Xoan singing and Phu Tho folklore festival opens

The Organizing Board of Hung Kings death anniversary and Hung temple festival 2012 have opened the Xoan singing and Phu Tho folklore festival. 

The festival drew the participation of 12 Xoan singing clubs and 14 artistic groups from 13 districts, towns and cities in the northern midland province of Phu Tho.

The event aims to honour and popularize Xoan singing which has been recognized as a world intangible heritage needing urgent protection.

Over the past time, more and more Xoan singing clubs in the province have been established. Xoan singing is also being taught at schools. The province has passed policies to encourage Xoan singers, and provided training courses on this art to teachers in districts, cities and towns.

During the five-day festival, many performances will be held to serve travellers to the Hung Kings’ death anniversary and Hung temple festival 2012.

Xoan singing is a vocal art of villages in the ancestral land of Phu Tho. This genre of singing is usually performed in front of the communal house during the village festivals in the spring.

Based on legends and historical, archaeological and social records, researchers say Xoan singing first appeared long ago, from the time when the Hung Kings established the nation.

(Source: CPV)

Beautiful new cave discovered in Quang Binh Province

A team of explorers of the British Royal Cave Research Association led by Dr. Howard Limbert on Thursday said that they have discovered a cave which is more beautiful than the exquisite Son Doong Cave in the central province of Quang Binh.

The recently discovered cave in Quang Binh Province by the British Royal Cave Research Association

Son Doong Cave has been recognised as the biggest cave in the world by National Geographic.
The new cave is called Va Cave and is located among a group of eight other caves. The team of explorers discovered it after a study and research of the site in the province. The British Royal Cave Research Association has so far discovered 15 new caves.
Among them, Va Cave is said to have stalactites that are even more stunning and spectacular than those in the Son Doong Cave.
The explorers said that they had never seen a cave with such beautiful stalactites, as much as 1.7kilometres in length.
According to initial reports, the Va Cave was found by a local man named Ho Khanh, who took the explorers to the site of the cave, located 400metres from the Son Doong Cave.
| SGGP |

Koh Rong Island Attracts World’s famous Media Station in France

Preah Sihanouk Province-On Saturday, February 4, 2011 H.E Dr. THONG Khon, Minister of Tourism and was honorably invited by the France-based international media, Adventure Line Production, to join the team and witness the successful adventure trip filming to be broadcasted in France-based TF1 TV network and via Internet link to all Francophone TV networks with millions of audiences all over the world in one hand, and on the other hand to join hand with Cambodia to promote the worldly-recognized idyllic coastal zone of Cambodia, particularly in Koh Rong island, also known as Koh Lanta Program, to the world.

During the closing of Koh Lanta Program which has taken about triple weeks ago in Koh Rong island, Mr. THIERRY GRAFF, the Production Director, expressed his deep interests in selecting Koh Rong island as one of the destinations for Koh Lanta Program due to the fact that Koh Rong island is rich of amazing natural resources among other islands in Asia, leading to the company’s successful filming. At the same time, he also recalled the background of Koh Lanta Program since 11 years ago through the winner contest performance. Finally, the winner will be awarded 10 thousand Euros. This program produced nine series, one of which takes about 120 minutes. The activities were filmed on airplane to capture the gorgeous sceneries in the island and the beautiful landscape along mountains, waterfalls, big stones and other interesting areas.

The Koh Lanta Program chose 14 candidates to join the contest in each subject and only one candidate will be awarded. This game requires each candidate to know how to do well with regard to individual strategy to claim the championship.

In naturally smiling face, the Tourism Minister, H.E Dr. THONG Khon, pointed out the reason the Adventure Line Production chose Cambodia’s Koh Rong Island as the destination for filming as Cambodia is rich of unique natural resources best for giant international film productions, particularly the ranges of beautiful islands. Based on the Koh Lanta Program to be world-wide broadcasted especially in Francophone countries, it is truly witnessed that Cambodia is a peaceful nation with its own sovereignty. Furthermore, it not only shows the world the improved living condition of Cambodian people with pleasant life style in harmony but also exposes the potential of Cambodia’s coastal zones, natural views of mountains and waterfalls which is the main engine pushing tourism growth.

H.E Minister of Tourism further emphasized that after admission of Cambodia Bay into the Most Beautiful Bays in the World Club and following the Sea Festival 2011 “Cambodia Bay-The Rising Star of the Southwest”, tourist arrival to coastal zones therefore has soared 10%. It is found that lots of foreign tourists visit either big or small islands. French tourists to Cambodia in 2011 were recorded around 117,000, an increase of 3.6%, ranked the 7th of top 10 tourist source market to Cambodia.

The filming of 75,000-hectar Koh Rong island of the Adventure Line Production has been authorized by the Royal Government of Cambodia and supported by various private sectors.