A destination with great potential.

Việt Nam•16/04/2024

This serves as a springboard for the rapid and sustainable development of tourism in Lang Son in the future.

Bac Son Valley is located within Lang Son Geopark. Photo: Lang Son Geopark

Unique values

The Lang Son Geopark, established in 2021, spans the boundaries of eight districts and cities, covering an area of 4,842 square kilometers and home to approximately 627,000 people. Located primarily within the Bac Son mountain range, a large limestone massif spanning both Lang Son and Bac Giang provinces, it boasts some of the most magnificent and imposing caves in Vietnam.

The Lang Son Geopark boasts numerous archaeological sites of international value. Archaeologists have discovered artifacts dating back 30,000 to 470,000 years in Tham Khuyen and Keo Leng caves. At the Mai Pha site, tens of thousands of pottery fragments, stone tools, and jewelry dating from 3,500 to 5,000 years ago have also been found. This proves that the Lang Son Geopark is one of the cradles of ancient Vietnamese civilization. Particularly noteworthy is the discovery of numerous fossils of giant flora and fauna, such as crocodiles, turtles, monitor lizards, and angiosperms, dating back 40-50 million years. These fossils also indicate that this area was once the East Sea. The unique paleontological values at Na Duong have attracted the attention of many international scientists and highlight the unique geological and geomorphological history of the Lang Son Geopark.

Geological tectonic activity hundreds of millions of years ago created the stunning landscapes of the Lang Son Geopark. However, the "soul" of the Geopark lies in the presence of humankind, in the life and development of the seven ethnic groups living in this region. Over thousands of years of development, the settlement of people in the Lang Son Geopark has created a system of famous scenic spots, historical and cultural relics, and diverse intangible cultural heritage such as the Tro Ngo festival, the Na Nhem festival; the Tay ethnic lion dance, Sli singing; and especially the Tam Phu Mother Goddess worship and Then singing, which have been inscribed by UNESCO as Representative Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

The harmonious blend of heritage colors within the diverse geological and geomorphological landscape has created a "flow of life in this sacred land" for the Lang Son Geopark, a phenomenon rarely found in other regions.

"Leverage" for tourism development

To promote tourism as a key economic sector based on its existing foundation, Lang Son province is focusing on completing the application dossier to request UNESCO recognition of Lang Son Geopark as a Global Geopark by 2025. This will be a "stepping stone" to help the area become a potential and attractive tourist destination. With the theme "The Flow of Life in the Sacred Land," Lang Son Geopark will develop four tourist routes: "Exploring the Upper Forest World," "Journey to the Heavenly Realm," "Simple Life on Earth," and "Exploring the Aquarium," with 38 tourist points currently under development. The exploration routes mainly follow National Highways 1A, 1B, 4B, and 279; each route has 7-11 points of interest. A convenient transportation system is a prerequisite for attracting tourists to Lang Son Geopark.

However, currently in Vietnam there are 3 UNESCO-recognized Global Geoparks. Therefore, to develop the tourism potential of Lang Son Geopark after it becomes a Global Geopark, Lang Son province needs to research and develop its unique values compared to other Geoparks, specifically the system of geological and archaeological heritage associated with the Tam Phu Mother Goddess worship. From there, it can build unique tourist routes and products, contributing to positioning a brand with its own distinct identity.

Appreciating the tourism development potential of Lang Son Geopark after its recognition by UNESCO as a global geopark, Chairman of the Hanoi Travel Club Truong Quoc Hung believes that this is a "lever" to attract domestic and international tourists to Lang Son in particular and Vietnam in general. However, the locality needs to pay attention to conservation work for sustainable development, preserving the pristine nature and indigenous culture, avoiding "hot" development and concrete construction that destroys the landscape.

Acknowledging that Lang Son has many advantages for tourism development but its tourism products are still underdeveloped, Mr. Dang Xuan Phi, Director of Chang Trading and Tourism Services Co., Ltd., suggested that Lang Son's tourism management agencies and travel businesses need to strengthen connections with neighboring localities such as Ha Giang and Cao Bang to attract tourists from these areas to visit Lang Son. To achieve this, all parties must cooperate in developing multi-route, multi-experience tourism products. In addition, destination promotion on social media should be intensified to attract the attention of tourists.

Sharing about the next steps in the coming time, Deputy Head of the Lang Son Geopark Management Board Pham Thi Huong said that, in addition to building spiritual tours associated with the Mother Goddess worship at temples located in the core area of the Geopark, the Management Board is also implementing the construction of infrastructure such as building 10 parking lots, installing signage systems at 37 points on 4 routes, and improving the landscape at 16 points... Another important project that will be completed in the near future is the Lang Son Geopark Complex Center with a scale of 20,000 - 30,000 m2, including: a management and reception center, a commercial and service center, a traditional night market, a Mother Goddess Museum, and a museum showcasing the evolution of life in the Lang Son Geopark area... The project will contribute to completing the functions, thereby promoting the value and "awakening" the tourism development potential of the Lang Son Geopark.

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