Unlocking Tourism Potential on Dong Van Karst Plateau

Community tourism development was initiated immediately after Dong Van Plateau is recognised as a global geopark. The park is home to 250,000 residents, of which over 70 percent are the Mong people. The Advisory Council for Global Geoparks Network (UNESCO) regarded Dong Van Karst Plateau as one of particular limestone areas that contain typical prints about the earth's crust development history, natural phenomena, natural landscapes, unique scenery, biological diversity and long-standing cultural traditions of indigenous communities. Dong Van Karst Plateau is home to a range of unique legacy systems such as geological heritage with Can Chu Phin crinoids fossil forest, Lan Chai fossil graveyard, Lung Pu - Khau Vai - Meo Vac fossil junction point, Ma Le brachiopoda fossil site, fusulinid fossil site (Dong Van Town), stratigraphic heritage comprising Lung Cu - Ma Le geological section, Frasnian - Famennian stratigraphic boundary in Si Phai Pass, geomorphological heritage with Quan Ba Mountain, Pai Lung Tower, Thuy Mac Valley, Khau Vai stone forest together with a lot of historical, cultural and architectural heritages like Dong Van old town, Vuong Palace and Pho Bang Town.

 

 

Currently, Ha Giang province is actively promoting agricultural development and tourism development on Dong Van Karst Geopark to bring effective, sustainable economic development and improve community life.

The province sets great store in popularising the image of Dong Van Karst Geopark image and attracting investors to do business on the plateau.

 

Mr Tran Duc Quy, Vice Chairman of Ha Giang Provincial People’s Committee, said preserving and upholding cultural heritage values in association with tourism development is a strategic task and strength in economic development and sustainable poverty reduction. Thus, Ha Giang has assigned four districts and relevant agencies to develop tourism and plan the construction of locally characteristic cultural villages for tourism development.

 

The province also carries out the “each village, one product” to diversify local tourism product quality.

 

 

Typically, the community cultural tourism village of Dong Van district was chosen as a site for new rural area construction. The community cultural tourism village in Lung Cam Tren village, Sung La commune, Dong Van district has had impressive results after a time of operation. All the Mong people in the village lead civilised lifestyle. Some families even work to improve village utilities without asking for a compensation or give up their land for building public utilities like cultural house. Many households actively participate in community tourism development activities. They decorate and upgrade their houses to be tourist accommodations, develop traditional careers and create unique tourism products.