FESTIVAL FEVER

between November 19 and 21, ho Chi Minh City's Reunification (Thong Nhat) Meeting Hall - located next to the city's People's Committee building - will play host to a unique Vietnam-Japan Tourism A Cultural Exchange Festival, a Vietnam Airlines-sponsored event, also supported by the Japanese Consulate in Ho Chi Minh City. The Festival will introduce Vietnamese culture through games and festivities and highlight some of its most beautiful tourist destinations in the South, in the Centre and along our 2,000 kilometers-long coastline.

On entering the site through a archway decorated both in Vietnamese and Japanese styles, visitors will be greeted by stilt walkers, Unicorn dancers and other festive folk. They will pass through an are where human chess, tug-of-war, shuttle cock, and other games are played. From here, they can move on to one of three areas.

In the first, Vietnam's coastal delights will be displayed. In sections focusing on Phan Thiet, Nha Trang and Danang, visitors will learn not only about the pristine beaches and sumptuous hotels that await them, but also about each region's cuisine and handicrafts. Seaside games like beach volleyball and dancing will also be on offer to those who wish to try their hand, and a photo exhibition "Vietnam Now" will display the work of Japanese photographers. Vietnam Travel festivals are organized regularly in several cities and provinces in Vietnam

In the Southern Waterways section, organizers have arranged for a river to run through the area in imitation of the many narrow waterways that criss-cross the southern Mekong Delta region.

Ben Thanh Tourist arranges tours for Festival Hue

HCMC-based Ben Thanh Tourist has launched three new tours to take tourists to attractions in the city as well as to the festival.

The three-day and two-night tour will consist of half of the first day spent visiting attractions such as the Thien Mu pagoda, the Royal Palace of the Nguyen dynasty and the Dong Ba market.

In the afternoon the tour will return to the Royal Palace for presentations which change daily, for example modern and traditional dance performances, Jazz or Rock music, Russian art, South Korean traditional dance, the American band Kimotion, a Canadian circus or a fashion show.

On the second day the tour will spend the morning enjoying street performances such as stilt walkers, street theatre such as a re-enactment of the coronation of Quang Trung King, and various competitions. During the afternoon the tour will visit Tu Duc and Khai Dinh Tombs.

During the evenings more shows will take place at An Dinh Palace, such as the South Korean mask dance, Thang Long music and dance. South Korean installation art, CoCo York and music by the Blue bands.

On the third day there will be time to visit the Festival Hue before leaving Hue to return to HCMC.

Tea festival opens in central highlands

The B’lao Tea Fragrance festival sent the highlands town of Bao Loc pulsing with fireworks, a procession of flower-bedecked cars, and the jubilant sounds of instruments like T’rung (bamboo xylophone), flute, dan da (stone music instrument) and gongs performed by the Lam Dong traditional music troupe.

“The tea festival is a good opportunity to promote Vietnamese tea and compare notes on producing and selling this beverage,” said Truong Van Thu, deputy chairman of the Lam Dong People’s Committee and head of the event steering committee.

“It is also a chance for local and international visitors to enjoy a special drink that is good for health and is central to local culture.”

The festival will feature various activities including a photo exhibition, fashion and musical shows, discussions on tea-planting and -processing techniques, a beauty contest, folk games, and others.

Artisans to decorate streets for flower festival

The five-day event Flower Street Festival – Hanoi 2009, will welcome famous artisans and craftsmen from Hanoi’s traditional villages to present their artwork made from hundreds of thousands of flowers, as well as their traditional products.

From December 31 to January 4, the festival will take over a 600m-long stretch of road, from the intersection of Dinh Tien Hoang-Hang Bai-Trang Tien-Hang Khay to Ba Kieu Temple alongside Hoan Kiem Lake.

The colourful flower beds will be designed by some of Hanoi’s most famous florists, including Mai Hanh, Duc Hai and Nguyen Ba Muu. The fresh flowers will be accompanied by a range of materials, including silk and wood