Ly Son island in the central province of Quang Ngai will host Backpacker Festival 2018 themed “Ly Son on me” from June 29^th to July 3^rd, as a part of the first Ly Son Culture Tourism Week.

This event will be held during the first Ly Son Culture Tourism Week for adventurers nationwide to explore the beauty of the islands. A night campfire will take place at Cau Cave near the beach on the island for a party and cultural exchange among visitors during the week. The festival is expected to welcome 1,000 backpackers from around the world.

Be island (Small island), Ly Son. (Photo: @duongvan522)

In addition, a photo and video contest will be held for backpackers, requiring all photos and videos to be shot using smartphone. The competition aims to create a playground for backpackers who love travel.

The first Ly Son Culture Tourism Week from June 29^th to July 3^rd will feature a wide range of culture, sports, and tourism activites, aimed at providing meaningful and impressive events to both locals and tourists.

An exhibition entitled Ly Son - Di San Van Hoa Bien Dao (Ly Son - Islands and Sea Culture Heritage) will be one of the highlights of the week. The exhibition will display photos of daily life and beautiful landscapes in Ly Son island, as well as maps and documents on the Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) Islands. The maps and the documents are regarded as historical and legal evidence that proves Vietnamese sovereignty over the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos. The exhibition also applies digital 3D technology.

The event aims to set a Vietnamese record with around 3,000 people singing the national anthem. It will also feature a human formation of the national flag on Hang Câu Beach, while about 1,000 tourists will participate in a music festival during the week.

A traditional boat-race will be held, with boats named after the four sacred animals – the dragon, unicorn, turtle, and phoenix. A boat-race has traditionally been organised between the fourth and eighth days of the Lunar New Year to commemorate the ancestors and combatants who sacrificed their lives to safeguard our national sovereignty over the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos.

A ceremony to recognise Be Island as one of the province’s relics will also be held. Be Island (Small Island) is one of three islands in the Ly Son island district.

"Transport services in the district are capable of transporting tourists to the culture tourism week, with 12 express ships offering about 1,450 seats in total," said Nguyen Thanh, Chairman of the People’s Committee.

"Different kinds of vehicles in Ly Son Island are also prepared to serve about 3,000 people every day,” he said.

Ly Son has been known as the “Kingdom of Garlic” in Vietnam with 21,000 inhabitants, most of whom make their living from farming garlic and spring onions and fishing.

In May, Ly Son island also introduced a night market for tourists from 6 pm until 10:30 pm daily, offering souvenirs, dried seafood and specialities of the island. It aims to attract tourists, with 40 booths selling souvenirs, dried seafood, local cuisine and other specialties of the island./.

VNF