Dating at Tam Lanh

During the dry season, Phu Ninh Lake reveals "grasslands". Photo: QT

Lost in the "grassland"

After navigating winding roads, Phu Ninh Lake in Tam Lanh commune comes into view. Perhaps what makes this small village on the shores of Phu Ninh Lake so memorable for visitors is the sense of peace it evokes, making one feel small and insignificant as they wander through this "grassland" by the lake. There, looking in all directions, one sees only endless green carpets of grass, forest, water, and sky…

Ms. Le Thi Kieu Long (from An My village), owner of Co Long restaurant, lamented: "Visiting Tam Lan at this time of year is a bit disappointing. Last summer, it was bustling with tourists visiting and enjoying themselves on the meadows, watching the sunset disappear behind the mountains. In about a month, the entire area around the lake will be submerged in floodwaters, which will look very picturesque."

Nevertheless, the scenery here still evokes images of a traditional ink painting for many. A clear stream murmurs from the mountaintop, cutting across the small village, and gardens overflowing with fruit trees – coconuts, oranges, pomelos, jackfruit, dragon fruit… interspersed with young betel nut trees and banyan trees. Occasionally, terraced rice fields stretch out in front of the courtyard, making one feel as if they've wandered into some remote mountain region of Northwest Vietnam.

The area along the shores of Phu Ninh Lake in An My and Phuoc Bac hamlets, Tam Lanh commune, is being developed for community-based tourism . Photo: QT

According to Ms. Long, since the beginning of the year, when community-based tourism development was implemented here, the area has become more bustling. Many visitors from Da Nang , Quang Ngai, and other places have come to Tam Lanh for sightseeing; occasionally, groups of young people rent tents to stay overnight, have bonfires, and kayak on the lake...

Reviving community tourism

The area adjacent to Phu Ninh Lake in Phuoc Bac and An My villages is considered to possess a picturesque natural landscape and diverse ecosystem.

According to local authorities, from approximately February to September (lunar calendar), the water level in the lake gradually recedes, creating winding alluvial plains connecting the two hamlets (Ong Cuc Nham hamlet and Ba Dinh hamlet). During this period, the lakeside is an ideal location for developing community tourism activities.

Mr. Nguyen Van Su, Chairman of the Tam Lanh Commune People's Committee, said that the most important thing for developing community tourism is still a change in the awareness and mindset of the local people.

The primary goal of developing community-based tourism is to boost local economic development, generate income and employment for local residents, thereby creating a foundation for the sustainable preservation, exploitation, and promotion of natural potential, historical and cultural values, and environmental protection, in order to build authentic and distinctive tourism models unique to the locality.

Peaceful villages along Phu Ninh Lake. Photo: QT

"Recently, the local authorities organized a study tour for residents to learn from the experiences of developing community tourism at several destinations in Hoi An City. The authorities also disseminated information about the development orientation of community tourism in Tam Lanh to 56 relevant households."

"We surveyed and initially supported 9 households with gardens larger than ^1,000m2 to improve their landscapes and fruit orchards, so that people can access skills and methods for tourism and create more appeal for the destination," Mr. Su said.

According to the Quang Nam Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, with its location adjacent to the Phu Ninh lake basin and surrounded by hills and mountains, and possessing a diverse ecosystem of flora and fauna, Tam Lanh can develop outdoor activities such as fishing, kayaking, hiking and exploration, and camping in the short term. These types of activities are in line with the trend of green tourism and tourism associated with local resources, thereby creating a new highlight for tourism in the southern part of the province.

The plan for developing community-based tourism in Tam Lanh was proposed by the Phu Ninh District People's Committee in 2023. Transforming this area into an impressive destination with diverse services is still a long way off. But for now, Tam Lanh, nestled beside Phu Ninh Lake, with its rustic beauty, always welcomes visitors at any time...

The area adjacent to Phu Ninh Lake in Phuoc Bac and An My hamlets, Tam Lanh commune, is located approximately 25km southwest of Tam Ky city. According to the Tam Lanh community tourism development plan, authorities will invest in tourism infrastructure, train human resources, paint murals on house walls, provide boats for transporting tourists on the lake; and build a display area to introduce OCOP products and tourism souvenirs... based on actual needs, with a budget of over 5.6 billion VND for the 2023-2025 period.

Source: https://baoquangnam.vn/ho-hen-cung-tam-lanh-3142573.html