Quang Ninh: Binh Lieu tourism week, festival promise memorable experiences for visitors

Paragliding over Binh Lieu terraced rice field (Photo: baoquangninh.com.vn)

Quang Ninh (VNA) – A series of cultural and tourism events will take place as part of the culture - tourism week and the yellow season festival of Binh Lieu, a border district in the northern province of Quang Ninh, from October 15 through the end of December.

The Binh Lieu People’s Committee said the activities aim to honour and introduce the district’s charming natural landscapes in autumn and winter such as terraced rice fields, the pampas grass flowering season, and the “so” (Camellia oleifera) flower season, along with unique cultural identities of local ethnic minorities such as Tay, Dao Thanh Y, Dao Thanh Phan, and San Chi to visitors from far and wide.

The culture - tourism week and the yellow (ripe rice) season festival will be opened on October 15 with a running tournament named the “Path of the yellow season” during which competitors will race through Khe O, Cao Thang and Ngan Pat hamlets of Luc Hon commune and nearby areas.

Meanwhile, the week opening ceremony is scheduled to take place at the December 25 Square in Binh Lieu township on October 21 evening.

A wide range of interesting activities will be held in Luc Hon commune throughout October, including the performance of new rice celebration rituals at Luc Na Communal House on October 21, paragliding from Cao Xiem Mountain over ripe rice fields on October 22, stand-up paddleboarding on the Tien Yen River, an exhibition of local agricultural and forestry products and those of the “One Commune, One Product” (OCOP) programme in Ngan Pat hamlet, and mountaineering and camping on Cao Xiem Mountain.

Folk sports and games like “nem con” (cloth ball throwing), crossbow shooting, tug of war, and pole pushing will be organised at terraced fields, houses of culture, and sports grounds of Ngan Pat, Khe O, Cao Thang, Ban Cau, and Luc Na hamlets. Visitors can also take check-in photos of the ripe rice season or experience new rice celebration rituals at families of Tay people.

The time from October to November is the most beautiful season in Binh Lieu, giving tourists a great chance to explore a “paradise” of flowering pampas grass, the “dinosaur spine” (the paths on the top of mountains), border markers, along with many other unique destinations including Luc Na Communal House, Hoanh Mo Border Gate, the Cao Son flower garden, Khe Van Waterfall, Song Mooc Waterfall, Cao Ba Lanh Mountain, and Cao Ly Mountain. A running tourney named “Dinosaur Spine - Marker 1305” also promises a worth-to-try experience.

In December, the opening ceremony of the “so” flower season will take place at the “so” forest in Dong Long hamlet of Dong Tam commune. Various cultural and sports activities will also be held on this occasion such as a cycling race, a display of literature and art works about the land of “so” flowers, musical and sports exchanges, folk games, and an exhibition of OCOP products.

Binh Lieu is blessed with a mild climate all year round, beautiful mountainous landscapes, many historical relic sites, and cultural diversity of ethnic groups.

To capitalise on these advantages, it has stepped up tourism promotion and investment attraction to this sector. Besides, it is working to implement a plan on sustainable tourism development in tandem with poverty reduction and socio-economic development in Binh Lieu. Other plans on preserving and promoting the cultural values of San Chi people in Luc Ngu village of Huc Dong commune and Dao people in Song Mooc village of Dong Van commune will also be carried out soon.

The district hopes to welcome 150,000 tourist arrivals in 2023 and over 800,000 by 2030./.