Meeting of the Steering Committee for building Moc Chau district into a town and Moc Chau National Tourist Area.

Development orientation

Moc Chau tourist area has a scale of 206,150 hectares, located in Moc Chau and Van Ho districts, is the gateway connecting Son La and the Northwestern provinces with Hanoi and the Red River Delta; connecting Long Sap international border gate with Hua Phan and Luang Prabang provinces, Lao PDR. This place has a fresh and cool climate, is a famous address for resort tourism in Vietnam. In the space of tourism development in the Northern midland and mountainous region of Vietnam's tourism development strategy, Moc Chau National Tourist Area is considered one of the important national tourist areas on the tourism journey "Through the Northwest".

Tourist destination Heart-shaped tea hill on Moc Chau plateau.

Moc Chau and Van Ho are also the long-standing home to 12 ethnic groups, creating valuable values ​​and rich cultural identities. Moc Chau used to have a Thai name of “Muong Mok”, meaning the land of fog. The fresh air and beautiful, majestic natural landscape have become “specialties”, potentials, and valuable natural resources for tourism development.

Promoting the advantages of geographical location, climate, landscape, ecology and cultural identity compared to other areas in the region has created an important premise for Son La to determine the goals and tasks of building a national-scale tourist area.

Since 2008, Son La province has implemented the master plan for tourism development in the period of 2007-2015, with a vision to 2020; at the same time, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism issued a decision to establish a master plan for tourism development in the Northern Midlands and Mountains region until 2020. In which, Moc Chau is identified as one of the 10 national tourist areas and a driving force for tourism development in the entire region. In Decision No. 201/QD-TTg dated January 22, 2013 of the Prime Minister approving the "Master plan for tourism development in Vietnam until 2020, with a vision to 2030", Moc Chau is included in the list of 49 national tourist areas.

Tourists experience Bach Long Glass Bridge, at Moc Chau Island Tourist Area.

To specify the tourism development orientations to make Moc Chau a national tourist area with the role of a driving force to promote tourism and socio-economic development of Son La and the Northern Midlands and Mountains, on April 1, 2013, the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee issued Resolution No. 19-NQ/TU on tourism development of Son La province to 2020, with a vision to 2030. In which, tourism development is identified as a key task associated with the socio-economic development of the province, in line with the Vietnam tourism development strategy and sets the goal of making Moc Chau one of the key national tourist areas of the country; tourism development contributes to stabilizing and improving people's lives.

With the determination of Party committees and authorities at all levels; together with the support and assistance of central ministries and branches and the consensus of the people. The master plan for the development of Moc Chau National Tourist Area has been quickly implemented. After more than 1 year of research and planning steps. On November 12, 2014, the "Master plan for the development of Moc Chau National Tourist Area to 2020, with a vision to 2030" was approved by the Prime Minister in Decision No. 2050/QD-TTg. Following that, on January 25, 2019, the master plan for the construction of Moc Chau National Tourist Area to 2030 was also approved in Decision No. 128/QD-TTg of the Prime Minister.

Accordingly, Moc Chau National Tourist Area forms three key tourist centers including: Resort center; eco-tourism center and entertainment center. Moc Chau National Tourist Area is ecological and cultural in nature with diverse types of tourism; is a key economic zone for economic development in the south of Son La province; is a center for agricultural, forestry and handicraft production; is a national ecological conservation area; is an area with an important position in terms of national defense and security.

Mong ethnic folk art performance.

High effort and determination

To implement the plans, Son La province has resolutely directed and synchronously deployed solutions, such as: Establishing zoning plans and detailed plans; promoting investment attraction; paying attention to, focusing on, and prioritizing resources for tourism development, especially investment in developing technical facilities and tourism infrastructure; issuing policies to support tourism development; promoting administrative reform, supporting and creating favorable conditions for investors; promoting propaganda, advertising, promotion, application of information technology, digital transformation; focusing on improving the quality of human resources; building and improving the quality of tourism products and services; developing tourism associated with agricultural development, preserving and promoting national cultural values; promoting cooperation in developing inter-regional and inter-national tourism. In particular, implementing cooperation in developing tourism in the group of 8 expanded Northwestern provinces and Ho Chi Minh City; Effectively implement cooperation activities to develop tourism with the northern provinces of Laos.

Resolution of the 15th Son La Provincial Party Congress and Conclusion No. 94-KL/TU dated January 23, 2021 of the Son La Provincial Party Executive Committee on tourism development in Son La province to 2025, with a vision to 2030, have shown high determination with the goal of building and developing Moc Chau National Tourist Area, which is: "Promoting the attraction of investment resources for Moc Chau National Tourist Area, by 2025 it will be recognized as a National Tourist Area, becoming one of the leading tourist areas in the Northern Midlands and Mountains region".

Pine forest tourist area of ​​Ang village, Dong Sang commune, Moc Chau district.

On September 23, 2022, the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee established the Steering Committee for the construction of Moc Chau district into a town and Moc Chau National Tourist Area, headed by the Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee. Determined to realize the goal, the Steering Committee has actively and proactively implemented the tasks; completed the subdivision planning of Moc Chau National Tourist Area. Up to now, it has achieved a coverage rate of 100% of the general planning area of ​​the key tourist area and 36% of the detailed planning area of ​​the general planning area of ​​the key tourist area, serving as a basis for attracting investment and developing tourism according to the Resolution of the 15th Provincial Party Congress, term 2020-2025.

The policies and orientations for the development of Moc Chau National Tourist Area have been gradually concretized. In particular, tourism infrastructure has been invested synchronously, especially transportation; many tourism products have become brands and become famous, such as cultural tourism, community tourism, agricultural tourism, sports tourism, etc.

Many tourist areas and tourist attractions have been invested in a systematic, correct and effective manner; notably Moc Chau Island Tourist Area, Ban Ang Pine Forest Tourist Area, Dai Yem Waterfall Tourist Area, Happy Land Moc Chau... The values ​​of tangible and intangible culture are preserved and promoted, typically: Thai Xoe, Tha Kenh dance of Mong ethnic group, Dao ethnic bell dance, Het Cha Festival, Ban Flower Festival, Peach Blossom Festival, Fruit Picking Festival... are regularly organized, creating products to attract domestic and foreign tourists.

To date, Moc Chau National Tourist Area has 324 accommodation establishments, 395 food and beverage establishments, and 58 shopping establishments serving tourists. Notably, for two consecutive years (2022-2023), Moc Chau National Tourist Area has been voted and honored by the World Travel Awards as the "World's Leading Regional Natural Destination". The number of tourists visiting Moc Chau is increasing, from the beginning of the year until now, Moc Chau National Tourist Area has reached over 1.5 million visitors, with total revenue from tourism services reaching over 1,500 billion VND.

Worthy of National Tourist Area

With great efforts and determination, the drastic participation of the political system from the province to the locality, the consensus of the people of Moc Chau and Van Ho, Moc Chau National Tourist Area has completed 20/20 criteria. On April 22, 2024, the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism signed Decision No. 1077/QD-BVHTTDL recognizing Moc Chau National Tourist Area. This is the 8th national tourist area nationwide to be recognized.

Mr. Le Trong Binh, Chairman of Moc Chau District People's Committee, shared: The Party Committee, government and people of Moc Chau District are very happy and proud to be recognized as a National Tourist Area. This is an important motivation for Moc Chau and Van Ho districts to continue to strive to develop tourism, affirming their position on the world tourism map, worthy of being a National Tourist Area.

Vietnam Trail Marathon 2024 in Moc Chau district

To build Moc Chau National Tourist Area to develop sustainably, all levels and sectors of the province and the two districts of Moc Chau and Van Ho continue to focus resources on investing in infrastructure, technical facilities, tourism services; transport infrastructure connecting tourist areas and other infrastructure. Complete and improve the criteria of national tourist areas; promote digital transformation, develop smart tourism applications; strengthen promotional activities, promote and build the image of Son La tourism, promote the tourism brand "The world's leading regional natural destination".

Develop diverse, unique and attractive tourism products; focus on preserving and promoting tangible and intangible cultural values ​​associated with tourism development. Build community tourism areas, points and villages associated with preserving and promoting the cultural identity of ethnic groups, preserving the typical agricultural ecosystem. Develop Moc Chau National Tourism Area to be green, fast and sustainable, in line with Vietnam's tourism development strategy; develop tourism associated with protecting natural landscapes and the environment, preserving and promoting traditional cultural values; become one of the key national tourism areas of the country, creating a strong and sustainable brand for tourism in Son La and the Northwest region.

Article and photos: Viet Anh

The journey to become Moc Chau National Tourist Area (baosonla.org.vn)