An unusual form of tourism is making a splash in Ho Chi Minh City’s Cu Chi district: Koi carp tours.

Vietnam’s first ornamental carp tourism model was officially unveiled at Hai Thanh Koi Farm in the district’s Trung An commune. The farm is one of the largest enterprises breeding the Japanese Koi carp in Vietnam, with a capacity to hold nearly 100,000 fish. After decades of research, the farm has produced high quality Koi worth thousands of dollars to export to foreign markets, where they are used for decorative purposes.

According to the Head of HCM City’s Fishery Department, Tran Dinh Vinh, Koi fish production holds huge economic potential, with HCM City already earning 20 million USD from Koi exports. The department will now do its utmost in supporting enterprises participating to the new model, he added.

Covering an area of 12 hectares, Hai Thanh Farm will diversify its tourism model in a bid to become an interesting destination in the southern city’s river tourism sector.

Deputy Chairman of Cu Chi district People’s Committee Nguyen Viet Dung, said the province has planned a riverside area of 4,650 hectares which spread through eight communes to develop local tourism.

HCM City has an interlacing river and canal system with total length of 1,000 kilometres, and each year the area welcomes about 15,000 tourists in river tours.

Koi carp were created by cross-breeding experiments more than 200 years ago and some believe that they can live over 100 years. Koi have four basic colours of white, red, yellow and silver grey, and come with many different patterns.-VNA