Awakening the "smokeless industry" in Ca Mau

Kinhtedothi – With its geographical location in the southernmost region of the country, Ca Mau has three distinct freshwater, brackish, and saltwater ecosystems, which are a new potential and opportunity for the smokeless industry.

Plan No. 08/KH-UBND on tourism development in Ca Mau province in 2018 identified tourism as a comprehensive economic sector with profound cultural and humanistic content, making an important contribution to economic integration, and contributing significantly to socio-economic development in the province. In particular, focusing on developing diverse tourism products according to the province's strengths such as: ecological, community, forest, associated with the system of tourism products from agriculture... is identified as a key solution.

Tourism associated with economic development of mangrove and brackish water forests

Known as the land of "golden forests and silver seas", Ca Mau is blessed by nature with many valuable economic products of the alluvial land. That richness and fertility have created a unique forest ecosystem that few other places have. Taking advantage of that potential and advantage, in many different ways, people in the mangrove areas of Ca Mau have relied on the forest to develop the economy, thanks to which many households have changed their fate and become quite rich. Ngoc Hien and Nam Can are among those localities.

Here, the East coast has an irregular semi-diurnal tidal regime, with a large tidal amplitude of 2.5-3m, the West coast belongs to the diurnal tidal zone with a large tidal amplitude at high tide of 1-1.5m. The tide in the East pushes the tidal water deep inland while the tide in the West tends to draw the tide out to sea. Thanks to this advantage, aquatic resources such as clams, mussels, cockles, snails... also grow and develop, bringing high economic value. Particularly, the alluvial area of ​​Mui Ca Mau has a very special tidal regime because it is adjacent to two sea areas with different tidal regimes. This geographical feature has created a rich and diverse ecosystem for the Ca Mau mangrove area, helping the local people make a living for many generations.

Martial arts tour through the forest is a popular tourist tour in Ca Mau Cape (Hoang Nam)

In addition to creating livelihoods for workers with diverse and extremely fertile resources, the mangrove ecosystem also helps people increase their income from ecotourism and community tourism. This form of tourism has been developing strongly in Ca Mau Cape for many years.

Tourists enjoy taking photos of the sunrise at Ca Mau Cape (Hoang Nam).

Mr. Le Minh Ty, Director of Tu Ty Company Limited, Ngoc Hien District, said that from the strength of the forest economy, Mr. Ty has boldly invested in the tourism business. "Coming here, in addition to enjoying rustic dishes with a rich alluvial flavor, visitors can also participate in experiential activities such as: catching fish, spreading nets, fishing... then catching fish and shrimp to boil and grill at the shrimp pond. This experience has attracted many tourists" - Mr. Le Minh Ty added.

Afternoon on the alluvial land of Ca Mau Cape (Hoang Nam).

Mr. Le Chi Thang, Head of the Department of Culture, Information and Sports of Ngoc Hien district, said: “Ngoc Hien has many advantages to develop tourism, with diverse and rich natural resources, especially a rich mangrove ecosystem, many livelihoods. Promoting that advantage, the district has coordinated with Mui Ca Mau National Park and functional sectors to organize and exploit typical eco-tourism products such as opening tours through the forest and experiencing. Besides, effectively promoting eco-tourism and community tourism spots with many attractive products.”

Exploiting sweet tourism from cajuput forest products

Not only famous for its brackish water area bordering the East and West seas, although the province does not have fresh water from the Mekong River, Ca Mau still has a famous and unique freshwater forest ecosystem. In particular, the forest area is mainly located in the three districts of U Minh, Tran Van Thoi and U Minh, attracting many tourists to experience ecotourism.

Strawberry garden in U Minh sweet region, Ca Mau (Hoang Nam)

In Thoi Binh district alone, in 2024, there will be tens of thousands of visitors to visit eco-tourism sites. With the direction of developing community-based eco-tourism, both experiencing rustic activities and preserving the natural values ​​of the river area, tourist destinations such as Trem River, Tu Su Stork Garden... are attracting visitors from inside and outside the province.

Coming here, visitors can immerse themselves in the peaceful countryside, experience rowing a boat, setting traps to catch fish in the pond... In particular, they can admire the natural scenery with dozens of different species of birds and storks such as: white stork, black stork, ghost stork, ivory stork, egret, cormorant, silver cheek, sesbania, hook-billed stork, fire-breasted stork... with hundreds of thousands of birds flocking to the bird gardens every afternoon.

Similarly, U Minh district has also attracted a large number of visitors, especially during holidays. Many visitors to the eco-tourism sites of Huong Rung, Huong Tram... cannot forget the feeling of experiencing for themselves eating wild bees in U Minh, catching fish, rowing a boat through the U Minh Ha forest...

Experience setting traps to catch eels in U Minh forest at Muoi Ngọt Tran Van Thoi Tourist Area, Ca Mau (Hoang Nam).

Along with the experiential activities and sightseeing, eco-tourism destinations are very popular, the tourism industry also has the opportunity for tourists to buy specialties from local OCOP products for their relatives.

Mr. Ly Minh Vung, Chairman of Thoi Binh District People's Committee, said: "Thoi Binh tourism has great potential. Under the direction of the Provincial People's Committee, the district has built an eco-tourism chain associated with the community to invite tourists to come here to live and experience with the people. Because it has just been shaped and the tour and route have not been determined, the district continues to coordinate with departments, branches and units to design and build a complete scenario to attract tourists, contributing to the development of the local economy."

Mr. Tran Hieu Hung, Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Ca Mau province, said that in order to make breakthroughs, the industry is building policies to support the development of agricultural tourism, organizing training courses and guiding households with tourism backgrounds to participate in tourism services, aiming towards a culture of community tourism. In addition, through tours, the province develops eco-tourism associated with the development of spiritual and cultural tourism such as: Hanoi Flagpole at Ca Mau Cape, Uncle Ho Temple, the relic of the North-bound rally, which has just been recognized.

Source: https://kinhtedothi.vn/danh-thuc-nganh-cong-nghiep-khong-khoi-o-ca-mau.html