The route opens from Tra Kieu station.

The first group of tourists on the luxury railway tour stopped at Tra Kieu station (Duy Xuyen) in the last days of 2024. Photo: LTK

Opening the way to the heritage region.

The trans-Vietnam train, which departed from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi and takes 8 days and 7 nights, spent one day in Quang Nam province , stopping at Tra Kieu station.

The places where the train stops on its journey between the North and South are all destinations that embody the most unique values ​​of Vietnam. And Quang Nam, with its network of cultural heritage sites and distinctive rural ecosystem, is a place not to be missed on the journey.

The Tra Kieu train station area – where international visitors disembark during their stop in Quang Nam – is also a region rich in distinctive cultural characteristics.

During their stay in Quang Nam, the group explored the Au Lac cultural tourism site (Dien Ban) - the old brick kiln, Tra Nhieu village (Duy Xuyen) - Hoi An ancient town, and several rural tourist destinations in Cam Thanh (Hoi An). Each of these destinations possesses its own unique characteristics and is among the most distinctive destinations in the lower Thu Bon River basin.

In October 2024, Vietjet Air proposed that Quang Nam province submit a request to the central government to expedite the opening of direct flights from major Chinese cities to Chu Lai airport. (Photo: QT)

Mr. Le Hoang Ha, Director of Duy Nhat Hoi An Tourism Service Co., Ltd. - the partner of this tour in Quang Nam - said that the tour regularly departs from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City and back again. Tourists participate in this tour with an all-inclusive package throughout the journey, opening up more opportunities for the development of high-end tourism in Quang Nam.

Tour participants in the "From Countryside to City" tour will be provided with the most distinctive experiences of the rural and urban areas where they stop. This is a positive sign, marking the start of railway tourism in Quang Nam province, as the provincial tourism industry and relevant parties are actively improving infrastructure and developing policies to promote railway tourism in the area.

These "gateways" are waiting to be activated.

Located in the heart of the country and possessing a complete infrastructure of various modes of transportation, Quang Nam has many favorable conditions to improve its self-sufficiency in receiving tourists. The first tourists who recently stopped in Tra Kieu are proof of the rapid movement of tourism trends, including railway tourism, and the need for tourism professionals to adapt to seize opportunities.

Several localities in the central region are strongly promoting cruise tourism. Photo: QT

In 2024, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Vietnam Railways Corporation were determined to launch and welcome the first train to Quang Nam, but for various reasons, this could not be realized. In 2025, the parties will soon promote this initiative to extend the "Central Vietnam Heritage Train" journey.

Besides the railway, Quang Nam also has many other gateways with great potential to diversify the approaches tourists can take to Quang Nam.

Representatives from the Hoiana Complex believe that the development of Chu Lai Airport into an international airport should be expedited. If this becomes a reality, Quang Nam will certainly attract a large number of international tourists, especially given that direct flights from some countries, including China, to Central Vietnam are still quite limited and have not been fully restored to their previous levels.

In fact, the need to open direct international flights to Quang Nam is well-founded. In October 2024, Vietjet Airlines sent a letter to the provincial leaders stating that, although Chu Lai Airport still has some limitations in infrastructure and runways, Vietjet Air sees enormous potential in developing a network of international flights to Quang Nam.

Therefore, Vietjet Air suggested that Quang Nam province should petition the central government to request that China relax regulations on organizing and selling tours to the central region of Vietnam, and promote the opening of direct flights from major Chinese cities to Chu Lai airport.

Two other gateways, one from the sea and the other from the mountains, are also expected to provide a new impetus for local tourism. Several years ago, a representative of a major travel company in Ho Chi Minh City affirmed that if Quang Nam province focuses on attracting cruise ships and promotes accompanying services at Chu Lai port, cruise ships will immediately dock there, creating a breakthrough for the development of tourism in the southern part of the province.

However, nothing has moved forward so far, and the authorities have not made any new plans regarding this proposal. In addition, a project currently underway to attract investment is a marina project in Hoi An. If realized, this would be a key attraction for high-spending tourists to Quang Nam.

Regarding the Nam Giang International Border Gate, after hosting a few caravan tours across Indochina, things are still in disrepair. A significant reason is the severely degraded condition of National Highway 14D from the border gate southward.

The opening of the Tra Kieu tourist gateway has prompted local authorities to develop stronger plans to boost infrastructure such as air routes, seaports, and border gates to serve tourism, especially given the significant progress many localities in the region have made in this area recently.

Source: https://baoquangnam.vn/huong-mo-tu-ga-tra-kieu-3147223.html