Harvest time on the shores of Tam Giang Lagoon

The yellow paddy fields alongside Tam Giang Lagoon in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue provide a visual treat.

People hurry to complete the harvest, with villages busy with farm work. Locals are cutting the paddy and then taking it home for drying.

According to people in Loc Binh Commune, Phu Loc District, the location of their fields, next to the brackish water of Tam Giang Lagoon, provides their rice with a sweet taste and unique fragrance when cooked.

The attractive local scenery is popular with photographers and DTiNews presents some images from the location:

The yellow fields viewed from a nearby hill

The fields around the lagoon

A small hut on the lagoon

Boats on the lagoon

Houses and coconut trees

Rows of trees

Farmers are just specks in the immense fields

Women harvesting

Carrying rice home

A girl playing in a field

A fascinating picture

Kites add colour to Cua Dai Beach

Nearly 200 kites, flown by 21 teams from across Vietnam, competed in the kite festival on Cua Dai Beach.

The 7th annual kite festival, which took place on May 21, was organised by the Hoi An Sports and Culture Office along with the Victoria Hoi An Hotel. This year’s theme was “Victoria-Hoi An and Sea”, and focused on raising awareness of problems facing the local ecological system.

This year’s festival was grander than in past years.

The first prize was awarded to Nguyen Truong Huy, whose kite resembled an octopus.

In the meantime, a ray kite and a starling kite won the second prize.

Photos of the festival:

Kite made to look like a flag

Flying frogs

Mandarin kite

Parrots take wing

Diver in the sky

The octopus

Lobster kite

A squid above

Kites add colour to a bright day

A pilgrim to Uncle Ho’s home town

Sen village in Kim Lien commune, Nam Dan district, Nghe An province is only 45 kilometres from the central city of Vinh.

The village is the place where the late president Ho Chi Minh was born and spent most of his childhood and many things have remained intact with the passage of time.

They are Coc well, the banian tree, the village temple and the thatched cottage of the second best examinee Nguyen Sinh Sac, father of Uncle Ho.

Sen village was recognised as one of the national cultural historical relics by the Ministry of Culture and Information (now the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) in 1979.

The board of honour granted by King Thanh Thai to Nguyen Sinh Sac, father of Ho Chi Minh, in 1901

Promoting Quang Binh tourism

A series of cultural and sporting events will delight tourists at the Culture and Tourism Week 2011 in the central province of Quang Binh beginning on June 5.

Son Doong Cave is the largest one in the world

The week aims to promote the province's many tourist attractions including its numerous spectacular caves and attract investment in the province, said Le Hung Phi, director of the provincial Department of Culture, Sport and Tourism.

The Culture and Tourism Week will include the Cau Ngu (Fish Worshipping) Festival to pray for a good fishing season and safe seafaring, a volleyball tournament from May 26 to June 4, and the dedication of Bao Ninh – The Sea Square.

The main events will be held from May 27 in Dong Hoi city and at the UNESCO-recognised World Natural Heritage Site of Phong Nha-Ke Bang.

A programme called Discovering the Magnificent Beauty of the Caves will be held at Thien Duong (Paradise ) Cave on June 11 and broadcast live on VTV2 to reveal the mysterious and irresistible beauty of the local caves.

During the week, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism will also offer tours to Chay River and Hang Toi (Dark Cave). The Chay River tour will take tourists by boat into primeval forests, with waterfalls and whirlpools. The province's traditional cuisine and folk music will be featured to introduce visitors to the customs and unique culture of the local people.

Last year, nearly 730,000 visitors came to Quang Binh province, according to the department.