With nearly 1,600 historical relics, including five special national relics and four UNESCO-recognised intangible cultural heritages, the northern province of Bac Ninh has implemented a series of initiatives to awaken its heritage.

Unique free tours highlight Bac Ninh’s cultural charm

Visitors to Bac Ninh try making a Dong Ho folk painting.

Every Saturday and Sunday from March 8, 2025, free shuttle buses gather at the Bac Ninh Museum in Bac Ninh city to pick up tourists. Although the free tour programme titled 'The Quintessence of Bac Ninh Culture – Colours of Heritage” is set to depart at 8 a.m., all eight buses are full of passengers in advance.

As the buses leave the museum, the familiar melody of the music video “Bac Bling” plays, evoking a sense of pride among locals and captivating anyone with a love for this land.

The music video “Bac Bling” (a play on words from the northern province of Bac Ninh), which reached the top spot on YouTube charts on March 11 with up to 42 million views after 11 days, has contributed to spreading the thousand-year cultural heritage of Bac Ninh to the world.

Nguyen Hong Van, a staff member at the provincial centre for museum operations, heritage management and tourism promotion, said as one of the main tour guides assigned to accompany visitors and provide commentary at various destinations, she feels immersed in a vibrant yet deeply authentic cultural space unique to Bac Ninh.

The proactive and insightful move by provincial leaders and tourism sector to launch free tours following the viral success of the Bac Bling music video has truly satisfied both local and out-of-town visitors.

Initially, tourists registered for the tours in person. However, due to overwhelming demand, the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism launched an online registration platform, allowing visitors to conveniently choose suitable tours.

After more than three months of operation, the popularity of the tours shows no signs of cooling down. Many tourists return every week in hopes of experiencing all the tours and visiting every destination.

At each heritage site and tourist destination, visitors have the opportunity to explore, immerse themselves in the local atmosphere, and gain a deeper understanding of the land and its people, Van said.

After joining the free tour that took her through Bac Ninh Museum – Do Temple – Dong Ho Folk Painting Village – “Garden of Life” Ecological Area (with hands-on experiences and self-paid lunch), Dau Pagoda, To Pagoda, But Thap Pagoda, and back to Bac Ninh Museum, Nguyen Thi Tham from Hanoi shared her impressions, praising the well-organised itinerary arranged for the tour, and showing her hope to join all the tours offered in Bac Ninh.

Efforts to diversify tourism products

Director of the centre for museum operations, heritage management, and tourism promotion Nguyen Huu Mao revealed that the free tour programme attracted thousands of visitors.

Building on the positive response to these tours, the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism has surveyed and added new destinations to the programme. As of May 24, 2025, eight additional tourist sites have been incorporated to better meet the diverse interests of visitors.

The addition of new destinations to the free tours aims to better cater to the diverse demand of tourists, while also expanding efforts to promote historical and cultural sites, contributing to promoting the image of Bac Ninh’s people and tourism to both domestic and international travellers.

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