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| Thai tourists visit Tran Huu Trang ‘Cai Luong’ Theatre |
The Thai tourists were introduced to the history and development of ‘cai luong’ (reformed theatre) and Don Ca Tai Tu folk art. They enjoyed excepts from typical plays of the two art forms, such as ‘Da Co Hoai Lang’ (Night Drum Beats Cause Longing for Absent Husband) and ‘Han Mac Tu’.
Waranya Lertworakitpipat, Chair of Chiang Mai Provincial Women's Association, shared that she really enjoyed the performances of traditional Vietnamese music, which helped her understand more about the culture and lives of Vietnam’s Southerners.
Meanwhile, Amnat Jongyotying, President of the Chiang Mai Provincial Journalists’ Association, said that he had been to Ho Chi Minh City several times, but this was the first time he had visited Tran Huu Trang Cai Luong Theatre and enjoyed traditional Vietnamese art performances.
He also thanked the theatre’s artists for delivering such wonderful performances.
Vietnamese ethnic village launches activities for New Year
Activities to welcome the New Year 2025, with rituals, festivals, and customs, will take place this December at the Vietnamese Ethnic Culture and Tourism Village in Hanoi, reported NDO.
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| Folk song and dance performances at the Village. (Source: NDO) |
The highlight activity of “Welcome New Year 2025” includes reenacting the Nao Pe Chau festival of the Mong people in Dien Bien Province, folk song and dance programmes “Mong Village welcomes Tet” and “Joyful New Year”, introducing “Regional Cuisines - Welcome New Year 2025”.
The activities take place from December 31, 2024, to January 1, 2025, with 50 booths introducing traditional cuisine and highland products.
In addition, there is a space displaying paintings “Colours of the Market”, introducing a collection of photos about the beauty of the land and people of the mountainous districts of Thanh Hoa and some images of the cultural space organised at the Vietnamese Ethnic Culture and Tourism Village.
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| Tourists experience drinking rice wine with the Cho Ro people (Dong Nai). (Source: NDO) |
Many unique cultural activities are also introduced by ethnic groups on this occasion, such as the Khen dance performance of the Mong people, Thanh Hoa Province; folk songs and dances of the ethnic community; as well as some unique festivals and customs of the Mong, Dao, Thai ethnic groups in Thanh Hoa Province.
Also, with the highlight programmes in the Village throughout December, there are many activities to perform, introduce and experience the culture, customs, cuisine, folk games, crafts, exchanges, folk songs and dances of the ethnic groups.
Tay Ninh’s Ba Den Mountain hosts first Vietnam-Japan cultural week
According to VNA, a week-long Vietnam-Japan cultural programme officially commenced on the evening of December 1 atop Ba Den Mountain in the southwestern province of Tay Ninh, marking the first event of its kind in the region.
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| At the ceremony presenting 200 cherry blossom trees from Japan to Tay Ninh at the cultural programme. (Photo: VNA) |
Mountain in the southwestern province of Tay Ninh, marking the first event of its kind in the region.
Co-organised by the provincial People’s Committee and Tay Ninh Sun JSC, a subsidiary of Sun Group, it lasts until December 8, offering a rich blend of Japanese culture and Tay Ninh’s traditional cultural heritage.
As part of the event, Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Ito Naoki presented 200 cherry blossom trees to the province for planting on the top of the mountain, symbolising friendship and collaboration.
In his remarks, the ambassador highlighted the Vietnam-Japan comprehensive strategic partnership for peace and prosperity in Asia and the world and stated that Japan highly values and wishes to strengthen the ties in various fields, including tourism as well as people-to-people and locality-to-locality exchanges.
Ito expressed his hope that the cultural week would attract more Japanese tourists to Vietnam and Tay Ninh, and vice versa.
Nguyen Lam Nhi Thuy, CEO of Tay Ninh Sun JSC, said that the event is to honour the traditional cultures of both nations. She described the occasion as a milestone for the Ba Den Mountain national tourism area, aiming to establish it as a cultural bridge between Vietnam and Japan.
Earlier in the day, Nguyen Thanh Ngoc, Vice Secretary of the Tay Ninh Party Committee and Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, received the Japanese diplomat, expressing his wish for deeper Vietnam-Japan relations and expanded Japanese investment in Tay Ninh to bolster bilateral ties in the time to come.
Street performances launched in Da Lat
A special music programme offering street performances has been launched in Da Lat City as part of the 10th Da Lat Flower Festival which opens on December 5 and lasts until December 31, reported VNS.
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| Street performances launched in Da Lat (Source: VNS) |
The event, called Hát Lên Tình Yêu Đà Lạt (Singing for Da Lat), highlights performances by veteran and young singers, dancers and musicians from art troupes and theatres in the Central Highlands region.
The shows will offer Vietnamese songs and music pieces in praise of Central Highlands people, their culture and lifestyle. The beauty of Da Lat, a resort city and famous tourist destination of Lam Dong province, will be featured.
They will be designed with new concepts to give fresh experiences to audiences.
“Our artists want to honour Vietnamese music by entering the programme Hát Lên Tình Yêu Đà Lạt. We also hope locals and visitors will learn more about 130-year-old Da Lat City and its history through our performances,” said female musician Quynh Hop of HCM City.
Hop has a series of songs about Da Lat, including the hit entitled Đà Lạt Thành Phố Ngàn Hoa (Da Lat, the City of Thousands of Flowers) released in 2004.
She released a music book of 130 songs on Da Lat and its people last year to celebrate the 130th anniversary of the city’s establishment.
The free street shows of Hát Lên Tình Yêu Đà Lạt will be staged every Friday and Saturday night, starting on December 6, on Tran Quoc Toan Street close to Xuan Huong Lake. The programme is scheduled to close after the first day of the New Year.
Da Lat is among Vietnam’s largest flower-growing regions, producing around three billion cut flowers annually. Last year, the city was named in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network for its commitment to promoting culture and creativity as part of its development.
The Da Lat Flowers Festival began in 2005 and attracts an average of 700,000 visitors annually.
This year, the festival will have ten major events bringing diverse activities to residents and visitors.
Flowers will be displayed everywhere around Xuan Huong Lake and on the central roads of the city until January 5 next year.
Da Lat has 2,500 accommodations and 33,138 rooms available to serve about one million visitors during the festival.