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Afternoon Excursion (p.m): Bá Dương Nội Village annual kite flying festival
April 12 @ 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM
250,000VND
THIS IS AN ANNUAL EVENT IN THE FVH CALENDAR
Bá Dương Nội village is a 1,000 year-old kite making village on the Red River on the outskirts of Hanoi. Generations of villagers have kept this tradition alive. The kites are shaped as crescent moons or boats, with wooden flutes attached. The wind passes through the flutes making haunting melodies. The village dates back to the 10th century Dinh Dynasty. Bá Dương Nội has a reputation as one of Vietnam’s main kite flying centres.
The village annual kite festival is held on the 15th day of the 3rd Lunar month – this year = Saturday 12 April 2025 solar calendar.
The festivities are over a number of days culminating on the last day (15th of 3rd lunar month) with the adult kite festival. This is when we are invited by the village to attend. The festival attracts competitors from all round Vietnam, usually we are the only visitors which keeps it lovely and local. We are honoured that Mr Ha the Chairman, and our very good friend Mr Tu one of the leaders of the Bá Dương Nội Cultural committee personally invite us.
We share more information about the kites, and the festival during the mini bus journey to the village so that you have background info.
Meet: Outside of the Pan Pacific Hotel, on Yên Phụ Rd, at the corner of Thanh Niên Rd
Outline plan – NB this is subject to the weather as if its pouring with rain or no wind then plans change. But let’s hope for good weather conditions. With this afternoon flexibility is the most important requirement.
Please have lunch beforehand and bring refreshments/drinks. We do not stop for lunch. NB in the village there no evident restaurants/cafes but the festival may have some basic food stalls but please assume there won’t be much food to buy at the village.
12.30pm-5pm-5.30pm approx total timing
12.15pm : depart Hanoi from outside Pan Pacific Hotel on Yên Phụ Rd, corner of Thanh Niên Rd (NB – no motorbike parking is available at the hotel or nearby so please come by public transport/taxi)
We arrive about 1pm-1.15pm (between 12noon and 2pm the kite making contestants apply for the kite flying contest). We arrive when the competitors are bringing their kites to the Miếu Diều (kite temple) ready for the categorising and entry.
From about 1.30pm opening proceedings (called by the drum and plenty of speeches)
From about 2.15pm onwards – the kite flying competition takes place. We watch the competitors fly their kites running through small fields of morning glory. We sometimes get invited to Mr Ha’s house – the Chairman – for tea
Whether we stay for the awards at the end is TBC as it depends on the weather and what we agree as a group but we usually leave 4pm-4.30pm before the judging and awards ceremony as the latter is not at a fixed time.
IMPORTANT TO NOTES
- This is NON touristy and we are usually the only visitors who attend
- Everyone to dress respectfully (even if its very hot weather) – please NO shorts, short outfits as we will be in the kite temple to start which is spiritual place for the kites
- It is extremely noisy throughout and crowded in a small area
- The proceedings are in Vietnamese – almost no one at the village speaks English). This is a very local but important competition. Ly on our commitee will translate
- We ask everyone for maximum flexibility and to go with the flow. How long we spend at the village greatly depends on the weather (most years its a very hot and humid which can be uncomfortable for some people). We ask for compromise with the time we leave the village to head back to Hanoi – some may went to stay longer and some to leave a bit earlier but we normally find a time we all agree with – about 4.15pm. You are welcome to stroll around the village and the nearby ones, mingle with the locals, sit on the edge of the morning glory field with a beer and ice cream, if you are lucky, one of the locals may show you how to the fly a kite, and we often get invited into the home of one of the committee leaders …
- There is not much to see in the village – its become very urban
Same price for everyone coming by mini bus VND250,000 to cover the transportation and gifts for the village community
Limit: Very maximum space on the minibus = 12 people (we keep to a small group)
RSVP: Please register via this google by 10 April latest. https://forms.gle/cATBipiZQh39jHvV8 and if you have questions please contact us at fvh.excursion@gmail.com or hello@fvheritage.org
