Ung Hoa - a fascinating heritage region.

Foreign tourists enthusiastically take photos and check in at the Quang Phu Cau incense stick making village.

An attractive heritage destination.

About 10 years ago, the incense stick making village in Cau Bau hamlet (Quang Phu Cau commune, Ung Hoa district) was still quite unfamiliar to many locals and tourists. However, the unique beauty of this rural village, along with the image of colorful bundles of incense sticks arranged into the shape of the letter "S" - the shape of Vietnam, or the red flag with a yellow star, a heart, etc., has gone "viral" across social media platforms, attracting not only domestic tourists but also many international visitors to Ung Hoa in recent years.

With its unique topography and landscape of the Red River Delta countryside, along with its distinctive cultural resources, Ung Hoa has many advantages for tourism development. Among these, cultural tourism resources associated with traditional culture, agriculture , and rural life stand out. The district boasts 433 historical sites, including 66 national-level and 106 city-level sites, such as Hoang Xa communal house, Duc Thanh Ca temple, the Northern Party Committee historical site, the Khu Chay victory monument, and the Truong Son Movement homeland museum. The district's system of historical sites is not only valuable in terms of culture and history but also in terms of sculpture and traditional art.

Ung Hoa also boasts outstanding potential for tourism related to traditional craft villages. The district currently has 120 craft villages, 21 of which have been officially recognized. Many craft villages meet the criteria to become tourist destinations, such as Trach Xa Ao Dai tailoring village, Quang Phu Cau incense stick making village, Dao Xa musical instrument village, and Truong Thinh rattan and bamboo weaving village. In addition, its traditional cuisine , with its renowned specialties, has become a trademark of Ung Hoa, including: Dinh Noi pork sausage, dog meat stew, Van Dinh grass-fed duck, Bat vermicelli, snakehead fish porridge, and Van Dinh carp fish stew.

In particular, Ung Hoa is also known as the birthplace of Thien Mon Dao martial arts (Du Xa village, Hoa Nam commune) - an ancient, purely Vietnamese martial art that developed alongside the nation's struggles for independence and national defense. Thien Mon Dao is closely linked to the history of Du Xa Thuong area since the 10th century - where traces of King Dinh Bo Linh training his troops and the Bach Linh temple commemorating the founder of the Thien Mon Dao school are still preserved. These are potential advantages for Ung Hoa to develop martial arts tourism products combined with sightseeing, experiences, training, and education of patriotic traditions for the younger generation.

Located on National Highway 21B, Ung Hoa also plays an important role in the spiritual tourism route from the center of Hanoi to the Huong Son Scenic Landscape Complex, a special national monument and one of the largest spiritual tourism destinations in Vietnam, connecting with Tam Chuc Pagoda (Ha Nam) and Bai Dinh Pagoda, Trang An World Heritage Site, and Hoa Lu ancient capital (Ninh Binh). Its rich culture and valuable heritage are the resources for Ung Hoa to develop tourism as one of the district's main economic sectors, making it the most attractive destination in the southern region of Hanoi in the future.

The opportunity to "take off"

Despite facing many difficulties and challenges, Ung Hoa's tourism sector has affirmed its attractiveness in recent years through the number of visitors to the district. In 2023, the district welcomed 239,000 tourists, and in 2024, it welcomed approximately 270,000. Based on the specific goals and development orientation of Hanoi's tourism sector, Ung Hoa aims to welcome approximately 300,000 tourists in 2025, including about 18,000 international visitors; and strives to welcome approximately 600,000 tourists by 2030, including about 45,000 international visitors.

According to the Chairman of the People's Committee of Ung Hoa District, Nguyen Tien Thiet, the above goals were set based on an assessment of favorable opportunities for the strong development of tourism in the current period; the trend of experiential tourism with unique and unusual elements and the increasing demand for weekend and night tours from tourists; the trend of prioritizing nearby, affordable tourist destinations by tourists from Hanoi; and the second airport of the Hanoi Capital Region expected to be located in Ung Hoa and Phu Xuyen districts, leading to the development of urban areas, services, and industry. Based on these opportunities, Ung Hoa tourism is expected to "take off" with distinctive tourism products such as cultural tourism; night tourism associated with cuisine, shopping, events, and nighttime entertainment; eco-tourism and weekend resorts; martial arts tourism; shopping tourism; and culinary tourism...

Highly appreciating the potential and advantages of tourism development in Ung Hoa, the Director of the Hanoi Department of Tourism, Dang Huong Giang, believes that it is necessary to preserve and promote Ung Hoa's valuable resources, while connecting them with modern tourism products to create a sustainable tourism model and attract tourists.