Together with community-based tourism, Mai Chau district is focusing on developing eco-resort tourism around Hoa Binh lake in Son Thuy commune.
Tourists enjoy kayaking on Hoa Binh lake.
Son Thuy commune - home to Muong and Thai ethnic groups - still retains untouched nature with rolling mountains and peaceful villages along Hoa Binh lake, thus attracting tourists, especially young backpackers. In the winter, the area is often blanketed with thick fog, reminding many people of the famous resort town of Sa Pa in the northern province of Lao Cai.
Rich natural resources and unique cultural identity are advantages for the commune to develop tourism. Initially, some backpackers discovered the area and came to explore the area. Later, some businesses surveyed and invested in building hotels and resorts to meet the high-end tourist market segment.
Notably, Mai Chau Hideaway resort and Ba Khan Village in Son Thuy commune affirmed their positions in attracting visitors to the Hoa Binh lake tourist area in particular and Hoa Binh tourism in general.
Ha Thi Lieu, deputy head of the Culture and Information Department of Mai Chau district, said that the formation of high-end ecological resort destinations helps increase the attractiveness of the Hoa Binh lake tourist site, promoting local tourism. Some households in the area have provided homestay services for tourists, offering more choices to experience local culture. Local eco-resorts have recovered strongly after the COVID-19 pandemic, inspiring investors to continue to seek investment opportunities.
Resorts and hotels in the tourist area attract tourists all year round, the room occupancy rate ranges from 50 - 70% on working days, and 90 - 100% on weekends. In particular, Mai Chau Hideaway is preferred by international visitors with about 70% of its guests coming from European and American countries.
April 30th and May 1st with 5 days off is the ideal time for families to choose the relaxing destinations and find a peaceful place. Thanks to the advantage of convenient transportation, mountainous terrain with wild beauty, cool climate, the resorts and health care areas in Hoa Binh province attract tourists on this occasion.
Currently, the tourism products of Yen Thuy district are mainly the festival and spiritual tourism. In addition to ensuring a civilized lifestyle in the religious activities, the party committees and the local authorities at all levels always focus on preserving the value of historical, cultural relics and festivals associated with exploiting tourism strengths.
The picturesque scenery of Hoa Binh Lake has endowed its tourism site with a unique allure. In recent years, localities have been harnessing the potential of the lake area and domestic and international tourists have chosen the site for sightseeing and leisure journeys.
The Hoa Binh Lake tourism area is expected to become a national tourism site by 2030, focusing on developing synchronous and modern technical facilities, and high-quality and branded tourism products imbued with national cultural identities. The tourist site also aims to become the largest tourist centre in the province, and one of 12 key tourist areas in the Northern midland and mountainous region
On April 5th, in Hoa Binh city, the Tourism Association of Hoa Binh province and Tourism Association of Ba Ria - Vung Tau province jointly organized a conference to promote cooperation and tourism development. There was the attendance of Mr. Nguyen Van Toan, the Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee.
Hoa Binh has taken measures, focusing on removing barriers in terms of mechanism, policy, infrastructure, and upgrading technical infrastructure facilities serving tourism and the quality of human resources, to promote tourism development in the Hoa Binh Lake area.
