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Kiep Bac is a scenic village in Vietnam, a dream like valley surrounded by green mountains and canopies of white mist. This place is mostly known for its association with national hero Tran Hung Dao. He used Kiep Bac as his hideout during the 13th century. Vietnam’s supreme commander during the Tran Dynasty, Dao is acclaimed for his military tactics and has won victories against the likes of Kublai Khan. Because of such feats as well as his loyalty, humbleness and simple qualities, he is considered a saint and worshipped by many Vietnamese.

The Kiep Bac Temple is a place of worship for those who want to pray to Tran Hung Dao. In fact the temple has a festival occurring on the 20th day of the 8th lunar month and a pilgrimage to the temple during this time is a centuries old Vietnamese tradition that still continues with the same kind of participation.
The temple was built during the 14th century and holds bronze statues of Tran Hung Dao and his family including his wife and two daughters as well as his four sons. After the main festival the commander’s ancestral tablet is brought out on a golden procession chair and taken towards the river with much grandeur and celebration. On reaching the river, the tablet is placed on a royal barrage and after a procession and ceremonies that last for more than two hours the tablet is brought back to the temple.

A key element of the festival is also the boat race. Boats shoot through the once calm waters of the lake, urged by the pounding beats of drums and the encouraging cheers of those watching. Fighting a battle of their own, they recreate an atmosphere of the battles fought by the supreme commander.

As one of Vietnam’s oldest festivals, the Kiep Bac Festival attracts hordes of tourists and locals every year. Accommodation can be arranged for visitors at any of the luxury hotels in the vicinity. Owing to the natural beauty and cultural importance of Kiep Bac and its surrounding areas, there are plenty of luxury hotel resorts to choose from. Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas seems to be the most preferred option though.

Pushpitha Wijesinghe is an experienced independent freelance writer. He specializes in providing a wide variety of content and articles related to the travel hospitality industry. Google+

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