A carnival parade was held Saturday in Sam Son, opening a tourism festival in one of the most popular beach destinations in central Vietnam. 

Over 70 European artists in colorful costumes paraded through the beach town’s main streets to open the Sam Son Tourism Festival, which will last until early June and include diverse cultural and art events.

Situated in Thanh Hoa Province, Sam Son has long been a popular beach site in north central Vietnam. It was first exploited for tourism by French colonialists in 1907. The town boasts long beaches with strong waves, beautiful mountains including Truong Le, Trong Mai Islet, and the Doc Cuoc Temple.

Many locals and tourists gathered to witness the first ever carnival to be held in the town.

"I am really surprised," Phuong Linh, a tourist from Hanoi, said. "We have never seen such a fascinating and lively festival. The most impressive part was that the foreign dancers performed in a very sexy, charismatic way."

On a 2.1-kilometer-long road along the beach, the parade stopped at three places to perform to great cheering from the audience.

A vehicle with tableux of ocean themes including waves, corals and sea creatures along with performers wearing carnival costumes.

Artists in colorful costumes perform skillfully.

The organizers hope it will become a unique highlight for tourism in the coastal town this year.