Mar 29, 2011

International kite festival draws dozens of nations

Some 120 enthusiasts from 25 nations and territories have registered to participate in an international kite festival in Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province from April 8-10.
The enthusiasts will bring over 300 kites in different sizes, shapes and materials, featuring designs from many traditional cultures.

Organisers from Intourco and Paradise Beach Resorts said that many colourful international figures will also participate, showcasing their special products in the shape of birds and very small butterflies, which, with skilful handling, can fly as in real life.

Audiences will also be entertained with huge kites in different shapes, including toads, as long as 25m.

The event will culminate in a professional kite flying programme themed “Sharing a sky” for 120 minutes, following an amateur programme for visitors.

(Source: VNA)

Mar 24, 2011

Visiting Southeast Asia with one visa

Tourists will soon be able surf in Bali, shop in Singapore and eat spicy street food in Thailand before crossing into Cambodia and cruising the Mekong in Vietnam with a single tourist visa.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is working on a plan that would open the region to foreign tourists in the same way Europe's unified visa system has streamlined travel.

Eddy Krisneidi, an official of the ASEAN Secretariat, said in its Tourism Strategic Plan for the next five years, foreign tourists who just have to apply for one visa to one ASEAN member country can visit all other countries, ranging from Angkor Wat in Cambodia to five-star beach resorts in Bali.

ASEAN countries recorded more than 65 million foreign visitor arrivals in 2009. Malaysia led the field, followed by Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Brunei.

Analysts said that one visa for all ASEAN member countries will help attract more tourists to the region.

(Source: VOV)

Mar 20, 2011

Enterprises donate VND20 billion for fireworks festival

Thirty four enterprises nationwide have registered to sponsor about VND20 billion for the Danang International Fireworks Competition 2011 to be held April 29-30 on the central coast.
Five teams will compete at the annual competition. They are Jubilee Fireworks of England, Hanwha of South Korea, Parente Fireworks A&C SNC of Italy, Panda Fireworks of China and a team from Danang City. Tickets are available for an outdoor stadium with over 25,000 seats, and seats on tourist boats on Han River.

The city will hold promotions such as an online fireworks competition, art performances, flower boat parade, flower lanterns on Han River, food festival and light decorations at My Khe beach.

Tickets cost VND200,000 and are available in HCMC, Hanoi and Danang cities. The organizing committee expects to sell over 16,000 seats.

Last year’s competitors were Pyrotecnico - New Castle from Pennsylvania (USA), Luso Pirotecnia Group (Portugal), Jacques Couturier Organisation (France), Tamaya Kitahara (Japan) and Danang (Vietnam). It attracted around 100,000 spectators.

(Source: VNS)

Mar 18, 2011

First international choir festival opens in Quang Nam

Vietnam’s first ever International Choir Festival and Competition (VICC 1) opened in Hoi An City in the central province of Quang Nam on March 16.
The four-day event is drawing the participation of 30 choirs with nearly 1,000 artists from 11 countries and territories, including Germany, Hong Kong (China), Estonia, Hungary, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Spain, Singapore, Sri Lanka and host Vietnam.The imposing opening performance, featuring specific characteristics of the cultural life of the Vietnamese people, with diversified forms of the singing and dancing art, such as songs in chorus and folk songs, took place on a floating stage at the Hoai River Square.

The festival continued with performances presented by choirs from Malaysia, Estonia, the Philippines and Vietnam.

A magnificent chorus performance from 1,000 singers from all the choirs closed the opening night of VICC 1.

Jointly organised by the Vietnam Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Quang Nam Province and the Germany-based Interkultur organisation, VICC 1 is a meeting of chorus lovers who can exchange through music, thus strengthening understanding about nations’ cultures as well as improving international friendship, solidarity and cooperation.

It also offers an opportunity to introduce international friends to the beauty of an ancient town, the hospitality of the Quang Nam people and the unique tourism products of Quang Nam in particular and central Vietnam in general.

(Source: VNA)

Mar 15, 2011

Exhibition highlights Vietnam-Laos traditional relations

A photographic exhibition praising the time-honoured relations between Vietnam and Laos was held recently in Vientiane by the Vietnamese Embassy and the Vietnamese Cultural Centre in Laos.

The event praised the success of Vietnam’s 11th National Party Congress and welcomed Laos’ 9th Revolutionary People’s Party.

On the occasion, the relevant agencies presented one first prize, two second prizes, two third prizes and five consolation prizes to outstanding works.

Two months after launching the exhibition, it attracted 170 entries from 170 students of the Vietnam Art Teacher Training College and 70 entries from 50 Lao students.

All works of art highlighted the humanity and the traditional friendship between Vietnam and Laos.

The exhibition was of great political significance, showing young people’s confidence in the revolutionary cause of the two Parties, State and its peoples.

(Source: VOV)


   

Mar 13, 2011

National Tourism Year 2011 launched in central coastal province

A ceremony was held in Phu Yen Province on March 10 to launch the National Tourism Year 2011 programme in south-central eight cities and provinces, starting from Danang City to Binh Thuan Province. The event was part of activities marking the 400th founding anniversary of Phu Yen Province.

Various cultural, sporting and tourism events including an Asian music festival, an international choir festival, a film festival and a yacht race will be held within the framework of the programme themed “Beach and Island”.

This is a good opportunity for south-central coastal cities and provinces to introduce their tourism potential and promote maritime-based economy.

Vietnam aims to welcome 5.3 million foreign tourists in 2011 and earn a total revenue of VND110 trillion.

(Source: VOV)

Mar 6, 2011

Various events to celebrate Hung Kings’ death anniversary

A wide range of activities will take place as from April 7 (the 5th day of the 3rd lunar month) in the northern province of Phu Tho to commemorate the death anniversary of Hung Kings and celebrate the Hung Temple Festival in 2011.
The activities will be jointly held by Phu Tho and five other provinces, namely Tuyen Quang, Hoa Binh, Nam Dinh, Quang Ngai and Dong Thap.

Incense offering ceremonies to the first rulers of Vietnam – the Hung Kings and the legendary ancestors of the nation will be held on April 7, 8 and 12 with the main ceremony to be hosted by Phu Tho on April 12 (the 10th day of the 3rd lunar month).

The festival that will last from April 8-12 will include a lion dance, a Xoan singing (ancestor worship singing) festival, an exhibition of offerings to the Hung Kings and a contest on making the traditional “banh chung” (square glutinous rice cake) and “banh day” (rice cake).

Phu Tho Province will also host an international seminar on “The worship of Hung Kings” as part of efforts to bid for UNESCO’s recognition of as an intangible cultural heritage.

Legend has it that Lac Long Quan, who was a dragon, met and married fairy Au Co, who later gave birth to 100 eggs from which 100 children sprang forth. The couple then parted due to their different origins. The man went seawards with 50 of their children, while his wife went to the mountains with the other half of the clan. The eldest son, who followed his father, later installed himself as Vietnam's first Hung King and today's Vietnamese people are said to be descendants of those children.

(Source: VNA)

Mar 2, 2011

Dak Lak ready for coffee festival


The Central Highlands province of Dak Lak is ready for the third coffee festival scheduled for March 10-15, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Tran Hieu affirmed.

“All preparations for the third Buon Ma Thuot coffee festival have completed,” he said at a press briefing on March 1.

An opening ceremony will take place at Buon Ma Thuot City’s square. It will be followed by street festivals, including lion dance, elephant march and gong performance.

During the festival, an exhibition with 600 booths will be held to introduce Vietnam’s coffee products.

An international workshop on sustainable development for Buon Ma Thuot coffee will also be held with the participation of representatives from coffee exporting and importing countries like Brazil, Columbia, Indonesia and Ethiopia.

Futures transaction is expected to be launched for the first time in the province’s coffee trading floor.

Besides, the festival includes a series of cultural and art activities, making it an unique attraction.

The festival has freshly been bolstered to the national level under a decision by the Prime Minister in an attempt to turn Buon Ma Thuot City into a global hub of coffee.

(Source: VNA)

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