Pagoda festival in Vietnam: 14-03-2008
Taking place in March is the Thay Pagoda Festival, which is held in the Thien Phuc Pagoda in the Thuy Khe village in Vietnam.
The event takes place in a pagoda which is built on the ashes of a Vietnamese folk hero and travellers can expect some performances from traditional water puppets.
Held in honour of Dao Hanh, a Buddhist monk who overthrew the Chinese, the festival is quite a spectacle. Puppeteers stand in water and control their puppets on long bamboo shoots. They tell traditional stories from Vietnam's history and traditional music accompanies the performances along with firework displays.
Other events include mountain biking and rowing as well as a parade around local villages that ends in the Pagoda at sun down.
Lasting a week, the festival is long enough for travellers to enjoy at their leisure as well as being a good chance to learn about the history and culture of Vietnam.