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Ha Tinh
Area: 6.026,5 sq. km.
Population: 1,306.4 thousand habitants (2006)
Capital: Ha Tinh City
Administrative divisions:
Town: Hong Linh
Districts: Huong Son, Duc Tho, Nghi Xuan, Can Loc, Huong Khe, Thach Ha, Cam Xuyen, Ky Anh, Vu Quang, Loc Ha.
Ethnic groups: Viet (Kinh), Thai, Muong, Chut.
Introduction: Geography, Tourism, Ethnic groups, Transportation.
Attraction:
- Historical & Cultural Vestiges: Dong Loc Road Junction.
- Scenic Landscapes: Thien Cam Beach.
- Cultural Travel: Chieu Trung Temple Festival, Hoi Thong Village Festival, My Duong Festival, Nhuong Ban Festival, Phan Xa Festival, Tong Trung Festival, Xuan Dien Festival.
Geography
 Ha Tinh is located on the Northern Central of Vietnam, surrounded by Nghe An Province on the north, Quang Binh Province on the south, Laos on the west, and East Sea on the east.
Locating at the east of Truong Son Mountain Range, Ha Tinh's terrain is both narrow and sloping, tilting towards the east. To the west is a high mountain range (with average height of 1,500m), following with a range of hills, small and narrow elongated plain and coastal sandy banks.
Mountainous terrain accounts for 80% of the province's natural area that is sharply differentiated and divided, forming deferent ecological areas. There are 14 rivers such as Ngan Pho, Ngan Sau, Cay. The coastline is 137km in length which is suitable for making salt, rearing shellfish such as shrimps, crabs, oysters, snails...
Ha Tinh belongs to the tropical monsoon area. The annual average temperature is 23.7ºC. There are two clear seasons:Raining season lasts from August to November. Annually average rainfall is from 2500mm to 2650mm, account to 54% of whole year.Dry season is from December to July next year. The weather is dry, hot and highly vaporizing West- Southern wind (blowing from Laos).
Tourisms
The province has many special internal tourism places ecologically, historically, culturally, namely National Park of Vu Quang, Ke Go reservoir, Hong Linh Mountain, interests inhering to poet Nguyen Du, monument of  comrade Tran Phu - First General Secretary of Vietnamese Communist Party, Dong Loc Road Junction - a monument sticking with glorious victory of Vietnam against the US. Then, tourists are able to relax in Xuan Thanh, Thien Cam, Thach Hai or Deo Con beaches, or in medical treatment area of Son Kim Hot Spring.
Ha Tinh preserves many temples, pagodas such as Cua Dieu Tower, Huong Tich, Bich Chau, Yen Lac pagodas, Tam Lang, Chieu Trung temples.
Coming there, visitor do not forget make tour to some of handicrafts villages such as Van Cham, Minh Long iron, Duc Lam cooper, Cam Trang pottery, Thai Yen wood, Ha silt, Ho cloth.
Apart of that, tourists can follow National Road No. 8 passing Cau Treo Border Gate to Laos, Thailand and other ASEAN countries...
Ethnic groups
Ha Tinh population is mainly Viet (Kinh) following Mau believing, Confucianism, Buddhist, tutelary gods worship. The province is home of Hai Thuong Lan Ong - a famous physician, Nguyen Du, Huy Can poets, and Nguyen Cong Tru, Tran Phu, Ha Huy Tap, Ngo Duc Ke.
Transportation
The transportation is convenient with National Highway No. 1A and Thong Nhat Express Train crossing the province. There is Keo Nua Border Gate linking to Laos, Thailand. Ha Tinh City is 341km from Hanoi.
Attraction
1) Historical & Cultural Vestiges
Location: Dong Loc Road Junction is situated in Dong Loc Commune, Can Loc District, Ha Tinh Province. 
Characteristics: During the war against the United States, Dong Loc Road Junction was a point of the connection between the North and Ho Chi Minh Trail.
The intersection of provincial roads 5 and 15 used to be the main junction of the supply line during the war against the United States. American aircrafts heavily bombarded the area in repeated efforts to destroy the junction. The less than 20km section of road underwent 2,057 air bombardments.
A unit of ten young female volunteers, aged 17 to 20 and led by Vo Thi Tan, was assigned to keep the road open to traffic. Despite repeated heavy bombardments, they stayed at their post, using only shovels and hoes to level bomb craters. They were all tragically killed during an air attack on July 24, 1968.
A monument engraved with the names of the ten heroines was erected on a hill at the Dong Loc Road Junction.
2) Scenic Landscapes
Location: Thien Cam Beach is situated in Cam Xuyen District, Ha Tinh Province.
Characteristics: The low mountains in proximity to the sea have created a beautiful landscape.
 Thien Cam Beach is situated approximately 20km from Ha Tinh City. Separated from the mountain foot by a sandbank, Yen Lac Pagoda, built during the 13th century, is a relic preserved by the government. A famous set of paintings called "the King of Hell's Ten Palaces" has been kept in the pagoda since the beginning of the 20th century. The French built Thien Cam as a resort, but nearly all the infrastructures were destroyed during the wars.
Nowadays, Thien Cam Beach has become a tourist site where many come to vacation.
3) Cultural Travel
Time: The 3rd day of the fifth lunar month.
Place: Thach Kim Commune, Thach Ha District, Ha Tinh Province.
Objects of worship: Le Khoi (Chieu Trung Dai Vuong) - a famous General of Le Dynasty.
Characteristics: Boat racing, cock fighting.
Chieu Trung Temple worships a famous general, Le Khoi, who deserved well of the country. When he died, his tomb was built by the court in the west of the foot of Long Ngam Mountain. The local people set up the temple to worship him at Cua Sot and held the Chieu Trung Temple Festival on his dead anniversary every year.
Time: On one day of spring end and summer beginning.
Place: Hoi Thong Village, Nghi Xuan District, Ha Tinh Province.
Characteristics: Cau ngu ceremony is held both on land and water. After that is the boat racing festival on Lam River.
Time: The 17th day of the twelfth lunar month.
Place: Xuan My Commune, Nghi Xuan District, Ha Tinh Province.
Objects of worship: The village's tutelary god and Mountain Genie.
Characteristics: Worshipping god of hunting by wild beast (hunting guild is split in two groups: the water procession is held by the first group on boat to Mong Ga Mountain to worship Mountain Genie, the other procession is held by the second group to go around the village.
The families, which have new - born son, offer a whole boiled pig that is covered pink paper.
Time: The 30th day of the sixth lunar month.
Place: Cam Nhuong, Cam Xuyen District, Ha Tinh Province.
Objects of worship: Lady Hoang Can (the imperial concubine of King Tran Due Tong in the 14th century), Mr. Dong Dao, who created rudder.
Characteristics: Setting up altar near the river, incense offering, prayers.
Time: 7th to the 15th day of the first lunar month.
Place: Nghi Xuan District, Ha Tinh Province.
Characteristics: Opening rice paddies ceremony.
Time: The second lunar month.
Place: Tien Dien Commune, Nghi Xuan District, Ha Tinh Province.
Objects of worship: The village's tutelary god.
Characteristics: Worshipping the village's tutelary god in the communal house, worshipping the sky, the earth, praying for good crops.
Time: 4th to the 8th day of the first lunar month.
Place: Phan Xa Village, Ich Hau Commune, Can Loc District, Ha Tinh Province.
Objects of worship: God of Tam Lang.
Characteristics: A dao singing, rice cooking contest. Dragon boats race and a God procession on canal every 3-year.
(Source: Vietnam National Administration of Tourism) |
