5 must-see travel events in April

Hung Temple Festival – Phu Tho

This year's Hung Temple Festival in Phu Tho lasts for 5 days, from April 21st to 25th (corresponding to the 6th to 10th day of the third lunar month). It is hosted by Phu Tho province, with the participation of four other provinces: Thai Nguyen, Quang Nam, Binh Duong, and Kien Giang, representing different regions.

Provinces participating in the Hung Temple Festival will offer gifts from each province to express gratitude for the merits of the Hung Kings at the Upper Temple on March 9th. On the morning of March 10th, provincial leaders, dressed in ceremonial robes, will jointly hold an incense offering ceremony at the Upper Temple. In addition, provinces may organize local artistic performances to entertain visitors attending the festival.

This year, the festival is organized similarly to previous years, with the incense offering ceremony commemorating the Hung Kings on March 5th, the anniversary of the death of National Ancestor Lac Long Quan, and the incense offering ceremony commemorating Ancestress Au Co on March 6th... In addition, there are also the procession of palanquins from the surrounding areas, folk cultural activities at Hung Temple, and street folk festivals.

Hue Festival

From April 27th to May 2nd, the Hue Festival will be held in the dreamy ancient capital. The community festival program will be recreated in a vast space, contributing to the revival of traditional cultural values ​​of this imperial land.

During the Festival, visitors will enjoy many special programs such as: the Royal Palace Night, the Nam Giao Sacrifice Ceremony, the Transmission of the Imperial Seal Ceremony, the Ao Dai Festival, kite flying, poetry recitation, human chess, boat racing... Visitors will also enjoy exquisite court music performances, sip a cup of royal tea along with crispy sesame candy.

Visiting Hue during this time, tourists not only get to admire the temples, tombs, and picturesque scenery, but also have the opportunity to see a new and exciting version of the ancient capital with its nighttime activities. A light show featuring 1,000 LED lights will take place on the pedestrian street, and a cannon firing demonstration will be held at the monument.

Ha Long Carnival

The opening ceremony and program of the Ha Long Carnival took place at Ha Long Park on April 28th. With this event, the city of wonders in the North is considered a highlight of the 2018 National Tourism Year. The program, chaired by the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, has the theme "Ha Long - Heritage, Wonder, Friendly Destination".

Vibrant and colorful, the Ha Long Carnival promises to be an impressive seaside cultural feast for the summer days. Here, visitors will immerse themselves in the lively street culture, enjoy cheerful music and dance, and explore magnificent islands.

The Cua Lo Tourism Festival 2018 will be held on the evening of April 29th, with the theme "Cua Lo: Convergence and Radiance". The program, expected to last 90 minutes, will be divided into two parts: the ceremonial part and the festive part.

A 15-minute fireworks display at the end of the opening night will be the highlight marking the start of the 2018 Cua Lo tourism season. (Photo: Archival image)

The ceremonial part mainly utilizes historical narratives and folk songs, recounting legends about the land and people of Cua Lo, and the heroic figures who contributed to the opening and expansion of the territory; the festive part is vibrant with pop songs performed by many famous singers such as Ho Ngoc Ha, Bui Le Man, Duc Tuan, Quoc Thien, Isaac… The highlight of the evening is the fireworks display, expected to last 15 minutes.

The opening ceremony of Cua Lo Tourism 2018 will be held in a grand and authentic "Nghe An" style, leaving a positive impression on visitors. In addition, throughout the tourism season, Cua Lo will host many exciting activities such as the International Food and Tourism Festival featuring 9 provinces from 3 countries (Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand), a Street Music Competition, and more.

Da Nang Fireworks Festival

Da Nang, the city of fireworks festivals, is always an attractive destination on Vietnam's tourism map during the summer. It is also voted the most attractive venue for events and festivals in Asia by the World Travel Awards.

This year's Da Nang Fireworks Festival will last two months, from April 30th to June 30th. The event includes five nights of performances with competing teams: Vietnam vs. Poland (April 30th), France vs. the USA (May 26th), Italy vs. Hong Kong (China) on June 2nd, and Switzerland vs. Portugal (June 9th). The two best teams will compete in the final night on June 30th.

In addition to the main theme of "Legends of the Bridges," each night's performance also features a separate theme such as love, time, happiness, aspiration, and friendship. The festival promises to evoke a wide range of emotions in the audience.

Hoa Le