Facilitating businesses to invest in Dong Nai Cultural and Natural Reserve

Tourists experience the forests and lakes at the Dong Nai Nature and Culture Reserve. Photo: Ngoc Lien

Exploiting the advantages of ecotourism in forests and lakes.

In 2023, the Provincial People's Committee approved the Ecotourism, Resort, and Entertainment Project for the Dong Nai Nature and Culture Reserve, giai đoạn 2021-2030, with the goal of exploiting and promoting the potential and advantages of natural resources, cultural resources, and historical relics in the reserve on the basis of conservation, sustainable development, and mobilizing all resources in society to protect and develop forests, conserve nature, and develop tourism.

Currently, out of 12 investors who have registered to invest in tourism projects under the Ecotourism Scheme, 11 are conducting forest planning surveys before officially implementing their projects.

The Dong Nai Nature and Culture Reserve covers a total area of over 100,000 hectares, of which over 30,000 hectares is the area of Tri An Lake. The reserve has five main ecosystems: evergreen broadleaf closed forest, mixed bamboo and broadleaf tree forest, pure bamboo forest, grassland, shrubland, and river and lakeside ecosystems. The reserve boasts a diverse biodiversity of both plants and animals, with thousands of rare and endangered species being conserved. These include species listed in the Vietnamese Red Book and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List .

According to Lê Thị Ngọc Loan, Provincial Party Committee member and Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Tri An Lake area is one of the destinations included in the Government's national tourism development plan. Implementing the project to develop Tri An Lake into a national tourism area is a key task for Dong Nai province, as outlined in its tourism development plan for 2025.

The Dong Nai Nature and Culture Reserve is highly valued by scientists and tourists for its natural forests, planted forests, and specialty tree species. In addition, it boasts unique lakes and waterfalls such as Tri An Lake, Ba Hao Lake, and Rang Waterfall, attracting investors and visitors. It also preserves cultural values and historical revolutionary relics such as the Southern Eastern Regional Party Committee, the Southern Central Bureau historical site, the Suoi Linh Tunnel, and the Choro ethnic village.

For many years, the Tri An and Ba Hao lake areas have been a weekend getaway for Ms. Tran Nguyen Bao Han's family, tourists from Tan Thoi Hiep ward, Ho Chi Minh City. Ms. Han said that her family enjoys cycling through the forest early in the morning around Tri An lake; paddleboarding on the lake in the cool afternoon; and savoring local specialties such as dried anchovies and scad; crispy fried snakehead fish; and catfish hotpot… “Every time we come to Tri An lake on weekends, my family feels recharged before returning to Ho Chi Minh City. Tri An lake is not far from our residence, only about an hour's drive. The cost is not too high, but we get to enjoy the fresh natural environment and local specialties. These are the interesting things that have always attracted my family to the Dong Nai Nature and Culture Reserve over the years,” Ms. Han shared.

An attractive opportunity for investors.

With its diverse natural landscapes and rich cultural and historical values, the Dong Nai Nature and Culture Reserve currently offers nine tourism products, including: ecotourism linked to forest resources; resort and lake-based ecotourism; cultural tourism associated with revolutionary historical relics and the culture of ethnic minority communities; sports and exploration tourism, etc.

According to the 2023 Ecotourism Project plan, the Dong Nai Nature and Culture Reserve has 51 tourist destinations in 5 planned areas for organizing ecotourism, resort, entertainment, and service activities with the potential for linkage along routes, themes, and approaches based on tourism products and ecosystems. Regarding the planning of tourist routes, the reserve has 37 routes connecting destinations within the reserve.

According to the Decision approving the Outline and Budget for the Adjustment and Supplementation of the Ecotourism Project, the investor, the Dong Nai Nature and Culture Conservation Area, will have to implement eight items. Among these, the issue of greatest concern to many investors is the relaxation of regulations regarding the construction of facilities within the project. Specifically, during the construction of service facilities within tourist areas, investors do not need to apply for construction permits as these are already clearly stipulated in the Ecotourism Project. This is one of the adjustments aimed at facilitating investors to shorten project implementation time and reduce procedures during deployment.

Ms. Dinh Thi Lan Huong, Deputy Director of the Dong Nai Nature and Culture Reserve, said that the reserve is currently revising the project implementation plan. Based on this, the reserve will submit the revised plan to the Provincial People's Committee for approval. After receiving approval from the Provincial People's Committee, the reserve will widely publicize the plan to attract investment. With this revision, during the project implementation, investors will be allowed to construct buildings using environmentally friendly materials without needing to apply for a separate construction permit for the project.

Ngoc Lien

Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/kinh-te/202507/tao-thuan-loi-cho-doanh-nghiep-dau-tu-tai-khu-bao-ton-thien-nhien-van-hoa-dong-nai-80f312f/