1928 Thap Cham-Da Lat Railway returns

Opened in 1928, the 84 km Thap Cham-Da Lat Railway linking the Central Highlands city of Da Lat with the coastal areas in central provinces was closed shortly after due to the lack of economic efficiency.

Currently, 7 km of the route, from Da Lat to Trai Mat, are put into use to serve tourists. There are four trains operational daily, providing services to hundreds of tourists.

The Government also allowed the private sector to take part in the re-construction of the railway, as the entire railway will be restored to its original state.

Sa Pa tourists walk on the clouds

Tourists visiting Sa Pa this weekend will have the chance to learn about local ethnic people's courtship and marital life, through the Sa Pa love market and kidnapping wife ceremony of the Mong group.

The ceremony will begin this Saturday and is part of a five-day festival, titled Festival on the Cloud, to mark the beginning of the Sa Pa 2006 tourism year, in the northern mountain township of Sa Pa, in Lao Cai Province.

Held by the Sa Pa Trade and Tourism Department (STTD), the Festival on the Cloud will also feature photo exhibitions to showcase the most impressive pictures of Sa Pa from both today and the past. The Festival will also sell a variety of orchids that originated in the Hoang Lien National Park.

Climbing up Ham Rong Mountain visitors will enjoy singing and dancing performances by five ethnic groups including the Mong, Dao, Tay, Giay and Xa Pho.

The ethnic groups are scheduled to compete in traditional sports, for instance tug of war, walking on stills and archery.

According to Do Du Bac, STTD's head, a fair with local cuisine and locally made handicrafts and souvenir shops will be one of the highlights of the festival.

"Festival on the Cloud — Sa Pa 2006 will promote tourism not only for 2006 but also for tourism in 2007 in which Lao Cai will join with Yen Bai and Phu Tho provinces tours to host trans-province tours," Bac said.

Situated on Hoang Lien mountain range, Sa Pa is known for its cool climate and atmospheric landscapes. It began the transformation from being a remote village to a resort town after the French explorers visited the valley in 1903.

Sa Pa, which is 400km north-west of Hanoi, is now one of the most popular destinations in the country.

(Source: Viet Nam News)