Hai Phong's northern coastal city preps itself for a hectic May after plans to host a flower festival and ceremony recognising Cat Ba archipelago as a special national relic site.

Photographs about a beauty of Cat Ba will be displayed at the event to celebrate the archipelago's certification as a nationally significant area.

Hai Phong will also introduce the biodiversity potential and advantages of Cat Ba archipelago in the run-up to canvassing for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) to officially recognise Cat Ba as a World Natural Heritage Site in 2014. Especially, this festival highlights the performance night "Cat Ba in the red color of flamboyant flowers” which is due to take place on 10 May 2014 with an abundance of activities. On this occasion, Hai Phong City will organize a number of sideline activities to win UNESCO’s recognition in the process of the nomination for Cat Ba to become a World Natural Heritage site in 2014.

The flamboyant has been voted among the five most beautiful flowering trees in the world. It is also known by the names Gulmohar, Peacock Flower, and Flame of the Forest.