4:38:10 PM | 26/10/2009
The southern province of Kien Giang has tried to drive the local tourism into a key economic sector, contributing to its sustainable development.
Unique features of island and sea tourism
Nature endows Kien Giang with a diversified geological structure which includes delta, forests, mountains, sea and islands. This is suitable for tourism development. The province is home to famous places such as Rach Gia, Phu Quoc, Ha Tien, Kien Luong and Hon Dat. The locality area is also known for beaches Mui Nai, Bai Duong, Bai Sao, Bai Dai and Bai Truong and streams namely Da Ban and U Minh Thuong and Phu Quoc National Park. Coming here, visitors will see a diversified ecosystem and Phu Quoc Island with fresh area, indigo forests and bird garden. The province is also famous for special food of U Minh Forest. All of these serve as a momentum for Kien Giang to develop tourism, particularly eco-tourism at U Minh area.
Kien Giang keeps the national cultural identities. The province has many festivals, including Hero Nguyen Trung Truc festival, Tao Dan Chieu Anh Cac festival, Ok-om-bok festival of Kho-mer people and several others. Each has its own features and attracts thousands of tourists.
Under an overall plan for tourism development, Kien Giang belongs to the tourism zone IV which has the strength of water tourism and eco-tourism in the Mekong Delta region.
Enhancing regional cooperation
The province has developed its role in boosting the regional tourism development. An Giang has lots of mountains. Particularly Ba Chua Xu festival, is a platform from which to develop spiritual tourism and mountain-climbing services. The province bordering Cambodia houses the two international border gates of Tinh Bien and Vinh Xuong. Meanwhile, Can Tho, the centre of the Mekong Delta region, has a favourable location and infrastructure system for tourism development, particularly MICE and eco-tourism. Along with Kien Giang, the three provinces have developed a tourism triangle. They also actively cooperated to hold the National Tourism Year of the Mekong Delta Region 2008 and Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Festival 2008. The localities have organised many festivals and fairs like the border trade and tourism festival at Rach Gia –Ha Tien- Phu Quoc, Ok-om bok festival and particularly the festival that honours Hero Nguyen Trung Truc, which has lured 700,000 visitors.
Kien Giang has opened many conferences to promote its tourism potential. To date, the province has received more than 200 registrations from both local and foreign investors for their projects. Furthermore, Vietnamese government has invested to upgrade Rach Gia Airport. The Phu Quoc Airport has been upgraded to become an international airport. HCM City- Phu Quoc air route, which previously had only one flight per day, now has seven flights per day. In terms of sea transport, six high-speed modern train routes now provide services to Phu Quoc. Small high-speed trains run to small islands, including Hon Tre, Hon Lai Son and Nam Du every day. The province has also built a network of tours linking the central region and Southeast Asian countries.
Kien Giang tourism sector has enjoyed strong development with an increased visitor number. Last year, the province saw an on-year growth of 6 per cent in arrival number. In the first six months of this year, it posted an on-year growth in tourist number of 20.91 per cent, meeting 52.59 per cent of the full-year target.
Attractive tourism destinations in Kien Giang province
Hon Dat Island
Not as big and grandiose as Hon mountain range (including Hon Me, Hon Soc and Hon Queo), Hon Dat Island is among the most beautiful places in the South West. Located in a location with rivers, mountains, sea and delta, the island owns favorable conditions for tourism development, particularly tours to Rach Gia, Ha Tien and Chau Doc.
Hon Dat has a total natural area of 102,000 hectares covering mountains, forests and sea. Many centuries ago the Phu Nam kingdom spread immensely, leaving behind many archaeological relics, which has affirmed Hon Dat as one of cradles of Oc Eo culture. By the late 19th century and early 20th century, Hon Dat was merged with An Bien, Ha Tien province. It bordered Thoai Son (An Giang) in the north.
Mui Nai Landscape
Mui Nai is situated in Ha Tien town. This has a warm and cool climate thanks to sea wind. It is home to many nice caves and small and big islands.
Hang Pagoda and Phu Tu Island
On the way to Ha Tien, to Ba Hon, turn left after 18 kilometres, and then you will come to Phu Tu Island tourism resort. However, before coming here, you should drop in to Hang Pagoda, one of the famous beautiful spots in Kien Giang. Hang Pagoda was found early in the 18th century by powwows and fishermen who came here for setting up their life.
Ha Tien Town
Ha Tien is a town located in the Northwest of Kien Giang province. The town has four wards namely Dong Ho, Binh San, Phao Dai and To Chau; the two communes of Thuan Yen and My Duc and Tien Hai Island. The town is well-known for many natural landscapes. When coming here, visitors cannot forget to visit the worship hall of the Mac Family. Long-time stalactite creates mysterious shapes at Thach Dong like a girl with long hair called Phat Ba Quan Am (Goddess of Mercy). Only walking a little bit, you will go to Xa Xia border gate with Cambodia. Along seaside, down to the south, you will come to a famous landscape named Hon Chong where there is deep blue water and cool climate like the Caribbean.
Particularly, from Hon Chong, tourists can see Phu Tu Island and hear the crashing noise of Ha Tien sea’s waves.
Tranh Stream
Tranh Strea is a famous beautiful spot in Phu Quoc island district. The North East of the island houses Ham Ninh mountain range. From the mountain gorge, we can see lots of streams flowing into forests and rock slits and joining Tranh Stream. The scenery looks like a natural picture, thus, it is called Tranh Stream. When coming here, visitors will have a chance to enjoy pure sea water and sit on rocks, hearing waves and birds.
M.Thu – T.Thao