All eyes are on the sky in Da Nang as hot air balloons of different shapes and sizes take part in an amazing air balloon festival at the APEC Sculpture Garden between 6:00am and 10:00pm on Sunday, March 27. As part of the celebrations for the resumption of international flights in Da Nang after two years of disruption due to COVID-19, the festival which features 12 multi-coloured mini balloons, 3 level 7 balloons and 2 steam balloons, offers unique experiences for locals and visitors on this special day.

Co-organised by the Da Nang International Terminal Investment and Operation Joint Stock Company (AHT), the municipal Department of Tourism, and the municipal Department of Culture and Sports, along with relevant agencies, the Hot Air Balloon Festival aims to give a very warm welcome to Da Nang for international guests to enjoy their vacation in the beautiful city.

Also present at this event were Da Nang People's Committee Chairman Le Trung Chinh and municipal People's Committee Vice Chairman Tran Phuoc Son.

Da Nang People'’s Committee Chairman Le Trung Chinh (third from the right) attends the hot air balloon festival to mark the resumption of international routes from the city. Photo: THU HA.

Visitors are seeing colourful hot air balloons taking the skies above Da Nang at highest altitude of 40m while they are tied to the ground.

Hot air balloons will be at a height of 15m to 40m above the ground between 6:00 am and 10:00 am, and from 3:00pm to 5:00pm.

Locals and tourists will also watch colourful lantern displays lighting up the sky above Da Nang with the set between 7:00pm and 8:00pm on the same day. The event promises a big surprise for visitors with a wide array of exciting performances such as ‘Fire Dragon", blowing the bridge, and building the bridge.

Chairman Le Trung Chinh (second from the left) and Vice Chairman Tran Phuoc Son (second from the right) take a hot air balloon ride. Photo: THU HA

Two steam balloons will take to the skies during the festival between 6:00 am and 8:00 pm to give the chance to locals and tourists to admire and take stunning shots of these balloons.

Chairman Chinh said that Da Nang has launched numerous exciting events and programmes to encourge more visits to the city in a bid to drive rapid recovery of the tourism industry. Included are a sailing race on the Han River and the opening of an inland waterway tourist route connecting Da Nang with the Ly Son Island off the central procince of Quang Ngai. Trips operating on the would-be route will depart from the Han River Port.

The Hot Air Balloon Festival attracts a great deal of attention from locals and tourists. Photo: THU HA.

Mrs Nguyen Thi Hoai An, the Director of the Da Nang Tourism Promotion Centre said that the festival aims to welcome the first two international flights operated by Singapore Airlines and Thai Vietjet that will bring visitors from Singapore and Thailand to Da Nang. This is also a premise for the city to develop more unique and attractive tourism products in the coming time, Mrs An remarked.

Mr Do Trong Hau, the Deputy General Director of (AHT) highlighted positive signals for the recovery of Da Nang tourism as 10 international routes operated by 9 domestic and foreign airlines are set to resume services to link Da Nang with Singapore, Thailand, Korea, Japan, Malaysia, and India in 2022.

Mr Hau also said that AHT wanted to show its willingness to join efforts with the Da Nang government to promote the city as an attractive travel destination to lure domestic and international tourists back to the city in an attempt to drive the recovery of the tourism sector and boost the city’s socio-economic growth.

Reporting by THU HA – translating by H.L