Vietnam province offers ‘cyclo’ service to tourists

The service is offered by the Culture and Tourism Center of Bac Lieu City – the provincial capital.

A team of 20 cyclos will take travelers on sightseeing tours to the city’s attractions typical of the Mekong Delta’s tourism, according to Nguyen Vu, vice director of the provincial Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism.

In Vietnam, cyclos are used to refer to bicycle taxis that are a sort of pedicab having one or two passengers in a seat in the front and the driver pedaling in the rear.

The tourist attractions include Hung Vuong Square, home to a huge stylized “don kim” (a traditional musical instrument); the newly renovated edifices of “Cong Tu Bac Lieu” – or sons of the opulent families living in the province in the early 1900s who were famous for their generous money spending habits; and the Ho Nam Ecotourism Complex.

Other scenic spots are Nha Mat Manmade Sea Tourism Complex, the largest in the delta, the commemorative complex dedicated to ‘Don Ca Tai Tu’ (southern traditional music), and Cao Van Lau – a revered composer of the genre.

‘Don Ca Tai Tu’ was recognized by the UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity late last year.

Bac Lieu Province, located in southern Vietnam, is one of the genre’s cradles.

Tour guides will be present at all the tourist attractions, Vu, the vide director, said.

He added that the cyclo drivers have received training in communication and customer service.

All the 20 vehicles will be mobilized to carry contestants of the ongoing Miss Vietnam 2014 beauty pageant on a parade around the city, which will be held tomorrow, November 5.

American pop star Kelly Clarkson, who won the first season of the renowned singing competition American Idol in 2002, is slated to perform at the finale of the pageant, which is scheduled to take place on December 6 at Vinpearl Phu Quoc Resort on the southern island of Phu Quoc in Kien Giang Province.

Bac Lieu is the hometown of Dang Thu Thao, the current holder of the Miss Vietnam title.