LÀO CAI — A special show staged by ethnic people has opened Culture Week to celebrate the 120th anniversary of Sa Pa tourism in the northern mountainous province of Lào Cai.

Taking place at an open-air venue of the Sa Pa Centre Square in the famous tourist town of Sa Pa, the elaborately-staged show Vũ Điệu Dưới Trăng (The Dance under Moonlight) has been presented by 200 local people from ethnic groups living in the region, including Mông, Dao, Tày, Giáy and Xa Phó.

The 40-minute show comprising music, dance, stage tableau, and lighting effects has vividly and realistically depicted the quintessence of the rich ethnic culture in Sa Pa.

Using the natural yet poetic surroundings as the main background, the show has offered a special art experience for tourists as they can learn more about the unique ethnic culture while enjoying the natural mesmerising atmosphere with mist and magical moonlight.  

According to the show’s producer, Anh Sơn Group, the performance doesn’t use voice recording or any sound amplification equipment.

“All the stage tableau and music combined well together will take the audience to different levels of emotions,” a representative of Anh Sơn Group said.

The show will be presented to the public at the Sa Pa Centre Square until September 23.

Special art performance

On Saturday, at the stadium in Sa Pa Town, a special art performance on the theme “Wonderful Sa Pa” will be held.

To tell the Sa Pa transformation journey – from a small resort for French colonists at the beginning of the 20th century to the current international tourist destination.

Six hundred professional and amateur performers will take part in the performance, which will be divided into three parts – Sa Pa Kỳ Vỹ Linh Thiêng (Spectacular and Sacred Sa Pa), Diệu Kỳ Miền Đất Sương Mây (Magical Land of Mist and Clouds), and Kết Nối Khát Vọng Xanh (Connecting Green Aspiration).

The performance also feature popular singers Trọng Tấn, Sèn Hoàng Mỹ Lam, Ngô Hồng Quang, and Quách Beem.

Also on Saturday evening, a stunning firework performance will be presented.

As Culture Week takes place coinciding with the Mid-Autumn Festival, a lantern parade accompanied by a traditional lion dance will be held on September 29.

Earlier, all schools and residential zones in the town took part in a lantern competition.

The celebration also includes an international mountain marathon, an exhibition of agricultural products, and a dance sports competition.

After 120 years of development since the French marked the first step on Mt. Fansipan in 1903, today, the resort town of Sa Pa has become a famous tourist destination for tourists all over the world. A tourist magnet, Sa Pa is continually in the top 10 of Việt Nam’s most popular destinations and among the top 28 most attractive destinations in the world.

Since the beginning of this year, Sa Pa has organised numerous festivals and cultural activities to celebrate the glorification, attracting more than 2 million tourists. — VNS