The Huong (Perfume) Pagoda Festival opened in Hanoi’s outskirts district of My Duc on February 19 or the sixth day of the first lunar month, attracting around 60,000 Buddhist pilgrims and tourists.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Vice Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Dao Van Binh said the Huong Pagoda Festival is the biggest and longest annual festival in Vietnam that lasts through three spring months, welcoming more than 1 million pilgrims and tourists each year.

Since the first day of the first lunar month, over 160,000 tourists have visited Huong Pagoda, said Nguyen Van Hau, Vice Chairman of the My Duc District People’s Committee and Head of the Festival Organising Board.

Nearly 200 high-quality boats have been added to the fleet of more than 4,000 boats to serve tourists during this year’s festival, he added.

Also the same day, exhibitions of Buddhist antiques and fine arts opened at the compound of the Thien Tru Pagoda as activities to mark the 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi and of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha – Hanoi chapter.

A Buddhist Culture Week and a ceremony to float flower garlands and coloured lanterns on the Yen Stream will be held during the festival.