Tet (Lunar New Year) is upon the nation and Hoi An, in the central province of Quang Nam, is preparing big celebrations for this important festival, promising a good time for locals and tourists.
The Banh Tet
(traditional sticky rice cake) Festival will open on February 11 with
activities to welcome the Year of the Tiger. Last year, more than 30
organisations joined in a competition for wrapping banh tet, and 6,000 cakes were donated to poor families in the city.
This year, the organising board is encouraging teams to make all the traditional cakes of Quang Nam, not just banh tet.
Fifty
organisations have registered to join the competition, and it's
expected that more than 1,300 poor families will receive these gifts
this year.
The contest will help popularise Hoi An's
specialities and its traditional culture, says Vo Phung, director of
the Hoi An Culture, Sports and Tourism Centre.
The venue opposite to the Old Quarter, where banh tet
is boiled, will be a destination for tourists if they want to gather
around the cooking fire and learn more about this tradition, he adds.
The Hoi An Lantern Festival will take place from February 13 to 27 and will highlight the new year festivities.
Lantern
exhibitions, artistic performances, fireworks displays, a flower
garlands festival, street festivals and a competition to make artistic
lanterns will be held during the festival at various venues, such as
along the Hoai River, in the Old Quarter and at the An Hoi Garden of
Statues, says the organising board.
Le Tru Tich (New Year's
Eve), a special midnight ceremony that will take place on February 13
will see out the old year and bring in the new one. It will be marked
by a series of activities throughout Hoi An's streets. A masquerade,
carnival, processions and lantern dancing will take place.
During
these celebrations, gongs and other festive items at temples, pagodas
and vestiges in the city will be beaten. This year, the first day of
the Lunar New Year is very special because it is also Valentine's Day.
Hoi An's Youth Union and volunteers will sell flowers and gifts to
raise funds for poor students in the city.
In a blaze of
fireworks, the organising board, locals and tourists will join a dance
to wish each other good tidings. A performance of Vietnamese oddities,
beginning on February 15 at Hoai River Square, will end up the Tet
festivities. There will be performances of Mai Dinh Toi, with odd
musical instrumentals, and the inner powers of martial artist Quoc
Cuong.
Just
want to let you know that we had a marvellous trip to Vietnam ,Laos and all the
guides and sites were very well planned and organised so a big thank
you. Next trip will be Cambodia and possibly Vietnam and 6 days on a
beach location. We’ll contact you soon for our trip.
