Culture - Sports

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

Thousands of visitors are expected to be immersed in the vibrantatmosphere of the “festival in the clouds” – a cultural villagesperformance, 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 pyrotechnicdisplay during the April 30 opening ceremony along Xuan Vien Lakein Sa Pa town, along with a programme to highlight the culturalspace 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 isscheduled to be held in Nghe An on May 17-19 in celebration of the 125th birthday of the late President Ho Chi Minh (May 19, 1890), announcedthe Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on April 9.

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

The festival aims to strengthen the solidarity between ethnic groupsin the central region while promoting their cultural identities andsustainable development.

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

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

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