La Bang develops tourism based on nature.

Visiting La Bang commune in late April, we were immersed in a land of green tea, mountains, forests, and cool streams. With its abundant natural resources and preserved unique cultural values, La Bang has chosen to develop community-based tourism in recent years, focusing on agricultural experiences and local culture.

Currently, La Bang commune has 13 accommodation establishments that can serve approximately 450 guests per day.

Leveraging the value of local culture.

In Tan Son hamlet, La Bang commune, there are currently 5 families running homestays. At La Bang Homestay Retreat, most guests come from Hanoi .

Mr. Nguyen Van Ngoc, from Van Kiet Street, Hong Ha Ward, Hanoi, enthusiastically shared: "What impressed me most about La Bang was the cool air and the breathtakingly beautiful rolling hills of tea plants. Here, I also got to explore many local cultural aspects, participate in making sticky rice cakes and peanut candy, pick tea leaves, and enjoy delicious dishes made from sturgeon. For short family trips, traveling from Hanoi to Thai Nguyen for a relaxing getaway is very reasonable because of the short distance and affordable cost."

During the Hung Kings' Commemoration Day holiday, La Bang homestay Retreat alone welcomed nearly 200 visitors who came to sightsee and dine, with about 50 staying overnight.

Mr. Nguyen Van Toi, owner of La Bang Homestay Retreat, informed: The accommodation includes a communal stilt house and 8 bungalows. Together with my colleagues at Tan Son Community Tourism Center, I have been trying to develop new experiential products such as: experiencing tea culture in the famous La Bang tea region; cultural exchange and campfire activities; health care services using traditional herbal remedies; trekking to explore the eastern slopes of Tam Dao…

"To extend tourists' stay here, we will develop more products based on the local advantages; some experiential activities will be invested in more systematically and professionally; and communication and promotion efforts will also be emphasized," Mr. Toi further shared.

Located about 700m from Cua Tu stream, Cua Tu Homestay in Dong Khuan hamlet, owned by the Ban Van Linh family, is bustling with visitors these days. During the National Day holiday commemorating the Hung Kings, the homestay attracted over 200 guests from various provinces who booked meals and accommodation. It is expected that the number of visitors will be even higher during the April 30th and May 1st holidays due to the longer holiday period.

Mr. Ban Van Linh, the owner of the homestay, excitedly said: "With two consecutive holidays this year, we have developed a plan based on the needs of tourists to provide a variety of services such as: accommodation, trekking; day stays; 2-day 1-night stays; day trekking… at different price levels."

Most establishments have swimming pools with cool, fresh water sourced from springs to cater to the recreational needs of visitors.

The accommodation is fully equipped with modern amenities while also reflecting the traditional lifestyle of the Dao ethnic group, allowing visitors to experience the local way of life.

Besides providing homestay accommodation and meals for groups of visitors from afar, Mr. Ban Van Linh also doubles as a tour guide, leading guests on trekking tours to explore the Cua Tu stream with its pristine beauty and cool, fresh air.

Cua Tu Homestay has invested in all the necessary equipment such as life jackets, gloves, kayaks (small and narrow boats that are propelled by hand-paddling) to guide guests in exploring the 7 waterfalls of the stream.

New livelihoods for the people.

La Bang is blessed with a cool climate year-round, with an average annual temperature of around 18-20 degrees Celsius. Taking advantage of the natural water sources in Kem Stream and Cua Tu Stream, the local people have long implemented quite effective sturgeon farming models. This contributes to creating unique features, especially in terms of cuisine, to attract tourists.

Currently, La Bang commune has 13 accommodation establishments serving approximately 450 guests per day; and 16 restaurants serving over 1,000 guests per day. Notable examples include homestays such as La Bang Xanh, La Bang homestay, Tan Son homestay, Cua Tu homestay, and La Bang homestay Retreat… Most establishments have swimming pools with cool, fresh water sourced from a stream to meet the experiential needs of tourists.

During the summer months, especially on Saturdays and Sundays, the number of visitors to the Kem and Cua Tu areas reaches thousands per day. In the last five years, La Bang has attracted 195,000 visitors. Restaurants and homestays provide employment for hundreds of local workers, contributing to increased income and poverty reduction for the people.

In mid-April, La Bang became the first locality in the province to hold the opening ceremony for the 2026 tourism season. At the ceremony, the La Bang commune tourism destination (in Dong Khuan hamlet) was inaugurated and put into use. The facility features a two-story stilt house with spaces showcasing local culture and products, serving tourists for sightseeing and experiences. This is not just a unique feature, but a new destination that will help La Bang develop sustainable tourism.

Tourists trek to explore the eastern slopes of Tam Dao.

Besides Kem Stream and Cua Tu Stream, Cau Da tea hill is a popular check-in and experience spot. In addition to ecotourism, La Bang also boasts many historical and cultural destinations, such as the site where the first Communist Party branch of the provincial Party committee was established. The combination of nature and history creates a special appeal for this destination.

La Bang is also famous as one of the "five great tea-producing regions" of Thai Nguyen province. Along with its strengths in tea cultivation, the area possesses rich tourism potential, situated at the foot of the majestic Tam Dao mountain range, stretching over 15km, and featuring two streams, Cua Tu and Suoi Kem. The commune has all the favorable conditions to develop distinctive tourism products to attract domestic and international tourists.

The first Party Congress of La Bang Commune, for the 2025-2030 term, identified community-based tourism development as one of the three key breakthroughs for the locality. The commune government has focused on developing a tourism development plan in a professional and sustainable manner, aiming to attract investment and create favorable conditions for people to exploit their existing advantages.

Many experiential tourism and community-based tourism models are gradually being formed. The development of community-based tourism is becoming an important driving force helping the people of La Bang improve their income right in their homeland. With additional jobs from tourism services, people are no longer completely dependent on traditional tea production as before.

Source: https://baothainguyen.vn/van-hoa/du-lich-thai-nguyen/202605/la-bang-phat-trien-du-lich-dua-vao-tu-nhien-1275a8b/