From "flood epicenter" to the world's best tourist village.

From a rural village known as a "flood-prone area," Tan Hoa has surpassed hundreds of other competitors worldwide to win the World's Best Tourist Village award from the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) in 2023.

Tan Hoa Commune, Minh Hoa District, Quang Binh Province. (Source: Quang Binh Department of Tourism )

Overcoming adversity

Tan Hoa is a mountainous commune in Minh Hoa district, Quang Binh province. The commune has a natural area of ​​7,427.20 hectares, situated amidst limestone mountain ranges, and boasts numerous cave systems formed over millions of years, such as: Chuot Cave, Bat Cave, Tung Cave, Tu Lan Cave, etc.

This unique topography has created a picturesque landscape with the inherent tranquility of a Central Vietnamese village. However, this distinctive topography also poses many risks in the face of natural disasters, especially during the rainy season and floods.

Between mid-September and mid-November each year, whenever there are heavy, prolonged rains, water from upstream flows down, causing major floods that deeply inundate Tan Hoa.

Most memorable was the historic flood of 2010, with water levels rising 12 meters, submerging most houses in Tan Hoa. Residents had to evacuate to caves and cliffs to take shelter while waiting for the water to recede. Since then, phrases like "flood epicenter" and "water-filled valley" have been used and associated with Tan Hoa as a region heavily affected by natural disasters.

In an effort to cope with adversity and hardship, the people of Tan Hoa have devised many solutions, but the most valuable is the creation of floating houses that rise with the floodwaters.

Over the years, floating houses have been improved to better suit their function: normally they are just like any other house, but when floods come, they become like boats carrying valuable belongings, food, clean water, and people to help them survive the rainy season.

According to Mr. Truong Xuan Hung, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Tan Hoa commune, Tan Hoa has about 620 self-floating houses, with every household having at least one to protect against floods. Since the introduction of these floating houses, people have been less worried every time the rainy season and storms arrive.

The people here are always proud of the floating houses they have built and believe that overcoming adversity and adapting to nature like Tan Hoa is something rarely seen elsewhere.

Weather-adapted houses in Tan Hoa. (Source: VGP)

In 2011, Oxalis Co., Ltd. established its headquarters in Tan Hoa to invest in and develop these scenic spots, bringing tourists to admire them. From here, the breathtaking images of the endless green valleys, the Tu Lan cave system, and the romantic Rao Nan River have reached people all over the world.

In addition, many locals have invested in and equipped self-floating houses, transforming them into homestays to welcome guests.

Reaching the world

Subsequently, people in Tan Hoa village also began to follow Oxalis's lead in tourism, seeking employment, increasing their income, and improving their lives. By December 2023, the entire commune had approximately 120 people regularly working in tourism, with an average income of 8-10 million VND per month.

In addition, tourism activities in Tan Hoa commune have indirectly created jobs for more than a hundred local workers. Local products, food, and agricultural produce that were previously only produced for self-consumption now also serve the tourism industry.

In 2023 alone, the people in the commune sold goods worth more than 5 billion VND to serve tourism.

According to a report from the Quang Binh Department of Tourism, during the period 2013-2023, the total number of visitors to Tan Hoa was approximately over 63,100. The majority were concentrated on the Tu Lan route (over 45,000 visitors) and the Hang Tien route (over 18,000 visitors).

International tourists particularly enjoy the experience of dining in the homes of local people to further explore the culture and life of the people in what is known as the "flood-prone area".

Benjamin Edward Leslie and his family, tourists from Australia, commented: “This was truly a wonderful trip for us. Tan Hoa has caves, camping and tenting opportunities, and impressive food. We got to experience life during the flood season and immerse ourselves in nature.”

UNWT awarded the Best Tourist Village certificate to Tan Hoa tourist village. (Source: Quang Binh Department of Tourism)

Notably, in October 2023, Tan Hoa surpassed hundreds of other competitors worldwide to win the World's Best Tourist Village award from the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). This was the only Vietnamese tourist village selected by UNWTO from a list of 260 villages from 60 countries participating in the 2023 award.

This affirms the determination of the Quang Binh Provincial People's Committee, the Provincial Department of Tourism, the Party Committee and government of Tan Hoa commune, Minh Hoa district, and related units in building Tan Hoa into a model of weather-adaptive tourism in Vietnam and a model for the Southeast Asian region.

The award is a global initiative to highlight villages where tourism preserves and promotes community- and rural values, products, and lifestyles, while fostering innovation and sustainability. The initiative also recognizes the contribution of villages to sustainable development goals through tourism.

Mr. Ho An Phong, Vice Chairman of the Quang Binh Provincial People's Committee, affirmed that being honored as one of the best tourist villages in the world is only the first step in the tourism development roadmap for Tan Hoa.

"This prestigious award is an opportunity for Tan Hoa to confidently step out into the world and gradually become a shining example of Vietnamese tourism. However, in the process of tourism development, Tan Hoa needs to preserve the cultural identity of Vietnamese rural villages and not disrupt the green living space...", Mr. Ho An Phong emphasized.

The Best Tourism Villages (BTV) award is a global initiative by the UNWTO to highlight villages where tourism preserves and promotes community- and rural values, products, and lifestyles, while fostering innovation and sustainability.

This initiative also recognizes the contribution of villages to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through tourism.

Accordingly, UNWTO has recognized the rich and outstanding cultural and natural resources of Tan Hoa village, along with the village's commitments and actions in adhering to the three main pillars of sustainable tourism development.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/tan-hoa-tu-ron-lu-den-lang-du-lich-tot-nhat-the-gioi-254542.html