Make thorough preparations to welcome visitors during the Lunar New Year holiday.

This year, with the New Year's Day holiday lasting three days (December 30, 31, 2023 and January 1, 2024), a significant increase in the number of visitors to the province is expected. Anticipating this situation and visitor demand, the Management Board of the Po Sah Inư Tower relic site ( thuộc the Provincial Museum) is urgently renovating the site to prepare for welcoming tourists.

thap.-2023.jpg — The Po Sah Inư Tower relic.

Located on the tourist route from the center of Phan Thiet city to Mui Ne and Hoa Thang, the Po Sah Inu Tower (situated on Ba Nai hill, in Phu Hai ward, Phan Thiet city) is a popular stop for many tour groups.

This is a group of Cham temple ruins remaining from the ancient Champa Kingdom, located 7 km northeast of Phan Thiet city center. The towers are in the Hoa Lai architectural style – one of the ancient artistic styles of Champa. Around the late 8th and early 9th centuries, the Cham people built this group of temples to worship Shiva – one of the most revered and respected deities in Hinduism. In the 15th century, the Cham added some simpler temples to worship Princess Po Sah Inu, daughter of King Para Chanh. The princess was known for her virtue, talent, and refined manners, making her beloved by the Cham people of her time.

The Cham folk art troupe performs for tourists.

Despite its relatively small size, it encapsulates the finest architectural techniques and decorative arts of the ancient Cham people, creating an aura of majesty and mystery. The Po Sah Inu temple complex is one of the relatively well-preserved Cham tower complexes.

Mr. Tran Duc Dung, Head of the Management Board of Po Sah Inu Tower Relic, said: "Up to this point, the Management Board has basically completed the work of beautifying, cleaning the environment, and decorating with trees from the gate to the path leading up to the tower and the tower areas. At the same time, we have erected welcome signs, Tet holiday activity programs, and banners to promote activities for tourists."

During the Lunar New Year 2024, visitors will have the opportunity to experience traditional crafts.

Specifically, during the three-day New Year's holiday, at the A Tower courtyard, the Cham folk art troupe will perform folk songs, folk dances, and instrumental music for tourists. Also starting on December 30th, the Management Board will organize a photo exhibition with the theme "The Land and People of Binh Thuan ". Through 48 documentary photos by photographers from within and outside the province, the exhibition will provide an overview of a peaceful Binh Thuan, rich in historical and cultural relics, architectural art, scenic spots, typical cultural festivals, and always friendly and hospitable to friends near and far… The exhibition will run until February 29th, 2024.

Foreign tourists visit and buy souvenirs at the historical site.

Specifically for the Lunar New Year 2024 activities, from the 2nd to the 6th day of the 12th lunar month, in addition to Cham folk art performances, there will also be demonstrations of traditional crafts performed and guided by Cham artisans for visitors who wish to experience them, such as pottery making, brocade weaving, and gingerbread making. This is both an activity to preserve cultural values and to exploit and promote heritage. Through this, the unique culture of the Cham community will be introduced, adding another highlight for tourists visiting the historical site.

Mr. Tran Duc Dung further informed: To ensure the safety of tourists, the Management Board has developed a plan to maintain security and order, prevent fires and explosions in the historical site, and arrange parking areas appropriately. At the same time, they have assigned staff to provide guidance when needed, and have 24/7 shifts to ensure the safety of tourists' property. This contributes to building an image of Binh Thuan tourism as safe and friendly, creating a positive impression in the hearts of tourists from near and far.

In 2023, the Po Sah Inư Tower historical site welcomed 158,850 visitors, exceeding the planned target by nearly 12,000. This included 3,220 foreign visitors.

Source