Ha Long, Nha Trang prepare to host cultural festivals

Ha Long city in Quang Ninh and Nha Trang in Khanh Hoa will celebrate two major festivals in May and June.
The Ha Long Tourism Week, to take place between April 29 and May 2 in Ha Long Bay, will highlight a street carnival to mark its fifth annual celebration.
The event will feature festivities to showcase cultural characteristics in Quang Ninh Province, including processions of the local gods.
The Ha Long Carnival will wrap up the week at the Bai Chay Tourist area on May 1, with art performances, a masquerade and a carnival parade.
The Sea Festival 2011, themed Nha Trang:Sea of Rendezvous, will take place on June 11-15 in the central coastal city.
The festival will include the Truong Sa Archipelago (Spratly) Day packed with conferences, photo exhibitions, art performances and screenings related to the Spratly islands. Activities include a whale-worship feast, bird's nest feast, a street carnival, beach volleyball tournaments and traditional art performances.
* Central region increasingly preferred by Ha Noi tourists
The number of tourists from Ha Noi choosing tours to the central region has risen recently, causing tourism authorities in Da Nang and Quang Nam provinces to launch more promotions.
Nguyen Duy Quang, deputy director of Da Nang Tourism Promotion Centre, said tourists from Ha Noi are flooding the central coastal city, especially on holidays or weekends. Meanwhile, a tourism official from Quang Nam Department of Culture Sports and Tourism said tourists from Ha Noi spend more than those from HCM City.