Tourism in the hydroelectric reservoir area

Peaceful Bay on the surface of Quynh Nhai Lake.

Creating an attractive destination.

The Son La Hydropower Plant has a reservoir catchment area of 43,760 km² and a reservoir capacity of 9.26 billion m³ of water. The reservoir area of the Son La hydropower plant is located in the districts of Quynh Nhai, Thuan Chau, and Muong La, covering nearly 4,000 km², accounting for almost 30% of the province's area. With its unique mountainous geology, especially the limestone mountain system formed over thousands of years, the Son La hydropower plant's water accumulation across the valleys and rolling hills has created a magnificent natural landscape, representing significant potential for tourism development.

In Quynh Nhai district, tourism development is one of the three key tasks and breakthroughs in the socio -economic development orientation of the district Party Committee for the 2020-2025 term. Comrade Dinh Trung Dung, Secretary of the Quynh Nhai District Party Committee, stated: The district has developed and finalized a tourism plan, encouraged the development of existing tourism services, and intensified efforts to attract strategic investors to develop tourism in a professional manner in the locality. The focus is on implementing the orientation of the project to develop Quynh Nhai into a provincial-level tourist area, giai đoạn 2021 - 2030, striving to build attractive tourism products and create momentum for the socio-economic development of the district.

Currently, Quynh Nhai district has developed 9 destinations with attractive tourism products, such as: Uy Phong Bay, Binh Yen Bay, Pauon Ecolakes ecological tourism area, Heart Island, Da Giang Island, and the spiritual and cultural tourism area… In the past 5 years, it has attracted 5 tourism investment projects with a total investment of 162 billion VND, welcomed 1.25 million tourists, and generated revenue of 600 billion VND.

Mr. Nguyen Manh Tuan, Director of Pauon Ecolakes eco-tourism area, informed: "We are developing eco-tourism services, culinary experiences in Binh Yen Bay, and boat tours on the lake... Our development goal and operating principle is to preserve the magnificent, pristine natural beauty, providing visitors with a peaceful, relaxing, and comfortable experience when visiting the lake."

The Son La hydroelectric power plant in Muong La district. Photo: PV

Meanwhile, in Muong La district, home to the Son La hydroelectric power plant, lake tourism is gradually developing. Mr. Nguyen Van Sang, Head of the Culture and Information Department of Muong La district, said: "Along with the landscape of the hydroelectric reservoir, Muong La also has the Nam Chien hydroelectric dam, and the Huoi Quang hydroelectric power plant, the first underground hydroelectric power plant designed by Vietnam..., which are also attractive tourist destinations. In addition, the system of hot springs, the prosperous villages of ethnic minorities, and the large-scale sturgeon farming area of Vietnam Sturgeon Company Limited - Son La, form the 'Son La Hydroelectric Power Plant Tourism - the largest hydroelectric power plant in Southeast Asia'..."

The tourism potential of the Son La hydroelectric reservoir is being exploited and developed into unique and attractive tourism products. Tourism is changing the appearance and lives of people in the reservoir area, creating momentum to promote socio-economic development while preserving the core values and traditions of the locality.

Driving forces for lake tourism development.

The development of tourism in the Son La hydroelectric reservoir area has been clearly defined in Conclusion No. 94-KL/TU dated January 23, 2021, of the Provincial Party Committee on the development of tourism in Son La province until 2025, with a vision to 2030. The Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism has advised on many solutions and plans, focusing on implementing the "Project to orient the development of the Son La hydroelectric reservoir area into a National Tourist Area in the period 2021-2030". Accordingly, the project orients the development of tourism products towards focusing on improving the quality of tourism products, prioritizing unique, novel, highly competitive tourism products that are suitable for the market and tourism development trends, and meeting the needs of the high-end tourist segment.

Heart Island on the surface of Quynh Nhai Lake. Photo: PV

Mr. Tran Xuan Viet, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said: In 2024, Son La hydroelectric reservoir was included in the list of potential tourist areas to be developed into a national tourist area. This is the initial result in implementing the "Project to orient the development of the Son La hydroelectric reservoir area into a National Tourist Area in the period 2021-2030" with the main focus on building unique tourism products associated with the potential and strengths of each locality. At the same time, the Department has advised on the development of preferential policies and priorities to attract investment in the construction and development of waterway transport infrastructure, including inland waterway ports and wharves, to meet the need for synchronous connection between the road transport infrastructure system and waterway tourism in the reservoir area.

Following the province's direction and the Project, Muong La and Quynh Nhai districts have implemented positive solutions to develop local tourism and set specific goals from the beginning of the 2020-2025 term. These include the "Project for the Development of the Tourism Industry in Quynh Nhai District, 2020-2025," aiming to welcome 250,000 visitors per year and achieve tourism revenue of 120 billion VND per year; and the Project for the Development of Tourism in Muong La District, 2020-2025, creating a foundation for tourism activities in the area to gradually develop in the right direction.

Bon village hot spring, Muong Chien commune, Quynh Nhai district.

Mr. Nguyen Van Sang, Head of the Culture and Information Department of Muong La District, added: The district encourages tourism services linked to exploiting the strengths of the reservoir area, actively calling for investment capital and tourism projects in the district. Currently, the core area of Muong La reservoir, Muong Trai commune, has developed basic services, including 2 floating houses, 2 homestays, boat services for tourists to visit the reservoir, and a sturgeon farming area of Vietnam Sturgeon Company Limited - Son La... Among them, Huoi Muon village in Muong Trai commune, with its beautiful location on the main route for visiting the reservoir and natural caves, is being developed by the district into a community tourism village. In particular, the annual Quynh Nhai District Culture, Sports and Tourism Week is an opportunity to honor the cultural heritage of the land along the Da River and is an event to promote, attract, and invite tourists. The district is also actively calling for investment and developing more adventure tourism products, such as exploring cliffs and caves.

Tourists can experience kayaking on the lake.

Based on strategic directions, tourism in the Son La hydroelectric reservoir area is gradually developing, achieving positive results and progressing in the right direction. The goal is to complete 50% of the conditions for recognizing the Son La hydroelectric reservoir area as a national tourist area by 2030, and to officially recognize it as a national tourist area by 2040.

Source: https://baosonla.vn/du-lich/du-lich-vung-long-ho-thuy-dien-pkcEyh0Hg.html