Festive Da Nang

The first event is Bodhisattva festival, which will last for 3 days from March 11 to 13.
On the opening day, the festival will include several activities at various venues, including a camp opening ceremony, traditional sports activities, inauguration of the calligraphy and tea exhibition, and a poet and music forum at Bodhisattva Temple.
There will also a competition to create ‘Non Nuoc,’ Vietnamese stone work art, at the western gate of the Marble Mountains, plus traditional music at Thuy Son Mountain.
The biggest event on the day is the debut of the painting ‘Da Nang – Thanh pho moi truong’ (Da Nang – Environmental city’) followed by the official inauguration of the whole festival
The two following days will continue with a variety of cultural activities, such as a traditional boat race and night festival complete with flower garlands and colored lanterns on Co Co River, a Vegetarian food contest, Dharma classes and a human chess competition at the Temple.
Another choice is to watch the show by Nguyen Hien Dinh Theatre, whose major is performing ‘tuong’. During the show, the guests will be able to enjoy some dances like ‘Trinh Tuong’, ‘Peacock’, and ‘ApSaRa’, a classical mix of the song ‘Viet Nam Que huong toi’ (‘Vietnam, my homeland’), an extract from the play ‘Manh Luong ra hang’ (‘Manh Luong get out of his cave’) and a performance combining music and dance, ‘Sac bua’.
The schedule is yet to be finalized but the organizers promised to offer much in March.
From March 23 to March 26, various activities will be carried out in welcoming the 2009 international fireworks competition over March 27-28.
The ‘Non Nuoc’ stones art arrangement exhibition on Bach Dang Street on March 23 will open the series of activities.
Two days later, the Ba Na Hills will inaugurate the first phase of its new cable car system. The system, which allows visitors to depart from the foot of Ba Na hills to arrive at Vong Nguyet Top, will participate in two world records: the world’s longest one-rope cable car system at 5,042.62 meters and as the world highest cable car at 1,291.81 meters above sea level.
On the cable car, visitors will see ‘Toc Tien’ (‘Fairy hair’) waterfall, Linh Ung temple, and also ‘dao chuong’ (‘En klanthus quinque fiorus lour’) flowers, a species special to Ba Na Hills.
On the same day, the Hai Chau Village Festival will be inaugurated at the village’s Communal House and remain open until March 27.
One day later, the fine arts exhibition will be opened over March 26-31 at the Old People’s Fine Art Club, while another exhibition presenting antique Champa terracotta will be inaugurated at the Champa Museum and remain open until April 5.
Other activities are the Food Festival, ‘Da vu thanh nien’ (‘Youth’s Banquet’) show to present music, classical dances and modern dances and a performance by an Indian group.
During the firework competition, the Han River will not only see the sparkling sky of various fireworks by China, Australia, Spain, Philippines and Vietnam but also will enjoy some cultural activities like the ‘flower boat’ parade and flower garlands and coloured lanterns.
Indochina Airlines promised to offer the lowest fare rate at VND1 million ($57) for a return ticket from Ha Noi/Ho Chi Minh – Da Nang. The promotion price is only available for tour packages during the festival.