The Cua Ong Temple in Quang Ninh province. (Photo: halongtourism.com.vn)

As part of the opening ceremony, Quang Ninh received a certificate bestowing national special intangible cultural heritage status on the Cua Ong Temple Festival.

Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh told festival goers that this site embodying the traditional values of the Tran dynasty must be preserved. “Quang Ninh needs to make tourism a spearheaded sector and strengthen management and preservation of its historical relic sites and unique landscape. Local authorities need to improve the Cua Ong Temple Festival to reflect its new status.”

This year’s festival is held on a large scale, with a palanquin procession, folk games, human chess, cock fighting, a tug-of-war, and a rice cooking contest.