Awakening tourism potential in Ngoc Linh ginseng region

(QNO) - Nestled at the foot of the majestic Ngoc Linh peak, Nam Tra My is known as the capital of the national treasure Ngoc Linh Ginseng, and is also a land that converges many cultural values ​​and pristine landscapes, opening up a new direction for sustainable tourism. Local investment efforts are gradually turning the remote highland into an attractive destination for tourists who love to explore, experience and return to the source of nature.

Cloud hunting routes on Ngoc Linh peak. Photo: HO QUAN

Connecting from ginseng garden to village

On the journey from Tra Mai to Tra Linh, from Tra Cang to Noc Ong Trang or Noc Tak Po in Tra Tap... each route appears as a vivid cut of the harmony between nature and people in the upper reaches of the Tranh River.

Tak Chuom waterfall falls down in the middle of the old forest like a white silk strip, the ancient chestnut hill in Tra Cang has cast its shadow silently for hundreds of years, the thatched roofs of the Xo Dang people's stilt houses remain intact over time... all contribute to creating a system of destinations suitable for discovery tourism and eco-tourism associated with the indigenous community.

Tourists visit and learn about Ngoc Linh ginseng. Photo: HO QUAN

Ms. Le Thi Thanh Huyen - a tourist from Hanoi after a journey to explore Tra Linh ginseng garden and staying at Tra Nam village said: "I have been to many highland areas in the North such as Ha Giang, Moc Chau, Dien Bien... but the feeling in Nam Tra My is completely different. Here there is a rustic, unpretentious atmosphere, fresh air that has not been eroded by mass tourism exploitation and there are people full of humanity. In the evening by the fire, listening to the village elder telling stories about the forest, I feel like I have touched a deep memory of a civilization closely associated with the mountains and forests".

The traditional rituals maintained through generations in the Xo Dang community are not simply religious activities, but are a strong bond between people and the forest, between the present and the memories of ancestors. In the context that many highland localities are at risk of losing their identity due to the wave of modernization, Nam Tra My has retained its precious originality, creating a clear advantage for developing a culturally profound tourism product line, suitable for the new tastes of domestic and foreign tourists.

Experience the unique water trough worshiping ritual of the Ca Dong people. Photo: PHAN VINH

Mr. Tran Van Tai - tour guide commented: “In many years of organizing tours to the highlands, I clearly see the trend of tourists increasingly looking for destinations that are both close to nature and have unique cultural features. Nam Tra My is one of the few localities that meet both of those criteria. Here, tourists can enter the ginseng garden with the locals, learn how to identify real medicinal herbs, then continue the journey to the village, experience traditional activities, stay in a stilt house, eat specialties made from wild vegetables and stream fish. Those values ​​create genuine emotions, something that modern tourist areas find difficult to recreate.”

[ VIDEO ] - Destinations in the Nam Tra My highlands:

Shaping the Highland Destination

It is not until now that Nam Tra My has thought about tourism. For many years now, the district has clearly defined the direction of “dual” development: both preserving Ngoc Linh ginseng and developing eco-tourism associated with the community. In particular, the focus is on building products with indigenous characteristics, preserving the originality of the highlands and strengthening the internal strength of the community.

Infrastructure in the Nam Tra My highland area has received attention and investment in recent years. Photo: HO QUAN

Nam Tra My has proactively implemented many solutions, from planning key areas to investing in basic infrastructure at potential locations. Activities to support homestay development, training tourism skills for local people, organizing events such as "Ngoc Linh Ginseng Festival", "Tra My Cultural Space" ... are maintained annually, initially creating a highlight to identify the local brand.

Ms. Pham Thi My Hanh - Head of the Department of Culture - Science & Information of Nam Tra My district said: "We determine that tourism must be associated with identity and create direct income for the people. Currently, the district is promoting the construction of a model rural tourism village, gradually upgrading services and shaping typical products such as ginseng tourism, old-growth forest tourism, traditional festival tourism..."

Tourists visit and shop at the monthly Ngoc Linh ginseng market. Photo: PHAN VINH

Since 2024, the district has issued a strategic tourism development plan, clearly zoning the potential of each commune and calling for the participation of businesses and cooperatives in exploitation. A number of large businesses have surveyed and expressed interest in forming tourism routes connecting Bac Tra My, Nam Tra My with Kon Tum... creating an ecological and cultural tourism corridor across the highlands.

However, to realize this vision, the locality still faces many challenges such as poor transport infrastructure, uneven service provision capacity and lack of human resources. The district is proposing to higher authorities to continue to support in terms of technology, capital and preferential policies to develop tourism sustainably, avoiding massive exploitation that destroys identity and natural resources.

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This land is not looking for a “boom” in the number of visitors, but is choosing the path of sustainable development, both preserving and exploiting. The values ​​from nature, people, culture and especially the Ngoc Linh ginseng brand, if properly connected, will certainly make Nam Tra My a destination with a position on the green tourism map of Quang Nam and the whole country.

Ms. Pham Thi My Hanh, Head of Department of Culture - Science & Information of Nam Tra My district

Source: https://baoquangnam.vn/danh-thuc-tiem-nang-du-lich-o-vung-sam-ngoc-linh-3156797.html