The southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau plans to host the Sea Festival 2018 from August 28 to September 3, with a focus on connecting coastal provinces and cities across Vietnam.

A view of Vung Tau beach

Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Long said at a meeting on July 6 that the main sites of the festival will be in the vicinity of Thuy Van street and the San Ho Xanh tourist area in Vung Tau city.

He noted that the sea festival will feature a series of economic, cultural, and social activities aiming to develop high-quality tourism in the province. It will also serve as a chance for agencies and businesses from Ba Ria-Vung Tau and 27 other coastal localities nationwide with marine economy and tourism-related activities to promote tourism products.

Some of the outstanding events include an international kite flying programme, a street carnival, “ao dai” (traditional Vietnamese dress) and international fashion shows, a beer festival, a workshop on environmental tourism development, and calligraphy performances.

Ba Ria-Vung Tau, home to a 305km-long coastline, is one of the leading tourism hubs in Vietnam. Meanwhile, Vung Tau city, lying on a peninsula of the same name, is the tourist and commercial centre of the province.

A number of beautiful beaches such as Ho Coc, Bai Sau, Dam Trau, and Bai Dua have become magnets for visitors in the Ba Ria-Vung Tau province, which also accommodates many tourist sites and high-end resorts.

With a continental shelf area of more than 10,000 sq.km., the province also has an important location in terms of security and defence, while boasting huge potential for the development of a sea-based economy.

In the first half of 2018, Ba Ria-Vung Tau welcomed approximately 6.5 million tourist arrivals and earned 2.8 trillion VND (around 123 million USD) from tourism activities, according to the provincial Department of Tourism.-VNA