“There’s nothing quite as impressive as witnessing the water lily harvest in Vietnam,” remarked Jess McHugh, a writer for The New York Times.
In the Mekong Delta, water lilies attract numerous visitors each autumn who come to learn about this unique tradition.
“The sight of farmers in Vietnam’s Mekong region harvesting water lilies has become a favored subject for photographers,” The New York Times wrote on November 14. Additionally, the flowers have become a centerpiece in various Mekong Delta tourism packages.
The American daily describes how local farmers, mostly women, in Vietnam’s southernmost region wade into shallow waters at dawn to harvest water lilies during a specific period, typically lasting a few weeks from August to November.
Locals in Tan Lap commune, An Giang, reenact the scene of washing water lilies. Photo: George Steinmetz.
“Water lilies are somewhat similar to lotuses but smaller in size, with sharper leaves. Their colors are more vibrant, featuring shades of purple and deep pink. Over the years, the sight of early risers gathering water lilies, bundling them, rinsing off mud directly in the river, and loading them onto small boats has garnered significant appreciation, particularly in the photography community,” the newspaper added.
Water lilies are grown year-round but bloom most vividly in the fall. Their stems are typically 2.3 cm in diameter, can grow up to 1 meter tall, and thrive easily in aquatic environments such as rivers, swamps, and ponds. Wild water lilies are often white and bloom for only a few hours daily over 3–5 days before wilting.
This plant has around 85 species, including Nymphaea nouchali, which blooms during the day, and Nymphaea rubra, which blooms at night. These two species are most commonly found in Africa and Asia.
When the river delta floods, the water lily harvest becomes a popular photo spot for tourists. Photo: George Steinmetz.
According to The New York Times, water lilies may be the oldest flowering plants on Earth, as blue water lilies were found buried with the ancient Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamun (circa 1341 BCE). Today, this flower, symbolizing immortality, is also used as food and medicine.
Marc Hachadourian, the senior curator of the greenhouse at the New York Botanical Garden, describes the scent of water lilies as similar to Juicy Fruit gum.
Beyond photography and tourism, water lilies are integral to the daily lives of people in the Mekong region. They are used to decorate homes, decorate flower pots, and even as ingredients in local cuisine.
Thao Phan, the owner of a plant shop in Ho Chi Minh City, shared that water lilies symbolize resilience.
“After the flower blooms, you might think the plant is dead, but it will come back to life. Once you plant it, you’ll have it forever,” she told The New York Times.
CNN has ranked pho in its list of the 20 best soups globally, hailing it as a famous Vietnamese dish worldwide.
Regarding pho, CNN wrote in the list: “The broth is simmered for hours with cinnamon, star anise, and other warming spices, creating an exquisite aroma. Pho is one of Vietnam’s most globally recognized dishes, but it is, at its core, a relatively new creation.
Pho is a dish that international tourists cannot miss when coming to Vietnam.
While modern pho restaurants now offer various flavors, beef pho remains the original. By the 1930s, pho was served with slices of raw beef, gently cooked in the hot broth (bo tai). beloved version in Vietnam, with options ranging from pure raw beef to combinations of raw and cooked beef, brisket, and tendon.”
Janet Clarkson, author of Soup: A Global History, notes that soup is one of the oldest and most universal dishes in the world.
“Every culture has some kind of soup. It has very ancient origins,” she writes in her book, adding that humans have been cooking soup since the Bronze Age using metal pots.
Boiling food allows people to sustain themselves with grains, enriched with herbs and other ingredients added for medicinal purposes.
“I think in every country in the world, historically, some soups have been considered restorative,” she emphasized.
This holds true regardless of what it is called. Today, soups are typically lighter in broth, while stews are richer, but both fall under the broad category of soups.
With this definition, CNN selected the 20 best soups in the world, including pho: Banga (Nigeria), borscht (Ukraine), bouillabaisse (France), caldo verde (Portugal), chorba frik (Algeria, Libya and Tunisia), chupe de camarones (Peru), gazpacho (Spain), groundnut soup (West Africa), gumbo (USA), harira (Morocco), kharcho (Georgia), Lanzhou beef noodle soup (China), mohinga (Myanmar), menudo (Mexico), moqueca de camarao (Brazil), soto ayam (Indonesia), tom yum goong (Thailand), tonkotsu ramen (Japan), yayla corbasi (Türkiye).
MicroStrategy is now up over 500% year-to-date, approaching a $100 billion market cap.
Self-described bitcoin (BTC) development company MicroStrategy (MSTR) has just breached into the top 100 U.S. publicly traded companies, currently sitting in 97th place.
The company jumped 29 places on Tuesday’s performance, which saw a 12% price surge through $400 a share, now trading at $430, just as the market closed. The impressive performance coincided with bitcoin hitting new all-time highs of over $94,000.
MicroStrategy has been one of the main stories of 2024, as it has soared over 500% year-to-date, with bitcoin up over 100% in the same time frame.
The most impressive stat is that in five years, MicroStrategy has outperformed NVIDIA (NVDA) even though MSTR only adopted bitcoin as a treasury asset in August 2020. MicroStrategy is up 2,739%, while NVIDIA is up 2,688%.
As of Nov. 18, MicroStrategy held 331,200 bitcoin, which would make their current stash worth over $30 billion.
The developments keep coming for the largest publicly traded bitcoin company. On Nov. 18, MicroStrategy announced a $1.75 billion convertible senior note at a 0% coupon. The note will mature on December 1, 2029, it can be repurchased or redeemed earlier in accordance with the terms. It is unsecured and will not bear regular interest.
We are waiting on further developments if this convertible note has been oversubscribed, which would increase its issuance by $250 million, for a total of $2 billion.
MicroStrategy is up over 3% in pre-market trading on Wednesday.
The broker raised its price target on the stock to $51 from $30 while maintaining its outperform rating on the shares.
Robinhood (HOOD) is set to be the biggest beneficiary of regulatory tailwinds from a potentially pro-crypto U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) under a Donald Trump administration, broker Bernstein said in a research report Wednesday.
The broker raised its price target for the popular trading platform to $51 from $30 while maintaining its outperform rating on the shares. The stock was more than 2% higher at around $36 in early trading.
Bernstein noted that Robinhood has operated a “regulatory-constrained crypto business” and has listed only 19 cryptocurrency tokens to date. The California-based company has made no revenue from staking, lending, derivatives or stablecoins.
“But under a potentially new pro-crypto SEC, this looks set to change, and we expect HOOD to be the biggest beneficiary of crypto regulatory tailwinds,” analysts led by Gautam Chhugani wrote.
The trading app can drive higher revenues by listing new tokens and introducing new crypto product lines to target the wider opportunity, the authors wrote.
Robinhood’s acquisition of Bitstamp and its European platform should “further boost value added crypto services,” the authors wrote, as exchanges can offer staking, stablecoin access and lending.
The trading platform added solana (SOL), pepe (PEPE), cardano (ADA) and XRP (XRP) last week following Trump’s win in the U.S. presidential election, and now offers trading in 19 cryptocurrencies for American clients.
The exiled experiential tourism project at Jingbohu Scenic Area (Heilongjiang, China) is causing controversy on social networks.
Daring Exile Tour Ideas
According to Sina , in mid-October, the official Weibo account of the Department of Culture and Tourism of Heilongjiang Province, China posted a video, inviting netizens to discuss the “Project“Exile tour in Ninh Co Thap” of Kinh Bac Ho scenic area.
The video reveals some of the project’s content, such as designing a tourist route along the ancient exile route, allowing visitors to experience wearing shackles. Solo travelers can experience single shackles, while couples or groups of friends can experience double shackles.
The tourist area will build an ancient-style Ninh Co Tower, accompanied by fun activities on ice and snow.
An employee of Kinh Bac Ho tourist area is presenting the idea of Ninh Co Thap exile tour – Photo: Weibo
The idea of this tour is to combine sightseeing with a form of “situational acting and audience interaction” based on the situations in the TV series Empresses in the Palace to give visitors an immersive experience. The souvenirs are also quite unique, with pink shackles, leg chains and clothes printed with the word “Prison”.
On October 15, Kinh Bac Ho Tourism Group also posted a short video promoting this project.
On October 31, Sina contacted the management board of Kinh Bac Ho tourist area to learn about the progress of the project. The operator said that they have not received any notice about the implementation. Everything is just at the planning stage, there is no specific announcement about the method and time of implementation. The tourist area has not yet started to build any related facilities.
“We have not received any notification at this time, so we cannot provide further information,” the employee said.
Ninh Co Thap in history
Ninggu Pagoda is not a tower, but the old name of the city of Ning’an (Heilongjiang). During the Qing Dynasty, Ninggu Pagoda was a place of exile for criminals, a harsh land. Ninggu Pagoda became widely known thanks to the movie Empresses in the Palace starring Sun Li, in which the emperor exiled Zhen Huan’s father and his family to Ninggu Pagoda. This scene became a major turning point in the relationship between the two.
In history, being exiled to Ninggu Tower was not fun at all, but could actually be life-threatening. Many famous people were exiled here, including Zheng Chenggong’s father Zheng Zhilong, the family of the great writer Jin Shengtan, the family of the thinker Lu Liuliang, the family of Fang Gongqian and Fang Xiaoxiao (Anhui), the father and son Yang Yue and Yang Xin (Zhejiang), the famous poet Wu Zhaoqian, the Buddhist scholar Han Ke, the writer Zhang Jinyan, etc.
A photo captures the moment depicting prisoners being exiled to Ninggu Tower during the Qing Dynasty – Photo: Weibo
Among those exiled to Ninh Co Thap, Ngo Trieu Khien was the one who lived in this land for 22 years. Through Ngo Trieu Khien’s poems, later generations learned about the real life of those exiled in Ninh Co Thap.
In the 18th year of Shunzhi (1661), in a letter to his parents, Wu Zhaoqian wrote: “Ninggu is the coldest and most miserable place in the world. From early spring to mid-April, the wind is as strong as thunder, and even the smallest details cannot be seen. From May to July, it rains continuously. By mid-August, there is heavy snow. In early September, the river freezes. The snow freezes as soon as it falls to the ground. Looking a thousand miles away, all you can see is white snow.”
The most terrifying thing about being exiled to Ninggu Pagoda was the arduous journey. According to the monograph History of the Northeast Exiles , the number of people exiled to the Northeast during the Qing Dynasty was over 1.5 million. Due to the remote location of Ninggu Pagoda, those exiled halfway through were eaten by tigers and wolves, and taken away by apes…
After arriving at Ning Gu Tower, life became easier. Among the exiles from the Central Plains, many were literati and officials, gradually forming a culture of exile in the Northeast.
During the Qing Dynasty, many literati and scholars were exiled to Ningguta for literary crimes. Among them, there were countless wrongful convictions, and many of the exiles were victims of political infighting and were harmed by enemies. Countless people died on the way to Ningguta. The history of exile to Ningguta and the Northeast is not a story with a happy or interesting ending.
Controversial exile tour project
Although the project has not been officially launched, it has attracted widespread attention and debate online. On the discussion forum of the Heilongjiang Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, some netizens expressed their interest: “In the past, prisoners who were exiled to Ninggu Tower probably never dreamed that today there would be people spending money to experience this.” They also expressed their desire to experience it, saying that this idea is very novel and attractive.
However, the project has also received much criticism, saying that turning the historical pain of Ninh Co Thap into entertainment is too superficial. The implementation of this project is not beneficial to helping tourists understand history but goes against the original purpose of cultural tourism.
In response to criticism, many netizens objected: “It’s just a tourism project, is there a need to make such a big deal out of it?”, “If you find it inappropriate, don’t go, why make a fuss?”.
Although not officially launched, the exile tour project in Ninh Co Thap has attracted widespread attention and debate online – Photo: Sohu
In recent years, immersive tourism has become very popular in China. Combining popular TV dramas and entertainment programs with local culture to create tourism projects has become more popular. For example, on the occasion of China’s National Day this year, Jiangsu Botanical Garden combined with the TV series Lianhualou to create a jianghu-style immersive tourism project, which received much praise from fans of the series.
However, there are also many immersive tourism projects that have been criticized as offensive. For example, a tourist area in Ha Nam allowed visitors to experience pretending to be Japanese soldiers, which was considered to have crossed the line.
Heilongjiang has rich tourism resources, including snowy mountains, forests and many majestic and beautiful sceneries.
Many experts believe that if Kinh Bac Ho Tourism Group wants to exploit this exile tour , instead of turning the suffering of the ancients into a trick to attract customers, it should deeply exploit the exile culture, arousing the true cultural and historical values of Ninh Co Thap – the political and military center of the northeastern border during the Qing Dynasty.
Currently, the Ninh Co Thap exile tour project has not been officially implemented yet, the final result still has to wait for the managers to consider.
Surveillance cameras combined with artificial intelligence (AI) allow for quick identification of problems such as accidents, traffic jams, etc., thereby helping to coordinate traffic effectively.
Hyphen Deux – a semiconductor design company in Vietnam – has just signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Arm Korea Ltd and CoAsia SEMI (two leading global technology corporations) in Ho Chi Minh City, to promote the application of AI in building smart city solutions.
The project focuses on improving video surveillance and image recognition systems to support effective traffic coordination.
Mr. Bui Duy Khanh, CEO of Hyphen Deux, shared that Hyphen Deux is developing a specialized AI chip capable of analyzing real-time data from traffic surveillance cameras to identify dangerous situations such as accidents, traffic violations or congestion.
“Through this, the system can respond promptly, support traffic coordination and minimize incidents, improve monitoring efficiency, help improve traffic operation efficiency and optimize the use of urban resources,” said Mr. Khanh.
Mr. Khanh emphasized that the cooperation with Arm and CoAsia SEMI is an important step forward, promoting AI technology in Vietnam and building smart, sustainable urban infrastructure.
Mr. SW Hwang, President of Arm Korea, affirmed “commitment to supporting Vietnam, including human resource training and companies like Hyphen Deux, with the aim of developing AI solutions effectively”.
Similarly, Mr. Shin Dong Soo, CEO of CoAsia SEMI, expects the combination of CoAsia SEMI’s expertise and Hyphen Deux’s creative vision to create advanced technology solutions, contributing to the construction of smart cities not only in Vietnam but also in the region.
AI is revolutionizing transportation around the world.
According to a report by Capgemini, artificial intelligence (AI) helps reduce private car ownership, promoting a shift to public transport, thereby reducing congestion and environmental pollution.
Around the world, many countries have applied AI to develop smart cities, especially in improving transport infrastructure. For example, Singapore uses AI to optimize traffic, while South Korea monitors bus safety and analyzes dangerous driving behavior to reduce accidents…
In that context, Mr. Nguyen Trung Chinh, Chairman of the Board of Directors of CMC Technology Group, proposed that Ho Chi Minh City become a global AI center at the Ho Chi Minh City Economic Forum 2024. He affirmed that AI is not only a technology but also an important factor promoting economic development. According to him, if AI is effectively applied, Vietnam can increase its GDP by up to 14% by 2030.
Life is a journey of continuous learning. Along this path, every person we encounter—whether they accompany us for a lifetime or just a fleeting moment—offers invaluable lessons that shape who we are and guide us forward.
Teachers in the classroom impart knowledge that helps us grow intellectually, but life itself introduces us to many other “teachers”—our family, friends, colleagues, partners, and even customers. These individuals inspire us to overcome challenges, mature through every experience, and pursue our dreams with confidence and determination.
Vietnamese Teachers’ Day, November 20, is a meaningful occasion to honor not only the teachers who have guided us in the classroom but also the countless “special teachers” who enrich our lives in unique and impactful ways.
On this special day, Vietnam Insider extends heartfelt wishes to teachers across the country. May your Vietnamese Teachers’ Day be filled with joy, inspiration, and pride as you continue to nurture dreams and guide them to soar high!
The draft Law on Special Consumption Tax proposes two options to keep the current tax rate on cigarettes at 75% but add an absolute tax that will gradually increase over the years to VND10,000 per pack by 2030.
At the seminar on Increasing special consumption tax and combating cigarette smuggling – issues raised, on the afternoon of November 19, Mr. Le Dai Hai, Deputy Director of the Department of Civil and Economic Law (Ministry of Justice), said that the Draft Law on Special Consumption Tax (amended) drafted by the Ministry of Finance is expected to be submitted to the National Assembly at the end of this month. If approved, it will take effect in 2026. Accordingly, the Ministry of Finance proposed two options for increasing cigarette taxes.
Option 1 : In 2026, the tax rate remains at 75% and an additional 2,000 VND/bag is added. From 2027 to 2030, the tax will increase by 2,000 VND/bag each year. By 2030, the absolute tax rate will be 10,000 VND/bag.
Option 2 : In 2026, when the revised Law on Special Consumption Tax officially takes effect, along with maintaining the current tax rate of 75% on the selling price, the absolute tax on cigarettes is 5,000 VND/pack. Each year after that, it will increase by 1,000 VND/pack. By 2030, the tax will increase to 10,000 VND/pack.
“The Government will submit the above two options to the National Assembly at the next session,” said Mr. Hai, adding that after submitting, it will absorb opinions to edit and complete the draft.
Excise tax (SCT) is an economic tool designed to tax luxury goods, products that are harmful to health, the environment, or have properties that require limited consumption. Tobacco is harmful to people’s health, so most countries in the world apply special consumption tax on this item. According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), out of 178 countries surveyed, 13 countries (accounting for 7%) do not impose special consumption tax on tobacco.
In Vietnam, tobacco is one of the items subject to special consumption tax, with the current tax rate being 75% of the factory price. After nearly 34 years, the special consumption tax rate on tobacco was adjusted from 50% to 75%. Of which, the tax rate was reduced twice in 1988 by 5% (from 70% to 65%) and in 2006 by 10% (from 65% to 55%), from 2008 to present, it has increased according to the roadmap.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Cuc, President of the Vietnam Tax Consulting Association, said that continuing to increase the special consumption tax on cigarettes is necessary. The smoking rate among men decreased from 45% in 2015 to nearly 39% in 2023. However, Vietnam is still among the countries with the highest smoking rate in the world, with more than 15 million people using cigarettes. Therefore, increasing the special consumption tax on cigarettes will make the selling price more expensive, thereby contributing to regulating and reducing consumption, while minimizing serious diseases, especially respiratory diseases and lung cancer.
However, Ms. Cuc said that tax increases need to be harmonious, with a suitable tax adjustment roadmap to achieve the same goals of regulating the state budget, stabilizing production and business, aiming at public health, and combating smuggling. “The increase in special consumption tax will directly impact legal cigarettes while illegal cigarettes are not affected, leading to a decrease in legal production and creating favorable conditions for illegal cigarettes to enter,” she said, citing Malaysia as an example, where consecutive tax increases caused smokers to switch from consuming legal products to illegal cigarettes at extremely low prices. At that time, this country ranked first in the world in illegal cigarettes, accounting for about 65% of the total market in 2020.
In Vietnam, data released by the General Department of Market Management, Ministry of Industry and Trade shows that the situation of cigarette smuggling is worrying. In the first 10 months of this year, the whole industry discovered 1,067 violations related to smuggled cigarettes, of which 800 cases were handled, 3 cases were transferred to the Police Investigation Agency.
On the business side, Mr. Ho Le Nghia, Chairman of the Vietnam Tobacco Association, said that he agreed with the need to increase taxes, but the absolute excise tax with such a sudden increase caused difficulties for tobacco businesses. The tobacco industry contributed about 26,000 billion VND to the state budget in 2023, creating about 1.1 million direct and indirect jobs. Therefore, he recommended that there should be a roadmap and appropriate tax increase intervals for businesses to adapt, transform and stabilize production, create jobs for workers and social security issues. Accordingly, he proposed applying a mixed method with a gradual increase roadmap: 2,000 VND in 2026, 2,000 VND in 2028 and an additional 2,000 VND in 2030, to minimize negative impacts on the industry and the market.
Nearly 200 domestic and foreign units and enterprises from 27 countries such as the US, Russia, UK, France… registered to exhibit at the Vietnam International Defense Exhibition 2024.
On the morning of November 19, the Ministry of National Defense informed about the Vietnam International Defense Exhibition 2024. The event takes place from December 19-22 at Gia Lam Airport, Hanoi. People can visit the exhibition for free from 1:00 p.m. on December 21 to the end of December 22. The exhibition area has a total area of over 100,000 m2, with 15,000 m2 indoors and 20,000 m2 outdoors.
At the exhibition, defense enterprises displayed and introduced combat vehicles, technological solutions, weapons, and equipment used for the Navy, Army, Air Defense – Air Force, cyber warfare, and logistics and technical equipment.
Major General Le Quang Tuyen, Deputy Director of the General Department of Defense Industry, said that nearly 200 domestic and foreign units and enterprises from 27 countries such as the US, Russia, UK, France, Spain, Serbia, Czech Republic, Sweden, Finland, Belarus, Bulgaria, Italy, Germany, Turkey, India, Iran, Japan, South Korea, China, Israel, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Cambodia, and UAE registered to exhibit at the exhibition.
Vietnam’s products will be researched and manufactured by units of the General Department of Defense Industry, the Air Defense – Air Force, Navy, Military Technical Academy, Vietnam – Russia Tropical Center, Armored Corps, Chemical Corps, Military Science and Technology Institute, Military Industry – Telecommunications Group and companies of the Ministry of National Defense.
42 official delegations have registered to visit Vietnam and attend the exhibition. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh will attend the opening ceremony, deliver a speech and tour the exhibition. The Vietnam Air Force will fly a welcome flight. Vietnam Border Guard commandos and military dogs will perform a welcome performance.
According to Major General Le Quang Tuyen, this exhibition is an opportunity for the Ministry of National Defense to expand international cooperation, defense diplomacy, and build trust between Vietnam and countries around the world. This is also a forum to share defense foreign policies and guidelines; policies on building the army and developing the defense industry. Countries, companies, and domestic and international enterprises will have a good opportunity to introduce and display products and seek cooperation opportunities.
The General Department’s leaders also believe that this is an opportunity to diversify cooperation channels for purchasing, receiving, and transferring technology to produce technical equipment and logistics equipment. Units in the General Department can learn about the development trends of weapons and technical equipment in the world to propose, select, purchase, produce, and improve equipment for the army.
“People will witness the capacity, technological potential, and weapons and equipment produced by the Vietnamese defense industry and other countries,” said Mr. Tuyen.
In 2022, the first Vietnam International Defense Exhibition has a total exhibition area of 25,000 m2 with 175 participating companies from 31 countries. During more than two days of opening, 25,000 professional visitors; 300 domestic delegations; 52 international delegations attended.
Meteorological experts have given their comments on the weather patterns in the coming time in the Northern region.
Mr. Hoang Phuc Lam – Deputy Director of the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting said that the latest forecasts show that La Nina (a phenomenon of abnormally cold surface water in the equatorial Pacific Ocean) will decrease significantly in the last months of 2024 and early 2025.
With the above meteorological trend, the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting predicts that in the period from December 2024 to February 2025, storm and tropical depression activities in the East Sea and affecting Vietnam’s mainland are likely to be at a level approximately equal to the average of many years (the average of many years in the East Sea is 1.4 storms; making landfall in Vietnam is 1.1 storms), concentrated in the Central region and the southern provinces and cities.
Also during the forecast period, there is a possibility of dangerous weather phenomena such as thunderstorms, tornadoes, lightning and strong gusts of wind occurring nationwide.
In addition, from December 2024 to February 2025, cold air is likely to become more active and cause severe cold spells. Particularly, the provinces in the Northern region are likely to experience severe cold spells over a wide area from the second half of December.
“Localities need to be on guard against the possibility of prolonged cold spells. Especially in mountainous areas, there may be severe cold accompanied by frost and ice. This phenomenon can have a major impact on agricultural production and people’s health,” Mr. Hoang Phuc Lam noted.
According to forecasts, from now until the end of November, cold air will increase in quantity and intensity, but there will be no severe cold yet.
Weather forecast for regions across the country on the night of November 19 and November 20
Hanoi weather: no rain at night, sunny during the day. Temperature from 19-30 degrees Celsius.
Northwest region has rain at night in some places, sunny during the day. Temperature from 17-29 degrees Celsius.
Northeast region: no rain at night, sunny during the day. Temperature from 18-30 degrees Celsius.
Thanh Hoa – Thua Thien Hue area: in the North there is rain in some places; in the South there is rain at night, showers, locally heavy rain and thunderstorms, scattered rain during the day. Temperature from 21-29 degrees.
Da Nang to Binh Thuan area: In the North, there will be rain, showers at night, locally heavy rain and thunderstorms, scattered rain during the day; in the South, there will be showers and thunderstorms at night in some places, sunny during the day. Temperature from 22-32 degrees.
Central Highlands in the evening and at night there will be showers and thunderstorms in some places; sunny during the day. Temperature from 18-30 degrees.
In the South, there will be showers and thunderstorms in some places in the late afternoon and at night; sunny during the day. Temperature from 23-34 degrees.
Every year, this place attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists to visit and experience. The beautiful scenery of the “undersea forest” makes anyone admire.
”The Forest Under the Sea”
Binh Thuan is considered one of the most famous beach tourist destinations in Vietnam. With its geographical location and mild weather all year round, every year, this place welcomes hundreds of thousands of tourists to explore. Besides famous places such as Phan Thiet, Mui Ne, Mui Ke,… Binh Thuan also has an extremely beautiful district. That is Phu Quy island.
Phu Quy Island (also known as Thu Islet, Khoai Xu Islet) is a small island located about 120km southeast of Phan Thiet, Binh Thuan. The island’s scale also includes Hon Da Cao, Hon Do, Hon Tranh and Hon Hai surrounding it. Although the area of this island district is less than 20km2, it possesses abundant resources and many beautiful landscapes. Phu Quy Island was also voted by CNN as one of the 5 most beautiful beaches in the East Sea.
In recent years, Phu Quy Island has caught the attention of travel enthusiasts. In addition to the clear blue beaches, the experience of watching corals on Phu Quy Island is attracting the attention of domestic and foreign tourists. This form of tourism not only stimulates the curiosity of tourists, but also attracts tourists by its uniqueness and difference. To describe the beauty of the coral reefs on this island district, many locals and tourists often compare it to a ”forest under the sea”.
Among them, coral viewing is the most attractive experience. Photo internet.
Under the cool blue water, Phu Quy Island “treats” tourists to a “paradise” of colorful corals. The coral reefs are interwoven with many diverse shapes. They are usually located 2 – 5m below the water surface. Therefore, visitors can completely admire the corals right when standing on the shore.
Because tourism has not been exploited much, the ecosystem on Phu Quy Island still retains its pristine, wild features, extremely suitable for those who love adventure and discovery.
The coral reefs on Phu Quy Island are located at a depth of only 2m below the water surface. Photo from the internet.
When coming to see the corals on Phu Quy Island, visitors can choose scuba diving or SUP services. Of which, scuba diving services are newly developed here. Visitors will be provided with snorkels and fins to facilitate the observation of the underwater “wonders”. The cost for a scuba diving session on Phu Quy Island is about 300,000 – 500,000 VND/person.
If you choose to paddle SUP or kayak, you can rent a boat near the beaches on Phu Quy Island. The price for one paddle is around 250,000 – 500,000 VND/person (depending on the service). To be able to admire the entire ecosystem of this island district, visitors can also see corals at Hon Tranh, Hon Trung, Hon Den…
Visitors can dive or row a boat to see the coral. Photo: Internet.
In addition to coral viewing and swimming, Phu Quy Island also has many attractive tourist destinations such as Ganh Hang, Bai Nho, Phu Quy Lighthouse, Linh Son Pagoda… Each location has its own beauty, promising to bring visitors unforgettable experiences.
What is the best season to go to Phu Quy?
Binh Thuan province is located in the tropical monsoon region near the equator, with lots of sunshine and wind. This land always has a fresh and cool climate all year round. Therefore, the most suitable time to explore Phu Quy island as well as other tourist destinations in Binh Thuan is from December to June of the following year. Tourists should consider visiting the islands from September to November, because this is the rainy and stormy season with rough seas.
The best time to visit Phu Quy Island is summer. Photo from internet.
Phu Quy is the farthest island district of Binh Thuan province. The distance from the mainland to the island is about 110km, from 2 to 4 hours by boat. The ticket price for one way is 350,000 VND/person.
When arriving at the island, visitors can choose taxis, motorbike taxis or rent motorbikes on the island to move around the island. The roads on Phu Quoc Island are relatively spacious and flat, very convenient for traveling between tourist attractions.
On November 19, Da Nang’s Department of Tourism announced the city’s inaugural “Christmas and New Year Festival 2025,” a 20-day celebration set to run from December 14, 2024, to January 2, 2025. The festival will take place across three main locations: the North Landscape Platform, the East Bank of Dragon Bridge, and the South and West Banks of Dragon Bridge.
The event will feature a diverse range of cultural, tourism, and entertainment activities aimed at creating unique experiences for locals and visitors as they welcome 2025.
Nguyen Thi Hoai An, Deputy Director of Da Nang’s Department of Tourism, emphasized that the festival represents not only a vibrant seasonal celebration but also an opportunity to showcase Da Nang’s rich cultural and artistic values to both domestic and international guests. She stated, “This festival is more than a one-time event—it’s the foundation for an annual tradition that will enrich Da Nang’s cultural life and make it an appealing year-end destination.”
The festival will officially kick off on December 20 with a vibrant opening event from 5 PM to 10 PM at the North Landscape Platform on the East Bank of Dragon Bridge. A special artistic program will combine the festive ambiance of Christmas with live performances, and a dynamic display of lights, visuals, and sound effects.
One of the main highlights will be the “Join Santa’s Parade,” beginning at 7 PM on December 20. The parade will start at the Bach Dang Walking Street and lead to the Christmas Tree of Lights on the North Landscape Platform of the West Bank. Participants, including tourism businesses, residents, and visitors, will dress in Christmas costumes and enjoy dance and singing performances along the route.
With an extensive lineup of activities, the 2025 Christmas and New Year Festival is poised not only to be a memorable holiday celebration but also to lay the groundwork for an annual event that enriches Da Nang’s cultural landscape and draws international visitors to the coastal city each year-end season.
The second-biggest publicly traded bitcoin holding company is looking to increase its token stash and pay off existing debt.
MARA Holdings (MARA) has increased its previously announced convertible note offering from $700 million to $850 million.
It has also raised the option for initial purchasers to acquire extra notes to $150 million from $105 million. The offering is expected to close on Nov. 20, and is a private offering directed at qualified institutional buyers.
The notes maturing on March 1, 2030, will not bear regular interest and can be converted into cash, shares of MARA’s common stock, or a combination of both at MARA’s discretion.
The initial conversion price is approximately $25.91, which is a 42.5% premium over MARA’s current stock price, which is currently $18.18.
The proceeds are estimated to be around $833 million, with $199 million being used to repurchase the $212 million of MARA’s existing convertible notes for 2026. The rest will be allocated for bitcoin (BTC) acquisition, asset expansion, and general corporate purposes.
MARA is the second largest publicly traded holder of bitcoin, holding 27,562 BTC. This announcement comes after several other bitcoin holders companies, specifically MicroStrategy (MSTR) and Semler Scientific (SMLR), purchased more bitcoin.
MARA’s shares are up nearly 2% in pre-market trading after falling nearly 14% on Monday.
The bullish technical setup is backed by record trading volumes on Solana-based decentralized exchanges (DEXs).
It’s said that the best trades occur when the tape, or the direction of the price trend, aligns perfectly with the fundamentals. The solana-bitcoin (SOL/BTC) ratio appears to be one of those rare cases, showcasing a solid bullish price pattern supported by equally impressive activity on the Solana blockchain.
Price Breakout
The SOL/BTC ratio rose over 1% last week, moving out of a narrowing price range, referred to as triangular consolidation in technical analysis.
The breakout indicates that the bulls are finally willing to lead the price action, having been in a stalemate with the bears for eight months. In other words, a sustained uptrend looks likely.
The Moving average convergence/divergence (MACD) histogram, a indicator used to identify trend changes and strength, has crossed above zero, indicating a renewed bullish shift in momentum.
Fundamentals validate breakout
Whether Solana will ultimately replace Ethereum as the top smart contract blockchain remains a hot topic of debate. However, one thing is clear: Solana has established itself as the go-to-place for retail investors to trade memecoins, as evidenced by the surge in trading volumes which supports the bullish outlook for SOL.
Solana-based decentralized exchanges (DEX) have registered cumulative trading volume of $41.6 billion in the seven days to Nov, 17, more than double the preceding week and the highest on record, according to data source Artemis.
The Solana blockchain alone did more volume than Ethereum, Base and BSC’s cumulative DEX activity of $37.9 billion, of which Ethereum accounted for $14.3 billion while the rest did over $11 billion each.
Furthermore, Solana continues to compete the rivals in terms of free revenue despite known for being relatively cheaper than Ethereum. For instance, the Solana-based decentralized exchange Raydium has generated $72.83 million in fees in seven days – that’s 8% more than Ethereum’s $67 million, according to DefiLlama. BTC, meanwhile, has generated a fee revenue of around $15 million in seven days.
Trong cương vị Nhà Đồng Tài Trợ của đêm nhạc Michael Learns To Rock – “Take Us To Your Heart Tour” diễn ra vào tối 17/11, Prudential Việt Nam mang đến một cảm xúc âm nhạc hoài niệm và tái khẳng định cam kết đem lại trải nghiệm tốt nhất cho Khách hàng.
Hoạt động này nằm trong khuôn khổ chiến dịch “Sống Lại Tiếng Yêu Đầu” của Prudential dành cho Khách hàng Kênh Hợp tác, nhằm gợi nhắc về một miền ký ức cảm xúc đáng nhớ của thời thanh xuân, như những giai điệu bất hủ từ Michael Learns To Rock.
Sân khấu ấn tượng tại đêm nhạc mang đến cảm giác hoài niệm về một miền ký ức cảm xúc đáng nhớ của thời thanh xuân, như những giai điệu bất hủ từ Michael Learns To Rock.
Đêm nhạc “Take Us To Your Heart” diễn ra ngày 17/11 tại Nhà thi đấu Phú Thọ, TP. HCM đánh dấu sự trở lại lần thứ tư của nhóm nhạc Michael Learns To Rock tại Việt Nam, thu hút hàng nghìn người hâm mộ cùng khách mời đặc biệt – ca sĩ Erik. Các khán giả nói chung và Khách hàng Prudential nói riêng cùng được hòa mình cùng không khí âm nhạc hoài niệm qua những bản hit vượt thời gian như 25 Minutes, I Still Carry On, Sleeping Child… Đến với đêm nhạc, Khách hàng Prudential còn được trải nghiệm không gian đặc biệt tại khu vực booth của nhãn hàng, nơi họ có thể check-in và nhận ngay một combo quà tặng hấp dẫn, bao gồm quạt mát, nước uống và một bức ảnh polaroid lưu giữ khoảnh khắc đáng nhớ.
Khu vực check-in riêng dành cho Khách hàng của Prudential tại sự kiện.
Một trong những Khách hàng Prudential được nhận vé tham dự, chị Bảo Trân (Phú Nhuận, TP. HCM) chia sẻ về cảm xúc của mình khi tham dự đêm nhạc: “Đây là lần đầu tiên mình và người bạn có cơ hội tham gia một đêm nhạc lớn như thế này. Những ca khúc của Michael Learns To Rock không đơn thuần chỉ là âm nhạc mà còn là những kỷ niệm đẹp, gợi nhớ những cảm xúc khó quên trong cuộc sống. Thật hạnh phúc khi được sống lại những khoảnh khắc ấy cùng hàng ngàn khán giả hôm nay.”
Chiến dịch Khách hàng “Sống Lại Tiếng Yêu Đầu” là món quà Prudential & các Ngân hàng Đối tác gửi đến Khách hàng nhằm gợi nhắc về miền ký ức đáng nhớ qua những thanh âm quen thuộc, và khẳng định sự đồng hành lâu dài của Prudential bên cạnh Khách hàng qua từng cột mốc của cuộc sống. Hoạt động đồng hành cùng đêm nhạc “Take Us To Your Heart” và các hoạt động truyền thông trên mạng xã hội như cuộc thi chia sẻ kỷ niệm về tiếng yêu đầu, các bài hát gắn liền với thế hệ thu hút sự quan tâm và tham gia đông đảo của Khách hàng chính là trạm cảm xúc đầu tiên của hành trình chiến dịch “Sống Lại Tiếng Yêu Đầu
Các thành viên của ban nhạc Michael Learns To Rock cháy hết mình trước hàng nghìn khán giả.
Trong thời gian tới, Prudential sẽ tiếp tục hành trình chiến dịch với chuỗi hoạt động đặc biệt dành riêng cho Khách hàng trong mùa lễ hội cuối năm. Với những món quà tri ân đầy ý nghĩa, Prudential cùng các Ngân hàng Đối tác mong muốn trở thành cầu nối, giúp các Khách hàng trao gửi “tiếng yêu” qua những món quà ấm áp cho bản thân và cho gia đình.
Nhiều năm qua, Kênh Hợp tác của Prudential Việt Nam không ngừng nỗ lực mang đến những trải nghiệm ý nghĩa cho Khách hàng qua nhiều chương trình âm nhạc giàu cảm xúc khác nhau. Có thể kể đến các đêm nhạc, từ “Hẹn Yêu” năm 2022 đến “Sống Lại Cảm Giác An” năm 2023, và đến năm 2024, Prudential tiếp tục hành trình cảm xúc với thông điệp trân trọng và bảo vệ những mối quan hệ quý giá, đồng hành cùng Khách hàng tận hưởng từng khoảnh khắc đáng nhớ.
Thông tin chi tiết các hoạt động tiếp theo của chiến dịch Khách hàng “Sống Lại Tiếng Yêu Đầu”, vui lòng cập nhật tại đây.
