Riverside cultural space, folk games and river-driven tourism products are among highlights of the ongoing Ho Chi Minh River Festival along the Saigon River.

The city’s first-ever river festival, which was set to wrap up on Sunday, is featuring a host of cultural events and entertainment activities to amaze dwellers and visitors.

Launched at the Bach Dang Wharf Park in District 1 on Friday, the fest excited visitors with various traditional folk games such as nhay sap (Cheraw dance), ca kheo (walk on stilts), nhay bao bo (bag jumping), ganh nuoc (water-carrying), and chess.

Men walk on stilts along the Saigon River. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre

An artist teaches cheraw dance to a visitor at the Bach Dang Wharf Park in downtown Ho Chi Minh City during the river festival. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre

The festive atmosphere shrouded the riverside space in the downtown Ho Chi Minh City.

Sophia, an Australian tourist, said that the bustling space along the Saigon River made her comfortable and interested.

She jogged along the bank of the Saigon River with her husband on Friday morning.

“Traveling to any city, we always choose to stay near a river to feel comfortable and learn about the lifestyle of a city,” Sophia said, adding riverside areas often reflect the pace of life in a city.

“Few days ago, the park was fairly empty, but many people thronged the venue this morning,” she recounted.

As for international travelers, riverside parks are among must-see tourist attractions as these places overlook multiple parts of the city.

Lieu Thi My Hanh from Les Rives Joint Stock Company, which specializes in offering foreign visitors waterway tourism products, said that river tours focus on tourists’ experience, meaning that they can immerse themselves into riverscape.

During the fest, the Bach Dang Wharf Park area becomes a unique cultural heritage space decorated with numerous images of Vietnam’s 15 intangible cultural heritages recognized by the UNESCO.

A variety of traditional music performances set to take place during the ongoing river festival  are nha nhac cung dinh Hue (Hue's court music), Bac Ninh love duet singing, ca tru (northern ceremonial singing), don ca tai tu (southern folk music), and traditional Xoan singing.

Other cultural programs like pottery-making activity, xoe dance of Thai ethnic minority people, Then singing by the Tay, Nung, and Thai ethnic communities, and bai choi (the central region's folk music) are bewitching visitors in the afternoons.

During the same period, various traditional music and dance shows are being organized at the Lam Son Park in downtown Ho Chi Minh City to act as a feast for the eyes and ears.

Artists perform quan ho (love duet singing). Photo: Phuong Quyen / Tuoi Tre

Visitors can experience a river tour in Ho Chi Minh City. A water bus ride costs VND15,000 (US$0.63) a person. Photo: Phuong Quyen / Tuoi Tre

It takes a water bus 45 minutes to transport passengers from the Bach Dang Wharf to Binh Quoi Tourist Village in Binh Thanh District. The trip spans 10 kilometers. Photo: Phuong Quyen / Tuoi Tre

A foreign visitor takes photos of some moments at the Bach Dang Wharf Park. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre

Art performances highlight the Ho Chi Minh City river fest. Photo: Phuong Quyen / Tuoi Tre

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