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| Free tours in Bắc Ninh Province have attracted many visitors. — VNA/VNS Photo Thanh Thương |
HÀ NỘI Bắc Ninh may be a small province in the country, but it’s home to a huge treasure of historical and heritage sites.
With almost 1,600 sites, including five national special relics and four UNESCO intangible cultural heritages, the province is aiming to revitalise its tourist attractions.
Every Saturday and Sunday, free shuttle buses will be available at the Bắc Ninh Provincial Museum to pick up visitors, departing at 8am. Inside the eight buses, tourists will listen to Bắc Bling by singer Hòa Minzy, a song that has become familiar to anyone who loves this land.
Tourists can choose one of four free Cultural Essence of Bắc Ninh – Colours of Heritage tours that take them to famous landmarks like Bút Tháp Pagoda, Dâu Pagoda, Đông Hồ Folk Painting Village, Đô Temple, Nam Hồng Royal Museum, Phật Tích Pagoda and Kinh Dương Vương Tomb, among others.
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| Tourists learn to make woodblock paintings in Đông Hồ Village. — VNA/VNS Photo Thanh Thương |
At first, visitors could register for Cultural Essence of Bắc Ninh – Colours of Heritage tours in person. However, due to overwhelming demand, the Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism of Bắc Ninh has opened an online registration channel for tourists. This enables visitors to choose a suitable tour and only arrive 10 minutes before the departure time to experience the region’s attractive sites.
The popularity of the tours remains strong since they began three months ago.
“Never have I, nor other local cultural staff, had the opportunity to live our passion and utilise our professionalism as much as we are now,” said Nguyễn Hồng Vân, a curator at the Provincial Museum and Tourism Promotion Centre and also a tour guide.
Tour guides like Vân are responsible for assisting tourists onto the buses and organising entertainment programmes onboard, including cultural performances and storytelling about the land and people of Bắc Ninh.
Cultural heritage tours
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| The free tours have been popular since their launch. — VNA/VNS Photo Thanh Thương |
At each historical site and tourist destination, visitors have the chance to explore, immerse themselves and experience the local culture.
One of the tourists, Nguyễn Thị Sang, said this was the first time she visited Phù Lãng Pottery Village in Phù Lãng Commune, Quế Võ Town.
“Learning about the materials used in pottery and creating my own ceramic pieces to take home was a very exciting experience for me,” she recalled.
“I also heard about the land of Buddha with famous temples such as Dâu Pagoda and Bút Tháp Pagoda, the fairy tales, and the national treasures at Phật Tích Pagoda in Tiên Du District.
“Through this trip, I felt even prouder of the homeland and valued my current life.”
Nguyễn Thị Thắm, a tourist from Hà Nội, said the free tours organised by the provincial tourism authority are well-scheduled to fit visitors’ experiences.
“Even though I visited many locations, I felt comfortable, having time to create my own Đông Hồ folk paintings, enjoy the serene atmosphere of the Buddhist sites, and explore the ecological areas,” she said.
“In particular, the team of guides was enthusiastic, attentive, and friendly. If I have more time, I would love to experience all the tours.”
New destinations
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| A tourist reads information about Đô Temple, — VNA/VNS Photo Thanh Thương |
According to the Director of the Bắc Ninh Museum and Tourism Promotion Centre, Nguyễn Hữu Mạo, the free heritage tours has attracted thousands of visitors over the past three months.
Security, environmental sanitation, and the reception tourists receive at various destinations along the journey have been ensured, meeting the needs and expectations while leaving a positive impression on the people and visitors, he said.
The initial success motivated the Provincial Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism to incorporate eight new tourist sites into the free tours to better meet the diverse needs of visitors, starting from May 24.
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| Students visit Bắc Ninh Provincial Museum. — VNA/VNS Photo Thanh Thương |
The new sites are Tiêu Sơn Pagoda, Tổ Pagoda, Linh Ứng Pagoda, Sĩ Nhiếp Temple and Tomb, Bách Môn Pagoda, Đại Bi Pagoda, Đại Bái Bronze Casting Village and Đông Đô Village Service Area.
“Updating and adding new sites to the free tours will better serve the diverse needs of visitors,” the director said.
“This will also expand the promotion and introduction of historical and cultural sites to tourists, thereby contributing to the promotion of the image of the people and tourism of Bắc Ninh to both domestic and international visitors.” — VNS
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