Visitors to Hương Pagoda Festival. — VNA/VNS Photo Minh Quyết

HÀ NỘI — The Hà Nội People's Committee has just issued a decision to recognise the Hương Sơn special national relic complex (Hương Pagoda) in Hương Sơn Commune, Mỹ Đức District, as a city-level tourist destination.

Located about 65km from the centre of Hà Nội, it is a famous Buddhist pagoda complex in Việt Nam. Covering a total of 4,940 hectares, the complex comprises of 21 pagodas, temples, shrines, and caves dedicated to the worship of Buddha and deities associated with indigenous agricultural beliefs.

The Hương Pagoda Festival is traditionally held from the sixth day of the first lunar month, which was originally the day of forest opening, through the third lunar month. It is the biggest and longest traditional festival in Hà Nội as well as Việt Nam as a whole.

On this occasion, Hồng Vân tourist site in Hồng Vân Commune, Thường Tín District, was also recognised as a city-level destination. Embodying the typical characteristics of a rural village in northern Việt Nam, it is focusing on developing culture tourism, agriculture tourism, and MICE tourism. — VNA/VNS