(VOVworld) – Ha Long is one of the most beautiful bays on the planet and has been twice recognized as a world natural wonder by UNESCO. The 2013 Ha Long Carnival with the theme “Colors of Quang Ninh: Convergence and Pervasion attracted a large number of tourists. Held for the 7th time, Ha Long carnival has become a successful trademark for Quang Ninh province’s tourism.
The 2013 Ha Long Carnival attracted more than 10,000 visitors including many foreigners. Everyone had their own way of experiencing the festival but all were impressed by the festival’s uniqueness, excitement and color. A Swedish tourist shared his impression: "The atmosphere was great. Dancers and singers, everything was perfect. I’m very happy to be visiting Ha Long at this time”.
This year’s carnival was very different as it was totally prepared by Quang Ninh people. Vo Thi Thu Thuy, Vice Chairwoman of Quang Ninh’s People’s Committee says her province wanted to create a unique festival and promote local products."In recent years, Ha Long Carnival has become a unique cultural and tourist product of Quang Ninh which offers locals and visitors an unexpected experience. Through the efforts of all stakeholders, the colorful 2013 edition of Ha Long Carnival was a great success”, said Thuy.
Quang Ninh is considered as a microcosm of Vietnam because of its varied geography and the presence of 34 ethnic groups including Kinh, San Diu, Tay, Nung, Muong and Thai, each of them with their own cultural identity. Sixty members of the Dao ethnic group joined a traditional dance to pray for favorable weather and a good harvest. Fishermen Quan Lan and Van Don recreated a canoe race from the past. People from Ha Long fishing villages performed a wedding ceremony. The San Chay ethnic group performed a shrimp catching dance. And the Tay showed off their Then singing and dancing. Hoang Quoc Thai, Deputy Director of the Quang Ninh Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and Director of the Carnival says the event is like a street party with folk games and recreations of the daily activities of local people. Thai says:“At the 2013 Ha Long Carnival, all the cultural activities of local ethnic groups have been reproduced through traditional dances, popular games, simulations of daily activities, and boat races. The staging of local daily activities creates a living museum of Quang Ninh”.
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The highlight of the festival is a street parade with floral floats and folk dances from different parts of Quang Ninh. The festival this year also included exciting performances by art troupes from Laos, China, and the Republic of Korea. Nguyen Duy Cuong, Permanent Vice President of the Vietnam-Cuba Friendship Association, says: "When talking about Carnival, we usually refer to Latin America- Brazil or Cuba, which are well known for this kind of festival. I had the opportunity to see carnivals in Cuba where I lived and worked. I admire the creativity of Quang Ninh province, which has turned a party imbued with Vietnamese cultural identity into a unique tourist product. These are the fruits of cultural integration".
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Halong Carnival 2013 was a perfect marriage of tradition and modernity inspiring every visitor. Ngo Van Hoi, who lives in Bai Chay, Ha Long, says: “I feel very proud to live in Ha Long. Thousands of people from across the country and foreigners attended the Carnival. We feel younger listening to folk chants and watching the traditional dances of local ethnic groups. We are very excited”.
Lan Anh