Tourists visit the Son La hydroelectric reservoir area in Quynh Nhai district.

Mr. Lo Thanh Thuy, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Quynh Nhai District, said: To develop tourism around the lake, the district is implementing comprehensive solutions, reviewing, adjusting, supplementing, and issuing mechanisms and policies, focusing on attracting investment in infrastructure construction, creating many unique and attractive tourism products for domestic and foreign tourists. The district is also promoting the image of tourism products through mass media and social media platforms.

In addition, the district has focused on finalizing planning, publishing a list of investment attraction projects, promoting administrative reform, and supporting businesses and cooperatives in surveying and seeking investment opportunities in the district. To date, the entire district has 7 well-invested tourist destinations that meet the needs of tourists; 8 tourist accommodation establishments, including 1 hotel, the rest being guesthouses, homestays and other types of tourist accommodation. From the beginning of the year until now, Quynh Nhai district has welcomed over 153,000 visitors, generating revenue of over 60 billion VND.

Quynh Nhai Travel Joint Stock Company manages and operates Uy Phong Bay and Da Giang Island, with 3 two-story tourist boats, each with a capacity of 30-100 passengers; on average, it welcomes about 10,000 tourists annually, generating revenue of 3.5 billion VND per year.

Mr. La Van Phong, Director of Quynh Nhai Travel Joint Stock Company, said: "Currently, in addition to operating discovery tours, we also open a floating restaurant on the river and combine it with cage fish farming to serve tourists who want to experience and enjoy dishes made from fish from the Da River. Along with that, we also offer other river-related tourism products, such as: experiencing rowing boats; participating in water-based activities; fishing; foot massage with fish..."

Recognizing the trends and needs of tourists visiting the Da River reservoir, such as wanting to explore the reservoir, participate in water-based recreational activities, learn about local culture, enjoy local cuisine, and shop for local products, some businesses and cooperatives have proactively combined fish farming with investing in tourist boats and building resorts to provide transportation services to tourist attractions.

Mr. Pham Van Doanh, Director of Quynh Nhai Tourism Investment and Development Company Limited, Son La, said: To serve the needs of tourists, the company has invested in building the Trung Kien Resort with 10 bungalows, 25 hotel rooms and 2 communal rooms; and 3 tourist boats to take visitors on tours around the reservoir. In addition, the company also raises 25 cages of catfish, carp, black carp, etc., according to VietGAP standards so that tourists can visit and experience fish farming on the reservoir and enjoy dishes made from the fish raised on the hydroelectric reservoir.

Located near the Pá Uôn bridge, Pauon Ecolakes eco-tourism area covers nearly 2.5 hectares, comprising 12 bungalows and 3 communal rooms, accommodating approximately 80 guests, with a unique, distinctive, and beautiful architectural style. In addition, the resort has 3 boats for sightseeing tours on the lake. At the end of 2023, the resort opened the Bình Yên Bay tourist attraction, covering 1.5 hectares, attracting a large number of visitors.

Visiting Quynh Nhai for the first time, Mr. Bui Minh Ngoc, a tourist from Ninh Binh city, shared: "We were very impressed by the majestic and poetic beauty of the lake area. Especially, enjoying the authentic ethnic cuisine right on the lake was an unforgettable experience. I will definitely return to Quynh Nhai with my family and friends to continue exploring the interesting things here."

Striving to become one of the key tourist areas, aiming to become a national tourist area, Quynh Nhai district continues to develop new and unique tourism products with the distinct identity of the riverside countryside; mobilizing all resources for investment in building essential infrastructure to serve tourism, becoming an attractive destination for tourists on their journey to explore the Northwest region.

Text and photos: Duc Anh

Developing tourism around hydroelectric reservoirs (baosonla.org.vn)