(HBO) – Hoa Binh province has what it takes to develop agri-tourism. The province is home to more than 88,400 hectares of agricultural land, including 4,700 hectares of citrus fruits, over 6,500 hectares of purple and green sugarcanes and 11,000 hectares of vegetables. It also has more than 4,700 cages of fish, mostly in the Hoa Binh Reservoir.
Hoa Binh lake is a tourist destination.
Hoa
Binh is nationally renowned for a variety of agricultural specialties, such as
Cao Phong and Lac Thuy oranges, Tan Lac and Yen Thuy pomelos, Da River prawn
and fish, and purple sugarcane. Many orange farms in Cao Phong have strived to
make the most of their potential by combining agriculture and tourism.
It is
naturally blessed with scenic rolling limestone mountains and magnificent
caves, particularly Dau Rong caves and mountains in Cao Phong district, Tien
Pagoda’s caves in Lac Thuy district, Ngoi Hoa and Nam Son caves in Tan Lac district,
and Trung Son cave in Luong Son district; and a number of primitive tropical
forests as well as nature reserves, namely Pu Canh, Ngoc Son – Ngo Luong,
Thuong Tien, and Hang Kia – Pa Co.
The
popular Hoa Binh Reservoir, which has 47 islets and islands, is dubbed as Ha
Long Bay on land. It holds large potential for the locals to develop eco-tours
and adventure tours, most favoured by young people and foreign travelers.
The
province, which has a total population of 850,000, is one of the most
ethnically diverse province in Vietnam. It is inhabited by various ethnic
minority groups, such as Muong, Thai, Tay, Dao and Mong, which together account
for 74.31 percent of the population. The ethnic minorities have still preserved
centuries-old rich and distinctive cultures.
New
tourism services have been developed within small and cozy villages of local
ethnic minorities, attracting an increasing number of visitors, particularly
foreigners. Hoa Binh now has many well-known community-based villages and more
than 150 homestay facilities.
Hoa
Binh has also worked hard to maintain and restore traditional festivals of
ethnic minorities.
Fifty-seven
out of 131 communes in Hoa Binh have achieved new-style rural area status after
the new rural development programme was launched in the province 10 years ago.
Seven communes have meet advanced new-style rural area standards while 39
residential zones have been named as model ones.
The
province has been making all necessary steps for 58 local signature products to
be recognized as 3-star "One Commune, One Product” (OCOP) products, including
two in tourism./.
Spanning thousands of hectares and winding gracefully along mountain slopes, hillsides, and riverbanks, the terraced rice fields of Lac Son District present a stunning and captivating beauty. This region, renowned for its remarkable terraced landscapes, is also the centre of Hoa Binh Culture known for numerous archaeological sites.
The life of Mong people in Hang Kia and Pa Co communes of Mai Chau district has improved much thanks to tourism development.
The man-made Hoa Binh Lake, with a water surface area of approximately 9,000 hectares and a capacity of 9.45 billion cubic meters, stretches over 200 kilometers from Hoa Binh to Son La provinces. With the goal of developing into a national tourism area, the Hoa Binh Lake tourism area is expected to not only become the largest tourism centre in the province but also one of the 12 key tourist destinations in the northern midland and mountainous region of Vietnam.
Da Bia hamlet, now Duc Phong, in Tien Phong commune, Da Bac district, was once almost isolated from the outside as the only way to the hamlet was to get a boat ride across the Hoa Binh reservoir. However, as its tourism potential has been unleashed, the hamlet has established itself as one of the most attractive destinations on the tourism map. It has even received the ASEAN Community-Based Tourism Awards in 2019.
In the first 9 months of 2024, Mai Chau district, Hoa Binh province welcomed over 684 thousand visitors to visit and relax. In which, over 516 thousand domestic visitors and more than 168 thousand international visitors. Total revenue from tourism is estimated at over 821 billion VND.
Da Bac district, bestowed with stunning landscapes, is developing ecological and resort tourism offerings. Several tourist sites, put into operation this year, has attracted throngs of high-spending and young domestic visitors.