Lotus, West Lake, Hanoi
Perhaps nowhere in Hanoi is as intimately connected to lotuses as the West Lake area. Through the vicissitudes of time, the lotus ponds remain a part of the memories of the capital's people. For a long time, West Lake lotuses have been famous not only for their beauty but also for the elaborate and refined art of infusing tea with lotus seeds. The lotus blossoms are selected early in the morning, while their fragrance still lingers in each petal. The artisans gently separate each petal, extracting the lotus seeds to infuse with green tea. Making one kilogram of premium lotus tea requires thousands of lotus blossoms and many days of meticulous processing. Therefore, West Lake lotus tea is not just a beverage, but also the embodiment of the skill, sophistication, and elegance of the people of Hanoi.
In poetry, music , and painting, the lotus has always been an endless source of inspiration. Every lotus blooming season, Hanoians flock to West Lake to admire the flowers, take photos, enjoy tea, and savor moments of peace amidst the hustle and bustle of city life.
In recent years, West Lake lotuses have also become a unique tourist attraction. Thousands of domestic and international tourists flock to the lotus ponds to experience the distinctive cultural atmosphere of the capital city. Not only do they generate income for local people, but the lotuses also contribute to promoting the image of Hanoi as an elegant and culturally rich city to the international community.
Following the success of previous festivals, the Hanoi Lotus Festival 2026 will take place from June 26-28 at Ly Tu Trong Flower Garden, Tay Ho Creative Cultural Space, Lac Long Quan Flower Garden, and many other locations in Tay Ho ward. The festival is organized to honor the beauty and cultural value of the lotus flower, considered the national flower of Vietnam. It also serves as an opportunity to showcase cultural products, tourism, traditional crafts, cuisine, and creative products made from lotus.
According to Mr. Nguyen Thanh Tinh, Chairman of the Tay Ho Ward People's Committee, the highlight of the festival is the opening ceremony at Ly Tu Trong Flower Garden on the evening of June 26th. The elaborately staged artistic program combines traditional art with modern 3D mapping projection technology. Stories about the lotus in Vietnamese cultural life will be told in a fresh and captivating artistic language.
On June 27th, the "Lotus Space - Art and Creativity" event will take place at Lac Long Quan Flower Garden. Highlights include an exhibition of lotus-themed calligraphy and paintings, along with a painting program titled "Moments of West Lake Lotus," featuring 500 children. This is seen as an opportunity for the younger generation to access, appreciate, and nurture their love for traditional cultural values through art.
On June 28th, the festival reached its climax with the "Lotus Space - Performances and Community" event held at Lac Long Quan Flower Garden, Tay Ho Lotus Culinary Culture Area, and Tay Ho Flower Valley. Traditional folk art performances featuring lotus motifs will recreate the beauty of traditional culture in an open space by West Lake.
The highlight of the festival is the "Lotus on the Streets" art parade. According to the plan, approximately 2,000 people wearing traditional Vietnamese ao dai dresses will participate in the parade along with various street art activities. The image of graceful ao dai dresses blending with the lotus blossoms amidst the West Lake area is expected to become a special highlight, contributing to promoting the image of elegant and cultured Hanoi to domestic and international tourists.
Within the framework of the festival, visitors will have the opportunity to admire many unique lotus varieties from different regions of the country. Exhibition spaces will showcase handicrafts, fashion, and applied art products inspired by the lotus. In particular, the craft of weaving lotus silk, a highly skilled and meticulous craft, will be demonstrated live to the public. This is an opportunity for people to better understand the process of creating valuable products from a familiar flower.
Resources for the cultural industry
It's noteworthy that the Hanoi Lotus Festival today is not just about admiring flowers or enjoying tea. Behind the fragrant lotus ponds lies a story of cultural industry development, an area that Hanoi is identifying as one of its new growth drivers.
From lotus, one can create lotus tea, lotus essential oil, lotus-based cosmetics, lotus silk, handicrafts, souvenirs, fashion products, experiential tourism services, and many other creative products.
With proper investment, the lotus flower could absolutely become a distinctive cultural brand of Hanoi, just like the cherry blossoms of Japan or the tulips of the Netherlands. The Lotus Festival serves as a bridge to introduce these values to the public, tourists, and investors.
The festival space helps people understand that the lotus flower not only has aesthetic value but is also a precious cultural resource. Drawing on traditional values preserved through generations, artisans and businesses are creating new products that meet the needs of the modern market.
In the context of Hanoi's efforts to develop cultural industries, building a brand for West Lake lotus flowers holds special significance. This is not just a story about preserving a flower or a traditional craft, but also a journey to transform cultural heritage into a resource for economic development.
Every lotus blooming season, tens of thousands of tourists flock to West Lake. Each lotus bud, carefully nurtured by the hands of artisans, is a part of Hanoi's soul being preserved. And each festival organized is another opportunity for these values to spread even more widely.
Source: https://baophapluat.vn/dac-sac-le-hoi-sen-ha-noi-2026.html
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