Cao Bang Geopark

Cao Bang has three intangible cultural heritage elements inscribed on the national intangible heritage list

On June 27, 2025, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism officially issued decisions on inscribing three distinct intangible cultural heritage elements from Cao Bang province on the National Intangible Cultural Heritage List. These represent outstanding cultural values deeply connected with the spiritual beliefs, mindset, and identities of the local ethnic communities.

Vibrant colors of traditional craft villages in spring

Over ups and downs, facing changes of urbanization, traditional craft villages such as incense-making village, forging village and traditional paper-making village still exist. Then, when spring comes, the people of traditional craft villages are busy making their products which present the rich traditional cultures of indigenous groups in Non nuoc Cao Bang Geopark.

Five-coloured noodles

Apart from enchanting natural landscapes, Cao Bang is famous for local delicacies. Cao Bang’s rich cuisine is known by many domestic and international tourists. One of the specialities worth mentioning is the five-coloured dried noodles, which is a famous unique and delicious food of Cao Bang.

Phja Thap incense village

Phja Thap incense village is one of the traditional craft villages in Cao Bang where the traditions and cultures of Nung An people are preserved and practiced

The beauty of women's traditional costumes in Non nuoc Cao Bang Geopark

Long Tong Festival in Ban Gioc hamlet – a typical cultural feature on the East route of Non nuoc Cao Bang Geopark “Experience traditional cultures in a wonderland”

Discover the capital city of the Mac dynasty through remaining vestiges

The preservation of the traditional paper making craft in Dia Tren hamet

On March 31st, 2022, the Management Board of Non nuoc Cao Bang Geopark in collaboration with the People's Committee of Quang Hoa district, and Phuc Sen commune met with villagers of Dia Tren hamlet, Phuc Sen commune, Quang Hoa district on the preservation and promotion of the traditional paper-making craft and local livelihoods improvement.

Wearing lucky charms for babies – A traditional custom of the Tay and Nung

In Cao Bang, the Tay and Nung preserve traditional customs demonstrating spiritual and cultural meanings and wearing lucky charms is one among them. To date, this custom is still practiced for the purpose of praying good luck and peace for newborn babies.

Towards the origion tradition on the Qingming festival in Cao Bang

Interesting features of Nang Hai (Moon’s mother) festival in Chu Lang, Kim Dong commune village, Thach An district, Cao Bang

Special custom of Nung ethnic minority group in Non nuoc Cao Bang UGGp

Red color belief in the traditional lunar new year in Non nuoc Cao Bang UGGp

According to the traditional belief, the red color demonstrates good luck and properous, with the bustling and holy atmosphere of traditional lunar new year the red color is visible everywhere.

Land god of ethnic minority group in Cao Bang on traditional lunar new year

Ban Gioc tourism festival 2019

Some spring festivals in the eastern route of Non nuoc Cao Bang UGGp

Apart from geological, bio-diversity, and historical heritage, intangible heritages of Non nuoc Cao Bang UNESCO global geopark has made up particular and exception significance of a UNESCO global geopark, especially the Sung Phuc pagoda spring festival and Phao Hoa cracter spring festival in Quang Uyen district.

Tradional costumes of Tay ethnic group in the Lunar new year

Tay ethnic group take the lunar New Year into serious consideration. People can feel the atmosphere of the lunar New Year from the 25, and 26th December (lunar calendar), people who work far away from home, are commencing the back home departuring for family reunion. Families are busy preparing typical dishes such as stiky-rice pop mixed with cane juice sugar, Khẩu sli, sticky rice flour bar, cooked-sticky-riced mixed with sugar, etc, and they also clean and fix their houses, sweep the their house surrounding and the walking path. On the 27th and 28th, people would focus on preparing food for the New Year days. From early morning, families slaughter pig to prepare for the New Year. On 29th people, people are busy decorating their house, and the central space of their house, hang their red parallels, and arrange peach and plumb flowers, glue paper around their ancestor worship altar; and wrap Chung cake in the afternoon.

Food cultures of Tay – Nung ethnic groups in Lunar new year festival

It has been widely known that, Tay and Nung ethnic groups in the geopark territory in particular, and Cao Bang in general consider lunar New Year festival is one of the most important festival in the year. This is the reason why Tay and Nung people prepare very carefully for this festival, and being understood of their food cultures also meaning a deep insight into their cultures.

Chung cake and Day cake in the traditional festival of Tay ethnic group

Chưng cake and Day cake, which are typical agricultural products linked to agricultural culture and traditional practices of Tay ethnic group in Cao Bang living in the Non nuoc Cao Bang UGGp, are usually present in traditional festivals.