Ha Long Bay has continuously been listed among the top 10 of more than 200 world beauty spots since January 2008.

A week-long international marionette festival opened in Hanoi on February 16 with the performance of “Chuyen to he” (Toy Figurines’ Story), the first of its kind combining the participation of puppets and artists from the Central Puppetry Theatre of Viet Nam.

The festvial was celebrated to welcome the Party and the nation in the renewal process during the traditional Lunar New Year festival (Tet) and the movement towards the 1,000 anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi.

There were 14 original love duet singing villages attending the festival in northern Bac Ninh province on February 16-17.

The first International Puppetry Festival opened in Hanoi on the evening of February 16th with the participation of 11 countries, including Vietnam, China, Egypt, Brazil, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, the Philippines, Sweden, Belgium and Israel.

Yen Tu Spring Festival officially opens on the tenth of the traditional Lunar New Year (Tet) (February 16). This is one of the most sacred and largest religious festivals that attracts a large number of visitors from all over the country.

More than 600 overseas Vietnamese of Chinese origin and Hoa (ethnic Chinese) people in Ho Chi Minh City met on February 14 to celebrate the traditional New Year Festival.

As many as 100 Vietnamese books are being displayed at the 17th International Book Fair which opened in Havana, Cuba, on February 14.

A lot of visitors and local people participated in different activities on “Valentine’s Day” held at Love Valley in Da Lat City on February 14 by the Da Lat Youth Union, Lam Dong Radio and Television Station and Love Valley Joint-Stock Company.

Defying the cold weather, young men and women flocked to gift shops to buy worthy presents for their lovers on Valentine’s Day. On sale were different things for them to choose. But,as usual, roses, chocolates and cuddly toys were much sought-after.

The tourism programme ‘Tracing the Roots 2008’ was launched in the northern mountainous province of Yen Bai on February 13 to promote tourism potential in the province, its neighbour Lao Cai province and the northern midland province of Phu Tho.

The Co Loa festival is annually held in Co Loa village, Dong Anh district, Hanoi, from the 6th to 16th day of the Lunar New Year, to honour An Duong Vuong Thuc Phan, who founded the ancient Vietnamese state of Au Lac and built the Co Loa citadel.

An Israeli puppetry delegation led by general director of Train Theatre, Dalia Yaffe-Maayan, will participate in the International Puppetry Festival to be in Hanoi for the first time from February 16-23.

The central province of Thua Thien-Hue has carried out many construction projects for the upcoming Hue Festival 2008, including a project to dredge the An Cuu river and a project to install pavement and plant trees on major streets in Hue city.

Renowned Vietnamese painter Nguyen Thi Hien is holding her first exhibition of works in Spain, titled Giao Cam (Sympathy), to run from now until March 12.

Ha Long Bay, Mt. Fansipan and Phong Nha Cave have been nominated as “new natural wonders of the world” in the first round of a contest sponsored by the New Wonders organisation.

A Vietnamese music and fashion programme entitled Charming Vietnam will be staged in the United Kingdom and Germany in early March.

Vietnamese puppeteers will bring a show entitled “The Myth on the Fairy and the Dragon” to the International Puppet Festival in Hanoi, slated for February 16 - 23.

The Huong (Perfume) pagoda festival officially began in My Duc district, northern Ha Tay province, on February 12 - the 6th day of the Lunar New Year (Tet) festival - with the participation of 20,000 people.

A certificate “National Historical Relic” was handed over to the management board of the Thang Long Royal Citadel Relic Complex at a ceremony in Hanoi on February 10.

The Vietnam Museum of Ethnology on February 10 launched a programme to welcome the Lunar New Year festival 2008, which attracts thousands of tourists.

Mutual understanding, respect and sharing the happiness of the Vietnamese people during the traditional Lunar New Year festival (Tet) by Russians living and working in Vung Tau has become apart of their cultural custom.

A story about a farmer making toys from dough in the US is often referred to by the people living in Xuan La village, Phuong Duc commune, Phu Xuyen district, Ha Tay province. The story is an inspiration for the locals to overcome their difficulties and hardships.

The Khmer people celebrate eight festivals in a year and all festivals are held in their temples. For them, a temple represents their religion and the nation and it is important to preserve their cultural tradition.

Everything has come to Japanese painter Borwell Saeko by chance, from painting lacquer, getting married and having a baby in Vietnam.

No matter how rich or poor they are, Dao ethnic minority people in Buong village of the northern mountainous province of Hoa Binh use dried rats as offerings to their ancestors on the last day of the 12th lunar month.

Vietnamese people love decorating the house for the Tet festival. Peach or apricot blossoms and kumquat trees are the most common and traditional of sights.

Little Saigon is full of flowers, fresh and dried fruits, square cakes, and parallel sentences to remind you of a Vietnamese Tet.

The one-stringed zither in the Stearns Collection in the University of Michigan is a Vietnamese musical instrument, Vietnamese-American researcher Nguyen Thuyet Phong has said.

As usual, on every traditional lunar New Year Festival (Tet), Vietnamese nationals living in the State of Victoria, Australia are eager to prepare new clothes and meet with their friends to go shopping for Tet.