The symbol of the Thang Long – Hanoi’s 1000th anniversary will be put on the peak of Fansipan, Vietnam’s highest mountain, as part of the “Returning to Roots 2010” tourism program.

The third Fansipan mountaineering competition will be the climax of “Returning to the Roots 2010”, sponsored by Lao Cai, Yen Bai and Phu Tho in 2010, revealed Bui Thi Kim Dung, Lao Cai’s Vice-Chairperson, in a press conference last week.

This tournament will be held on October 30, 2010 as a national event, attracting nearly 200 climbers, including about 100 foreign mountaineers. Lao Cai and Hanoi will cooperate to bring the symbol of Hanoi’s 1000^th anniversary to the top of Mount Fansipan.

The opening ceremony of the “Returning to the Roots 2010” will take place on February 27, 2010 in Lao Cai. A series of festivals will be organized in the three provinces, including Thuong Temple Festival, Festival on Clouds in Sapa, the Bac Ha traditional horse-race festival in Lao Cai, Dong Cuong and Dai Cai temple festivals in Yen Bai, the Muong Lo culture-tourism week in Yen Bai, the Au Co and Tru Mat Temple Festival and the ten day Hung Kings’ Temple Festival in Phu Tho.

The “Returning to the Roots 2010” tourism program is headed by Lao Cai province. In 2009 Lao Cai welcomed over 700,000 visitors, 5 percent over 2008, earning over 500 billion dong ($29.4 million) in revenue.

PV