Ly Ly Cao

TUYÊN QUANG — The skies above Tuyen Quang City came alive yesterday with 20 hot air balloons.

To mark the beginning of the province's tourism year, the Tuyen Quang International Hot Air Balloon Festival took flight. 

Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Tuyen Quang Hoang Viet Phương said that the festival is a breakthrough for Tuyen Quang in promoting tourism. 

"Tuyen Quang will try to make the international hot air balloon festival into an annual activity, creating a famous tourism product to attract visitors," Phương said. 

"This is an opportunity for Tuyen Quang's tourism to welcome tourists from all around the world to visit and experience."

 The event was co-organised by Vietjet Aviation JSC. Its hot air balloon, with two distinctive red and yellow colours, is the representative of Viet Nam to join the festival.

Đỗ Xuan Quang, Vice President of Vietjet, said that with the experience of participating and accompanying many international hot air balloon festivals in Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, the US and Taiwan (China), Vietjet contributes to honour the beauty of the local culture, people and landscapes, to attract tourists from all around the world. 

At the festival, which runs until Sunday, visitors can experience flying in hot air balloons and enjoy the views of the city and Na Hang - Lam Bình eco-tourism area. 

Vietjet offers its customers a free experience of flying hot air balloons at the Nguyễn Tất Thanh Square when attending the festival and bringing their boarding ticket or Vietjet e-ticket with flight time from March 3 to December 31.

Visitors will also enjoy an artistic hot air balloon performance under the control of 20 experienced crews from the UK, US, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Spain, Netherland and Taiwan (China), and enjoy the festival of light shows combined with vibrant music, creating a unique party.

Participating at the festival with an orange-coloured dragon hot air balloon, Chris Monk, the hot air balloon pilot from England, said that his team's goal is to bring happiness and fun to people. 

"It was difficult to move the hot air balloon from England to here, but everything is in good condition and we want people to enjoy it like we do," the pilot said.

"The festival is fantastic, I'm enjoying it very much. Vietnamese people are wonderful."  

Visitors can take part in many other entertainment activities and have the opportunity to receive gifts from Vietjet.

Thanh Truc, a visitor from HCM City, said that she has come all the way to Tuyen Quang just for the hot air balloons.

"I travelled from HCM City to the north just to attend the festival," she said.

"There are many hot air balloons here and some are very cute. This is my first time seeing hot air balloons."

Le Hòa Bình, a visitor from Đa Nẵng City, shared that this is not his first time in a hot air balloon, but the experience is totally different. 

"This is my second time flying a hot air balloon. My first try was in Hoi An City," Bình said.

"While I enjoyed the wind and the sea view in my flight in Hoi An, this time I can see the views of green mountains and the whole city."

"I hope Tuyen Quang can hold many other festivals like this one."

The International Hot Air Balloon Festival in Tuyen Quang, held from March 30 to April 3 at Nguyễn Tất Thanh Square, Tan Trao Square and Na Hang - Lam Bình eco-tourism area, is expected to bring fresh view from above for visitors to look at the natural and majestic beauties of Tuyen Quang Province. — VNS