Exploiting the potential of adventure sports tourism

Many tourists participated in the 1st Lai Chau Provincial Mountain Climbing Tournament - Conquering Ta Lien Son peak.

Golden advantage from natural landscape
On the majestic Hoang Lien Son range, Lai Chau owns many high mountain peaks such as: Pu Ta Leng (3,049m), Bach Moc Luong Tu (3,046m), Ta Lien Son (2,993m), Rang Cua (2,852m)... These are attractive trekking and mountain climbing routes, especially in the rhododendron blooming season, the mountains and forests are covered in brilliant red, pink, and yellow colors, creating a unique experience for visitors.
In addition to mountain climbing, Lai Chau also has Si Thau Chai paragliding site (Ta Leng commune) - one of the most beautiful flying sites in the North. Every year, this place organizes the Pu Ta Leng Paragliding Competition, attracting many domestic and international pilots to participate, creating a strong impression for Lai Chau tourism .
Mr. Phong Vinh Cuong - Chairman of Ta Leng Commune People's Committee said: "With the advantage of high mountain terrain, wide valleys and favorable wind direction all year round, Ta Leng has ideal conditions to develop non-motorized paragliding. Organizing paragliding competitions not only creates opportunities to promote the majestic natural image of the locality, but also contributes to building the brand of Ta Leng, Lai Chau to become a national destination".
Not only mountains, Lai Chau also owns a cave system: Pu Sam Cap, Gia Khau and many famous waterfalls such as: Tac Tinh, Nam Luc, Reu waterfall... These landscapes, if associated with discovery tours and adventure sports , will become unique products, contributing to diversifying the experiences for tourists.
In recent years, the province has proactively organized many sports competitions associated with tourism to awaken the available potential. Typical examples include the Mountain Climbing Competition to conquer the Ta Lien Son and Rang Cua peaks with hundreds of athletes participating; the Marathon on the ancient stone road of Pavi (Sin Suoi Ho commune) or the first Off-Road Motorcycle Race in 2023 with more than 70 athletes and thousands of spectators coming to watch and cheer.
In particular, the Pu Ta Leng Paragliding Competition has reached international level, with dozens of foreign pilots participating each year, making Si Thau Chai the “paragliding paradise” of Vietnam. These events are not only for sports but also create a strong media effect, helping Lai Chau promote its image to a large number of domestic and foreign tourists.
In addition, community tourism is also becoming an "extension" for this type. In Si Thau Chai village, the Dao people boldly develop community tourism associated with sports events. The village has 15 homestays with a capacity of about 500 guests, welcoming 7,000 - 9,000 visitors each year, bringing in an average income of 45 million VND/person/year. This is a typical model for combining mountain climbing - paragliding - experiencing indigenous culture.

Orientation for sustainable development
Identifying adventure sports as a strength, Lai Chau has given a clear development orientation. According to Mr. Tran Quang Khang - Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism: "The province will focus on planning tours and adventure tourism routes associated with exploiting forest resources; promoting training for local tour guides and porters to ensure the safety of tourists. Along with that, encourage businesses to participate in socialization, turning sports tournaments into annual events of national and international scale".
Accordingly, the main orientation of the province is to plan and build specialized tours and routes: combining mountain climbing, paragliding, and trail running with cave and waterfall exploration; training local human resources (equipping professional skills for porters and tour guides; improving the quality of accommodation and culinary services in community tourism villages). Ensuring safety and environmental factors; socializing event organization by licensing reputable businesses and event units to invest, creating professionalism and attractiveness.
Currently, adventure sports tourism in Lai Chau is still not prominent compared to some neighboring localities. The main reason is that promotional activities are limited, products do not have their own brands, and ancillary services are still lacking. To overcome this, the province is focusing on digital communication, taking advantage of social networks and short video platforms to promote landscapes and events. Famous travel bloggers and athletes are also invited to experience, creating a ripple effect. At the same time, Lai Chau aims to link up with the Northwestern provinces to build inter-route tours to attract international visitors.
Lai Chau tourism is growing impressively: in 2023, it welcomed more than 1 million visitors, including 15,500 international visitors, with revenue of over VND 784 billion. In 2024, this number increased to 1,359 million visitors, including 30,500 international visitors, with revenue reaching over VND 1,084 billion. In the first 9 months of 2025, the whole province is estimated to welcome 1,248,912 visitors, an increase of 14% over the same period in 2024, reaching 84.7% of the 2025 plan; revenue is estimated at VND 1,085 billion, an increase of 19% over the same period in 2024, reaching 90% of the 2025 plan.
With the strategic vision and determination of the government, businesses and community, in the near future, Lai Chau can completely become the adventure sports tourism center of the North, an ideal destination for tourists who are passionate about conquering and exploring.

Source: https://baolaichau.vn/van-hoa/khai-thac-tiem-nang-du-lich-the-thao-mao-hiem-1257997