(VOVworld) Foreign tourists to Vietnam are not only captivated by its beautiful landscapes but also the unique tradition of celebrating the traditional lunar New Year, the spring atmosphere and local people’s hospitality.


Sapa's magnificent landscape
Spring is a time when Hanoi has hundreds of festivals and cultural activities attracting millions of Vietnamese and foreign visitors. In addition to popular sites such as the Temple of Literature, the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Bat Trang ceramic village, tours also include other villages with unique cultural festivals. Le Quang Dao, Director of the Vietvision Travel Company says this year will be a difficult year for the tourism sector as the number of foreign tourists to Vietnam is forecast to decline. Mr. Dao said that since early this year, the number of foreign tourists, especially those from Europe and the US has been falling."This year, we’re targeting tourists from Singapore, India, Malaysia, Hongkong, China and Thailand. Asian tourists often take 4 or 5 day tours to Hanoi, Ha Long and Sapa in the north, or Da nang, Hoi An and Hue in the south. This year, our company is focusing on promoting tours of rural areas that offer tourists an opportunity to explore the cultural uniqueness of the Vietnamese countryside through traditional festivals", added Mr Dao.

Mr. Dao says his company’s spring tours attract a lot of customers with their diversity and reasonable prices of around 350 USD for a 3-day tour and 70 USD for a one day tour."One-day tours offer a chance to explore the Da river, the Muong cultural museum, the Thac Bo temple and performances of religious songs. Two day tours will take you to villages in Dong Trieu and Ha Long Bay in Quang Ninh province. We also offer tours of villages northeast of Hanoi. Foreign tourists are very interested in these tours", said Mr. Dao.

Hoi An Photo by: Hoianworldheritage

The ancient town of Hoi An in the central province of Quang Nam has been selected as one of the 10 leading destinations in Asia by Smart Travel magazine. Visitors to Hoi An enjoy a relaxing walk around small alleys full of the fragrance of wood incense. Mr. Dinh Hai, Director of Quang Nam province’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism said: "In addition to exploring the unique architecture of the ancient town, tourists are also treated to local folk music and other types of folk art performed at various spots around town. We hold a full moon festival on the 14th day of the lunar month. This festival recreates the ancient town of the early 20th century. We have revived local traditional festivals and religious rituals to help visitors experience the life of local people. In addition, we are organizing photo and painting exhibitions, traditional and contemporary music concerts and street fairs"

If during the day, Hoi An is a bit quiet, at night, the town seems to come to life with colored lanterns and the sound of folk songs creating an unforgettable experience that keeps bringing tourists to Hoi An.

Lan Anh