Tam Dao.

 The northern province of Vinh Phuc, adjacent to Hanoi, has rich potential for tourism development. It has a favourable geographic position and communication system, including roads, railways, waterway and air routes.

Vinh Phuc has been implementing programmes to develop tourism, for example, encouraging investors to invest in the province and promoting the image of Vinh Phuc’s travel during domestic and foreign tours.

Tam Dao

Tam Dao, a tourist area in Tam Dao mountain running on a 50 km trip, is located in the boundary of three provinces of Thai Nguyen, Vinh Phuc and Tuyen Quang. Its highest peak is 1592m. Tam Dao town is about 75 km north-west of Hanoi. It is easily accessible by all means of transport.

The Tam Dao mountainous range is easily recognized with its 3 peaks: Thien The Thach Ban and Phu Nghia which look like three islands standing out of a cloudy mass.

Tam Dao tourist area is located at altitude 879m with majestic mountainous scenery in a round valley of 64 ha large, including a one-storied wooden boarding house built on where French villas used to be surrounded by mountainous range to meet the holiday resort demand and the scientific workshop accommodation for thousands of attendants.

Tam Dao is endowed with moderate climate all the year round with average annual temperature only between 21^oc - 23^oC. This is an ideal resort for the whole region.

Bich Chu a Carpentry Village

Located by Red River in Vinh Tuong District Bich Chu is a point of note in the overall picture of Vinh Phuc country landscape. It has been famous for long for its woodwork artefacts production. With their saws and chisels and other carpentry tools on hands Bich Chu artisans have been roaming everywhere looking for job and their skill is really a match to the talent of their Son Tay Nam Dinh carpenters where their artefacts have been also acknowledged as famous nationwide.

All the 800 families in the village are involved in carpentry in which there are 4 private enterprises and 2 limited companies established 10 years and 2 years ago respectively. Carpentry tools have been mechanised electricity-operated therefore the products are now of diversified types at high standard in both types of goods: high quality ones for rich people and others of lower quality for common run of people.

Customers coming to Bich Chu not only look for common wooden furniture such as wardrobes, beds, tables and chairs but they also sign purchase contracts of high valued artistic items including statues to be placed on altars in temples and pagodas, big red lacquered boards trimmed with gold trays and boxes with traditional patterns and graceful designs.

Tay Thien

Located about 10 km far from Tam Dao in the forest at the same altitude with Tam Dao resort (as the crow flies) is an ancient architectural complex consisting of temples, shrines, stone stele: that is the beautiful Tay Thien.

Tay Thien - in the West of the ancient Nam Viet Capital - is the place to worship "Quoc Mau. Nang Phi Tieu" one among the Hung dynasty generals. Legends hold that a Mountain Deity "Son nu." sent 300 soldiers from Tam Dao to 'Hac 3 - way junction" to undertake a fierce battle with aggressors from the North released the capital City of Van Lang country from the danger. After the big victory the deity refused all royal titles endowed on her by the imperial court and preferred to return to the mountainous and sacred area Tay Thien to live In Tay Thien beautiful resort there still are nowadays both a Tay Thien shrine and a Tay Thien temple.

We can see in Tay Thien a harmonious mixture of natural scenery and creative work of our ancestors with wonderful configuration. The 40-m high Thac Bac (Silvery Water - Fall) is pouring its fragrant and silvery water downward.

On the mountain flank there is Tay Thien pagoda with green bamboo and pine trees. At the peak there is Dong Co pagoda: it takes you one day for an escalating and descending trip to/from the pagoda.

The stream from the pagoda flowing to the left is the Silvery Stream to the right is the Golden Stream. The pagoda is 10 yard large with walls and roof built with stone the ceiling carved with Sino -Vietnamese characters: Dia Nguc Tu (The hell).

Vac pond

Vac pond is situated in Vinh Yen town. The pond includes 23 major tributaries forming small lakes and canals up to 14 km perimeter. The basin supplying water to the pond is from three big flow sources - Phan river, Thuy canal and Ben Tre canal.

The area was covered by natural forest where live numerous birds and fish, night herons, pelicans and wild ducks.

Dai Lai

Dai Lai tourist resort located at the foot of Tam Dao mountainous range is endowed with beautiful natural sceneries. The lake is on an area of 525 ha, about 40 km north of Hanoi inner city and 9 km from Noi Bai International Airport.

The climate and weather in Dai Lai are rather moderate. It is cooler in Summer and warmer in winter than that in Hanoi. Dai Lai is being designed into a regional and international tourist area with golf fields, villas and commercial centres.

Many foreign businessmen are doing research survey and many projects have been evaluated and issued with licenses. In a near future, Dai Lai shall be an attractive area for recreation sports weekend holidays visit and sightseeing to local and international tourists.

Over the past years, the northern province of Vinh Phuc has attacted investment projects such as:

-         A project to build a golf course by Dai Lai Ltd.

-         A project to build infrastructure of Dai Lai eco-tourism site by Hung Vuong Company.

-         A project to build Trai Thi resort by Nhat Hang Company.

-         A project to build Thanh Xuan eco-tourism resort.

These projects are on a relatively large scale. When completed, the sites will meet tourists’ demand of recreation and rest. They include luxury hotels, restaurants and villas.

The provincial tourism sector will make the best use of historical and cultural sites and traditional festivals to develop tourism, said Tran Dung, director of Vinh Phuc Tourism and Trade Department.

Tours to Tam Dao, Tay Thien, Dai Lai lake and Vac pond are very attractive to Vietnamese and international tourists. Travelling to resorts in Tam Dao mountain and Dai Lai Lake, tourists have a chance to have a rest and enjoy entertainments in a tranquil, clean and beautiful environment.

( Source: ND)