Hot air balloons from many countries at the Nguyễn Tất Thành Square, Tuyên Quang City. VNS Photo Ly Ly Cao

Ly Ly Cao

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

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

Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Tuyên Quang Hoàng Việt Phương said that the festival is a breakthrough for Tuyên Quang in promoting tourism. 

"Tuyên 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 Tuyên Quang's tourism to welcome tourists from all around the world to visit and experience."

Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Tuyên Quang Hoàng Việt Phương speaks to media about the hot air balloon festival. VNS Photo

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

Đỗ Xuân 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. 

Visitors experiencing a flight in a hot air balloon. Photo courtesy of Vietjet Air

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 - Lâm Bình eco-tourism area. 

Vietjet offers its customers a free experience of flying hot air balloons at the Nguyễn Tất Thành 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 Trúc, a visitor from HCM City, said that she has come all the way to Tuyên 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."

People enjoying the hot air balloon festival in Tuyên Quang. VNS Photo Ly Ly Cao

Lê Hòa Bình, a visitor from Đà 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 Hội An City," Bình said.

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

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

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