Hoa Binh province is the only representative of Vietnam to be mentioned in the 71 most beautiful destinations in the world voted by CN Traveller magazine thanks to its rich landscapes and cultural experiences.

Hoa Binh Lake Tourist Area

On December 26, the famous American travel magazine Condé Nast Traveller announced a list of 71 most beautiful places in the world, including Hoa Binh in Vietnam. The page reviews the northern province of Vietnam, which stands out for its vast rice fields, friendly locals and rich culinary experiences. The list is not ranked in order and the selection criteria are not only based on impressive natural landscapes but also on historical values ​​and experiences for tourists.

Hoa Binh has majestic natural landscapes, with many historical and cultural relics and beautiful landscapes. In the province, there are 173 relics and landscapes that are managed and protected, including 41 national relics and 68 provincial relics, four nature reserves: Ngoc Son - Ngo Luong, Thuong Tien, Pu Canh, Hang Kia - Pa Co, which are very diverse in biology and rich in flora and fauna. Hoa Binh also has hot mineral water sources in Kim Boi, Lac Son, Yen Thuy, etc. which are potential for developing attractive eco-tourism and medical resorts. Hoa Binh lake has a water surface area of ​​8,000 hectares, a capacity of 9.5 billion m3 with many large and small islands creating a charming river landscape with the potential for tourism development. The Prime Minister has approved the development plan to become a national tourist area.

Rice fields in Mai Chau

In particular, Mai Chau tourist area has majestic natural landscapes, along with the preserved cultural identity of ethnic groups, with the potential to develop into a tourist destination that attracts many domestic and international tourists. In particular, Lac village has a pristine beauty with rice fields surrounded by green mountains. From September to the end of October, the yellow rice fields are the ideal time for tourists to cycle and sightsee. Lac village is also famous for hundreds of stilt houses nearly 700 years old, hidden in the white mist under the green hills. Some resorts and stilt house homestays allow guests to experience the life of the local people such as Mai Chau Ecolodge, La Maison De Buoc, Bakhan Village Resort. In addition, visitors have many options to participate in traditional activities of the Thai people such as weaving handicrafts, flying kites, singing and dancing, and making campfires in the evening.

The rich local cuisine is also a point of attraction for tourists to Hoa Binh. Typical dishes of the mountainous region such as five-color sticky rice, bamboo rice, grilled chicken, ethnic pork, grilled fish, sticky rice, wild vegetables, and leaf feasts (Food served on banana leaves)  are often served at restaurants or in resorts. Other representatives in Asia on this list include Raja Ampat and Bali islands in Indonesia, Zhangye Danxia Geopark in China, Bayon Temple in Cambodia, Jodhpur city in India, Hong Kong, and the Philippines. Of which, Japan has three representatives including Mount Fuji, Kyoto city, and Arashiyama bamboo forest.

  International tourists visiting Hoa Binh

In recent years, Hoa Binh province has directed departments, branches and localities to promote investment, mobilize businesses to increase investment in building potential tourism products, and put many new standard accommodation facilities into operation such as: Mai Chau Ecolodge, Avana Retreat (Mai Chau); Serena Resort, Mandala Retreat (Kim Boi district); Luong Son Retreat (Luong Son district), Thung May homestay, Nha Tim homesaty (Cao Phong district), Cuc Thao Valley (Hoa Binh city); Mai Da Lodge, Xoan Retreat (Da Bac district). In particular, Hoa Binh city has piloted and launched a weekend walking street since October 2023, creating a new tourism product to attract tourists.

In 2024, with many cultural, sports and tourism activities organized in many localities in the province, Hoa Binh tourism continues to grow. In 2024, the whole province welcomed more than 4.3 million visitors, of which international visitors were more than 500,000, with tourism revenue reaching nearly 5,000 billion VND.