Phú Thọ Province is about to get a spectacular new reason to visit. On November 21 and 23, the Hùng Kings Temple Historical Relic Site will host Hào khí Lạc Hồng (The Heroic Spirit of Lạc Hồng), a 90-minute real-scene performance staged entirely on water at the International Reception Centre inside the festival complex.
The show retells three foundation legends of Vietnam: the union of Lạc Long Quân and Âu Cơ that birthed the nation, the matchmaking of the 18th Hùng King, and the famous duel between Sơn Tinh, the Mountain God, and Thủy Tinh, the Water God. Rather than a stiff historical reenactment, organisers describe it as a contemporary artistic take on ancient folklore, using the sacred site's natural surroundings as part of the stage.
Expect serious production value: modern lighting, sound, projections and water effects layered with live choreography, martial arts and large ensemble scenes. The visual design borrows heavily from Đông Sơn culture — the bronze-age civilisation associated with Vietnam's earliest statehood — and ancestral art traditions of Phú Thọ. The narrative leans on human themes of solidarity and community, which fits the pilgrimage spirit of the site.
Why it matters for travellers: the Hùng Temple complex is already one of northern Vietnam's most significant spiritual destinations, drawing huge crowds for the annual Hùng Kings' Festival. Phạm Tiến Đạt, director of the relic site, says the show is part of a push to enrich the visitor experience and develop new cultural-tourism products, with the long-term goal of making Phú Thọ a national spiritual tourism hub. The project is also framed as a showcase for tech-driven heritage promotion, aligned with the government's Resolution No 57 on science, technology and digital transformation — so if the November dates go well, similar spectacles could become a regular fixture.
For anyone planning a trip, the timing is convenient. Phú Thọ sits roughly 80km northwest of Hanoi, an easy two-hour journey, and November brings cool, dry weather ideal for temple-hopping. Pair the show with the broader heritage of the province: Xoan singing, a UNESCO-recognised intangible cultural tradition, is performed locally — the photo accompanying the announcement shows artisans doing just that at Hùng Lô Communal House. The temple complex itself, spread across Nghĩa Lĩnh mountain, rewards a slow visit with its lower, middle and upper temples linked by stone stairways and views over the Red River delta.
If you can't make the November performances, the relic site and its museum are worth the day trip year-round, and future editions of the show seem likely given the site's ambitions. For travellers who enjoy culture delivered at scale — think large-format outdoor performances like those at Hue Festival — this is one to watch.
