Over 325,000 visitors and pilgrims flocked to Con Son Kiet Bac during the festival.

According to Tran Thi Hoang Mai, Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Hai Phong, after the Con Son-Kiep Bac scenic area and Yen Tu-Vinh Nghiem were recognized by UNESCO as World Cultural Heritage sites (July 2025), the number of visitors to these sites has increased dramatically, especially during the Con Son-Kiep Bac Autumn Festival in 2025.

From September 22nd to October 13th, the Con Son-Kiep Bac historical site welcomed approximately 325,000 visitors, a 214% increase compared to the same period in 2024; since the beginning of the year, the site has received nearly 990,000 visitors.

The Con Son - Kiet Bac Autumn Festival is the first festival held after the Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem - Con Son - Kiet Bac complex of historical and scenic sites was inscribed by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage site. Taking place from October 1st to 12th, it is the largest-scale festival ever held, with an expanded festival space.

The ceremonies organized by Hai Phong were conducted in a solemn manner, adhering to traditional rituals and recreating the unique historical and cultural values of the heritage region, such as: the incense offering ceremony and the ceremonial announcement; commemorating the 725th anniversary of the death of national hero Tran Hung Dao and the 583rd anniversary of the death of national hero and World Cultural Figure Nguyen Trai; the opening ceremony of the Kiet Bac Temple; the prayer for peace and lantern festival; the procession and sacrificial ceremony; and the memorial ceremony for Saint Tran.

The festival also featured a rich variety of activities related to cultural experiences, tourism, cuisine, and traditional crafts, attracting many domestic and international tourists who enthusiastically participated, such as: the reenactment of the military parade on the Luc Dau River; the festival of ritual performances honoring the deities; water puppet shows; and a thematic exhibition "Con Son, Kiet Bac, Thanh Mai, Kinh Chu, Nham Duong - a journey through World Cultural Heritage sites"...

Lanterns shimmer brightly during the festival night. (Photo: Manh Tu/TTXVN)

Notably, the leaders of Hai Phong city decided not to hold a fireworks display funded by social contributions, instead donating the entire amount of over 1 billion VND from this source to support people affected by floods and storms.

The highlight of this year's festival is the Hai Phong City's organization of a Culture-Tourism and Trade Promotion Week to introduce OCOP products, typical craft villages, unique culinary spaces, and the launch of three new tours: the "One Journey - 5 World Heritage Destinations" tour connecting Con Son Pagoda - Thanh Mai Pagoda - Kiet Bac Temple - Nham Duong Pagoda - Kinh Chu Cave, allowing visitors to learn about the formation, development, and integration of the Truc Lam Zen sect and the Vietnamese people's worship of Saint Tran.

The "Following in the Footsteps of the Three Patriarchs of Truc Lam" tour delves into the in-depth study and practice of Buddhism at Con Son and Thanh Mai, bringing visitors closer to the pure Vietnamese spirit of Truc Lam Buddhism through its architecture, landscape, scriptures, and rituals.

The "Discovering the Heritage of Con Son and Kiet Bac" tour takes visitors through a series of experiences rich in heritage values, allowing them to enjoy local cuisine and traditional crafts, and experience selected folk art spaces.

Lighting lanterns at the prayer ceremony and lantern festival. (Photo: Manh Tu/VNA)

The Yen Tu-Vinh Nghiem-Con Son-Kiep Bac complex of historical sites and scenic spots comprises 12 representative sites spread across three provinces and cities: Quang Ninh, Bac Ninh, and Hai Phong.

Accordingly, Quang Ninh has 5 sites: Thai Mieu Temple, Lan Pagoda, Hoa Yen Pagoda, Ngoa Van Pagoda, and Yen Giang stake field. Bac Ninh has 2 sites: Vinh Nghiem Pagoda and Bo Da Pagoda.

Hai Phong city has five historical sites: Con Son Pagoda, Kiet Bac Temple, Thanh Mai Pagoda, Kinh Chu Cave, and Nham Duong Pagoda, with a core area of 525.75 hectares and a buffer zone of 4,380.19 hectares. Con Son Pagoda is the center of Truc Lam Buddhist studies, bearing the strong imprint of the founders of Truc Lam Buddhism, Phap Loa and Huyen Quang; Thanh Mai Pagoda, built during the Tran Dynasty on Phat Tich Mountain, is associated with the achievements of the two founders of Truc Lam; Kiet Bac Temple is a place of worship for Saint Tran, symbolizing wisdom, courage, and the art of governance; Nham Duong Pagoda (Tao Dong ancestral temple) preserves evidence of continuous habitation by ancient Vietnamese people; Kinh Chu Cave, known as the "Sixth Cave of the Southern Heaven," contains 47 rock inscriptions, preserving the writings of many famous figures reflecting the history, culture, and beliefs of the nation over nearly seven centuries, from the Tran Dynasty to the Nguyen Dynasty.

According to Le Ngoc Chau, Chairman of the People's Committee of Hai Phong City, the city is known as a land of outstanding people and rich cultural heritage.

Throughout thousands of years of nation-building and defense, Hai Phong has preserved an invaluable treasure trove of heritage with 3,981 historical and cultural relics; including 2 World Heritage sites (Cat Ba Archipelago, recognized by UNESCO as a World Natural Heritage Site in September 2023, and the Yen Tu-Vinh Nghiem-Con Son-Kiep Bac Complex of historical and scenic sites, recognized by UNESCO in July 2025); 9 special national relics and relic clusters; 257 national relics; 722 city-level relics; 33 national treasures, along with 24 national intangible cultural heritage sites and 1,289 traditional festivals.

Looking ahead, the head of the Hai Phong City People's Committee hopes that every investor interested in Hai Phong will become a "talented architect," dedicating their passion and creativity to preserving and enhancing the value of the heritage area; and that each tourism association, each travel agency, transport and service business will be a "designer" of new, unique tours and routes, connecting historical sites, traditional craft villages, culinary products, and typical OCOP products of Hai Phong.

Each resident of the heritage area will be a "media ambassador," spreading meaningful messages about standardizing service quality, promoting digital transformation, developing unique products and regional linkages, practicing green tourism, and building Hai Phong into a "must-experience" destination in every tourist's journey.

Comment (0)