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HAI PHONG
Hai Phong, Cat Ba Island,
Do Son Beach, Du Hang Pagode,
Hang Kenh Communal House, Nghe
Temple
 HAI
PHONG
Area: 1,503 sq. km - Population:
1,672,992Known as the City of Flower-lined Streets, Hai Phong is
the third biggest city of Vietnam, in comparison with Ho Chi
Minh City and Hanoi. It is the second most important port in
Vietnam. Hai Phong also has many French colonial houses.
Visitors can go round the city to shop very easily, stopping at
some famous places along the way. Hang Kenh Communal House is
located right in the city. The communal house is rather long and
built with a strong long-lasting wood frame. The exhibits inside
are for worshipping the Village God and Ngo Quyen, a Vietnamese
hero who fought against the Chinese enemies on the Bach Dang
River. Du Hang Pagoda is one of the most ancient pagodas in this
city. It was built three centuries ago. The decoration on the
pagoda is exquisite. This pagoda houses a school for monks and
stores many ancient furnishings.The Bach Dang River is famous as
it is the place where the Vietnamese people managed to defeat
the Chinese feudal invasions 3 times. The third victory over the
Chinese Mongolians was known all over the world. Many of the
teakwood pointed spikes that were used in the battles have been
discovered in this river. Do Son Beach is located 20 km from Hai
Phong. This beach has a small white sand strip good for bathing.
However, during the monsoon season, the Red River's alluvial
sands cause the water to become yellow. The hotels on this beach
are good enough for foreign tourists.
CAT BA
ISLAND
Cat Ba National Park is located on Cat Ba
Island, 150 km east of Hanoi. The park covers approximately 200
km2, two thirds of which consists of a forested zone and one
third, a marine zone. One should leave Halong Bay or Do Son
without a visit to Cat Ba Island. The island is home to over 600
kinds of plants including Bang, Goi Nep, Sang Le, and Kim Giao
trees. The fauna living on the island is also diverse; the
island is home to rare wild white-headed languor, deer, and
macaques, to name a few. Cat Ba marine reserves comprise sea
turtles, lobster, coral, oysters, and dolphins.The cool weather
in Cat Ba is suitable for relaxation and convalescence. From
Hanoi, one can travel to Haiphong by train or by bus, and then
by boat to Cat Ba Island.
DO SON
BEACH - (HAIPHONG CITY)
Do Son is one of the well-known seaside
resorts in North Vietnam, 20-km southwest of Haiphong and 105 km
from Hanoi. Do Son is a small peninsula located between the Lach
Tray and Van Uc rivers. Do Son beaches are shaded by thousands
of sandalwood trees and surrounded by mountains and pine hills.
Immediately upon setting foot in Haiphong, the French turned Do
Son into a summer resort for their expatriate community and the
Vietnamese upper class. On summer days, Do Son is alive with
tourists from all over the world. They mainly come here to spend
time on the beach, relax, and hike
DU HANG
PAGODA
Du Hang Pagoda is located at 121 Du Hang
Street, Le Chan District, and Haiphong. It is considered an
ancient architectural relic of the city. The pagoda was built
under the Ly dynasty. Nguyen Dinh Sach, an officer of the
imperial guard who resigned and became a Buddhist monk, later
renovated it in the 17th century. In 1899, during the reign of
Thanh Thai King, a monk by the name of Thong Hanh expanded the
pagoda and built a bell tower. The existing pagoda resulted from
the repair work carried out during that time. Inside the pagoda
are several statues that are intricately engraved in the style
of the Nguyen dynasty. Valuable relics, such as bronze tripods
and gongs, are also kept in the pagoda.
HANG
KENH COMMUNAL HOUSE
Hang Kenh Communal House, also referred to as
Nhan Tho Communal House in Sino-Vietnamese, is situated in Du
Hang Kenh commune, Haiphong. Built in 1856, Hang Kenh Communal
House was later expanded in 1905. The main front hall, also
called dai dinh, connects to the back part through a tiled roof
bridge. There are lots of valuable items in the communal house,
such as the statue of Ngo Vuong Quyen, an eight-pole palanquin,
several gongs, and other artifacts.
NGHE
TEMPLE
Nghe Temple is situated in the center of the
Haiphong City, about 600 m from the Municipal Theatre towards
the southwest. The temple is devoted to the cult of Le Chan, a
woman general in the insurrection of the two Trung Sisters
during the first century (40 - 43). She established the
settlement of An Bien village, the predecessor to Haiphong.
Previously, the temple was only a small shrine; in 1919, the
sanctuary of the Temple was built, and in 1926 the Kowtowing
Court was built. The Temple is a historical vestige monument
comprising stone elephants, stone horses, stone ornate beds,
stone stele and buildings.
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