Orientation for developing waterway tourism in Hau Giang province

Hau Giang province has an area of 1,608km2, including 08 administrative units, including 05 districts, 01 town and 02 cities (the provincial capital is Vi Thanh city). The administrative boundary of the province is determined by the North bordering Can Tho city, Vinh Long province; the East bordering Soc Trang province; the South bordering Bac Lieu province; the West bordering Kien Giang province. With its location adjacent to Can Tho city - one of the largest and most important urban areas in the Mekong Delta (MD), it is a favorable condition to attract tourists to Hau Giang.

Experience an eco-tour at the Spring tourist area, Hau Giang province. (Source: VNA)

In addition, Hau Giang also has a dense system of rivers and canals with a total length of about 2,300 km, a fairly large river density of 1.5 km/ ^km2 . Convenient waterway traffic such as Xa No canal, Quan Lo Phung Hiep canal, Cai Con river, Hau river... These are advantages for Hau Giang to develop waterway tourism and form inter-regional waterway tourism routes. To exploit and promote the above advantages, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism (DOCST) has consulted on developing tourism products along 3 routes: Xa No canal tourism route; Cai Con river route associated with Nga Bay floating market location and route associated with river and garden areas, preserving the typical landscape of rivers and water along Hau river.

Accordingly, for the Xa No canal tourist route, Hau Giang has put into operation and exploited the Xa No tourist boat, the first phase of exploiting the Xa No canal tourist route in the inner city of Vi Thanh. At the same time, combine visiting places on the Xa No canal tourist route such as: Vi Thanh market, Vam Cai Sinh Victory relic, Cau Duc pineapple area, Be Hai strawberry garden, Ma Ba strawberry garden, experience Ngoc Dao goat milk farm, rest and play at Muong Dinh Homestay, eco-tourism spots, fruit gardens, etc. Not only that, to exploit this route, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Hau Giang province has also coordinated with Can Tho city to link tourist destinations on the Can Tho river and Xa No canal to form tours and river tourism routes such as: Cai Rang floating market - Cantho Eco Resort tourist destination (Phong Dien district, Can Tho) - Ngoc Dao goat milk farm (Chau Thanh A district, Hau Giang) - Muong Dinh Homestay (Chau Thanh A district) - Chuong Thien National Special Victory Monument - Cau Duc hamlet tourist area (Vi Thanh city). For the Cai Con River route connected to the Nga Bay floating market: Hau Giang combines visiting the Nga Bay floating market and tourist attractions on the route such as: fruit gardens (Thien An strawberry garden, Ut Ngan strawberry garden, Phuong Nghi strawberry garden, Chin Hung fruit garden, Bay Lieu fruit garden...), the relic of the Southern Joint Armistice Committee, the Spring eco-tourism area, traditional weaving craft... Currently, this tourist route has been exploited and brought initial results. For the route connected to the river and garden areas, preserving the typical river landscape along the Hau River: Hau Giang has taken advantage of the river route along the Hau River and small branches such as the Mai Dam River (with a wide and open riverbed, the landscape on both sides of the river is rustic and simple with many rows of water coconut trees along the riverbank, mangrove trees, water hyacinth) and the Nga Sau River to develop waterway tourism. On this route, develop services to visit river ecosystems, gardens, experience the working life, daily activities of farmers, clean and sustainable green agriculture, visit farms, traditional crafts, historical relics... aiming to connect the waterway with Can Tho, An Giang, Kien Giang, Soc Trang...

Promoting culture and cuisine during Hau Giang Province Tourism Week.

Along with the development of tourism products, to develop waterway tourism synchronously and effectively, Hau Giang is oriented to deploy investment and call for investment in building infrastructure and technical facilities to serve waterway tourism routes such as: Investing in and upgrading inland waterway wharves in localities: Vi Thanh city, Nga Bay city, Chau Thanh A district, Chau Thanh district; building waiting houses at wharves, parking lots, toilets, waste treatment facilities... connected with passenger wharves, and at the same time arranging means of transport to transfer tourists arriving by waterway; renovating urban areas along canals and rivers, decorating and renovating the landscape along both banks of Xa No canal through Vi Thanh city, rivers through Nga Bay city, along Hau river; building a system of embankments in Nga Bay to serve the development of river tourism; upgrading piers, embankments, and model boats at the restoration site of Nga Bay floating market; upgrading road traffic infrastructure connecting to wharves; building and expanding bus parking lots; dredging a number of main inland waterways managed by the province. Not stopping there, Hau Giang mobilizes, invests, upgrades, and builds eco-tourism, agricultural tourism, and community tourism areas and spots to combine exploitation and inclusion in waterway tours; calling for investment in the construction and development of a number of key projects such as: the observation tower of 7 river branches on high; restoring Nga Bay Floating Market; developing amateur music clubs for tourists to enjoy on boats and cruise ships at tourist sites along waterway routes; renovating and promoting historical and cultural relics to serve the sightseeing needs of tourists; preserving and developing traditional craft villages and handicrafts; implementing the display of OCOP products at wharves serving tourists; Develop a fleet of ships and boats to serve the needs of river tourism, ensuring quantity and quality to meet the needs of visitors.

Strengthen digital transformation solutions to improve the quality of tourism services.

Strengthening propaganda and promotion of destinations and new and attractive tourism products to promote to tourists, especially international tourists; introducing on digital technology application platforms to attract tourists; coordinating with travel agencies inside and outside the province to connect tours and waterway tourism routes combined with roads to bring visitors to visit fruit gardens, historical and cultural relics, traditional craft villages, tourist areas and spots in the province. Organizing training courses, fostering expertise and skills for service staff on ships and boats on guest reception skills, service skills, meeting the needs of tourists for sightseeing and enjoyment; educating and fostering knowledge about waterway tourism for the community participating in tourism in combining and exploiting waterway tourism associated with eco-tourism, agricultural tourism, and community tourism. Coordinate, promote linkages, exploit waterway tourism tours and routes with Can Tho city in connection with tourist areas and spots in Chau Thanh A district, Vi Thuy district and Vi Thanh city; expand and connect the Saigon - Ca Mau route (via Xa No canal); the route through Rach Gia (Cai Lon river to the junction of Cai Tu river - Tat Cay Tram canal); connect the Can Tho - Ca Mau route (Quan Lo - Phung Hiep canal), the Soc Trang canal connecting Soc Trang province, etc./.

Source: https://bvhttdl.gov.vn/dinh-huong-phat-trien-du-lich-duong-thuy-tren-dia-ban-tinh-hau-giang-20240830113537296.htm