More than 3,000 tourists, mostly foreigners, visited the UNESCO-recognised Ha Long Bay in Quang Ninh province on February 14 – the first day of the Lunar New Year.

 

Local ferry companies and travel agencies deployed all hydrofoils and motorised boats to work at full capacity to serve the tourists who wanted to make a tour of the Bay.

 

On February 13, cruise ship Legend of the Seas also docked at the bay, bringing nearly 2,000 tourists to the hot spot. This was the second international cruise ship arriving in the bay in the last week.

 

The visitors attended a gala night to welcome the Lunar New Year Festival (Tet) at the Bai Chay Tourist Resort’s Hoang Gia (Royal) International Park. They not only saw with their own eyes Vietnam’s distinctive traditional customs during the Tet holiday but also wrapped Tet cakes themselves. They also took part in art performances and folk games.

 

This year Quang Ninh province aims to receive 5.2 million tourists, of whom 2.4 million are foreigners.

 

According to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, Ha Long Bay, which has been twice recognised by UNESCO as the World Cultural and Natural Heritage Site, and Hanoi capital will take centre stage in the 2010 National Tourism Year.

 

 

(CPV/VOV)