Binh Lieu – new tourist destination in Quang Ninh province

Terraced rice fields in Luc Hon commune, Binh Lieu  district, Quang Ninh province (Photo: baoquangninh)

Hanoi (VNA) – With its primitive beauty, the border district of Binh Lieu in northern Quang Ninh province has become a new hotspot for tourists in recent years.

Dubbed as “Quang Ninh’s Sa Pa,” Binh Lieu is characterised by its cool weather and mesmerizing views. Sa Pa, a mountainous town in Lao Cai province, is a very popular tourism destination of northwestern Vietnam.

Although Binh Lieu is endowed with a charming beauty all year-round, the district particularly strikes visitors when fall transitions to winter. From the glossy yellow hues of staircase rice fields to the magnificent mountain landscape and natural waterfalls, the area visually amazes at every turn.

In winter, sometimes snow covers rooftops in pristine white fluff at some places in Binh Lieu whilst mist engulfs ethnic villages lining the forest, together composing a dreamy painting. Meanwhile, summer in Binh Lieu is the season of waterfalls such as Khe Van and Khe Tien.

Bình Lieu, bordering China, has a great number of border markers. They are situated on a mountain road that runs for 50 kilometres and is about 700m above sea level. The road is full of obstacles and difficult to access by vehicles other than motorbikes.

There are a total of 64 markers but you shouldn’t miss four, including numbers 1300, 1302, 1305 and 1327. These particular points offer stunning panoramas of the district.

Between markers 1302 and 1305, travellers will come across the ‘dinosaur’s spine’: a spectacular ridge from which the vista stretches miles into the distance.

To reach border marker 1305, one must cross the spine of the dinosaur, which can take up to two hours in good weather. 1305 is one of the two highest landmarks in the province, and so is not easy to reach.

The ‘dinosaur’s spine’ in Binh Lieu (Photo: halongtourism.com.vn)

For those people who want to stay in "paradise", Cao Ly, Quang Nam Chau and Cao Xiem peaks are wonderful spots to rest amongst the clouds.

To round out the trip and profoundly experience Binh Lieu, tourists predominantly camp overnight on Cao Ly Mountain amidst wild nature to contemplate the sunset and sparkling night skies.

More than 90 percent of locals are ethnic minorities such as Tay, San Chi and Dao. The area is also home to special cultural festivities like the Soong Co and San Co folksong singing festivals and Luc Na festival.

Visitors are in for a treat if they manage to catch the festive period, and can listen to the traditional songs.

On Sundays, souvenirs, garments and food are sold at Binh Lieu and Dong Van markets, where visitors can also see the Dao Thanh Phan women with their special long hats made from bamboo.

To promote Binh Lieu’s tourism, the district People’s Committee organised a culture and tourism week from November 7-14.

Binh Lieu is endowed with a charming beauty all year-round. (Photo: baoquangninh)

During the opening ceremony of the programme, organisers announced the decision of the provincial People’s Committee to recognise terraced rice fields in Luc Hon commune as a provincial tourist site.

The recognition has enabled Binh Lieu to promote its traditional culture to friends both in and outside the province, while opening up opportunities for the locality to tap its tourism potential to serve socio-economic development.

The district has devised an array of measures to turn itself into a tourist destination with diverse, special products, focusing on the communication work, State management, infrastructure investment, and tourism product and human resources development.

The tourism sector was expected to contribute from 25-30 percent to the district’s economic growth during the 2015-2020 period, and the rate will reach 40 percent after 2020./.