Bac Ninh: Unlocking the 'Treasure trove' of rural tourism
WVR - In recent years, Bac Ninh has focused on developing rural tourism in tandem with cultural, historical, and traditional craft village tourism. The province is concentrating on building unique rural tourism products to create more diverse experiences for visitors.
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| Hands-on Experience at Delco Farm – A High-Tech Agricultural Farm in Thuan Thanh District, Bac Ninh. (Photo: Delco Farm)
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Great Potential
According to statistics, Bac Ninh currently has 1,589 historical relics (including 5 recognized as Special National Relics, 206 as National Relics, and 466 as Provincial Relics), along with 19 artifacts or artifact groups acknowledged as National Treasures.
The province is also home to four UNESCO-recognized heritages: Quan ho folk singing of Bac Ninh, Ca tru, ceremonial singing and the tug-of-war rituals and games of Huu Chap village, and the Worship of the Mother Goddesses of the Three Realms. There are also eight intangible cultural heritages listed in the National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Bac Ninh hosts 599 traditional festivals maintained annually by local communities, and has 120 craft villages—62 of which are traditional. The province also actively preserves a wide variety of folk performing arts such as tuong (classical drama), cheo (traditional opera), trong quan (folk drum singing), water puppetry, and traditional folk games.
In the culinary domain, though comprehensive data is lacking, Bac Ninh is estimated to have around 1,000 specialty dishes. The Quan ho people are not only refined in food preparation and presentation, but also exhibit graciousness and elegance in their hosting etiquette, showcasing a distinctive cultural style reflected in the saying “Eat like the North, dress like the capital,” and in the traditional Quan ho feasts.
This is the “treasure trove” that Bac Ninh can leverage to develop rural tourism. In fact, several localities in the province have begun introducing models that combine agricultural farming with tourism, offering activities such as sightseeing, photo opportunities, and shopping for agricultural products.
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| Bac Ninh: International visitors explore and experience Dong Ho folk painting. (Photo: Nhan Dan Newspaper) |
Notable examples include the high-tech agricultural farm Delco Farm in Thuan Thanh; the greenhouse-grown perilla model in Luong Tai; the Ngam Mac safe vegetable cooperative in Gia Binh; the High-Tech Agricultural Experiment and Production Center in Tien Du; and the Liem Anh Farm, also in Tien Du.
In addition to these, visitors to Bac Ninh can immerse themselves in traditional craft experiences such as making Dong Ho folk paintings, Phu Lang ceramics, Dong Ky and Phu Khe wood carvings, Da Hoi blacksmithing, Dinh Bang "phu the" (husband-and-wife) cakes, Dai Bai bronze casting, and Xuan Hoi bamboo and rattan weaving, among others.
According to Mr. Nguyen Trung Khue, Deputy Director of Bac Ninh’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the combination of tradition and modernity, spirituality and hands-on experiences, is creating a fresh appeal for Bac Ninh tourism—attracting both domestic and international visitors.
In 2024 and the early months of 2025, Bac Ninh’s tourist arrival growth rate reached up to 40% per year.
Maximizing the potential and strengths of rural tourism
As part of its tourism development plan oriented toward 2030, Bac Ninh has identified four key tourism product lines, one of which focuses on authentic cultural heritage experiences in traditional craft villages and original *Quan ho* villages. These include activities such as visiting ancient houses, participating in folk games, learning *Quan ho* folk singing, and trying out traditional crafts. The province is also promoting high-tech agricultural tourism models where visitors can engage in farming activities combined with recreation and relaxation.
A prime example is the community-based tourism model in Hoa Long Ward (Bac Ninh City), which offers homestay, eco-tourism, and wellness services integrated with cultural exploration. This includes immersive experiences centered around the Quan ho folk singing heritage, as well as tour connections between Diem Village, Ba Chua Kho Temple, and boat cruises on the Cau River, accompanied by Quan ho-style cuisine.
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| Bac Ninh: Visitors to Bac Ninh join the free tour “The Quintessence of Bac Ninh Culture – Colours of Heritage.” (Photo: VNA) |
Bac Ninh is also actively implementing a pilot project to develop OCOP tourism products for the 2023–2025 period, with a total budget of over 60 billion VND, focusing on the promotion of tourism based on agriculture, craft villages, and cultural heritage.
In addition, the provincial tourism sector has been actively advising on the development and expansion of tourism models linked to agriculture and rural areas. It is also organizing promotional activities to market rural tourism destinations and products both within and beyond the province, and is working to develop community-based tourism in alignment with the *new-style rural development program.
Promotional efforts are being integrated with tourism programs and events, as well as broader cultural, artistic, and sports activities. Authorities are guiding and encouraging organizations and individuals to explore and develop rural tourism. Localities are also being supported in planning the preservation, restoration, and promotion of traditional cultural values to serve rural and community tourism development.
To further enhance the effectiveness of its potential and strengths, in the coming time Bac Ninh will prioritize investment in tourism services based on the province’s rich tourism resources. The goal is to create a system of high-quality, distinctive tourism products that meet visitor demands. The focus will be on developing “green” tourism products, with a priority on cultural tourism, community tourism, river tourism, ecotourism, and agricultural-rural tourism.
With its unique cultural heritage, traditional craft villages, vibrant festivals, and rich local cuisine, Bac Ninh has all the elements to become a standout destination on Vietnam’s tourism map.
