One of the largest in Hanoi, the Huong Pagoda Festival 2024 in My Duc district's Huong Son Commune attracted around 50,000 visitors from February 9 to 12, according to local authorities.

Visitors enjoyed free admission from February 9 to 11 and began to be charged from February 12. Entitled "Safe - Civilized - Friendly Huong Pagoda Festival", the event will last three months until May 11.

Local authorities have increased the number of boats and motorboats by 700 to 4,500, expecting that there will be enough vehicles to carry tourists to Huong Son Mountain. About 3,800 to 4,800 people have been trained to improve the quality of their products and services.

The boats and motorboats are equipped with life jackets and lifebuoys, trash cans and umbrellas. Boats and skippers are also electronically registered and tracked to ensure safety and transparency for all visitors.

The fares are made public by Decision 632/QD-UBND of the Hanoi People's Committee dated January 31, 2024. Accordingly, boat fares range from VND65,000 (US$2.66) to VND85,000 (US$3.48) per passenger for a round trip.

The local police are charged with ensuring the safety and security of the festival. All officers will be on duty during the festival and ready to respond to reported violations or incidents.

Huong Pagoda Festival is one of the biggest events in the Tet (Lunar New Year) holidays. The main event will open on February 15, or the sixth day of the first lunar month. In 2023, the festival lured more than one million visitors.