asean countries (Thailand,
Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos) covering a distance of
about 5,800 km. Total time on the move was 123
hours within 17 days. The second part of the
journey (October 2003) was to continue from Halong Bay City (east of Hanoi) to Sanya
(Hainan Island southern most city), host to the Miss World pageant for three
consecutive years, 2003, 2004 and 2005, a world record
indeed. The distance covered was 450 km on
land and 4 1/2 hours on ferry.
In
the case for the writer, it's a dream comes
through: to travel to his ancestral home in Hainan
by land, from Penang. The information contained in this
article therefore focus Hainan as the final destination.
For that he hopes to share his experience and establish a
networking relationship in culture, economic and common interest amongst
the adventurers in general and Hainanese in particular....
contact: jshai@ode.com.my |
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THE
EXPEDITION The EXPEDITION
started from the Butterworth railway station in Penang
(Malaysia) by train to Bangkok. From Bangkok the EXPEDITION
took another local train that brought them to Aranyaprathet
(Thailand), a Thai-Cambodia border town. We passed a night at the
town before heading for Siem Reap (Cambodia ) by van the
following morning. While in Siem Reap, one must visit
Angkor Wat heritage site where the Angkor Empire
ruled the region for nearly 400 years in the
early 10th century. We landed in the heart
of Phnom Penh city after the 5 hours speed boat
ride that cut across Lake Tonle Sab. Phom
Penh locates precisely where Tonle Sab River and
Mekong River meet. A
Malaysian-Vietnam joint venture company operates
a bus service between Phnom Penh and Ho Chi Minh
City (Vietnam). In Vietnam we joined a unique tourist bus operator. We bought a
one way ticket that will enable us to travel from Ho
Chi Minh City in the south to Hanoi in the north
with stopovers and hotel accommodation at our own
choice. The two cities are 1,800 km
apart. Stopovers are optional at Nha Trang
(beach resort), Hoi An (ancient seaport), Hue
(capital of Vietnam from 1802 to 1945).
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From
Penang to Hainan by land |
Route:
Penang > Bangkok > Siem
Reap > Phnom Penh > Ho
Chi Minh City > Hue >
Hanoi > Hainan |
|
Halong Bay, located east of Hanoi, is a World
Natural Heritage site. Passengers will see
one of the most spectacular sea landscape in the
world, with 1960 islands within an area of 1550
square km.
The
200 meters concrete bridge links the immigration
posts at Mong Cai (Vietnam) and Dong Xing
(China). Beihai, a sea port cum holiday
resort in Guangxi Province, is 190 km from the
border. From here another 5 hours bus ride will
bring you to Hai An, a sea port at the southern
most tip peninsula in China. There! Haikou
(Hainan) is just on the opposite site:
linked by a 90-minutes ferry ship ride, the
final destination at last!
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MALAYSIA |
FACTS
ABOUT MALAYSIA |
Capital:
Kuala Lumpur; Land
Area: 330,000 sq.
km.; Population:
24 million (2004);
Currency: Ringgit;
Exchange Rate: US$1.00 =3.80 Ringgit
(2005); Major
Industries: electronic and
electrical goods, textiles,
garments, footwear, chemicals,
petroleum, wood and metal products,
rubber; Major
Export: electronic and electric
machinery, petroleum and LNG,
textiles, garments, footwear, palm
oil, sawn timber;
Major Import: manufacturing inputs,
machinery and transport equipment,
metal product |
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CLIMATE
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Temp C 26 27 29 30 29 28 27 28 27 27 27 26
days rain 1 1 2 6 14 15 16 16 19 17 9 4
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GEORGETOWN
(PENANG)
Penang (1045 square
km.) consists of the island and the coastal
strip on the mainland where Butterworth is
located. The two are linked by the 13.5 km
Penang Bridge and a 24-hour ferry service.
The British ruled Penang from 1786 to
1957. The various buildings, the many
western food outlets and historical sites in the
heart of the city are testimonial of the
colonial master's influence in Penang.
Georgetown is the site for the economic,
cultural, political and educational
activities. Many places of tourist
attractions are found here. The city
also boasts the multi-culture where various
religious temples, churches and mosques co-exist
side by side. |
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<<
The
Butterworth-Bangkok
international train
leaves Butterworth daily at 1340 hour and
arrives in Bangkok at
0930 hour (local time: 1030
hour) with stop-over at Malaysian-Thailand border town, Padang Besar
for immigration clearance. The
journey takes about 21 hours with
dinner served at 1830 hour after
take off from Hatyai, southern
Thailand biggest city and 935 km south of
Bangkok. |
Train
fare is RM100.00 for single journey
(air-conditioned) |
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THAILAND |
FACTS
ABOUT THAILAND |
Capital:
Bangkok;
Land Area: 513,000 sq. km
(156% of
Malaysia);
Population: 65 million
(2004);
Currency: Baht;
Exchange Rate: US$1.00 = 40
Baht (2005);
Major Industries: electronic,
gems and jewelry,
footwear, textiles,
garments,
vehicles;
Major Export: textiles,
computer and components, gems
and jewelry,
footwear;
Major Import: industrial
machinery, iron and steel,
electrical, machinery and
parts, chassis and body |
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CLIMATE
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Temp C 26 27 29 30 29 28 27 28 27 27 27 26
days rain 1 1 2 6 14 15 16 16 19 17 9 4
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<<
From
Bangkok the EXPEDITION
catched the 1310 hour
train and arrived in Aranyaprathet
(Thailand-Cambodia border town) at 1820
hour. |
|
Members of the EXPEDITION
from left Lim
Gin Hai, Sim Eng Lim, Lee Song
Cheong, Lee Sin Ee, Cheng Gaik Khoon
and Jee Say Hai, the writer, taken in front of
ARAN GARDEN HOTEL 2 of
110 Rai-u-thit Road, Aranyaprathet
Sra Kaew. Tel: 037-231070,
231837 |
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Across the border is
Poipet (Cambodia) where 6 modern
casino hotels
made up this town. Here one can
witness the vast difference between
the rich
and the poor, the modern and the old traditional way
of live. There is no visa requirement for
Malaysian entering Cambodia. The photo was taken
outside the Thailand and Cambodian
immigration points which were housed side
by side. The background is Cambodian
landmark, an Angkor Wat structure. |
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CAMBODIA
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FACT
ABOUT CAMBODIA |
Capital:
Phnom Penh; Land
Area: 181,000 sq. km (55% of
Malaysia);
Population: 14 million
(2004); Currency:
Riel; Exchange Rate:
US$1.00=4,000 Riel
(2002); Major
Industries: textiles, garments,
beverage, food and wood
processing Major
Export: textiles, garments, sawn wood,
wood furniture and
rubber; Major
Import: transport equipment,
machinery, manufactured goods, food
and chemical |
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CLIMATE
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Temp C 26 27 29 30 29 28 27 28 27 27 27 26
days rain 1 1 2 6 14 15 16 16 19 17 9 4
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BUMPY
JOURNEY The
distance from Poipet to Siem Reap is about 120 km.
However travelers must not expect to reach the
destination in less than 5 hours! If you are unlucky
traveling on a van with a malfunction air-conditioner
you may take off your shirt to enjoy the natural
breeze! But let's be fore warned: your exposed
body may likely turn into a writing pad!
This earth road runs most part of the route,
manoeuvring along many port holes and crossing over
many damaged wooden bridges. Paddy cultivation
has been Cambodia main economic activity, in
particularly during the Angkorian Civilization.
So it is no surprise to find paddy field along the
route.
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Cambodia
used to be one of the most important rice
producers in Asia and able to support itself
from its own natural resources. The Mekong
River, which flows through its plain, is
one of the great river of the world and the
third-longest in Asia. The river, with numerous
tributaries flows slowly and majestically
through the Cambodia plain . It has
influenced the way of life of the people and its
history. Given Cambodia time the past glory
may re-surface.
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Photo from left: |
>
> Gateway
To Cambodia: On
Cambodia soil –modern replica of the Angkor Wat is
in the background; hand carts are common sight –
they are used to transport goods as well as people. |
> > The Rich And The
Poor: Cambodia
have 6 modern casino hotels – foreground: Holiday
Palace; further is Grand Diamond City, Tropicana Hotel |
> > Paddy Field:
This
is paddy field which greets you all the way. It
stretches for over 40 km along the route to the next
town, Sisophon and from there continues for another 80
km. before you arrive at Siem Reap |
>
> An Accident: The road is dual carriage; if you meet with an
accident the carriage turn into one; you can not u-turn
if you are in the queue; a tractor is waiting for you
to pull your vehicle through the muddy stretch, at a
charge of course! |
> > Journey Of
Dust: This earth road is
considered good except that you do not follow closely
behind a running vehicle! There are swellings
and irregularities on the road surface along the route
and you need a good driving skill to cross the many
damaged wooden bridges! |
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SIEM
REAP
Siem Reap is the town next to
Angkor Wat. The main activity of this town is to
provide accommodation, food, transport and tour
services to the travelers to Angkor Wat and other
temples in the vicinity. Siem
Reap town: 7 km to airport – 12km to Lake Tonle Sap
ferry terminal – 7 km to Angkor Wat. |
|
Route
to Siem Reap: |
1.By
air from Phnom Penh. (30 minutes) |
2.By
bus from Poipet (at Thailand-Cambodia border) (7
hours) |
3.
By boat from Battambang (3 hour by road to Poipet) (4
hours) |
4.
By boat from Phnom Penh (6 hours) |
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< <
Left : Siem Reap wet market where the locals do
their morning chores |
|
< <
Right : The main road cut across the town and lead
to the entrance of Angkor Wat site. |
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ANGKOR
WAT (CAMBODIA)
While in
Siem Reap the EXPEDITION visited one of the seven wanders of
the World, the Angkor Wat heritage site, where the Angkor
Empire ruled the region for nearly 400 years in the early
10th century. |
|
Remains
of what is commonly referred to as the
Angkorian civilisation can be found in
Cambodia, Thailand and Laos. The site of
Angkor, which served as capital city from
the 9th century until 1431, includes about 50 monuments
and spread
over 230 square km. With time nature
has taken over the temples, reducing some
of them to ruins. Angkor, with all
its mysteries and unsolved questions
arouses one's imagination. The Angkor
Empire, during its peak (in early 13
century), controlled an area stretching
from Vientiane (present Laos
capital) in the north and all the way to
South Vietnam. Year
1283 saw the first Mongols attacks on Cambodia. The
Angkor dynasty slowly subsided until its disappearance,
mysteriously. It
was abandoned in the 15th century
before being rediscovered a century later. |
|
International
researchers and specialists, using sophisticated equipment and
latest technology, are struggling to re-assemble the ruins
into their original look. On the international markets,
profits from art looting are second only to profits from drug
smuggling. Angkor is no exception. Many precious art of works
were destroyed in wars with neighbouring countries and civil
war within the country. Organised trafficking came into
play. Little by little trafficking developed into a more
professional enterprise. |
|
Angkor Wat
entrance - US$20 for 1 day or US$50 for 3 days. |
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|
Photo
from left: |
>>
Jewel Temple: The
construction started in the 10th century.
This temple is a magnificent jewel of a temple. It is
made of pink sandstone and is very finely sculpted, with
incredible richness of details. |
>
> Angkor Wat: The temple, a funeral pyre,
covers an area of 1500x1300m. surrounded by 4 walls. Just
before the entrance to the main temple is a cross-shaped
terrace. In the middle indicates the location of the King’s
throne when he gave audiences or attended parades. |
>
> Man Against Nature: This is one of the most fascinating of all the temples.
It has been left almost the way it
was when discovered by explorers.
Invaded by the roots of giant Banyan trees, the temple
fights a slow battle with nature. So far the trees seem to
have had the upper hand and its destruction nears. |
>
> Who Is The Winner: When you sit on the peaceful stones, think
of a time when it was inhabited by as many as 72,200 people,
including 2,470 monks and 600 dancers who were as beautiful as
the motionless apsaras on its walls. |
|
BEAUTIFUL SUNSET
We
used to see sun set behind the mountain. In Cambodia, the sun
sets below the flat land giving it a spectacular beauty
distinct from the norm. One have to climb up a hill top, using
both hands and feet, to reach the temple site. This is the
last sight in the Angkor tour. |
|
|
Photo from
left: |
Here we captured the
sun, in three timely shots, slowly and spectacularly sinking
into the plain horizon! |
>
> Go .... |
>
> Going .... |
>
> Gone .... |
>
> Sun Set Temple: Shot taken before the sun touched the
far horizon....in a brighter sight; the last ray of the sun
which struck on pieces of stone structure on the hill top, the
nature is the excellent art master – changing the colour
with perfection and delights. |
>
> "Fire" on Sun Set Temple: The mother nature
changes the colour of the structure – really look like
heat-up, very hot indeed, apparently! |
|
LAKE
TONLE SAB
Tonle
Sap Lake is the biggest lake in South-East Asia. During
the dry season the water flow from the lake into the Mekong
River. During
this season the area of the lake is 2,500 sq. km and the depth
is 2 meter. During the raining season the area of the lake
increase to 10,000 sq. km and its depth is 10 meter. The
water from Lake Tonle Sap flow into the Mekong River during
the dry season from November to March. From April to October
the melting snow in the mountains of Tibet raise the level of
the Mekong and its tributaries; Lake Tonle Sap during this
time takes off a huge volume of water from the Mekong which
would otherwise submerge the entire Cambodian plain.
While the flood waters turn the Lake into an inland sea, huge
quantities of fish are found; also a huge low-lying area filed
with fertile mud enhance rice cultivation.
Fortunately this regular flooding is
predictable; the water never rises above a certain level and
so no catastrophe ever occurs. The people who live beside the
Lake have not only adjusted to this annual inundation, they
make a living from it. The water was exploited for the
irrigation of the rice fields and to this day it provides a
livelihood for the densely populated areas around the lake,
where three-quarters of the population live. |
|
|
Photo
from left: |
>
> Morning Market: Jetty Market, 12 km from Siem Reap town
– the main road
lining up with morning hawkers' stalls |
>
> Hi! Fellow Hainanese (Suki): Cambodia
Hainanese, a suki from Association of Khmer
Hainan in Cambodia. Her name, Chen Xiu Zheng, a member
of Cambodia Hainan Association Hainan Lion Dance Group. She
can not speak Hainanese dialect. Her family operates a coffee
stall beside the ferry jetty. Her father charged us US$2.00
for 3 cups of black coffee. |
>
> The Ferry: This picture was taken in late November, the beginning of
the dry season. The
boat journey from here (in Siem Reap) to Phom Penh ( about 130
km away) takes 5 hours. The ferry departs at 7.00am daily and
arrives at Phnom Penh town centre at 1.00pm. Two ferries
operate in the opposite direction. Traveling by ferry is much
comfortable and faster than by land. |
>
> On the Ferry Deck: A seat on this ferry costs US$25. We noticed that
the tickets for the seats were over sold: some tickets were
marked with seat numbers while others were without any
numbers. In fact many tourists did not mind sitting on the
deck to enjoy the breeze. I was one of them. |
>
> House on stilts:
The ferry is now entering the Tonle Sap River. The sighting of
these houses, which are built on stilt to overcome seasonal
flooding, indicates that the first town (Kompong Chhnang) is
in sight |
|
PHNOM
PENH
The next stop-over from Seam Reap was Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. The EXPEDITION
took the lake route - cutting through the biggest lake in South-east
Asia, Lake Tonle Sab. The journey took about 5 hours by
ferry speedboat.
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(Left):
Central Market: Central Market is the landmark of Phnom Penh for three roads
meet here. One
can have a feel of the local daily activities. The bus going
to Ho Chi Minh City is located along one of these road, 200m
from the Central Market. |
(Centre)
Ready to board: The luxury coach plies between Phnom Penh and Ho Chi Minh
City. The coach service is jointly operated by a Malaysian company (Phnom Penh Ho
Wah Genting Transport Co. Ltd) and a company owned by the
Vietnamese government. The bus
departs Phnom Penh at 6.30 am (Every Tuesday
/Thursday/Saturday).
Another bus departs Ho Chi Minh City simultaneously. Fare for
one way is US$12.00 per person. |
(Right): Hello!
Fellow Malaysian: The
writer (left) with Mr Wong Thin Loy, a Malaysian attached to
the Malaysian Phnom Penh based company. We took the
coach which left Phnom Penh at 6.30 a.m. and arrived in Ho Chi
Minh City at 5.30 p.m. Along the way we spent 1 1/2
hours to tend to punctured tyre and another 2 hours at
the border for immigration clearance. |
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VIETNAM |
|
FACT
ABOUT VIETNAM |
Capital:
Hanoi; Land
Area: 331,000 sq. km (about the same
size as Malaysia);
Population: 83 million
(2004); Currency:
Dong; Exchange Rate:
US$1.00 = 14,000 (2004); Major
Industries: agriculture,
forestry, fishery, industrial
construction. Major
Export: crude oil, coal, chromium,
tin, cements, woolen carpet, jute carpet,
rice, cinnamon, marine products. Major
Import: motors, petroleum products,
diesel oil, fertilizers. |
|
|
Vietnamese
people lived in war since early history: the
country was colonized by foreign powers for
nearly a century. In 1954
with the aid of China, Vietnam defeated France
resulting in the formation of two countries:
North Vietnam and South Vietnam under the Geneva
Convention. However peace
did not come through for the people of both
countries; instead civil war started. Super
powers intervened and the US got involve in the
so-called Vietnam War in the 1960s until its
pull-out in 1975 when the two countries were
re-unified. |
|
HO CHI MINH CITY
Formerly known as
Saigon with a population of 5 million
(1993). Renamed after the Americans left
at the end of the Vietnam War in 1975. Once
called Paris of the East because of its French
colonial architecture and sidewalk cafes.
It is the biggest city in Vietnam; it is also
the biggest port in Vietnam, only about 70 km
from the South China Sea. Vietnam's
economic reforms are most evident in Ho Chi Minh
City.
|
|
What
to see in this city? Yes, the Reunification
Palace, formerly the Presidential Palace
with a striking photograph showing the
Vietnamese army tank slammed through the
Presidential Palace's gates in April 1975, which
symbolically marked the South Vietnamese defeat
in the War; the War Crimes Museum with
photographs and exhibits on the Vietnam War and
you must be psychologically prepared on the
sight of photos of babies hideously deformed,
the consequences of exposure to Agent Orange;
the Historical Museum with archaeological
artifacts and a bronze Buddha that dates from
the 5th century; Cu
Chi Village, also known as the Steel City -
a remarkable team works that saw the fall of the
Americans in the Vietnam War. The village is
located 60 km north-west of Saigon. It is the
nearest Vietcong military base close to the
American air-base in Saigon, now known as Ho Chi
Minh City. During the day the women folks did their normal
farming and daily chores including collecting
intelligent information; however when night fell
they went underground, physically, to assist the Vietcong
sewing uniforms and making slippers (shoes) and
preparing food. |
|
|
>
> City by Night: Considered as the "Gemstone in the Far
East", Ho Chi Minh City named after
President Ho Chi Minh houses a prosperous and
modern life with numerous skyscrapers. Not
ancient like Hanoi nor romantic as Nha Trang,
this city is advancing in the cause of national
industrialization and modernization. |
>
> Traditional Costume: Pretty
Vietnamese girls wearing the Vietnamese
traditional costume. |
>
> Cyclo: They
banned these cyclos in 2001 as a remnant of the
war-torn past when the country strove to lure
foreign investment They even banned a film
about them. But two years later the ban was
lifted and the cyclos are back on the streets of
Vietnam, notably in Ho Chi Minh City, Danang and
Hanoi. |
>
>
Cu Ci Tunnel: The Cu Chi Tunnels built
during Vietnam's war for independence from the
French. The tunnels were greatly enlarged
during the war with the U.S. The
tunnels, 200 km in length, was a unique and
complex, web-like underground engineering works.
There are 3 levels, 2-10 meters
below ground level: there are places for
meeting, cooking, sleeping, sewing, injury
treatment, making weapons; emergency exit
through Saigon River and traps. |
|
SINGAPORE-KUNMING
(CHINA) RAIL CONNECTION
|
|
The Singapore Kunming
Rail Link (SKRL) project is not about building a high-speed rail link from Singapore to
Kunming. The primary objective is
to provide a continuous railway link based on existing
infrastructure within the affected countries and if necessary,
to rehabilitate certain sectors and constructing missing links
on SKRL network. The realization of the project would mean
that Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam,
Myanmar and China would benefit from a railway network that
would join the major cities in these countries. It has been
proven that the introduction of rail services and railway
links will help to boost development along the corridor of
such network. |
|
|
Malaysia is the chairman of the Special Working Group on SKRL project. Malaysia have expressed their commitment to
donate rail material to Cambodia for the construction of the
48 km missing link between Poipet and Sisophon. The
rail from Singapore to Kunming City
(Capital of Yunnan Province of China) through Malaysia,
Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam takes a total length of 5,600
km. |
|
(Photo
top) This 1800 km rail track
connects Ho Chi Minh City in the
south and Hanoi in the north.
|
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HOI
AN
Hoi An is perhaps the
most unique town in Vietnam with glorious past
in commerce and shipping activities. It was an
ancient seaport with ships calling from
neighbouring countries and making it the
regional port of call for the Chinese, Japanese,
Portuguese, Dutch, Arabian and French merchants.
It was one of the most important ports in
Southeast Asia in the 17th - 19th century.
Amazingly this town was virtually untouched
during the Vietnam War. Ancient buildings
here represent influences from from both Asia,
notably China, with narrow streets flanked by
houses that have remained virtually unchanged
for the last 200 years. There is
similarity in flavour and style to that of the
then Malacca port in Malaysia.
Hoi
An is listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO
in December 1999. The ships have gone but the
travelers’ influence lingers on. Homes,
pagodas, clan associations and other Asian
architecture form a living museum here.
Hoi An is the first China Town in Vietnam.
Like other China Towns, there are many clan
associations including Hainan, Teochew, Hokkien
and Cantonese. The younger generation, however,
do not appreciate the Chinese culture and
Chinese speaking population is reducing
drastically |
|
HUE
Hue, located in the
central part of Vietnam, was the ancient capital of
Vietnam from 1635 to 1954 where 13 emperors lived in the
city. The Imperial Palace also called Forbidden City which followed
the structures of the Forbidden City of China
and inherits much of Chinese building
architectural design. Its was also the
palace of Vietnam's last emperor. |
|
|
Photo
from left: |
>
> Playing Chinese Chess: These
young Vietnamese children were playing the
Chinese chess game. We tried to converse
with them in Chinese (Mandarin) but was
responded with a curious smiling face for they
did not understand what we said. Although
this generation of the young children does not
study Chinese language in school they were
taught by their older generation to recognize
the Chinese characters. |
>
> Oration: Standing position for
oration where the Ministers stood at the marked
stone according to their ranking to listen to
the Emperor’s address. |
>
> Modern Lady: Ms Huynh Thi
Thanh Van speaks good English; she acts as master of ceremony
when there is a tour group watching
the cultural show at the heritage site; seated at the
same spot she also sells souvenir to tourists at
the same time. |
>
> China Town: This is China Town
which is situated on the same side of the
Perfume River as the Imperial Palace. The
buildings are typical shop-houses where the
ground floors are used for business and the
owners' family live on the top floor. |
> > Hai
Nan Association: Along the same road
in the China Town we found many clan
associations, namely the Hai Nan, Fu Jian, Chao
Zhou, Guang Fu and also Chao Ying Shi (a temple
for all Chinese dialects). Mandarin is now
being taught in this temple. The writer and Mr
Ang Gi Moh took the photo inside the Hai Nan
Association where devoted members pray to the
Tian Hou Goddess. |
|
|
DONG
HA town lies 20 km south
of 17 degree latitude north,
the DMZ (demilitarized zone)
separating the North and South
Vietnam under the 1954 Geneva
Convention; the north
and the south Vietnam were
re-unified in 1975. The
town is the strategic
intersection town between
Vietnam north-south highway
and the east-west
highway number 9. Go
westwards for 75 km one will
arrive at the Vietnam-Laos
border town of Lao Bao
(Vietnam). Continue from
Lao Bao for another 230 km
will lead you to the
Laos-Thailand border town of
Savannakhet (Laos) and
Mukdahan (Thailand). From
Mukdahan the road (169
km) connects the nearest
railway station |
|
|
of
Ubon Ratchathani where you can take the
train to Bangkok (7 departures town daily). |
|
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HANOI
Hanoi is the capital of
Vietnam. The city, founded in year 1010,
sits on the banks of the Red River and is about
70 km from the Gulf of Tonkin. It is a city of
lakes and parks with trees lining along the
street and said to be Vietnam's most beautiful
city. There are many French
colonial building reminding the locals and tourists alike
that the country was once ruled by the French.
Vietnam was ruled by France for 96 years,
from 1858 until their defeat in May 1954 in the
famous Battle of Dien Bien Phu. The town
outlying areas were bombed heavily during the
Vietnam War.
Tourism infrastructure in Hanoi is still well below those offered by
the sister city, Ho Chi Minh City.
Notwithstanding this short coming Hanoi has a
lot of interesting things to see. There
are two very unique hisorical areas: the ancient
city near Hoan Kiem Lake and the French-styled
houses that were built by the French during
their reign. Besides the many pagodas and
temples in the city there are many ancient
streets blooming with the same lotus flowers
that have been existed here for centuries.
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(Left) The
Crowd: Hundred
of tourists were disappointed when they were told that
the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum was closed for a month for
annual maintenance, usually from late October to early
November. |
(Centre) Ho
Chi Minh Mausoleum: Ho Chi Minh, who led North Vietnamese
fight against the US died in
1969; he did not live to witness the defeat of
the US in 1975; this mausoleum where his body is
preserved, is built in his honour. |
(Right) Hoan
Kiem Lake: This is
Hoan Kiem Lake, located in Hanoi commercial centre;
there is a walkway along the lake perimeter and
strolling along this shady walkway is most relaxing,
day or night with the lake breeze cooling you
along. |
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Relationship
between Vietnam and China, sometimes
amicable, sometimes antagonistic, have
greatly impacted upon the fortunes of
ethnic Chinese residents in Vietnam. An
important issue in the experience of the
Chinese in Vietnam has always been the
depth and degree of the two countries'
interaction. In the late 1970s all Chinese
newspapers had to close down, as did all
Chinese schools. At about the same time
there were tides of 'boat people' left
Vietnam. In 1986 Vietnam decided to
unfetter the economy and move towards a more
open society. Overseas Vietnamese,
principally ethnic Chinese, have returned
with some capital and know-how.
Local |
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Chinese are
considered as an asset by the government, which
hopes their oversea relatives and connections
will help to bring in foreign investment.
There are reports of revival of Chinese
organizations and the re-opening of Chinese
language schools. State-run television also
aired Chinese language session on conversation
for the tourism sector. There are signs of
life in Chinese cultural and leisure activities
too. Photo Top: Mr Chen
( right) is the Chairman of a Yi
Jing society in Hanoi. Though
an ethnic Chinese he can not speak
Mandarin, so are his grand-daughter
(left) and his daughter (second from
left). Photo Bottom: Yi Jing
written in Vietnamese language |
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Photo
from left: |
>
> Military Museum: During
the Vietnam War the US released 5,382,000 tons
of bombs and thousand of tons of toxic chemical
in Vietnam; this Military Museum has a
collection of bombers destroyed during the War. |
>
> Confucius Temple: This Confucius
Temple was built in the 11th century to honour
Confucius, a great Chinese philosopher,
politician and educationist whose teachings
influence the Chinese around the world. |
>
> Chinese Chess: Look!
They leisurely play Chinese chess along the
road side in the busy commercial centre of
Hanoi; the teaching of Chinese language was
banned since 1975; it is now re-open and it is
being thought openly. |
>
> Open Air Hair Cut: Ang
Gi Moh looks attentively at this open air hair salon, a common
scene during his childhood days; this barber operates
along road side in Hanoi city; he moves around at
specific venue and time to tend to customers. |
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Dai
Nghia Humanitarian Centre for the
Yellow Agent victims was set up
on 10 December 2000 to offer
assistance and training for the
victims affected by the Yellow Agent
to stabilize their lives and
integrate into society; the Yellow
Agent is the left over effect as the
result of chemical war used by the
Americans during the Vietnam War. |
The
Centre is located along the route to
Halong Bay City, about an hour drive
from Hanoi.
The Centre sells handicraft
made by the victims, a program aim
at training the victims to be
self-supportive. It
was documented that during the
Vietnam War, US used up to 100
million litre |
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of
Yellow Agent which contained cancerous chemical.
Few million US army personnel were suspected to
carry Yellow Agent side effect and some
Vietnamese possess 200 times more than the
acceptable level of such chemical. |
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HALONG BAY CITY
The next stop-over was Halong Bay
City, an up-coming holiday resort located in the north east
of Hanoi. From Halong Bay City ferry terminal the EXPEDITION
took the ferry that cruised among the many islands. Passengers in the ferry can witness the most spectacular sea landscape in the
world. Halong Bay has 1960 islands within an area of
1550 square km; the islands rise from the sea waters resembles very much the famous
mountain of Guilin in China. The ferry ride takes about 3
hours before
reaching the jetty. Passengers from the ferry
have to take a 20 minutes bus ride before arriving at Mong Cai, a border town with China.
The bus stopped at the ferry operation office at Mong Cai.
After disembarking from the bus we took a leisure walk from
the office to the border post.
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(Left) World
Natural Heritage: There are 1960
islands within an area of 1550 square
km. UNESCO has endorsed this place as a World Natural Heritage in
1994; a
spectacular site not to be missed. |
(Centre)
Fascinating Isles: Another view of the thousand islands along the
route from Halong City to the border of China. |
(Right)
Halong Bay Ferry: This ferry plies
between Halong Bay City and Mong Cai
(border town with China) one way fare is USD12; there are two trips daily, each
starting from opposite direction; the journey takes 3
hours. |
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MONG CAI, VIETNAM - BORDER TOWN
WITH CHINA
The bus journey from the jetty to
Mong Cai takes about 20 minutes. The bus goes
through the country side. Paddy field is a common
sight in most part of the Vietnam country side. Rice
cultivation, past and present, is one of the major economic
activities of Vietnam, stretching from this northern part
and reaches 1,800 km towards the south, ending at the
estuary of the Mekong River. |
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(Left) Friendly
tour guide: Mr Jee Say Hai from Malaysia
with Ms Man Yu He, a very friendly and helpful
local tour
guide; photo taken in front of Ms Man's
tour office in Mong Cai, 800m to the Vietnam - China border. |
(Centre) Street
trader: During the course of one day, variety of
goods goes through the streets of Hanoi town. The
goods are transported by bamboo shoulder pole, bicycle
or in a basket carried on the vendor's head..... shoes,
oranges, toilet paper, apples, bread, vegetable,
doormats, plastic wares, ceramics, eggs,
flowers.....like a walking supermarket. You can
not complain about the choice. A four wheeled
cart, like this street trader, increases turnover
considerably simply because she offers more goods
compared to the one who sells only one or two
items. |
(Right)
Hawkering: Quite leisure, isn't that? Waiting for
customers to buy their display. Sale may not be
that good as the merchandise does not reach the
customers' doorsteps! |
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FROM MONG CAI TO DONG XING,
CHINA
After immigration clearance at the
Vietnam side we walked towards the China immigration
building about 200 meter on the opposite side. The
Vietnam and China border is separated by a river
here. The two immigration posts are linked by a
concrete bridge. From the immigration building
on the China side we took a 10 minutes tricycle ride, passing Dong Xing (Guangxi Province of China)
town centre to arrive at the the main bus station. |
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(Left)
Vietnam-China
border : Joyful
return from Vietnam! Most of the people crossing this
border are Chinese tourists who
join package tour that
covers Mong Cai (border town), Halong Bay,
Haiphong and Hanoi. The border that separate the
two countries is the river that flows below the bridge. |
(Centre) China-Vietnam
Border : Entering China - the Chinese immigration
entry point is on the right. Sometimes one has to queue
up, rain or shine, outside the building. The exit point is
on the left; you step out of the building after
you have
cleared the immigration and custom check points. The man
in the picture is seen crossing the invisible border line - with one
leg on the China soil and the other about to land on the
Vietnam soil. The visible border line that separates China
and Vietnam is the river below the bridge. |
(Right)
Dongxing (Guangxi
Province, China) : After coming out from the
immigration building we immediately
landed on the road in
Dongxing, the border town on the China side. The unique
mode of transport within the town is by mean of
human ridden tricycles. We paid 3 RMB for the 2 km
tricycle ride to the bus terminal. |
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BEIHAI
We took a bus
from Dong Xing to Beihai (a sea port in Guangxi
Province). From Beihai one can either take a ship
or a bus
to Haikou. The ship operates one trip each day, one
each from the opposite direction. The scheduled time of
departure is 6.30 pm daily (actual time of departure may be
late pending discharge and loading of vehicles) and
arrival
time at Haikou is 6.00 am. the following
day.
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(Left)
Dongxing-Beihai (Guangxi Province) Highway :
The journey from Dongxing
to Beihai City (a port cum holiday resort town in the
Guangxi Province) is enjoyable; it takes 3 hours to
complete the 190 km route by highway. I was quite surprise
that the driver took the whole journey without a rest; any
way I did not notice any resting spot along the route. |
(Centre) Chong San
Park, Beihai : Our
first encounter of this park was in the previous night
– there is an open air dance spot inside the park
where couples, old and young, danced literally under
the moon and stars! We were told that the dance pool
was always full as soon as the music started. |
(Right)
Chong
San Park : Morning scene where group of people, old
and young gather here to practise Chinese cultural
dances. |
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HAI
AN
If you prefer to go to
Haikou overland you may take the Beihai-Hai An
bus. The bus operates a few
trips daily. The land journey takes about 5 hours.
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Photo
from left: |
>
> Hai
An Jetty, Guangdong : The
ferry ship plying between the mainland (Hai Aun Port)
and Hainan (Hai Kou port) provides 24-hour service;
the fare for the 1hour 30 minutes ride is 37RMB. One
have to take a 8 minutes walk to reach the bus station
nearly; you may however opt for a tricycle ride for 1
RMB |
>
> On
Board From Hai An To Haikou (Hainan Province) : At last we are on board the
final public transport that bring us from Penang to our
ancestral island of Hainan! The young girl on Ang’s left
came from Xingjiang, currently studying in Chongking and
now coming to Hainan to explore job opportunity after
graduation; to some extent we have some thing in common:
came from far far away to realize a dream! |
>
> Century
Bridge, Hainan : This bridge is the latest landmark
of Haikou, Hainan. Construction works commenced in
April 1998 and completed in early 2003 at a cost of
RMB667 millions. There are 6 vehicle lanes with
pedestrian walk on both sides. The bridge is 2.7 km long
and 30 m width. |
>
> Haikou
Jetty, Hainan : The ferry that departs from Hai An
Jetty in the mainland stops in this terminal in Haikou,
Hainan Island.
There are many eatery stalls as you come out from
the ferry – as seen on the right side of this picture.
You have to take a taxi that brings you to the town
which is about 12 km away. You can now travel by
rail, to any part of China, by boarding the
train in Haikou; the train is ferried
across the channel on board a special
constructed ship. |
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HAINAN
PROVINCE
Hainan became China's
newly established province in 1988. It has
an area of 34,000 sq. km. with a population of
about 7 million. Hainan is rich in
biological resources with variety of tropical
crops; aquatic resources with many good natural
habours, beautiful beaches and
yet-to-be-exploited fishing grounds; mineral
resources with petroleum, natural gas and good
reserve of minerals; tourism resources with many
attractions of international standard especially
Hainan has broken the world record as host to 3
consecutive years (2003, 2004 and 2005) of the
Miss World Pageant contest.
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CLIMATE
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Temp C 26 27 29 30 29 28 27 28 27 27 27 26
days rain 1 1 2 6 14 15 16 16 19 17 9 4
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(Left) Hainan New
Generation : We met these new
generation on the bus from Wenchang City to Hai Kou; they
speaks fluent American English; incidentally all of them
work in the city international hotels; the back ground
shows the Hai Kou city high rise buildings (from left: Ang,
Rachel, Frances, Tracy and Jee)
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(Centre) Commercial
complex : in the heart of Haikou City; there
are variety of international branded goods on
display, from textiles, electrical,
electronic......you name it and you can find it
here. |
(Right) Food
For Thought : If you are longing
for Chinese nutritious food that bring you health,
youthfulness and energetic look here is the place offering
lots of dried sea food products that meet your need; you
named them and they have them. It will be interesting to
bargain along the way. Many of the stalls sell practically
the same products and so you will have a good bargain as
you go along sourcing for the best price. |
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To enrich the people the most
important thing is to construct roads and ports to connect the
various towns. China recognizes this fact; Hainan has benefited tremendously
with the completion of the north-south
highway; now you can even board a train
from Haikou and travel to any part of China, a
dream which our forefathers would not have
thought of! |
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(Left)
North-South
Highways : This stretch of highway that links
Haikou in northern Hainan and Sanya in southern Hainan
brings about many changes between our
forefather's and the present generation.
The economy fact proves to be true: world evens like Forum
for Asian has its permanent secretariat in Boao,
off Qionghai City, Qionghai County; the holding of Miss
World pageant in Sanya in years 2003, 2004 and 2005 are
recent achievement that bring about prosperity
and enhance that standard of living to the
people of Hainan. |
(Centre)
Highway -
Another Look : Convinced that Hainan is developing
fast enough to meet the influx of tourists, domestic as
well as international? |
(Right)
International
Seaport : Xiu Ying Pier – we board
the ship for Beihai (a sea port located in the southern
Guangdong) from this pier. International vessels also call
here regularly. The luxurious Pacific Cruise Princess
Ming Hui operates special weekly tour package that
cover Haikou-Beihai-Halong Bay City-Haiphong-Hanoi-Haikou
tour. For details please refer to the company website at
www.pcts.com.cn |
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THE
END |
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