Unique Tourist Attractions

Located in the southern gate of the Central Highlands with national roads 14, 14C and 28 connecting with major economic and tourism centres like Ho Chi Minh City, Da Lat and Dak Lak and having two national border gates of Bu Prang and Dak Po with Cambodia are major advantages for Dak Nong province to develop tourism. Besides, the province has a range of natural and human tourism resources. The province has a total forest area of 343,944 ha, with many specialised forests and pristine nature conservation areas like Nam Nung and Ta Dung; beautiful lakes and rivers like the Serepok River, the Dong Nai River, Dak R'Tih Lake, Dong Nai 3 Lake, West Dak Mil Lake, Ea Sno Lake and Doan Van Lake; and majestic and romantic waterfalls like Dray Sap, Gia Long, Trinh Nu, Dak G'lung, Luu Ly, Dak Buk Sor, Len Gun and Lieng Nung.

 

Dak Nong is home to 31 ethnic groups coming from all three regions of the nation. Thus, the province features diverse cultural identities, particularly customs, cuisine, folklore and festivals. It has a lot of valuable epics like Ot N’rong epic. The province also lies in the Central Highlands’ Cultural Space of the Gong recognised by UNESCO as a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Human Heritage. In addition, Dak Nong is famous for its revolutionary tradition, history and patriotism. Many wartime relics have been recognised as national relics like Military Base B4, connection point to Ho Chi Minh Trail, Bumera station, Henry Maitre headstone and Bon Bu Nor, and Dak Mil prison. These relics have been restored and conserved to become tourist attractions. These resources contribute to diversifying tourism products of Dak Nong.

 

With a lot of famous tourist attractions, the province serves 120,000 domestic and foreign tourists in the first 10 months of 2011, representing an increase of 11.4 percent over the corresponding period in 2010 (with 107,684 tourist arrivals). Of the sum, international visitor arrivals reached 6,200, up 29.6 percent over the same period in 2010 (4,782 tourists).

 

In addition to being endowed with tourist attractions, Dak Nong has launched many tourism promotion programmes to attract more tourists.

 

Lying on the tourist routes: “Central Highlands Green Road,” “Legendary Ho Chi Minh Trail” and “Return to old battlefields,” being accessed by national roads like 14, 14c and 28, serving as the southern gateway of the Central Highlands linking to tourism centres like Ho Chi Minh City, Lam Dong, Dak Lak and Cambodia (sharing a 130-km border), are all favourable conditions for the province to build tourism. Its famous tours include Ho Chi Minh City - Dak Nong - Mondulkiri, Dak Nong - Lam Dong - Nha Trang, Lam Dong - Dak Nong - Mondulkiri, Dak Lak - Dak Nong - Ho Chi Minh City, Gia Nghia - Dak Song - Cu Jut; Gia Nghia - Dak R'Lap - Tuy Duc - Mondulkiri, and Gia Nghia - Dak G'Long - Lam Dong. These tours feature different themes like exploring ecology, forest landscape, studying flora and fauna, exploring waterfalls, cultural festivals, cuisines, or gong culture. Dak Nong has signed cooperation programmes with other cities and provinces like Ho Chi Minh City, Lam Dong and Mondulkiri to strengthen cooperation and promotion of tourism.

 

Mr Bui Quang Mich, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said the province has some 122 hotels, including two 3-star hotels, two 2-star hotels, eight 1-star hotels, and 106 small serviced accommodation establishments. It also has 15 restaurants. Besides, it has many interesting entertainment sites like Tam Nguyen recreational fishing (Gia Nghia town), Thanh Thuy recreational fishing (Gia Nghia town), and Cuong Thinh tourist site. Restaurants, hotels, tourist sites, coffee houses and entertaining centres have been constantly upgraded, expanded and newly built to meet the needs of visitors. Dak Nong province is actively calling all economic sectors to invest in tourism infrastructure.

 

Not only calling for investment for infrastructure systems, in the 2011 - 2015 period, Dak Nong tourism industry will promote investment for tourism projects like Lieng Nung amusement park in Dak Nia commune, Gia Nghia town; Ta Dung ecological and cultural tourism site in Dak Som commune, Dak G'Long district; Dak R'Tih Lake eco-tourism site in Gia Nghia town and Dak R 'Lap district; Dray Sap - Gia Long - Trinh Nu cultural tourism site in Krong No and Cu Jut districts; Serepok River eco-tourism zone in Cu Jut district; West Lake eco-tourism site in Dak Mil district; M'Nong ethnic cultural village in Dak Song district; Doan Van Lake eco-tourism site in Tuy Duc district; Mol Dak mineral spring tourist site in Dak Song district; and Ea Sno Lake ecotourism in Krong No district.

 

Mich said these projects will be granted the highest preferential investment policies, particularly regarding land compensation, site clearance, infrastructure construction, and personnel training. The government will create the most favourable conditions for individuals and enterprises to invest in Dak Nong.