Culture, tourism festivals look to enthral visitors

The 2015 Sa Pa Culture and Tourism Week will take place from April 28 to May 3 in foggy Sa Pa town in northern Lao Cai province.

Thousands of visitors are expected to be immersed in the vibrant atmosphere of the “festival in the clouds” – a cultural villages performance, a traditional costumes show and a farmers’ day programme.

The annual festival will also feature a cuisine fair and a photo exhibition on the land and people of Sa Pa.

Locals and tourists will be treated to a spectacular pyrotechnic display during the April 30 opening ceremony along Xuan Vien Lake in Sa Pa town, along with a programme to highlight the cultural space of local ethnic minority people.

During the festive week, Sa Pa is expected to welcome over 50,000 visitors.

Meanwhile, the 2015 central region ethnic groups Cultural Day is scheduled to be held in Nghe An on May 17-19 in celebration of the 125 th birthday of the late President Ho Chi Minh (May 19, 1890), announced the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on April 9.

As many as 13 provinces—Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Thua Thien-Hue, Da Nang, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh, Khanh Hoa, Ninh Thuan and Binh Thuan—are expected to partake in the event.

The festival aims to strengthen the solidarity between ethnic groups in the central region while promoting their cultural identities and sustainable development.

During the three-day event, each ethnic group will present their distinctive cuisine, traditional costumes, cultural products and folk games.

Sa Pa is famous for natural sites such as Ham Rong Mountain , Silver Waterfall, Rattan Bridge , Bamboo Forest and Ta Phin Cave. It is home to six main ethnic minority groups, each with its own various traditional festivals, unique cultural practices and regular events, including Bac Ha market and Sa Pa love market.

Meanwhile, central provinces boast rich potential for tourism development. The region is home to a number of world heritage sites recognised by UNESCO such as the Citadel of the Ho Dynasty (Thanh Hoa province), Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park (Quang Binh province), the Complex of Hue Monuments (Thua Thien-Hue province), Hoi An Ancient Town and My Son Sanctuary (Quang Nam province).-VNA

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