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J
ust 50km from Halong and 110km
from Hanoi, Yen Tu pagoda has
been named one of the 10 most
attractive spiritual destinations in
Vietnam by the Vietnam Records Or-
ganisation.
Yen Tu is a recognised special na-
tional relic site and its charm is expect-
ed to grow thanks to constant efforts to
turn the venue into a stunning tourism
attraction for both domestic and in-
ternational visitors through connecting
the site to Halong Bay.
While Yen Tu remains short of at-
tractive offerings to help extend visitor
stays in the province, it does draw mil-
lions of pilgrims annually.
“Under the banner of ‘One Journey,
Two Heritages’, Yen Tu and Halong Bay
will be combined in a trip and this will
be given top priority in the forthcoming
time,” says Bui Dinh Tuan, chairman and
general director of Quang Ninh Invest-
ment Import Export JSC (Qunimex). This
is both an immediate and long-term tar-
get to bolster Yen Tu’s value.
In order to effectively tap Yen Tu
mountain’s potential, in 2001 Tung
Lam Investment Development JSC
(Tunglamtourist) - a member of Quni-
mex - pumped money into building
a modern cable system to transport
visitors from Giai Oan Pagoda to Hoa
Yen Pagoda.
After eight months of intensive
construction, the 1,209m long cable
system became operational in early
2002. Since the cable system was put
into use, journeys to Yen Tu have
become much more convenient. Be-
sides, from the cable cars visitors can
take in the whole view of the majestic
mountain.
The cable system is not only a trans-
port tool, but also a tourism product
which has played a part in awakening
the potential and honouring historical
values and the natural beauty of Yen
Tu mountain.
In 2007 Tunglamtourist injected
capital into building a second 980m
long cable system running from Mot
Mai Pagoda to An Ky Sinh.
The newer cable system runs on a
43 per cent slope, one of the steepest
worldwide. The system was put into use
in February 2008 after nine months of
construction. Both cable systems em-
ploy advanced POMA group technology
from France.
After the success of the cable car
projects, Tunglamtourist was trusted
by Quang Ninh provincial authorities
to manage the operation of the entire
system on Yen Tu mountain. It now
timeout
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Yen Tu Pagoda complex lies in the mountainous north eastern province of
Quang Ninh.
Thu Le
reports on efforts to combine this spiritual heartland with
Halong Bay trips to entice tourists to linger longer in this corner of Vietnam.
Combining