Turning barren hills into luxury resorts

Suoi Rao Ecolodge Resort (Suoi Rao Commune, Chau Duc District) is located on a gentle hillside with an area of ​​5 hectares, connecting to Xuan Son protective forest. Nearly 20 years ago, this place was just a rocky land, mainly growing short-term agricultural crops. As a landscape designer and biologist, Ms. Le Thi Nga (owner of Suoi Rao Ecolodge Resort) has turned her barren rocky hill into a forest to diversify the biodiversity to satisfy her passion for the profession.

PHOTO: NL

Throughout the journey of restoring and regenerating pristine natural values, Suoi Rao Ecolodge has been worked on by scientists, experts, and landscape architects in a systematic and scientific manner with a strong commitment to conservation and biodiversity. Currently, more than 95% of Suoi Rao Ecolodge's area is covered with trees. Of which, more than 1 million trees have been identified with about 700 species, including 18 rare timber species of Ba Ria - Vung Tau along with about 300 medicinal herbs. Flowers such as sunflowers, wild sunflowers, butterflies, birds of paradise, roses, and Dalat hydrangeas bloom all year round. Planting trees, managing forests, improving soil quality, and conserving biodiversity have helped Suoi Rao Ecolodge store large amounts of carbon. In 2024, the Institute for Applied Research and Enterprise Innovation (under the Department of Science and Technology of Ho Chi Minh City) awarded the carbon neutral destination certificate to Suoi Rao Ecolodge.

Likes terrain with lots of hills, streams and forests

Mr. Van (architect) and his wife are working as accountants at a company in Ho Chi Minh City. They are bored with the hustle and bustle of life, so they decided to leave the city and return to the countryside. They bought more than 1 hectare of land in Suoi Rao commune and started the journey to build the Suoi Rao Forest eco-tourism site. Mr. Van said: "I chose Suoi Rao to start a business because I like the terrain here with many hills, streams and forests". After more than 10 years of designing and constructing by himself, Suoi Rao Forest is now known to many tourists. This place is separate from the houses of the people, located next to the forest, so the space is quiet, gentle, the air is always cool, very suitable for groups of guests who like to be close to nature, trekking to explore the forest.

PHOTO: NL

Two years ago, when invited by a friend to Suoi Rao, Tam Lua (37 years old, living in Ho Chi Minh City) and her husband immediately fell in love with this land and decided to turn it into their second home. Although the Spa system business is developing very well in Ho Chi Minh City, the family is living in the most modern urban area, and the children are studying at an international school, Ms. Lua still decided to leave the city to return to Suoi Rao to buy a small, pretty garden. The Nha Lua Retreat eco-resort was born on a barren hill with a lot of passion from Ms. Lua and her husband. With a Spa and meditation room located along the stream, Nha Lua Retreat is not just a normal sightseeing and relaxation destination. Taking advantage of the forest, medicinal herb garden and clean vegetables, she also regularly organizes detoxification courses, free meditation activities, yoga, and health care to serve the community.

Mr. Tran Van Dung, Chairman of Suoi Rao Commune People's Committee, said that in the past, the livelihood of most local people mainly depended on livestock and farming. In the past 5 years, thanks to investment in connecting traffic infrastructure, Suoi Rao has attracted many investors. Social resources have helped change the appearance of the countryside, making houses more spacious and improving the quality of life of the people. "In the commune, there are nearly 10 stops and eco-tourism models invested in and built by local people and investors from other places. These areas and points help promote the local beauty to tourists, especially those who love the natural beauty of forests and lakes," Mr. Dung added.

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Agricultural development combined with tourism

Mr. Le Thanh Liem, Chairman of Chau Duc District People's Committee, said that Chau Duc is one of the famous agricultural areas of Ba Ria - Vung Tau province with specialties that have become brands such as: coffee, cocoa, pepper and fruit trees. In recent years, Chau Duc's agricultural sector has also brought other advantages to the locality in exploiting agricultural tourism. Especially with the natural advantages bestowed on Chau Duc land by cool streams and cool midland climate, it is an ideal condition for the formation of eco-tourism areas, which have become a trend chosen by many tourists.

Chau Duc is located between the largest industrial area of ​​the province, Phu My City, and the emerging tourist area of ​​Xuyen Moc, and is also a gateway area adjacent to Dong Nai. This is a favorable factor in trade connection, transit, and attracting tourism to Chau Duc. Recently, the Government has agreed in principle to build the Long Thanh - Ho Tram airport expressway project, the entire expressway passes through Chau Duc District, in addition to the existing National Highway 56 and routes 991, 992, 995, 997, Ho Chi Minh City Ring Road 4 when put into operation will be very convenient for tourists to travel and relax in Chau Duc. "In the area, more than 10 agricultural tourism models have been established with products to serve the needs of sightseeing, tourism, and shopping for agricultural products. Chau Duc also has many promotional activities, improving the quality of agricultural products, increasing income for farmers, helping the agricultural sector move in the right direction of sustainable production according to the value chain," Mr. Liem added.

PHOTO: NL