Quan Lan Festival

Time: The festivities are organized yearly on the 18th day of the sixth lunar month, but the celebration lasts from the 10th to the 20th day of month.
Place: Dinh Wharf in Quan Lan Commune, Van Don District, Quang Ninh Province.
Characteristics: The festival is organized to commemorate the victory against the Mongol invaders in 1288, as well as the feats of Tran Khanh Du, a famous Tran General. They also pray for good “harvest” from the sea.

Quan Lan Communal House Festival is the village-wide celebration for the inhabitants of the island community of Quan Lan: located the central area of the ancient Van Don Harbour.

The 10th day of the sixth lunar month features the ritual of “closing the village": the inhabitants cannot leave, but those who have moved away and other guests from any corner of the country are welcome.

 The festivities of Quan Lan Communal House are comprised of a traditional rowing competition: villagers are divided into two sides. They establish their particular training grounds on the 13th day of the month in order to prepare themselves. The boats used are ordinary 5 to 6 - tonne fishing boats, with lowered sails and dragon - heads carved on the fronts.

The 16th day is reserved for receiving the genies. There is a procession for the funeral tablets of Tran Khanh Du from the temple to the village’s communal house.

 


On the 18th day at about 3 p.m (every year at this time the tide reaches the temple’s wharf), the boats start. The "soldiers" on one side wear a white jacket and blue pants, while the other group wears gray or black clothing. When the opposing generals meet each other at the communal house, the “soldiers” and spectators shout resoundingly; the noise echoes throughout the region. The two generals make sword - tracings in the air, and the two troops meet each other three times: symbolizing the three victories during the Tran Dynasty. Following the third meeting, they assemble before the shrine and the rowing contest begins.

Quan Lan Communal House Festival bears characteristics of traditional village festivals, but is particularly grandiose, expressing the military spirit of the Vietnamese in the struggle against foreign invaders.

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Ha Long Bay

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Sung Sot Grotto

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WHERE TO STAY
ATI Bai Tu Long Resort

Add: Ha Long Commune, Van Don Dist.

Tel: (84-203) 3793 156/ 3793 674

ATI Quan Lan Resort

Add: Quan Lan Commune, Van Don Dist.

Tel: (84-203) 3877 471/ 3877 469

Viet Linh Hotel

Add: Zone 8, Cai Rong Small Town, Van Don Dist., Quang Ninh

Tel: (84-203) 3793 898

Hung Toan Hotel

Add: Cai Rong Town, Van Don Dist.

Tel: (84-203) 3874 220

Lien Lan Guesthouse

Add: Zone 5, Cai Rong Town, Van Don Dist.

Tel: (84-203) 3874 265

Huong Que 1 Guesthouse

Add: Zone 8, Cai Rong Town, Van Don Dist.

Tel: (84-203) 3874 126

Huong Que 2 Guesthouse

Add: Zone 8, Cai Rong Town, Van Don Dist.

Tel: (84-203) 3874 113

Huong Que 3 Guesthouse

Add: Zone 8, Cai Rong Town, Van Don Dist.

Tel: (84-203) 3874 435

Huong Que 4 Guesthouse

Add: Zone 8, Cai Rong Town, Van Don Dist.

Tel: (84-203) 3874 316

Thai Hoang Hotel

Add: Zone 8, Cai Rong Town, Van Don Dist.

Tel: (84-203) 7933 83

Mai Quyen Hotel

Add: Bai Dai Beach, Van Don Dist.

Tel: (84-203) 7931 88/ 7961 99