A 'golden' opportunity for tourism at Ba Be Lake.

Nestled amidst the towering limestone mountains of the Viet Bac region, lies a giant, emerald-green mirror reflecting the clouds and sky year-round – that is Ba Be Lake. This emerald gem of Ba Be, amidst the vast wilderness, is now more than just a scenic spot; it has become the central element in defining Thai Nguyen's tourism brand: "a paradise of lakes in the mountains."

Ba Be - a wonder lake nestled in the mountains.

Ba Be Lake is not only the convergence of three branches of lakes – Pe Lam, Pe Lu, and Pe Leng – but also a place steeped in human legends and the unique cultural identity of the Tay ethnic group. Visiting here, tourists feel as if they have entered another world , where time seems to stand still on the millions-of-years-old limestone deposits, where nature and humanity are one.

Mr. Le Thanh Trung, a tourist from Hanoi , said: "I first came to Ba Be Lake in 1992, and since then, every year I've come here with my family for a vacation. The pristine and picturesque beauty of Vietnam's largest natural freshwater lake, the unique cuisine and cultural identity of the local people, the cool climate, and the tranquil atmosphere are all beautiful impressions I have of Ba Be Lake."

Ba Be National Park is recognized as an ASEAN Heritage Park, the world's 1,938th RAMSAR site, and Vietnam's 3rd RAMSAR site. The beauty of Ba Be lies in its poetic and majestic natural landscapes, its traditional stilt houses, and the simple, authentic lifestyle of the indigenous communities living around the lake. Pac Ngoi, Ban Cam, and Bo Lu have now become community-based tourism destinations, highlights of the Ba Be tourist area.

Mr. Nong Nguyen Chi, owner of Chi Hoa homestay in Ba Be commune, shared: Besides the attractions at the lake, tourists are often interested in the culture and cuisine of the Tay people involved in tourism in the lake area. However, not many tourists stay for extended periods in the Ba Be Lake tourist area, usually only 1-2 days.

High biodiversity, beautiful and attractive natural landscapes, and a rich system of rivers, lakes, and caves are important conditions for the strong development of tourism activities.

However, for many years, tourism in Ba Be has not truly "taken off" and has struggled to attract tourists. Tourism products are poor, monotonous, and lack distinctiveness; the imprint of traditional cultural values ​​is not strong. Service activities lack professionalism, and the quality of service is not high. Tourism infrastructure has not been invested in commensurate with its potential.

Indicators reflecting the quality of development, such as the average number of visitors and the average length of stay per visitor, remain low and have shown slow progress over a long period. These are "bottlenecks" that need to be addressed to optimize the value of Vietnam's most unique mountain lake heritage site.

Kayak racing on Ba Be Lake.

According to Mr. Nguyen Chu Thu, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism: Thai Nguyen currently has strengths for tourism development, most notably the scenic Ba Be Lake and Nui Coc Lake, along with its distinctive cultural identity, creating unique characteristics for developing mountain lake tourism. These are also two key tourism destinations identified in the province's tourism development roadmap for the coming time.

On February 24, 2026, the People's Committee of Thai Nguyen province issued the Tourism Development Plan for the period 2026-2030, which clearly defines a breakthrough roadmap with two strategic focal points: Ba Be Lake and Nui Coc Lake. If Nui Coc Lake is the heart of modern resort and entertainment, then Ba Be Lake is the soul of ecotourism and heritage experiences.

Developing this key tourism axis will create a continuous "mountain lake paradise" travel route, boosting tourism in Thai Nguyen. This is also a "golden" opportunity for Ba Be Lake tourism to break free from old boundaries and explore the untapped potential of this "mountain lake paradise."

Source: https://baothainguyen.vn/van-hoa/du-lich-thai-nguyen/202604/co-hoi-vang-cho-du-lich-ho-ba-be-f472c66/