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ing. My father seems like a bridge to
the past. I hope that my son feels the
same,” Tu says.
A peaceful province
Today, like any other land in the
northwest, Dien Bien lures tourists with
undulating roads, beautiful terraced
paddy fields, stunning caves and lakes,
imposing rivers, untamed primitive for-
est, and the cultural diversity of 21
ethnic peoples, including Thai, Kinh,
H’mong, Khmu, and much more.
You can find relaxation by indulg-
ing in the Hue Pe mineral springs, boat-
ing on the immense Pa Khoang Lake, or
more simply contemplating and taking
photos of stunning landscapes.
If you are a fan of adventure, Dien
Bien will not disappoint as the moun-
tain pass of Pha Din awaits and there
are many forests to trek.
Twenty-one ethnic groups make the
land a diverse and colourful place. Dis-
tinctive cultural festivals are held, such
as Ban Phu Wall festival, the ban flower
festival of the Thai people, and the bam-
boo shoot growing celebration of many
ethnic groups.
Ta Sin Thang market sits in a valley
and is more like a festival than a nor-
mal market. It is not primarily a place
to buy and sell but to make friends and
enjoy life. The people dress beautifully
and take their time to eat specialties and
drink and talk with each other, creating a
very joyful and festive atmosphere.
Under-developed
Nature and history make Dien Bien a
promising destination for tourism. How-
ever, capitalising on the great potential
remains a challenge for the province.
In 2013 the province attracted
380,000 visitors, including 66,000 for-
eigners, contributing over VND400 billion
in revenue. The expectation in 2014 is
440,000 visitors with 75,000 foreigners,
providing an income of VND540 billion.
As we approach the 60th anniver-
sary of the Dien Bien Phu victory, thou-
sands of people are heading to the prov-
ince every day. Most of the 120 hotels
are fully booked into May. But despite
many good signs, the overall picture of
Dien Bien tourism is still less than per-
fect. Tourism facilities, travel routes and
tourism products are rather poor and the
length of stays here is quite short.
Meanwhile, many historical sites
are deteriorating due to a lack of res-
toration funds. According to Pham Van
Hung, director of Dien Bien Department
of Culture, Sports and Tourism. The
province has a very long way to go in
terms of hitting tourism targets and
making the industry a key factor in its
economic success. However, the prov-
ince is taking the first steps. Besides en-
hancing tourism promotion activities,
Dien Bien is concentrating on improv-
ing tourism facilities with the aim of
nearly doubling the number of rooms
by 2015. This means there will be 2,900
rooms, of which 15 percent with be of 3
to 4-star standard.
Community tourism projects have
also begun and a new project is planned
that will add ten more villages to the
network, providing accommodation, lo-
cal tour guides, and food to tourists.
Thanks to the broad cultural di-
versity here, community-based tourism
is expected to play a large role in the
development of the tourism sector. And
the province has grand ambitions. By
2020 it hopes to be attracting 1.3 mil-
lion domestic tourists and 300,000 for-
eigners each year, bringing in VND900
billion. The authorities believe this is
not out of reach, but it will take a com-
bined and concerted effort from local
people, authorities and others.
CLOSE UP
A tank used in the
battle of Dien Bien Phu
Old French bunkers
have been preserved