The opening of the Ban Flower Festival in Dien Bien province on March 17, 2018.

Nguyen Van Binh, Head of the Party Central Committee’s Economic Commission and Head of the Steering Committee for the Northwestern Region, told the opening ceremony that the festival honors the cultures of ethnic groups, strengthen national unity, and promote the image of Dien Bien province to people inside and outside Vietnam.

“Ban flower represents love, filial piety, gratitude, and strong vitality. I believe that with local traditions, potential, advantages, and people’s support, Dien Bien province will advance faster to become an attractive tourist destination.” Binh said.

“This is the first time I’ve been here to see beautiful white Ban blossoms covering mountains. We’ll visit some scenic spots and historical sites,” visitor Bui Tien Toan from Hoa Binh province elaborated.

The annual festival is held in the middle of March, which is the Ban flower season and prior to the commemoration of the 1954 Dien Bien Phu victory over the French army.