Characteristics of tourism in Son La and the challenges it presents.

Son La is not a land with a rich history spanning thousands of years, so it has few historical relics, and very few ancient temples and shrines. However, it boasts majestic nature, beautiful and pristine landscapes, abundant flowers and fruits, a rich cultural identity of its ethnic groups, a special national historical site, the largest and most modern hydroelectric power plant in the country, and the Thai Xoe dance, recognized by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity. Son La's development is a blend of modernity and tradition, much of which remains primitive... These elements, combined, create a strong attraction for tourists and deserve to be promoted.

Tourism resources

Son La's tourism resources include, first and foremost, the Moc Chau plateau, dubbed the "Da Lat of the North," which has been repeatedly honored by the World Tourism Awards as "Asia's Leading Natural Destination" and "World's Leading Natural Destination." The area is currently undergoing the construction of the largest national tourist complex in the country. It also boasts unique attractions such as the Bach Long Glass Bridge, holding the world record for length, and the Love Glass Bridge, the first and only 5D glass bridge in Vietnam to date. Secondly, there is the Son La hydroelectric power plant, the largest in the country in terms of capacity and reservoir area. Within Son La province alone, the reservoir stretches 120km in length and covers over 4,000 hectares, with hundreds of submerged and above-water islands, creating a magnificent landscape often described as "Ha Long Bay on land." Tourism around the reservoir is being planned and developed into a national tourist area. Phu Luong Mountain, Muong Hung Mountain, and the Da and Ma rivers have been immortalized in literature and art. In particular, Pha Din Pass, one of the four famous mountain passes, is associated with the resistance against French colonialism and the victory at Dien Bien Phu, and has become a national historical site. The province has five nature reserves (Copia, Sop Cop, Ta Xua, Xuan Nha, and Muong La). In some areas, there are nearly 320 natural heritage trees, most notably ancient Shan tea trees over 200 years old. To Mua has over 100 trees, and Ta Xua, with over 200 trees, is known as the "finest tea," and is also a favorite cloud-watching spot for tourists. Ngoc Chien has fewer, with only 7 heritage trees, but stands out for its ancient and majestic beauty: a 1,000-year-old Juniper tree and a pair of oak trees over 400 years old. Bathing in hot springs is also a favorite experience for tourists, most famously in Ngoc Chien, but there are also three other locations (Ban Mong, Hua La commune), Bo Am (Chieng Yen commune), and Ban Bon (Muong Chien commune) that are being developed for community tourism.

Son La leads the country in the scale of its fruit-growing areas, including both tropical and temperate fruits; it is the leading region for Arabica coffee and tea, accounting for nearly 50% of the national output; ranks sixth in Shan Tuyet tea; and third in dairy farming and honey production. Tourists tend to seek experiences of natural landscapes linked to agricultural production during the flowering and fruiting seasons. Many places have organized festivals for harvesting coffee, tea, and fruits (longan, plum, mango, custard apple, etc.). Son La is the only place in the country that annually holds a dairy cow beauty contest in Moc Chau. The province has 18 protected products bearing local names, including 3 geographical indications that are national assets. There are more than 80 OCOP products, including 51 3-star products, 31 4-star products, and 1 5-star product at the national level. There are 5 products with national brands: tea, coffee, longan, honey, and milk. Moc Chau fresh milk and yogurt have been awarded the national brand award multiple times. Tourists visiting Son La have many options for souvenirs after their trip. Son La also boasts 5-star hotels and large restaurants with unique designs that have won international architectural awards. The 24-hectare Northwest Square, featuring a monument and temple dedicated to President Ho Chi Minh, is also a major cultural space ranking among the top 6 in the country and a frequent destination for tourists.

Tangible cultural heritage is relatively modest; the province currently has 113 relics, of which 65 have been classified, ranking 32nd out of 34 provinces nationwide and 7th out of 9 in the Northern Midlands and Mountains region. Among the classified relics, there are 2 special national relics, 16 national relics, and 47 provincial relics, including 8 historical-cultural relics, 40 historical relics, 2 architectural and artistic relics, 4 archaeological relics, and 11 scenic spots. The relics are widely distributed across 3 wards and 43 communes, not contiguous but scattered. The average density is low, less than 0.15 relics/km2. The most famous is the special national relic, Son La Prison, a destination for historical pilgrimages for tourists nationwide.

The intangible cultural heritage includes one internationally recognized heritage (Thai Xoe dance) and 15 national heritages, ranking 14th nationwide and 5th in the region. These include the Hmong people's khene flute art; the art of decorating patterns on the costumes of the Hmong and Dao people; the ancient script of the Thai people; the Xen Lau No ceremony of the Black Thai people; the Kin Pang Then ritual of the White Thai people; the Pung Hieng festival (New Year's Day) of the Dao Tien people; Mo Muong - a folk belief practice; the Mang Ma ritual (Praying for health) of the Xinh Mun Da people; the traditional paper-making craft of the Hmong people..., and many other traditional rituals, social customs, and beliefs of the ethnic groups living in the area.

The province currently has 20 community-based tourism destinations. By geographical area (old names), the city has 6 destinations, Moc Chau 7, Van Ho 4, and Quynh Nhai 3. Agricultural tourism combined with scenic spots has 7 destinations (Moc Chau 5, Van Ho 1, Song Ma 1). Scenic spots include 3 national-level and 8 provincial-level scenic spots (Moc Chau 2, Song Ma 2, Bac Yen 1, Quynh Nhai 1, Muong La 2, Thuan Chau 3). Nature and landscape tourism has 10 destinations (1 national-level tourist area, 1 provincial-level resort area, and 8 provincial-level tourist spots). Historical and cultural tourism has 65 destinations (including 18 national-level and 47 provincial-level historical sites).

Son La's appeal lies in its diverse cultural identity, encompassing festivals, customs, architecture, costumes, and cuisine. The province boasts over 2,500 local performing arts groups nationwide. Xoe dance, especially the Thai Xoe dance, has become a brand in itself. Experiencing and interacting with the mountain girls during Xoe dances, or watching and filming them spinning, weaving, and making brocade on the verandas of their homes, is a delightful experience for tourists. Another highlight is the Moc Chau Cultural Festival, which has developed into a major national and international event with a strong brand, held annually on National Day, September 2nd. During this time, young men and women from all over flock to the area to find love, including the "wife-catching" ritual performed by Mong youths, hence its name, the Moc Chau Love Market. The festival attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors from within the province, across the country, and from several countries in the region (Laos, Thailand, China) for cultural exchange and experiences. Popular traditional dishes of Son La include sticky rice cooked in bamboo tubes (com lam), rice wine (ruou can), smoked meat, mud crab (cay mo), pa pinh top (pa pinh top), nam pia (nam pia stew), thang co (thang co stew), bon soup (canh bon soup), sour oxtail soup (canh duoi bo la chua), bitter bamboo shoots, ban flower salad (nom hoa ban), cham cheo (a type of dipping sauce), and ma khen spices...

The land of Son La, in Northwest Vietnam, has also been immortalized in poetry, giving rise to famous works such as the epic poem "Xong Chu Xon Xao" (Farewell to the Lover), the songs "Inh La Oi," "Love Song of the Northwest," "The Pieu Scarf," and the story and film "A Phu's Couple" (currently, the A Phu's Couple's Cave in Bac Yen commune is classified as a provincial-level historical relic). In the list of 100 best poems of the 20th century in Vietnam, there are four poems about the landscapes and people of Northwest Vietnam and Son La: "Tay Tien," "Muong Hung Mountain - Ma River," "Remembering My Wife," and "She Bathes." Such details are truly valuable for tourism development.

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Attracting tourists

In 2025, Son La province is expected to welcome nearly 5.4 million tourists, ranking 25th out of 34 provinces nationwide and 4th out of 9 in the Northern Midlands and Mountainous region. On average, Son La will receive 3.8 tourists per capita, ranking 15th and 5th in the region. The growth rate compared to before the Covid-19 pandemic is 2.15 times higher, placing it among the top provinces and significantly exceeding the national average (1.52 times). However, Son La has only successfully attracted domestic tourists (a dramatic increase), but has not yet succeeded in attracting international tourists. After the Covid-19 pandemic, the recovery of international tourists has been very slow; while there were 110,000 visitors in 2019, the target for 2025 is still only 47,000, ranking 31st nationwide and 7th in the region, accounting for less than 0.9% of the total number of tourists. This places Son La at 33rd nationwide and last in the Northern Midlands and Mountainous region. The main reason is that the road infrastructure in Son La is not yet convenient, lacking connecting highways. Furthermore, many areas within the province may be lagging behind other provinces in shifting towards developing community-based experiential tourism and eco-adventure tourism to compete in attracting international tourists.

Tourists nationwide mainly focus on beach and island tourism (combined with relaxation), cultural and historical tourism (with a focus on heritage), and ecotourism and local experiences. Tourists in Son La primarily engage in ecotourism and agricultural tourism, community tourism (experiencing local customs, cuisine, production, and daily life), and cultural and historical tourism (mainly journeys to the roots at the Son La Prison National Special Monument).

The general trend is that tourists are traveling independently more often, and fewer are going on tours organized by travel companies, but the extent of this difference varies between regions and localities. The ratio of independent travelers to tourists on tours nationwide in 2025 is expected to be around 60-65/35-40, with mountainous provinces having a higher ratio, such as Son La province at approximately 70-80/20-30.

Nationwide, tourists are concentrated mainly in the top 10 provinces and cities (Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, coastal provinces and cities, and provinces with established brands), accounting for nearly 65% ​​of the total number of tourists, with international tourists making up 80%. In Son La, tourists are concentrated in the two areas of Moc Chau and Van Ho (formerly), accounting for about 55-60%, primarily Moc Chau; the remainder are distributed to other areas, with the city, Quynh Nhai, Bac Yen, and Muong La having more tourists, and other places having negligible numbers.

In 2025, the province's tourism revenue is projected to reach nearly 6,400 billion VND, ranking 26th nationwide and 5th in the Northern Midlands and Mountains region. The province's tourist numbers account for 3.4% of the national total, but its revenue is only 0.64%. Son La's revenue is only 58% of Tuyen Quang's, while the number of tourists is nearly 1.4 times higher than Tuyen Quang's. This is due to the shorter average length of stay for tourists in Son La (typically 1.5-2 days per tourist, compared to the average of 2.5-3 days per tourist in other provinces, with some areas reaching 4-6 days). Particularly noteworthy is the extremely low number of international tourists in Son La compared to the national average (only 9% of Tuyen Quang's and 3% of Lao Cai's). International tourists typically stay three times longer and spend more than four times as much as domestic tourists.

Several issues arise.

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The Chairman of the People's Committee of Son La province held a regular monthly meeting with citizens in June.On June 25th, Comrade Nguyen Dinh Viet, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, presided over the regular monthly citizen reception for June 2026. Attending the reception were leaders from the Department of Agriculture and Environment, the Provincial Inspectorate, and relevant citizens.

The goal for Son La's tourism development by 2030 is to welcome 9 million visitors, a 1.67-fold increase compared to 2025, with revenue exceeding 12,400 billion VND, a 1.94-fold increase compared to 2025. To achieve this goal, it is necessary to continue rapidly increasing the number of visitors, raise their length of stay to match the national average, and improve the visitor structure, increasing the proportion of international tourists. Greater focus should be placed on three key tourism segments: historical tours of the Son La Prison National Special Historical Site combined with visits to the Son La Hydropower Plant; ecotourism combined with agricultural experiences in Moc Chau and Van Ho (formerly); and tourism focusing on landmarks, historical sites, and events in Son La that have been featured in literary, artistic, historical, and geographical works in the general education and university curricula (primarily targeting students). Supplement and refine tourism tour planning by integrating more concentrated resources according to geographical areas, and strengthening connections with provinces in the Northwest sub-region and the Northern Midlands and Mountains region. Invest in and refresh tour scenarios, incorporating digital technology to enrich and enliven the content of visits to key historical sites, and expand and improve the quality of experiential activities in the community. For international tourists, it is necessary to strengthen the promotion and introduction of experiential tourism in ethnic minority communities (Homestay), and eco-tourism and adventure tourism experiences on a multimedia and multilingual platform.

With 113 historical sites, Son La has one of the lowest densities of historical sites in the country. Only 57.5% have been officially recognized, and of those recognized, only 38% have been preserved or restored. The urbanization process is accelerating, leading to the decline of some historical sites and the risk of further disappearance of others. This is an issue that needs more attention.

The province's strategic focus is on attracting investment and accelerating the comprehensive development of the Moc Chau National Tourist Area; developing the Son La hydroelectric reservoir tourist area to a national level; and especially constructing the Hoa Binh - Moc Chau and Moc Chau - Son La - Dien Bien expressways, connecting them with the provincial and regional road network. This will create the conditions for the province to achieve breakthroughs in socio-economic development and attract domestic and international tourists.

Phan Duc Ngu

Source: https://sonla.dcs.vn/tin-tuc-su-kien/noi-dung/dac-diem-du-lich-son-la-va-van-de-dat-ra-8059.html