The Skull Island Village in the World Heritage Site
After showing for more than one month, the film “Kong: Skull Island” broke all previous records at the local box offices. To promote tourism, on April 15, 2017, the Trang An Landscape Management Board announced the restoration of the original backlot of the film on a total area of 10ha that consists of the tribal village with about 40 rattan tents set up with decorative items and models of a ship and airplane.
To help visitors feel the magnificence of the film, more than 50 locals who played indigenous people are invited to reproduce the scenes in the film.
“Hollywood’s Indigenous man” Nguyen Huu Van said that although he and others only appeared in a scene of less than a minute in the film, they had to work with the film crew for more than a month.
Thanks to short-term trainings provided by the film crew, these actors now reproduce successfully scenes of the film with different nuances so that visitors feel like they were in the real village in the film.
Trang An with a New Appearance
The Trang An Landscape Complex, located more than 90km south of Hanoi, was recognised as Vietnam’s first mixed natural and cultural heritage by UNESCO in 2014 based on the principles of the Convention on the Protection of World Culture and Natural Heritages, including cultural, aesthetical, and geological-geomorphic values and the preservation of heritage.
In the eyes of talented young director Jordan Vogt-Roberts, Trang An is a spectacular landscape of limestone karst peaks permeated with valleys. Therefore, he decided to select the place in Ninh Binh and others in the two provinces of Quang Binh and Ha Long, to shoot the film.
Only one day after the film was released, travel companies domestically and abroad opened a new tour visiting the site which attracted a large number of tourists.
The pristine beauty and wonderful culture raised the prospects for the Ninh Binh tourism industry. Now, the film “Kong: Skull Island”, the first Hollywood film done in Vietnam, and its renovated studio promise to raise the prospects even higher.
Follow Kong’s Footsteps in the Van Long Wetland
Following Kong’s footsteps, tourists will arrive in the five-star Emeralda Resort in Gia Va commune, Gia Vien district, Ninh Binh where the film crew stayed in Ninh Binh while shooting the film.
The resort, covering 16ha, has the lush, green scenery of a northern countryside with 172 luxury rooms, satisfying any guests. Now, the resort also provides tourists with impressive tours, including “amazing Van Long”.
The tour gives tourists special experiences in the submerged reserve. Tourists have a chance to see the wild beauty of Van Long in rustic wooden boats. During the trip, tourists will be fascinated by mysterious caves, rare Vooc (langur) and flocks of storks fluttering in the sky.
The trip to Trang An and Van Long in the Trang An Landscape Complex will surely impress anyone going there with its harmonious combination of western and oriental culture.
After showing for more than one month, the film “Kong: Skull Island” broke all previous records at the local box offices. To promote tourism, on April 15, 2017, the Trang An Landscape Management Board announced the restoration of the original backlot of the film on a total area of 10ha that consists of the tribal village with about 40 rattan tents set up with decorative items and models of a ship and airplane.
To help visitors feel the magnificence of the film, more than 50 locals who played indigenous people are invited to reproduce the scenes in the film.
 the Trang An Landscape Management Board announced the restoration of the original backlot of the film that consists of the tribal village with about 40 rattan tents set up with decorative items and models of a ship and airplane. Photo: Trong Chinh  The ship in the film is restored. Photo: Cong Dat  Lu Dinh Ton, 53, a “Hollywood’s Indigenous man”. Photo: Trong Chinh/VNP   Items that appeared in the film. Photo: Cong Dat/VNP  As many as 36 rattan tents in the village. Photo: Viet Cuong/VNP  Visitors make a selfie on the path to Kong village. Photo: Tat Son/VNP |
| When returning to Vietnam to receive the title of tourism ambassador of Vietnam from 2017-2020, Jordan Vogt-Roberts said that when he selected the place to make the film, he understood that his mission was to figure out how to make a film where a production of this size had never been done before. It was also a mission to show the pride of the locals and the beauty of this country to the world. |
Thanks to short-term trainings provided by the film crew, these actors now reproduce successfully scenes of the film with different nuances so that visitors feel like they were in the real village in the film.
Trang An with a New Appearance
The Trang An Landscape Complex, located more than 90km south of Hanoi, was recognised as Vietnam’s first mixed natural and cultural heritage by UNESCO in 2014 based on the principles of the Convention on the Protection of World Culture and Natural Heritages, including cultural, aesthetical, and geological-geomorphic values and the preservation of heritage.
In the eyes of talented young director Jordan Vogt-Roberts, Trang An is a spectacular landscape of limestone karst peaks permeated with valleys. Therefore, he decided to select the place in Ninh Binh and others in the two provinces of Quang Binh and Ha Long, to shoot the film.
 The Trang An Landscape Complex, located more than 90km south of Hanoi, was recognised as Vietnam’s first mixed natural and cultural heritage by UNESCO in 2014. Photo: Tat Son/VNP  Visitors departing from the central wharf. Photo: Thong Thien/VNP  The Trang An Landscape Complex is dominated by large limestone karst peaks which create steep vertical cliffs covered in plants. Photo: Thong Thien/VNP  Unlike a traditional mountain range where the slopes connect to each other in a long undulating stretch, most of these peaks stand in isolation – making them even more dramatic in appearance. Photo: Trong Chinh/VNP |
Only one day after the film was released, travel companies domestically and abroad opened a new tour visiting the site which attracted a large number of tourists.
The pristine beauty and wonderful culture raised the prospects for the Ninh Binh tourism industry. Now, the film “Kong: Skull Island”, the first Hollywood film done in Vietnam, and its renovated studio promise to raise the prospects even higher.
Follow Kong’s Footsteps in the Van Long Wetland
Following Kong’s footsteps, tourists will arrive in the five-star Emeralda Resort in Gia Va commune, Gia Vien district, Ninh Binh where the film crew stayed in Ninh Binh while shooting the film.
The resort, covering 16ha, has the lush, green scenery of a northern countryside with 172 luxury rooms, satisfying any guests. Now, the resort also provides tourists with impressive tours, including “amazing Van Long”.
 Emeralda Resort Ninh Binh boasts a total of 172 guest rooms divided into 9 clusters, indoor and outdoor swimming pool, three pools, two restaurants, one wine bar, one pool bar, La Cochinchine Luxury Spa, fitness center and mini golf course, three meeting rooms, kid’s club and a Vietnamese market. Photo: Tat Son/VNP  Styled with traditional Vietnamese elements in architecture and furnishings, wedded to cutting edge enhancements and guest comforts, Emeralda Resort Ninh Binh incorporates an environmental philosophy throughout the resort. Photo: Tat Son/VNP   The resort boasts a total of 172 guest rooms divided into 9 clusters, indoor and outdoor swimming pool, three pools, two restaurants, one wine bar, one pool bar, La Cochinchine Luxury Spa, fitness center and mini golf course, three meeting rooms, kid’s club and a Vietnamese market. Photo: Emeralda Resort Ninh Binh’s file  Having lunch on a boat at Van Long wetland, a tour provided by Emeralda Resort Ninh Binh. Photo: Emeralda Resort Ninh Binh’s file |
The tour gives tourists special experiences in the submerged reserve. Tourists have a chance to see the wild beauty of Van Long in rustic wooden boats. During the trip, tourists will be fascinated by mysterious caves, rare Vooc (langur) and flocks of storks fluttering in the sky.
The trip to Trang An and Van Long in the Trang An Landscape Complex will surely impress anyone going there with its harmonious combination of western and oriental culture.
Story: Thao Vy Photos: Vietnam Pictorial’s Golden Moment Photography Club
