From the bonsai village...

Hong Van commune has 6 villages: Xam Thi, Xam Xuyen, Co Giao, Cam Co, La Thuong and Van La; in which the villages all have traditional occupations, Xam Xuyen and Co Giao were recognized as Ornamental Plants Craft Villages in 2008. Promoting the inherent strengths, since 2012, the commune has implemented land consolidation and plot exchange associated with synchronous planning work in new rural construction, orienting the shift of the commune's economic development towards trade, tourism and services. By 2014, the Hong Van Flower, Ornamental Plants and Services Cooperative was established, this is the core organization that joins Hong Van people in doing tourism.

Students visit Dr. Nguyen Y's stele house. Photo: VAN CONG

Mr. Tran Quoc Bao, Chairman of the People's Committee of Hong Van Commune, said that the Party Committee, the government and the people in the commune have made joint efforts and unanimously agreed to transform Hong Van from a purely agricultural commune to a commune developing trade, services and tourism; gradually turning tourism into a spearhead economic sector of the locality. Officials and people have continuously studied and exchanged experiences in eco-tourism and community tourism. As a result, in 2018, Hong Van was recognized by the Hanoi People's Committee as a Craft Village Tourism Destination. In 2019, Hong Van was recognized by the Hanoi People's Committee as an advanced new rural commune and has now been assessed as a model new rural commune.

Since being recognized as a tourist destination, Hong Van has welcomed about 70,000 domestic and foreign tourists each year to visit and experience. Many households have seized the opportunity to build tourist service points, experience areas... to diversify tourism products. Typically, the experience area at Hong Van Flower, Ornamental Plant and Service Cooperative, Fairy Flower Island - Hong Cloud Land has created an eco-tourism space for visitors to immerse themselves in the natural world, experience farming and explore Vietnamese folk games.

In addition, Hong Van also organizes many large-scale activities every year such as: Spring Flower Festival, Chu Dong Tu - Tien Dung Festival, Love Festival, Lantern Festival... attracting thousands of tourists. Coming to Hong Van, any local can become a tour guide, any location has beautiful scenery for tourists to take souvenir photos. The labor force in the commune working in trade, services, and tourism in general is 2,490/3,265 people, reaching 76.26% (November 2022 data).

To preserve the environmental landscape, the entire political system and all classes of people in Hong Van join hands and join forces with specific and practical activities and movements such as: Volunteer Saturday; 5 No 3 Clean; Green Sunday; self-managed roads blooming with flowers, clean from house to alley... it is difficult to see litter thrown haphazardly on the village roads and alleys in Hong Van.

...to a unique community tourism destination

After many years of both doing tourism and gaining experience, Hong Van is now confident with its professional tourism products and services. Specifically, Hong Van has spiritual tourism services, event organization services, eco-tourism services, experiential tourism services and shopping services for OCOP products, flowers and ornamental plants, etc.

Introducing tourism products of Hong Van commune to visitors. Photo: TO QUY

According to Mr. Ha Huy Thon, Chairman of the Elderly Association of Hong Van commune, this is a land rich in tradition, culture and history, associated with the legend of Chu Dong Tu - Tien Dung (one of the Four Immortals of the Vietnamese people). Hong Van has a unique system of relics, of great cultural value and is connected to the spiritual tourist attractions of the commune, especially the traditional spiritual cultural complex of Van La village with Van La communal house, pagoda, Ong Gia new market, Quan Van stone mausoleum, Dr. Nguyen Y stele house... all of which have been recognized as historical relics at all levels.

Walking on the streets of Hong Van commune, more than 30 streets have very lyrical names describing the flowers planted on the streets such as: Hoa Ban, Hoang Yen, Phuong Vi, Bang Lang... making tourists fascinated and comparing Hong Van to "Paradise of flowers".

In addition, Hong Van also has 3 tea products that have been recognized by Hanoi City as 4-star OCOP in 2022, including: Moringa tea, Trau Co tea, and Kim Ngan Hoa tea. All tea products are grown and produced by Hong Van farmers using organic methods. In addition, visitors can also experience the herbal tea production and processing area, visit the area where more than 100 types of country wine are brewed with herbs; visit the model of planting and harvesting seasonal agricultural products, take photos in flower gardens, bonsai trees with unique shapes...

Mr. Nguyen Van Tu, Director of Hong Van Flower, Ornamental Plant and Service Cooperative said: “Visitors coming to Hong Van are coming back to nature and the rustic countryside. Here, visitors can enjoy unique bonsai art works and interact with artisans, experience the service “One hour as a bonsai artist” or experience farming for students to learn about Vietnamese culture. To facilitate transportation, the cooperative also has 4 electric cars to take visitors to different locations quickly and conveniently. With the tourism potential and the joint efforts of the people and the entire political system, we believe that Hong Van commune will develop more and more.

NGUYEN VAN CONG