Lake neighborhood develops community tourism
Lake Ba Be in the northern province of Bac Kan is Vietnam’s largest and one of the 100 largest fresh water lakes in the world. The stunning lake and distinctive culture of local ethnic people living nearby have made the lake neigbourhood an attraction to visitors.
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The lake area is inhabited by ethnics, with the majority of them being the Tay people. The local people had lived on cultivation and fishing until tourism was developed here. Now they are often busy providing cultural tourism services.
Visitors to the tourism site have a chance to stay overnight in stilt houses, enjoy Hat Then, a folklore singing and distinctive local food. “Visitors to my stilt house like having meals with my family, especially drinking with us,” said Trieu Van Toan, a resident in Ba Be district.
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Demand comes with supply. Many local households in the lake neighborhood, have now been providing homestay service. What makes the local community tourism attractive to tourists is the distinctive culture and traditions being well preserved through generations despite the fast-paced social development.
“Tourists to our village want to see how Tay ethnic people live and their culture,” Trieu Van Dien, a resident in Ba Be district said. According to Nguyen Thi Hang, chairwoman of the Nam Mau Commune People’s Committee in Ba Be district over recent years, tourism has been developed in the district, resulting in an improvement of local people’s living standards.
In 2011, UNESCO recognised Lake Ba Be as a Ramsar Site, the third wetland of international importance in Vietnam. The lake is the habitat of more than 50 species of fresh water fish and many rare and precious flora species that are included in the Vietnam Red Book.
Lake Ba Be is beautiful all year round but visitors are recommended to visit in spring, summer or early autumn.
