HBO – An incense offering ceremony was recently held in Quen Ang pagoda, Tan Phong commune, Cao Phong district, the northern province of Hoa Binh to pray for bumper crops. Thousands of locals inside and outside the commune and visitors attended the event.

An art performance of Muong ethnic
group is performed at incense offering ceremony in Quen Ang pagoda.
The
event is held annually to pray for national peace and prosperity for the
nation, people’s happiness and bumper crops. This year’s event included ritual
and festive activities. The ritual began from the morning of the eighth day of
the first lunar month. The procession departed from Quen Ang pagoda for But (Buddha)
temple at the foot of Coi mountain in Trang Tren 3 hamlet to invite the Buddha
to attend the festival. The procession was led by a group of people holding
flags, followed by shamans, Buddhist followers and 12 unmarried girls.
Returning the pagoda, shamans took over worshiping ritual.
The
festive part heated up the event with volleyball matches. On February 11, or
the seventh day of the first lunar month, a Muong beauty contest took place
with the participation of eight contestants from eight hamlets. An amateur art
contest was also held in the day, attracting eight teams with each performing
two performances.
Quen
Ang pagoda in Tan Phong commune is associated with a legend on Coi mountain
flower garden, which used to be a revolutionary base located in the Cao Phong –
Thach Yen Revolutionary Base Complex. The complex was recognised as a national
cultural and historical relic site in 1996./.
A Phong Linh (Yellow Tabebuia) flower garden in Thang village, Thach Yen commune, Cao Phong district is currently in full bloom, drawing a large number of visitors.
Community-based tourism has been thriving in Pa Co commune, Mai Chau district thanks to advantages in natural landscape and cultural identity.
Doan Ket commune of Yen Thuy district has recently held a ceremony to receive a certificate recognising Ta communal house as a provincial-level historical and cultural relic site.
In Lac Thuy district, the fertile alluvial land along the Boi River is now home to lush green mulberry gardens, marking the emergence of a new agricultural industry - mulberry cultivation and silkworm farming.
Officially opening in February, Ngoi Hoa Ecotourism Site (PriorBay Resort) in Suoi Hoa commune, Tan Lac district, has quickly become a sought-after destination. It offers visitors a chance to indulge in distinctive and enticing experiences.
Gia Trang Heian Homestay, a unique cultural oasis in the heart of Hoa Binh city, has become a compelling attraction for tourists seeking ethnic cultural experiences within an urban setting. Bui Thi Hien, a local in Kim Boi district with aspiration for ethnic culture and community-based tourism development, created the homestay that seamlessly blends traditional and contemporary features.