After being recognized by UNESCO, the title of Non Nuoc Cao Bang UNESCO Geopark was like a "push" to help Cao Bang province's tourism industry develop quite quickly.
Choosing not to develop and grow "hotly", Cao Bang province has been synchronously implementing solutions to develop sustainable tourism, preserve and promote the values of the Geopark.
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Ban Gioc Waterfall, Dam Thuy Commune, Trung Khanh District, Cao Bang Province. |
Tourism development
Cao Bang province possesses a harmonious and beautiful natural landscape, with many historical relics, beautiful and famous landscapes. However, before 2018, due to some limitations in traffic connection, propaganda, promotion to attract tourists; infrastructure to serve tourists, the number of tourists to Cao Bang province was not much.
By 2018, achieving the title of UNESCO Non Nuoc Cao Bang Geopark was like a "winged" advertisement to tourists about the poetic beauty of the country's border.
Many foreign and domestic tourists have known, are curious, want to explore and have "backpacked" and set off to Cao Bang.
In 2017, Cao Bang province welcomed more than 860 thousand visitors, including nearly 60 thousand international tourists.
By 2019, Cao Bang province welcomed 1 million 549 thousand visitors. Tourism revenue reached over 480 billion VND.
Due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, the tourism industry in Cao Bang province entered a period of stagnation.
But right after the pandemic, the number of tourists increased again. In 2023, the locality welcomed more than 1.9 million visitors, with total tourism revenue reaching about 1,330 billion VND.
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Tourists visit Ban Gioc waterfall. |
Up to now, with sacred and heroic revolutionary historical relics; famous scenic spots such as Ban Gioc waterfall, Mat Than mountain, Phja Oac peak...; and the rich cultural identity of the ethnic groups here, Cao Bang has become a favorite destination for many domestic and foreign tourists.
Development associated with conservation
Non Nuoc Cao Bang UNESCO Geopark includes more than 200 unique heritage sites, reflecting the more than 500 million year history of the earth, covering the entire area of Cao Bang city and the districts of Quang Hoa, Trung Khanh, Ha Lang and part of the area of Ha Quang, Hoa An, Nguyen Binh, Thach An districts, with an area of more than 3,683km2 .
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Bamboo forest of Ban Phuong, Thanh Cong commune, Nguyen Binh district, Cao Bang province. |
Up to now, in Non Nuoc Cao Bang UNESCO Geopark, 4 "experience routes" have been formed, giving visitors many options for sightseeing, exploring and experiencing.
In particular, the northern cluster tourist route "Journey to the origin" is a tourist route focusing on the two districts of Hoa An and Ha Quang - a land with many cultural and historical heritage values representing the tradition of fighting to defend the country and protect the independence and freedom of the nation.
The highlight of this route is the Pac Bo Special National Relic Site with traces of President Ho Chi Minh's revolutionary activities from 1941-1944; Kim Dong Historical Relic Site.
In Ha Quang district, there are ammonite fossils (the most highly evolved group of molluscs, 66 million years ago), which are valuable for dating the rock layers containing them and determining geological faults.
Tourists who love eco-tourism can visit the Western cluster tourist route "Discovering Phia Oac - the mountain of changes".
Explore the bamboo forest of Ban Phuong, Thanh Cong commune, Nguyen Binh district. Video: Khieu Minh. |
There are 16 outstanding attractions here, including Phja Oac-Phia Den Eco-tourism Area, which is considered the "Da Lat" of Cao Bang because of its cool climate and beautiful landscape.
Coming to Ban Phuong bamboo forest, Thanh Cong commune, visitors will be "fascinated and lost" in the green bamboo forest, with the towering, surging bamboo "waves".
In the western cluster tourist route, there is also Phia Oac peak, 1,931m high , "white with ice and snow" when the temperature drops and the humidity is high.
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Phja Oac peak in winter days, temperature is low, humidity is high. |
The eastern tourist route of Cao Bang province "Experience indigenous culture in the fairyland" is the most popular tourist route when tourists come to Cao Bang.
Here is Ban Gioc waterfall, considered one of the 4 largest and most beautiful waterfalls in the world (among the waterfalls located on the border between two countries).
The route also includes scenic spots such as Mat Than Mountain, Thang Hen Lake; Nguom Ngao Cave, promising to bring visitors unforgettable experiences.
In the tourist route “A time of fire and flowers” in Cao Bang city, Quang Hoa and Thach An districts, associated with the victory of the Border campaign in 1950, in the resistance war against the French colonialists. The highlight of this route is Bao Dong mountain - the place marking the first and only event where President Ho Chi Minh directly went to the front to monitor and direct the battle at Dong Khe stronghold.
Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism Sam Viet An shared that with the potential and advantages of natural landscape, history and culture, Cao Bang province advocates developing green and sustainable tourism associated with protecting landscapes, ecological environment, preserving national cultural identity, and building unique and quality tourism products.
In particular, the locality is interested in preserving and promoting the value of 2,000 intangible cultural heritages existing in the area.
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Costumes of Dao Tien women in Cao Bang province. |
Projects, topics, collections, research, and proposed solutions to preserve and promote the values of folk songs and dances of the Tay, Nung, Mong, Dao, and San Chi ethnic groups.
Researching and restoring the wedding of the Red Dao ethnic group; researching the wedding rituals of the Lo Lo people; researching and establishing scientific records of the Then rituals of the Tay people... have been preserving and promoting the cultural values, folk songs, folk dances, and costumes of ethnic minorities.
In order to educate and raise awareness of protecting the value of Non Nuoc Cao Bang UNESCO Geopark, Cao Bang province has also established the Let's Explore the Geopark Clubs at schools, with many diverse activities to educate the younger generation about the value of landscape, environment and cultural identity.
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