(HBO) - Hoa Binh Lake has a length of 70 km, spreading over 17 communes in 5 districts and the city. There are 47 large and small islands within the lake area. In recent years, our province has exploited the available potentials of Hoa Binh lake to develop tourism. Here, tourists are immersed in the quiet space of charming and peaceful water. In particular, tourists are also able to discover and try the strong feeling of kayaking racing on the lake.
Tourists are experiencing kayaking racing in Da Bia village, Tien Phong commune (Da Bac).
Currently, the demand of tourists, especially for international visitors, is not only a matter of food, but also the interest in entertainment. Understanding that mentality, the homestay owners at the community tourism sites in Da Bac district such as Da Bia hamlet (Tien Phong commune), Ke hamlet (Hien Luong commune), Ngoi village (Ngoi Hoa commune) have been exploited the potential of the lakeside location to organize kayaking racing on the lake for tourists. After a period of operation, boat racing has created the satisfaction and the enjoyment for visitors.
"I like the sports close to the nature, liberal and free. Coming to Ke hamlet, Hien Luong commune, I am able to try kayaking on Da river. Feeling alone with a floating paddle on the river is very exciting. The drops of blue water splashing hard on the cool face are wonderful”- Mr. Nguyen Thanh Trung, FPT University student said.
There are more than 30 kayaks around the tourism spots on the lake center, which are purchased by the enterprises and the tourist households themselves to serve the entertainment needs of the tourists., there are 10 boats in Da Bia hamlet, there are 5 boats in Ke village... The majority of visitors arriving at the tourist spots along the lake are excited to participate in kayak racing. Therefore, the tourist households in the localities have coordinated and made plans to organize exciting boat races for the delegations of tourists. The cheers of the tourists and people have created a joyful and exciting atmosphere for a whole area of the lake. Under the weight of oars, everyone has to row evenly to get to the finished line.
To ensure the safety, the homestay owners have provided life jackets and have arranged latching rescue forces on the track to ensure the safety for visitors participating in kayaking. Before participating in kayaking, visitors are instructed how to paddle and leave the boat. The kayak is shallow but the footprint is deep towards the bow, when the boat turns over, it is difficult to get out, if someone cannot get out in time, it can easily be suffocated. In addition, the homestay households regularly check and maintain the rowers and boat equipment to ensure the safe operation.
Mr. Dang Tuan Hung, the Head of Tourism Management Division – the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism says the tourism area of Hoa Binh lake are trying to become a national tourism area by 2025 and to become a national tourism area with a relatively synchronous and modern system of material and technical foundations by 2030. The tourism products are of high quality, diversified, rich and branded, becoming the largest tourist center of the province and one of 12 key tourism areas of the Northern midland and mountainous region. In order to achieve that goal, the localities should pay attention to grasping the needs of tourists' entertainment in association with the local potentials.
Currently, most of the households doing tourism along the lake have invested in buying kayaks to serve the needs of exploring the adventurous games of tourists. However, the number of kayaks is small, there are times when there are a lot of tourists, so there are not enough kayaks to serve their need, the river track is short. In the coming time, the tourist destinations need to be equipped with more kayaks. It is necessary to actively study and explore and expand the roads on the river so that tourists can also use kayaks to visit and discover the beauty on Hoa Binh Lake in addition to racing games. It is also important to pay more attention to ensuring the safety for visitors when using kayaks.
Hoa Binh province’s rich natural and cultural resources position it as a prime location for developing community-based tourism (CBT). In recent years, support from central and provincial policies, as well as assistance from non-governmental organisations, have encouraged local ethnic minority and mountainous communities to actively engage in the sector.
Van Son Commune, Tan Lạc district, Hoa Binh province also known as "Cloud Valley," boasts a cool climate, stunning natural landscapes, and majestic scenery. Visitors who have been to this place should make a stop at Chien Hamlet to experience a lot of fascinating things and feel the friendly, warmth of the Muong ethnic people.
Thanks to the effective exploitation of natural landscape and the cultural diversity of ethnic minorities, Hoa Binh province has become an attractive destination for tourists seeking experiences and exploration.
The Department of Cultural Heritage has just coordinated with the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Hoa Binh province to organize a training on implementing the model of the cultural heritage connected in the cultural tourism journey in Cao Phong and Lac Son districts.
The Sung village in Cao Son commune, Da Bac district, is endowed with pristine natural landscape, and Dao Tien ethnic minority community in the village preserves rich cultural heritage, including traditional housing, clothing, language, scripts, customs, and daily life practices. Since the community-based tourism model was introduced in the locality, these traditional cultural values have been further preserved and promoted.
