Elevating the Bay Mau coconut forest destination.

The Bay Mau Coconut Forest historical and cultural site is currently one of the most popular tourist destinations in Da Nang city. To further enhance its appeal, management agencies and local authorities are strengthening efforts to improve its operation and elevate its status.

The Bay Mau coconut forest receives an average of 5,000-6,000 visitors per day, and this number can reach up to 9,000 during peak periods. Photo: QUOC TUAN

Gradually bring it into order.

About 20 years ago, the Bay Mau coconut forest was just a spontaneously developed tourist village located on the outskirts of Hoi An ancient town. Over time, this area has become a favorite destination for tourists and, most recently in 2025, was ranked among the top 50 most beautiful villages in the world by Forbes magazine (USA).

Starting as a spontaneously developed tourist destination, the Bay Mau coconut forest tourism project faces numerous challenges in its operation. The most pressing concerns remain price management and noise pollution. Furthermore, most visitors arrive in 45-seater tourist buses, and since the Bay Mau coconut forest lacks a sufficiently large parking area, parking becomes chaotic during peak hours, especially near the Cua Dai bridge.

Mr. Van Ba ​​Son, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, acknowledged that there is ambiguity regarding the pricing of boat tours. “The Department regularly inspects compliance with business regulations, especially regarding price listing and tour routes. Recently, authorities have discovered some businesses that have not listed prices. The current concern is that feedback from some businesses indicates that those that comply with price listing regulations attract fewer tourists due to price gouging and selling tickets at prices lower than the listed price. The Department is taking decisive action to rectify this situation,” Mr. Son said.

According to the leaders of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Bay Mau coconut forest needs a clearer definition of tour routes with specific durations. For example, tours lasting 30 minutes, 60 minutes, or half a day would have different prices and experiential products. Hoi An Dong Ward, the Cam Thanh Coconut Forest Basket Boat Service Cooperative, and the local community are the entities that best understand the characteristics of the destination and can improve this issue soon. In addition, the Bay Mau coconut forest area is also suitable for researching and developing night tourism products similar to a floating market on the river.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Anh Tho, Head of the Culture and Social Affairs Department of Hoi An Dong Ward, said that regarding pricing, there is a situation where businesses are pressuring local people to lower prices. For example, the price for a basket boat tour is currently mainly agreed upon between the service provider and the tourist. However, the remuneration for the people rowing the basket boats is quite low (usually only a few tens of thousands of dong), so local people are forced to set lower prices themselves when they connect with individual tourists compared to the service provider, making it very difficult to manage this issue.

Many solutions to elevate the destination.

According to the People's Committee of Hoi An Dong ward, there are currently 64 businesses operating in the Bay Mau coconut forest area, with approximately 1,400 basket boats at this destination. The average number of visitors is 5,000-6,000 per day, and during peak holidays and Tet (Lunar New Year), it can reach up to 9,000 per day.

From June 1st, 2026, Hoi An Dong ward will expand its ticket sales area to serve visitors to the Bay Mau coconut forest. Photo: QUOC TUAN

According to Ms. Nguyen Thi Anh Tho, Hoi An Dong ward is working with households involved in tourism to agree on prices, thereby increasing the value of the coconut forest destination and improving the income of those working in tourism.

Recently, the Department of Construction recognized a water recreation area in several areas of the Bay Mau coconut forest (Zone 1). Following this, Hoi An Dong ward announced 8 recreation areas (Zone 2) to continue opening legal docking facilities alongside the Thanh Tam docking facility to better serve passengers.

In recent times, the number of domestic and international tourists visiting Bay Mau coconut forest has increased significantly, and the lively atmosphere has led to noise pollution issues. Ms. Tho stated that noise pollution has been minimized, and areas permitted for lively musical performances have been planned in locations far from residential areas. Most recently, the local authorities surveyed and assessed the Go Hi area to open additional routes catering to Western tourists who prefer a calmer, quieter environment. The ward has also surveyed night tours to diversify tourist experiences.

From June 1st, 2026, Hoi An Dong ward will expand its ticket sales area to serve visitors to the Bay Mau Coconut Forest Historical and Cultural Relic Site. According to the plan, two new ticket counters at the end of Dinh River and Xa Tiep Garden have officially commenced operations, contributing to regulating visitor flow and reducing congestion at a single location.

Visiting the Bay Mau Coconut Forest Historical and Cultural Relic Area, besides exploring its ecological beauty, tourists can also enjoy Quang Nam folk songs, call-and-response chants, and simple, authentic Bai Choi songs. In particular, the fishing net casting performances on the river have recently attracted the attention and interest of many tourists, contributing to unique and memorable experiences at the Bay Mau Coconut Forest.

Source: https://baodanang.vn/nang-tam-diem-den-rung-dua-bay-mau-3339134.html