Hot air balloon festival in Hoi An uplifts thousands

The hot air balloon festival at the Hoai River Square, organized by Hoi An People's Committee, lasts from Friday to Saturday. It is part of the 2022 National Tourism Year event named "Quang Nam - Green destination".

People use large fans to inflate the balloons.

It is the first time that Hoi An organizes a hot air balloon festival, which garnered the attention of many visitors.

Hot air is pumped into the balloons to make them fly. There are a total of 17 balloons at the festival.

People can fly on the hot air balloons for free, to up to seven meters off the ground.

People rent boats to watch the balloons from the Hoai River.

Paddlers shake their coracles from side to side as part of an entertainment event on the Hoai River.

Both streets and boats are packed with people.

"Since Covid-19 struck, this is the first time Hoi An has been so crowded. The streets are jammed, and parking places have run out," said Truong Thi Ba, a vendor on Nguyen Phuc Nguyen Street.