Ninh Binh - Tens of thousands of domestic and foreign tourists stood along the nearly 5km road from the Tam Quan gate to the boat dock to participate in activities at the Trang An festival.
The Trang An Festival 2025, with the theme "Trang An - A thousand-year heritage, the sacred soul of mountains and rivers," opened on the morning of April 13, attracting tens of thousands of locals and tourists. The traditional festival is held annually to pay tribute to and honor Duc Thanh Quy Minh Dai Vuong, who had the merit of guarding Son Nam pass (south of Hoa Lu Tu Tran) to protect the country during the reign of the 18th Hung King.
The opening ceremony includes traditional rituals such as the dragon procession from Tam Quan Gate to the boat dock, a parade on Sao Khe River, and then through many caves to the temple of Thanh Quy Minh Dai Vuong and an incense offering. Interspersed with the ritual of fetching and carrying water. At Khai Phuc Pagoda, part of Vu Lam Palace, delegates, monks, and visitors will perform the ritual of chanting sutras to pray for national peace and prosperity, and good crops.
The festival includes a series of elaborate art programs, performed on 20 live stages with the participation of more than 600 professional and non-professional artists and actors. The Trang An Festival also brings together a variety of unique theatrical forms from all over the country such as Bac Ninh folk songs, Hue royal court music, Tay Nguyen stone instruments, Muong gongs, Ca Tru singing, and Xuan Pha performances.
"I was truly overwhelmed by the majestic scenery and the captivating indigenous art space in Trang An," said Laura, a tourist from Denmark. The female tourist said that she would stay in Trang An for another week, exploring the nature and people here with her friends.
According to the representative of the organizing committee, the Trang An festival is organized more elaborately and systematically each year to convey the idea of living in harmony and respecting nature. The festival also has a profound spiritual meaning, expressing respect for the gods and ancestors. This is an opportunity for local people and tourists to offer prayers for national peace, favorable weather, bountiful crops, and at the same time honor the ancestors who have contributed to the discovery and protection of the sacred land of Trang An Heritage.
Trang An Festival is expected to be an event that helps Ninh Binh tourism develop in a sustainable direction, linking the conservation and exploitation of heritage responsibly and sustainably.