Instead of focusing solely on sightseeing, Son La's tourism industry is undergoing a significant transformation by boosting investment and upgrading its range of entertainment and recreational services combined with local cultural experiences. This groundbreaking strategy is helping the locality increase spending, extend the length of stay, and create momentum for sustainable development.
Moc Chau Island Tourist Area is a complex offering resorts, entertainment, dining, and event spaces.
Over the past five years, Son La province has attracted 120 new projects with a total registered capital of over 46,500 billion VND. Of these, 14 large-scale projects have received direct investment in the tourism, agricultural tourism, and commercial services sectors. The proactive allocation of budget funds and strong social mobilization efforts by the locality have created a solid foundation for unlocking the potential of the highlands. The focal point of this wave is the Moc Chau National Tourist Area, which has attracted 18 tourism and service projects with a total investment of over 3,761 billion VND. Notably, the Chieng Khoa Valley Retreat eco-tourism resort project, proposed for implementation in To Mua commune, has an estimated total investment of nearly 4,500 billion VND. The project promises to offer adventure games, a food street, a Northwest cultural square, and other unique and vibrant attractions for the entire region.
Tourists experience ziplining at Moc Chau Island Tourist Area.
Son La's strategy for retaining tourists is based on a comprehensive and diverse planning approach. Currently, resort, entertainment, and wellness tourism has become one of the province's five main tourism product groups. The other four groups include: ecotourism and agricultural tourism; cultural and historical tourism; community tourism; and thematic tourism. Most tourist areas and destinations in the province are focusing on developing services to meet the needs for recreation, entertainment, and experiences associated with sightseeing, relaxation, and cuisine. This is considered an attractive factor, creating vibrancy for each destination to encourage tourists to stay longer, spend more time exploring, resting, and experiencing during each trip.
Slide down the rainbow.
The clearest evidence is the emergence of large-scale, well-operated tourism complexes. Leading the way is Moc Chau Island Tourist Area – a leading resort and entertainment complex in Northwest Vietnam. It boasts the world's longest glass bridge, the Bach Long glass bridge recognized by Guinness World Records, an international-standard four-wheel racing track at E1 Kart Club, the Moc Chau Space sky elevator system, and adventurous challenges such as zipline sky tours, airslides, and a comprehensive children's play area. In addition, the Ban Ang Pine Forest Tourist Area offers a modern twist with its unique dinosaur park and thrilling rides. The Dai Yem Waterfall Ecotourism Area attracts visitors with its glass bridge, year-round flower lake, and local cultural space. At night, the Moc Chau Walking Street - Night Market creates a highlight with spectacular art programs, a cultural space reflecting the colors of the highlands, delicious cuisine, and stalls showcasing OCOP products and unique souvenirs.
Young visitors participating in the Ngoc Chien summer camp. Photo by Nguyen Cuong.
Alongside modern projects, localities in the province are also focusing on developing highland tourist destinations and community-based tourism villages connected with pristine nature. This summer, Son La tourism has seen many unique and attractive local cultural experiences. Notable examples include the cultural experiences of ethnic groups and the blooming of the hawthorn flower at the children's summer camp in Ngoc Chien commune. At the Hua Tat community tourism village in Van Ho commune, visitors can personally experience the process of making handmade Do paper or painting patterns on fabric with beeswax, a traditional activity of the Mong people. In Ta Xua commune, besides "cloud hunting," visitors can also delve into exploring the original traditional cultural values of the local people.
Developing tourist destinations that combine entertainment and relaxation not only increases tourist spending but also creates sustainable livelihoods for the people of Son La. The proactive involvement of the government and the innovative thinking of tourism businesses are helping Son La gradually assert its position as an attractive, professional, and sustainably developing destination.
The Northwest cultural space (Moc Chau Night Market - Pedestrian Street) attracts a large number of tourists on weekends.
Thanh Dao