In the joyful and cheerful atmosphere of the New Year, people everywhere eagerly go to temples and spring festivals with the hope of praying for good health, peace, and prosperity in the new year; expressing gratitude for the merits of their ancestors who contributed to building the nation... Through this, they not only preserve the beautiful cultural traditions passed down through generations and create a space for community interaction and connection, but also contribute to promoting and stimulating local tourism .
Preserving the beauty of our cultural roots.
Every Lunar New Year, visitors from all over flock to Quang Ninh – a province boasting hundreds of ancient historical and cultural relics, along with large, unique festivals rich in national cultural identity. During the recent nine-day Tet holiday, the weather in the province was quite pleasant, creating favorable conditions for locals and tourists to enjoy the spring festivities.
Notably, the Yen Tu National Special Historical Site welcomed nearly 77,000 visitors during the Lunar New Year holiday of the Year of the Snake (2015), including many international tourists from South Korea, India, the United States, and Europe. The number of visitors increased by 40-50% compared to normal days and is expected to continue to rise during the three-month spring festival. Many traditional cultural programs were organized during the Lunar New Year at Yen Tu, featuring folk games; traditional art performances, traditional musical instruments; dragon and lion dances; and culinary and cultural experiences of the Dao Thanh Y ethnic community at the foot of Yen Tu mountain.
Mr. Pham Xuan Truong (a tourist from Hanoi) shared: "Every Tet holiday, if we have the opportunity, my family comes to Yen Tu to pray for peace and good health in the new year. Coming to this sacred mountain, this land of Buddha, we feel the harmony of heaven and earth in spring, and the tranquility of all things brings immense peace to our hearts. It must be said that the management and organization of the festival here are very good, the landscape is clean, and security and order are ensured, so each local person and tourist is consciously civilized and polite when visiting."
Opening the series of spring festivals in Quang Ninh, from the 5th to the 7th of January, the Tien Cong Festival 2025 took place at the Tien Cong Temple, a national historical and cultural relic in Cam La commune (Quang Yen town). This is the largest and most unique spring festival in the Ha Nam island region, preserved and promoted by the people for over 300 years.
The festival is held to commemorate the founding ancestors who pioneered and established the prosperous Ha Nam island region as it is today. It is also an occasion for descendants to celebrate longevity, show filial piety to their grandparents and parents, and express gratitude to their ancestors. Over the three days of the Tien Cong Festival, many lively and joyful cultural, sporting, and folk games take place, such as: human chess, card games, swinging, love songs, tug-of-war… The most distinctive event is the procession of the founding ancestors in a palanquin to the Tien Cong temple, which takes place on the main festival day, the 7th day of the first lunar month. It expresses admiration and reverence for the ancestors, reflecting the rich cultural identity of the inhabitants of the Bach Dang estuary region.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Can (Bai Chay Ward, Ha Long City) said: "Born and raised in the Ha Nam island region, I have always been proud of the cultural and historical traditions of my homeland. This year, my family also organized a longevity celebration for my father, so from the days of Tet, children and grandchildren from all over returned to gather together to prepare for the celebration and participate in the Tien Cong festival. This is truly a beautiful and precious cultural tradition that we want to teach our children and grandchildren for generations to come."
Along with the Tien Cong Festival, many other traditional festivals in localities throughout the province have also held their opening ceremonies, such as: Yen Tu Spring Festival (Uong Bi City), Ngoa Van Spring Festival (Dong Trieu City); the opening ceremony of Cap Tien Temple Festival (Cam Pha City), Lang Da Village Temple Festival (Ba Che District); Dong Dinh Festival (Tien Yen District)...
Festivals not only fulfill the cultural and spiritual needs of the community, with people wishing for a peaceful new year, favorable weather, and national prosperity, but also express reverence and gratitude for the great contributions of national heroes and those who have served the country. Through these activities, they contribute to preserving historical values and the beauty of our cultural heritage, while simultaneously reminding and educating present and future generations about patriotism and national pride.
Promoting the development of spiritual tourism.
Throughout the province, traditional festivals are preserved and promoted by the people for generations. These festivals are a treasure trove of the nation's valuable cultural heritage. In harmony with the flow of modern society, these festivals are increasingly elevated in scale and form, attracting large numbers of locals and tourists. Many traditional festivals in Quang Ninh have affirmed their value and stature, transcending the boundaries of villages and communes to become national intangible cultural heritage, such as: the Cua Ong Temple Festival, the Tien Cong Festival, the Tra Co Communal House Festival, the Quan Lan Communal House Festival, the Bach Dang Festival, the Dam Ha Communal House Festival, the Van Ninh Communal House Festival, and the Xuong Dong Festival.
According to information from the Department of Tourism, in the 9 days from January 25th to February 2nd (corresponding to the 26th day of the 12th lunar month to the 5th day of Tet), Quang Ninh welcomed nearly 970,000 tourists. In particular, the province's cultural and spiritual destinations continued to be a major attraction, with visitor numbers increasing 6-8 times compared to normal days. Specifically, Cua Ong Temple (Cam Pha City) received over 90,000 visitors, Cai Bau Pagoda (Van Don District) approximately 130,000, Yen Tu National Special Historical Site (Uong Bi City) nearly 77,000, and Tran Dynasty Historical Site (Dong Trieu City) 59,000…
This result also shows the efforts of the province's departments, agencies, and localities in investing in the restoration and beautification of historical sites and scenic spots, making them increasingly more spacious and well-maintained. The grounds have been expanded and beautified with many flowers, trees, and attractive miniature landscapes, meeting the ideal needs of tourists for sightseeing, rest, and relaxation. At the same time, localities have also proactively implemented and effectively managed and organized spring festival activities in a way that is economical, efficient, and in accordance with cultural traditions, customs, and practices.
Furthermore, it is encouraged that people participate in preserving and promoting the cultural values of historical sites and festivals through artistic performances, folk games, cultural and culinary introductions, etc., turning festivals into unique and distinctive tourism products, and cultural destinations for visitors from all over during the spring season. This will contribute to the successful achievement of Quang Ninh's tourism industry's goal of welcoming 20 million visitors annually, including 4.5 million international visitors, generating approximately 50,000 billion VND in tourism revenue.
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