“New Wonders” give Vietnam’s tourism a facelift

A large river inside Son Doong cave (Photo: Ryan Deboodt)

Hanoi (VNA) - Vietnam’s tourism has recorded magic achievements and obtained a facelift thanks to the new “icons”, both natural and man-made, thus quickly creating a “fever” described as unprecedentedly impressive on international media.

There was a time when Vietnam’s tourism found it hard to create its trademark. However, it has vigorously risen with high-end resorts winning international honours, as new icons have created unprecedented “fever” on international media.

Vietnam’s tourism has obtained a facelift with new “icons”, both natural and man-made, such as Son Doong cave (within the Phong Nha – Ke Bang grotto and cave complex), Golden Brige (in the Sun World Ba Na Hills tourism complex), the InterContinental Danang sun Peninsula Resort, JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay, etc.

Son Doong Cave

Son Doong Cave is located within the Phong Nha – Ke Bang grotto and cave complex in the central province of Quang Binh. It is described as the world’s largest natural cave now. Inside the limestone cave is a system of underground rivers and rare flora.

Like beautiful but heard-to-reach dreams, the stunning view of the cave can amaze every visitor. Unlike regular trips, a tour of Son Doong is an exploration full of hardships and strong impressions, and that is why it is suitable only to those with steel brain and muscle. Without patience, one cannot have a chance to find himself in the middle of the amazing view inside the cave after spending several days struggling in forests and darkness.

Magnificent view inside the cave (Photo: Ryan Deboodt)

Strength and patience are not the only prerequisite, visitors must have a big pocket if they wish to explore Son Doong. With a charge of 3,000 USD/pax for four days and three nights, Son Doong tours serve a very limited number of groups of tourists each ear, with booking lists ranging years.

Tours start from Ho Chi Minh Highway through forests to approach the cave from the front entrance too deep inside until visitors reach a giant stalactite named “Vietnam Wall” and get out of the cave from the back exit.

The journey stretches nearly 30 km but the “wonders” on the way make it worthwhile.

Impressive view of the Golden Bridge (Photo: Sun World Ba Na Hills)

Making its debut in June 2018, the bridge which lies within the tourism complex of the Sun World Ba Na Hills immediately stirred up a “storm” all over the world with its unique design which resembles a stretch of yellow silk supported by a pair of huge hands.

It can be said that the unique structure, imbued with artistic values, the Golden Bridge is creating an unprecedented phenomenon in the history of Vietnam’s tourism, evidenced by the rapid shares on social nets and frequent postings on international prestigious media.

New York Times, Huffington Post, The Guardian, Independent, Bored Panda, AFP, Reuters, BBC, CNN and so on all spare their important space for stories and photos of the Golden Bridge, describing it as one of the most unique in the world. The Times magazine of the US selected the bridge as one of the 100 most wonderful destination in the world in 2018.

Golden Bridge becomes a magnet for very many unique events (Photo: Sun World Ba Na Hills)

At the end of 2018, the Golden Bridge was the only destination in Vietnam to make its way to the list of the most impressive photos on the people and tourism activities in 2018 of the CNN and Reuters.

It has opened an impressive way to the cloud for visitors to enjoy a panorama of the nature on top of the Chua Mountain.

InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort

This resort recently won four important prizes at the World Travel Awards (WTA) 2018, most noteworthy the one in the category of “World’s most environment friendly resort”.

InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort – an environment friendly resort (Photo: Sun Group)

Located on Da Nang’s beautiful beach, the InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort has, over the recent years, become a popular stop among the world’s travel bloggers and famous artists and, and a very popular name in the world’s ratings.

The resort is a combination of a simple and daily-life Vietnam but hard-to-compare by any other luxury. Architect Bill Bensley brought the Vietnamese soul of ancient communal houses, Hue mausoleums and Hoi An old quarters to the construction.

The page Conde Nast Traveler writes that located only 30-minute drive from the Da Nang Airport, yet the resort makes tourists feel as if they were far away from real world. Stretching the hilly land on Son Tra peninsular, the InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort possesses a private beach with fine white sand and serves as an ideal relaxation place for visitors of any category, from couples to families or groups of youngsters.

Architect Bill Bensley brings the Vietnamese soul to every detail of the resort’s interior (Photo: Sun Group)

JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay

The resort lies on Bai Kem, belongs to the French architecture and resembles a French famous university named Lamarck University. Its 234 rooms are located in 18 faculties ranging from natural to social sciences, architecture and chemistry. All of the interior of the JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay is arranged in the shape of a minimized museum with more than 5,000 antiques collected by Architect Bill Bensley from 40 European countries.

In 2017, less than a year after it became operational, the resort masterpiece designed by “the resort emperor” Bill Bensley for the first time sent Phu Quoc tourism to the international high-end resort map with two prizes for the world’s most luxurious new resort and the world’s best new spa for the Chanterelle – Spa by JW.

The world’s most luxurious new resort JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay (Photo: Sun Group)

Right afterward, the World Luxury Hotel Awards 2017 also presented two noble prizes to JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay, including the Asia’s most luxurious new resort and the resort with the most beautiful structure in Vietnam.

Most recently, at the prize-giving ceremony of the World Travel Awards in Lisbon on December 1, 2018, the name of JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay was called for four times for the items of the world’s leading luxurious resort and villa in 2018; the world’s leading luxurious themed resort; the resort with the world’s most beautiful swimming pool and the resort with the world’s most beautiful themed bar.-VNA

Impressive and unique shell-shaped swimming pool (Photo: Sun Group)