Landmarks such as the Binh Trai cable steel structure, mountain tunnels used for mineral transport, and stone office buildings from the French colonial period are now moss-covered and weather-worn, exuding an antique charm. Ancient stone-paved paths, used for mining transportation, remain sturdy without mortar, while towering cliffs support tangled forest vines.
The core of the Conservation Area reveals diverse, unique natural scenery. The ecosystem here includes limestone mountain forests and rich vegetation, featuring ancient trees such as ironwood and hundreds-of-years-old timber trees scattered throughout. The area has two flat, expansive valleys with a year-round water source at its center.
During the resistance against the French, Nam Xuan Lac served as a base for revolutionary activities, housing seven historic and cultural relics. Highlights include the Phja Khao Temple, built in 1933, a place of spiritual and cultural significance for Ban Thi commune residents, as well as the Central Armaments Workshop foundation from 1947 and the Central Nursery from 1948 - 1954. This area was also home to Vietnam’s first printing press for currency.
Nam Xuan Lac offers abundant biological resources, a cool climate, pristine beauty, and a buffer zone rich in ethnic cultural heritage, promising great potential for eco-tourism, relaxation, and recreational forest tourism. To unlock its potential, in January 2024, the People’s Committee of Bac Kan Province issues a decision approving the project of eco-tourism, resort, and entertainment in Nam Xuan Lac Species and Habitat Conservation Area in the period from 2021 to 2030. Accordingly, this area will have four eco-tourism sites and nine eco-tourism routes.
This project emphasizes conserving and enhancing natural landscapes, leveraging ecological resources, and developing forest tourism services alongside forest protection and biodiversity conservation. The goal is to transform Nam Xuan Lac into a premier regional tourist destination and part of Bac Kan’s tourism development plan, creating jobs, increasing income, and improving the local community’s quality of life.
The distinctive Sac tu chum tu tan (Oxyspora paniculata) flowers on Phja Khao Peak in the Nam Xuan Lac Conservation Area. Photo: Hien Tu
During this phase, Bac Kan is seeking organizations and individuals interested in eco-tourism, forest relaxation, and sustainable forest development investments. Meanwhile, the area continues to welcome visitor groups for scenic, historical, and cultural experiences./.
Story: Hien Tu Photos: Hien Tu & Files Translated by Phuong Tra