Yen Thanh - New tourist destination
(Baonghean.vn) - Identified as one of the six key areas with great potential for tourism development in Nghe An province, Yen Thanh is a new destination for tourists from everywhere.
Potential for cultural and experiential tourism
The ancient Dong Thanh site (now Yen Thanh district) has long been known as an ancient land. During the Tien Le, Ly, Tran dynasties, many migrations and land reclamations were promoted, establishing prosperous hamlets and villages, forming fertile fields, making Yen Thanh the rice granary of the North Central region. The highlight of Yen Thanh is the system of ancient relics and scenic spots that are well preserved and maintained, so in recent years it has attracted a significant number of tourists who love cultural, ecological and spiritual tourism.
According to statistics, Yen Thanh has up to 522 relics and scenic spots, of which more than 200 relics have been decentralized for management, 74 relics have been ranked (24 relics are ranked nationally, 50 relics are ranked provincially).
Many relics have unique ancient architectural and artistic values such as: Duc Hoang Temple (in Phuc Thanh commune), Bao Lam Communal House - Pagoda (Hoa Thanh commune), Hau Communal House (Bac Thanh), Sung Communal House (Lang Thanh), Ca Communal House (Hoa Thanh)... and some historical relics with educational significance such as: Memorial area of Uncle Ho's visit to Vinh Thanh, Memorial house of comrade Phan Dang Luu, Trang Ke relic, etc.
Up to now, Yen Thanh people still preserve many traditional cultural features that are imbued with the characteristics of residents of the wet rice farming region. Tourists can explore these unique cultural features during experiential tours in the countryside. Attending the traditional Tuong singing nights in Xuan Thanh commune, Vinh Thanh commune, singing Cheo in Lang Thanh, listening to Nghe An Vi Giam folk songs at clubs in Phuc Thanh and Dong Thanh communes or participating in traditional folk festivals such as: Duc Hoang Temple Festival, Gam Temple - Pagoda Festival, Ca Temple Festival... and enjoy many rustic dishes: grilled snakehead fish, eel, field crab, stir-fried frog with banana, honey, banh chung, banh xeo, banh ke, herbal rice, Xa Doai oranges, etc.
Attracting investment in tourism development
Comrade Phan Van Tuyen - Chairman of Yen Thanh District People's Committee shared: "Currently, Yen Thanh has planned to develop a number of tourism projects, including two key tourism projects: Gam Temple - Pagoda Spiritual Tourism Complex and Ve Vung Lake Eco-tourism Area".
In early 2015, the People's Committee of Yen Thanh district coordinated with the Management Board of Truc Lam Yen Tu Zen sect to organize the ceremony of laying the foundation stone for the construction of Truc Lam Yen Thanh Zen Monastery at Phuong Son mountain (Ru Gam), on the basis of Chi Linh pagoda - a very sacred ancient pagoda that local people call Gam Pagoda. This is the first step in implementing the Project to build Ru Gam cultural, spiritual and ecological tourism area, which was approved by the Provincial People's Committee in 2012 with a scale of 316 hectares and an expected total investment of nearly 1,000 billion VND from socialized capital, divided into many phases and implemented over a long period of time.
The project of the spiritual tourism complex of Gam Temple - Pagoda and Truc Lam Yen Thanh Zen Monastery includes many items, including 5 main functional areas: Spiritual - festival area, Relic area; Bach Y Temple area..., Martyrs' cemetery area, Ecological resort and comprehensive services area. In addition, the 41m high An Quoc Buddha statue located on the top of Ru Gam will help this spiritual complex become more meaningful and sacred.
After 3 years of construction, up to now, some items of the project of the Temple - Gam Pagoda Spiritual Tourism Complex and Truc Lam Yen Thanh Zen Monastery have been built. It is expected that when completed, Truc Lam Yen Thanh Zen Monastery will be the largest Buddhist center in the North Central region, a place to preserve many unique and valuable Buddhist documents and cultures, serving everyone who wants to learn about Buddhism and this place will attract a large number of domestic and foreign tourists to visit.
The second key project is the Ve Vung Lake Eco-tourism Area, which has just been approved for planning by the Provincial People's Committee. This is an irrigation dam located in the middle of poetic mountains and forests stretching from Quang Thanh commune to Dong Thanh, with a total water surface area of up to 720 hectares and a water reserve of 20 million m3, making it one of the irrigation lakes with the largest area and water reserve in the North.
Ve Vung Lake has 10 large and small islands in the heart of the lake, the largest island has an area of more than 80 hectares, the smallest island has an area of about 8 hectares, very suitable for building resorts, entertainment areas and sightseeing yachts.
Although tourism exploitation in Ve Vung Lake is still spontaneous and rudimentary, without investment in infrastructure and services, in recent years this is still a favorite destination for many people. Mr. Phan Trong Luong - the owner of the only tourism business operating in Ve Vung Lake said: "I have been contracting the protection and exploitation of aquatic products in Ve Vung Lake for many years. The landscape of Ve Vung Lake is very beautiful but few people knew about it before. In the past 5-6 years, many tourists who love to explore nature have come to Ve Vung Lake, realizing their need for food, beverage, and sightseeing cruise services, I made a plan to open more tourism services. Up to now, Ve Vung Lake has been known to many people not only in the province but also in Hanoi and some other provinces.
In early 2018, Nghe An Livestock Breeding Development Company Limited proposed a project to plant fruit trees, timber trees combined with tourism at Ve Vung Lake in Yen Thanh district, with a total estimated investment of 506 billion VND and was approved by the Provincial People's Committee..
Along with the system of historical, cultural and scenic relics such as Duc Hoang Temple, Bao Nham Church - Rock Cliff, Ca Temple, Lim Forest, etc., the two projects of Ve Vung Lake Eco-tourism Area and Gam Temple - Pagoda Spiritual Tourism Complex and Truc Lam Yen Thanh Zen Monastery, once completed, will create a breakthrough to help Yen Thanh attract and retain many tourists in the coming years.
