Nha Trang’s role as the default vacation capital of Vietnam developed over several centuries. Under French colonial rule, dignitaries living in the region recognized Nha Trang’s sheltered waters and pristine beaches, and built many ornate villas along its coastline. Popular with American soldiers, the region’s popularity continued to grow even during the Vietnam War. Today Nha Trang attracts not only the obligatorily grungy backpacking lot but also droves of package tourists.

Enter Vinpearl Land, a full-service family fun destination and Vietnam’s take on the all-inclusive resort. Built on Hon Tre, the largest of Nha Trang’s five main islands, Vinpearl Land boasts an amusement park, water slides, and an aquarium in addition to its 5-star hotel.

Though Vinpearl resort is no doubt a very classy establishment, it is not without its share of kitsch. In addition to a nightly water fountain laser show, it proclaims its existence to everyone on the mainland with an even tackier version of the iconic “Hollywood Sign.”

Part of Vinpearl’s notoriety comes from the method of conveyance used to shuttle tourists to the island. A 3,311 metre-long oversea aerial tramway, the longest of its kind¹, can transport up to 1,500 people per hour to the behemoth resort. At roughly £10 per ride, the price is a bit steep but includes amusement park access and all the fun you can handle!

It is interesting to note the speed with which Vinpearl was constructed; the Vinpearl Group has only existed since 2002 and Vinpearl Land wasn’t completed until 2007. Thanks to Google Earth historical imagery, we can see the rapid progress that ensued as well as the deconstruction and redevelopment of one of Nha Trang’s old fishing villages.

In this image, taken in April of 2002 we see early stages of the hotel construction. The amusement park has not yet been built and in its place we can see a few huts comprising a village and a veritable flotilla of traditional houseboats.

By August of 2006 Google’s historical imagery shows us a very different picture. Notice the completed hotel and nearly finished amusement park. One can only infer that the fishing village probably didn’t mesh with what the resort operators had in mind for the island and was hopefully relocated to somewhere nearby.

Unfortunate side-effects aside, the development of Vinpearl Land represents significant economic progress for Vietnam and has been a major source of employment in that region. In addition to creating residual benefits for the Vietnamese tourism industry as a whole, its success is a sign that more development is probably on the way. Perhaps it is just the first step to bigger and better things…can anyone say Disneyworld Vietnam?

Locations: Vietnam / Categories: Islands, Theme Parks

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Other than the truly spectacular scenery which features some absolutely amazing caves, some of the most impressive sights in Hạ Long Bay are the local communities. With a population around the same as the number of inhabitable islands, many of the locals live on floating villages, and some of these small communities are like little towns – complete with banks and schools. Most of their income comes from local fishermen, but tourism also plays a part.

The bay gets its name from an ancient legend which tells of how, during a Chinese invasion, the Jade Emperor sent a mother dragon and her children to aid the Vietnamese and prevent them from facing defeat. The dragons shot from their mouths around 2000 stones which immediately transformed into the jade islands seen today.

The dragon’s defenses supposedly blocked the Chinese ships and gave the Vietnamese the leverage needed to gain victory.

For more info check out the Hạ Long Bay official website, or the Hạ Long Bay Wikipedia page.

Locations: Vietnam / Categories: Islands, Watercraft

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A panopticon was never built in Bentham’s lifetime, but the idea was revived many years later for the design of Statesville Correctional Centre in Crest Hill, Illinois. Opened in 1925 it has two ’roundhouses’, and is the only working example of a panopticon in the United States. Here’s a great photo which clearly illustrates what the interior is like.

Although genuine panopticons are very rare, outside of the US there are a few more for us to see.

The Presidio Modelo on the Isla de la Juventud in Cuba was directly inspired by Statesville, completed in 1931, and remains one of the best examples of Bentham’s concept. Originally holding up to 6000 prisoners, its most famous inmate was probably the current President of Cuba, Fidel Castro, who was held here between 1953 and 1955. The last prisoner was released in 1967 however, and it is now a national museum – this photo shows how it looks inside today.

Chi Hoa prison in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, is an outdoor version of the panopticon, but still has the central observation tower and cells ringed round it. During the Vietnam War, the prison was used to hold Viet Cong members, and still serves as the main correctional facility for the city.

Finally, Holland actually has three panopticons – in Haarlem, Breda and Arnhem. Designed by Willem C. Metzelaar, Haarlem’s domed prison has four floors of cells, and was completed in 1901.

Merzelaar’s father was the architect for Breda and Arnhem, which perhaps explains the similar style of the three buildings. The Dutch government refurbished these prisons in 1979, choosing to remove the central observation platforms, but keeping the rings of cells intact.

Wikipedia has more on panopticons, Jeremy Bentham and the Separate System.

Locations: Cuba, Illinois, Netherlands, Vietnam / Categories: Buildings, Structures

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In fact it’s so trendy that even Hollywood actresses are getting in on the act with Angelina Jolie’s latest tattoo featuring 4 latitude and longitude cordinates¹.

Plugging the coordinates into Google Earth, the first leads us to Cambodia. This is supposedly where her first son, Maddox, was born.

Specifically, the lat/long leads us to a pond just outside the airport but I guess she was just aiming for the general area.

Following the next coordinate we are led to Ethiopia’s capital of Addis Abeba, where the eldest daughter Zahara was born.

For her third coordinate Angelina has gone a bit more specific, pointing to the Namibian beach resort of Swakopmund. This is where she gave birth to Brad Pitt’s baby Shiloh.

And lastly on our tour Angelina takes us to Ho Chi Minh City, the largest city in Vietnam, where latest addition Pax Thien was born.

Of course, if she wanted to be really up-to-the-minute she should have had a KML file tattooed down her arm instead

Thanks: AndrewAnorak

Locations: Cambodia, Ethiopia, Namibia, Vietnam /

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