Vietnam is one of the most attractive destinations in Asia, according to Asia Tour Advisor. It is famous for mostly everything, ranging from the incredible food to the magnificent and pristine scenery. However, with the pandemic, people cannot spend their holidays abroad. Instead of waiting for the pandemic to end, travelers can join this virtual tour as a preparation for the real trip. To make this virtual tour more interesting, music will be added to give a cultural experience.
This virtual tour starts in Northern Vietnam, then moves on to the central portion, and ends in the southern part.
1) Bánh Trôi Nước – Hoàng Thùy Linh
Lying behind the lyrics, the magnificence of Vietnam appears, specifically the pristine beauty of the Floating Village Tân Lập (Mộc Hóa). It is stunning by its diversity of ecology, such as lotus ponds, indigo forests, etc. Tourists can rent small boats to row through the jungle. On their way, they might see various types of rare birds, such as cranes and storks. People can also rent a tent to stay in the village. The best time of the year to visit the Floating Village Tân Lập is in the summer when pink lotuses bloom everywhere. People will feel as if they are in paradise with the elegant fragrance of lotus and the freshness of the jungle wind. Photographer Vinh Sún said, “The first time I visited Làng Nổi Tân Lập, I knew that my heart and soul belonged to this place.”
The next destination in the music video is Tam Cốc – Bích Động (Ninh Bình). Tam Cốc – Bích Động is a must-visit destination for those that want to be close to nature. Similar to the Floating Village, tourists can take bamboo boats and row along a serene, never-ending river. The breeze from the water will purify the souls of tourists. Tam Cốc has three main caves, which are Hang Cả, Hang Hai, và Hang Ba (The First, The Second, and The Third, respectively). Along the river, tourists will be amazed by the beautiful aroma of Asian rice. Besides, the grandness of the mountains will make people feel like they are small.
Tràng An is also located in Ninh Bình. It is famous because of its history and grand mountains. Many Hollywood lovers might have heard about Tràng An since it is one of the scenes in Kong: Skull Island. Sadly, the crew of Kong decided to dismantle the scenery. However, the immaculate beauty is still in Tràng An, but now, Kong is just a small part of that. Tourists will have chances to discover the mythologies of heroes in the caves, which hold a thousand statues of different shapes. Tràng An knows how to help people relax by the sound of its water and the diversity of natural life.
The last destination in the music video is Chùa Bái Đính, which is one of the biggest temples in Vietnam. It has the biggest statue of Buddhists in Southeast Asia. Chùa Bái Đính is a gem balancing the country. There are clouds on top with rivers lying below, and the echoic sound of the giant copper bell signifies the purification of dharma from monks.
As many visitors might be overwhelmed by the grand of nature, they will also have “jaw-drop” moment because of the parallel meaning that the song provides. Bánh Trôi Nước is inspired by the same-name poem.
Thân em vừa trắng, lại vừa tròn
Bảy nổi ba chìm với nước non
Rắn nát mặc dầu tay kẻ nặn
Mà em vẫn giữ tấm lòng son
Bánh Trôi Nước – Hồ Xuân Hương (Poet)
Bánh Trôi Nước is a Vietnamese traditional dessert made from rice flour and sugarcane sugar cubes. Metaphorically, Bánh Trôi Nước refers to the beauty of Vietnamese beauty. The poem is the self-confession of a woman’s heart. The way people shape the flour correlates to how women fulfill all duties in their life, which are being a faithful, careful, and loyal. The poem still permeates the compassion for identity. Just as Vietnamese singer Hoàng Thùy Linh depicts in her music video, there is a beautiful contrast between the woman and life. The world is wild. It maltreats women in various ways, but the women, with their hidden warrior heart and soul, can step on that wildness and reign the world. In the music video, Hoàng Thùy Linh wears a royal coat and golden head dress, looking down the world beneath her feet, which is considered an affirmation that the women are getting stronger and more powerful than ever.
2) Nàng Thơ Xứ Huế – Thùy Chi
If the scenery in the north of Vietnam makes people feel tiny and overwhelmed, traveling to the central of Vietnam is a great choice. The next stop is Huế, which is well-known as the “Land of Dreams.” Huế is dreamy because of its scenery and its culinary diversity with more than 1700 dishes. It is also the land of temples and cultures.
The song mainly depicts the beauty of Huế women. They are innocent, sweet, elegant, simple, and poetic. When people travel to Huế, people are always amazed by their beauty and their angelic voices. Most women in Huế were born and raised in a traditional family, which creates such a perfect image of them. Therefore, they are muses for many poets and musicians in both ancient times and today.
Besides its beautiful people, Huế is also “The Capital of Buddhism” because people can find many temples here. Temples are omnipresent in Huế. They are all antique and tranquil with the fragrance of incense. In the music video, we can also see that there are many lotus ponds in Huế. Lotus is the national flower in Vietnam. It represents the beauty and heart of not only Huế women, but Vietnamese women in general. Tourists can rent photographers to have photoshoots in the lotus ponds with traditional clothes provided. In Huế, tourists can also visit Huế Citadel, Royal Tombs, which reflect the sophisticated French architecture during the feudal period.
Huế is also a promised land for relaxing and refreshing the mind, especially when experiencing traditional songs and affordable culinary delights. People can enjoy a Ca Huế Trên Sông Hương, which is a traditional singing performance. Singers will wear Áo dài (Vietnamese traditional clothes) and use traditional musical instruments to bring ancient tales back to life.
Huế has more than 1000 traditional dishes. Nga Nguyen, a Vietnamese fashion designer, said, “You will never have to worry about the price; everything is super cheap, especially the food. $100 can help you to stay there for up to 3 months.”
3) Chờ Anh Nhé – Hoàng Dũng
Heading to the south of Vietnam, Đà Lạt attracts thousands of tourists every year by its spotless nature. Đà Lạt is a mountain town in Vietnam’s central highlands. It is surrounded by mountain peaks, waterfalls, flower conservatories, and coffee farms. For tourists, Đà Lạt is a great place to slow down and unwind. Đà Lạt is dreamy with its fog at night, but the weather quickly changes to a warm and happy vibe during the day.
Many people come to Đà Lạt to see the iridescent of flowers. Each season grows different types of flowers. In the springtime, tourists will be hypnotized by the pink cherry blossoms. If tourists want to see colorful royal poincianas, they should go during the summertime, which is also a perfect time to visit waterfalls in Đà Lạt. At the end of the year, there are cotton-candy clouds in the blue sky, and the wildflowers reach out to welcome the beautiful sunshine that shimmers in the new wind. Fragile mimosa flowers spread along the hills like a painting. There are many other lovely floral fields, such as cauliflower fields, sunflower gardens, rose velvet gardens, and reed grass fields. Every season, Đà Lạt appears with its colors that always attracts tourists.
With the impeccable combination of scenery and weather, Đà Lạt is called “The Land of Love.” The view is so serene that it attracts a lot of couples. The song Chờ Anh Nhé by Hoàng Dũng takes the tourists to some of the most popular places for couples in Đà Lạt, such as the pine jungle, the ancient town, and the night markets. Couples can also have a picnic in the Valley of Love, which has a thousand flowers and trees. Having picnics near the lakes is also attractive. Is there anything better than enjoying good food, hearing the birds chirping under the sun, and feeling the fresh breeze from the lake?
The harmonious melody of the violin emphasizes the romantic signature of Đà Lạt. It encourages people to come and immerse themselves in the amorous breeze there.
Vietnam is an incredible country with so many intriguing stories. The harmonious melody from those songs makes this virtual tour even more appealing and stimulating. Throughout this virtual tour, the magnificent beauty of Vietnam has been seen in full.
Love! Vietnam is incredible!!