The orientation of tourist development in an giang province in the period of 2005 2010

This study aims at to identifying the available resources in An Giang Province.Moreover, It also evaluates the potential for tourist development and givessuggestion as well as recommenda

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING

HO CHI MINH CITY UNIVERSITY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES

AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

03'WroSCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING

HO CHI MINH CITY UNIVERSITY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES

In completing this graduation paper, I have receivedinvaluable advice, encouragement, and help form lecturers, andfriends

First off all, I would like to thank my advisor, Ms Hoang ThiThanh Trang for giving me ideas and valuable advices

I am also very grateful to the lecturers of Foreign LanguageDepartment who provided favorable conditions and useful comments

to complete this paper

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the followingpeople and organizations: first, to An Giang Department of Tourismand Trade for their data provision Next, I would like to give myspecial thanks to Ms Ha (Deputy Manager of An Giang Department

of Tourism and Trade) for her reference materials

Last but not least, I also wish to express my great appreciation

to my friend's support and encouragement

d) Differences between Adventure Tourism and Action Tourism or

e) Advantages of MICE Tourism 14-15

CHAPTER 3: AN OVERVIEW OF AN GIANG

4.1.1.3 Linh Son Pagoda 26

4.4.1.5 Uncle Ton's Memorial on Ong Ho (Mr.Tiger) Island 26-27

4.1.1.12 Sap (Collapsed) Mountain Tourist Center 30-31

4.1.2.2 Dolta and Bull-race Festivals of Khmer Ethnic Minority 35

5.204 Intra-provincial Tours in An Giang 52

6.1 Forecast of An Giang's Tourist Development Form 2005 to 2010 56

6.2 Orientation of An Giang's Tourist Development in the period of2005-2010

Being a place where there are many beautiful landscapes, ancient historicremain sites, traditionally cultural festivals, and particular tourist products, AnGiang has become a fascinating destination for not only domestic but alsointernational tourists in the recent years Furthermore, with -traditional creativedynamism, generosity, and hospitality, An Giang has attracted a large number oftourists especially eco-ones Local residents' standard living has been moreimproved by the tourist development and local economy has also been more andmore increasing Many hotels, motels, restaurants and entertainment areas havebeen grown up and upgraded The aim of this study is to show potentials for AnGiang tourist development, evaluate An Giang's current tourist development,introduce projects for the region's future tourist development and give opinions andrecommendations to improve the present tourist development

Firstly, data were collected from newspapers, magazines, websites both inEnglish and Vietnamese and An Giang Department of Tourism and Trade Then, anoverview of An Giang was made

Secondly, to introduce An Giang's landscapes, a chapter was designed Thischapter covered three parts: The first part concerned with the sights and traditionalfestivals that show advantages for An Giang tourist development The second partprovides particular tourist products, which are favored by international tourists

Thirdly, an analysis of tourist development in the previous years was carriedout The analysis shows figures of tourist arrivals, number of international touristsand domestic tourists Besides, the total revenue from tourist industry was alsoanalyzed Through this analysis, we can see that An Giang tourism is growing andpromising

Fourthly, short-term, long-term objectives and the forecast of total touristarrivals, total revenues were also mentioned Finally, suggestion andrecommendation were given to improve present tourist development.

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

In 1832, An Giang Province was officially recorded in the administrativesystem Following the typical lifestyle of water rice civilization and agriculture-based economy, An Giang inhabitants have long been famous for enormous riceoutput, aqua products, fish crafts and especially tourist attractions In recent years,thanks to the Mekong Delta's tourist development, An Giang attracts more than 2million tourist arrivals each year An Giang Province has really become one of themost potential destinations for tourist development in Mekong Delta It is thereason why I have chosen An Giang Province for my graduation paper

This study aims at to identifying the available resources in An Giang Province.Moreover, It also evaluates the potential for tourist development and givessuggestion as well as recommendation to develop tourism in An Giang in the nearfuture Due to time limit, the content of this study only focuses on the touristattractions as well as geography features of An Giang This study also analyzes the

An Giang's potentials for tourist development and also covers suggestion andrecommendation for developing tourism in An Giang

This study begins with general information about tourism such as ongm oftourism, definitions of tourism, impact of tourism and popular types of tourism.Next, I would like to introduce an overview of An Giang including naturalconditions, social and economic characteristics of An Giang Province The fourthchapter outlines An Giang's tourist attractions, traditional festivals and particulartourist products to show potentials for tourist development of An Giang In the fifthchapter, I would like to give an evaluation of An Giang tourist development in theprevious years The sixth chapter mentions the orientation and the forecast of AnGiang tourist development in the next few years The main chapter or the finalchapter contains suggestion and recommendation to develop An Giang tourismfurther in the future

The data for this study were mainly collected from books, newspapers,magazines and websites Then I will go to An Giang Province and visit An GiangDepartment of Tourism and Trade to get more data.

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW

AN OVERVIEW OF TOURISM

2.1 Origin of Tourism

Travel developed from the need to survive, the desire to expand trade, andthe quest to conquer The driving forces behind the development of tourism werecuriosity about the world and the desire to escape the stresses of urban life

Nowadays, humans could travel over roads, sail in ships, or soar in places.However, in the old days, their only practical method of transportation was theirown legs The first humans were nomadic, driven to travel by the need to hunt deer,bison, birds, and other game Around 8000 B.C., the traders appeared, usingseashells as money People who lived inland, far away from the coast, valued theshells as jewelry, inspiring what may have been the world's first fashion trend Thisfashion trend lead to the development of tourism Then, the invention of the wheel

to the flights of the space made tourism develop greatly The desire and thenecessity of travel have become common reasons for tourism activities Peopletravel for pleasure, business, education, curiosity or exploration Whether for trade,exploration, conquest, or pleasure, no experience has ever rivaled in impact the boldadventure of travel

2.2 Definition of Tourism

"Though there are many defmitions of tourism, the term "tourism" means thesum of phenomenon and relationship arising from the travel and stay of non-residents in so far as they don not lead to permanent residence and are notconnected with any earning activity"

Hunziker and KrapAccording to Dennis L Foster - the writer of An Introduction to Travel andTourism, he has another definition: "In a narrow sense, tourism refers to the activity

or practice of traveling for personal enlightenment, education, or pleasure In abroad sense, tourism is the business of providing information, transportation,accommodations, and other services to travelers."

Here are another definitions of tourism:

• "Travel is not a luxury rather than it is a necessity for business and a basicright for all people"

(World Travel and Tourism Council)

• "The travel and tourism industry is a vast group of business with one goal incommon providing the necessity or desired products and services totravelers"

• "The travel and tourism industry is the largest individual industry in theworld and the largest contributor to global economic development"

In conclusion, although there are many definitions of tourism, the term is mostcommonly used to describe movement of people to destinations outside where theynormally live and work and activities during their stay at these destinations; itincludes movement for all purposes, as well as day visits or excursions

(Definition by the Tourism Society)

2.3 Impact of Tourism

2.3.1 Economic Impact of Tourism

The economic benefits of tourism are undeniable According to UnitedNations, international tourism has tripled since 1967, accounting 13 percent of allforeign trade Approximately 15 percent of these revenues are spent in developingcountries

The most visible economic benefit of tourism is employment Tourismprovides jobs for such workers as hotel employees, taxi drivers, tour guides,construction workers, restaurant employees and transportation workers Many suchjobs would not exist if tourism had not been developed

Besides employment, tourism also generates revenues for government Taxespaid by tourists help local governments fund education, health care, and otherservIces

Money spent by a traveler at a hotel or restaurant helps to pay employeewages and other businesses Eventually, the same money is used to buy food,clothing and other products and services, further benefiting the economy.

2.3.2 Cultural Impact of Tourism

One of the most positive effects of tourism is cross-cultural awareness - thefostering of understanding between peoples of different nations and cultures Theopportunity to exchange knowledge, ideas and traditions is more available todaythan at any previous time in history

Tourism promotes goodwill and the exchange of cultural values Thesevalues mean destinations' typical festivals, specialties, etc For example, inVietnam, there are many traditional festivals such as Lunar-New Year, Mid-Autumn Festival, etc

2.3.3 Social Impact of Tourism

The introduction of tourism to a new region inevitably altered people's dailylives In some cases, too-rapid tourist development contributed to high crime ratesand introduced gambling, materialism For example, people can pay too muchattention to how to get money, how to have luxurious life and do everything tosatisfy physical needs

Tourism has sometimes contributed to social unrest such as gambling orimmigration For example, people especially the young ones in the countryside donot like to do the farm work because framing is so hard Therefore, they move to thecity to find job However, they have no skills, knowledge as well as certification.Therefore, some of them become beggars and others come back As a result, thiscreate social unrest

Tourism can spoil the attractive natural environment that made tourismpopular initially For example, Sapa, Vietnam provides one example of unwantedeffects of tourism Once Sapa has become an attractive tourist attraction, manyhotels have been built This can spoil natural forests

2.3.4 Environment Impact of Tourism

The relationship between tourism and the environment is closely intertwined

In many developed areas, air and water pollution are serious environmentalproblems Most air pollution is caused by the burning of fossil fuels, but burning ofgarbage and trash also poses potential health hazards Hotels use large amounts ofelectricity, most of which is produced by power plants that bum coal or other fossilfuels Moreover, hotels and other businesses sometimes dump large amounts ofwaste products into oceans, lakes and rivers Solid wastes are also considered asenvironmental impact of tourism because it generates millions of tons of cans,junked tries, and scrap metal

2.4 Tourist Market

T01U;Slll

Market

2.4.1 Active Tourism

Active Tourism is a special way to spend your vacation It is a new travelingphilosophy that combines adventure, eco-tourism and cultural aspects of a discoverytour Active Tourism comprises eco-tourism in the sense of protection ofbiodiversity and value of nature Active Tourism not only values nature, but it alsoaims to educate the human being, and to promote health by practicing exercise.Active Tourism also helps to the sustained development of the region Tourists areasked to help actively and to contribute morally and economically to local andecological organizations (non-profit, non-governmental organizations) Touristshave not come to watch passively but to interact actively, to learn, to help and toenjoy the richness of cultural diversity They have to come to observe biodiversity,

to respect and value the miracle of millions of years of natural evolution ActiveTourism is low impact, ecological and socially compatible and high quality ActiveTourism has three major aims:

Recreation: Distraction form daily working routine during vacations,

Active Tourism is fun and provide you all the pleasure you can desire ActiveTourism also makes you relax your mind and recharge your body energy bypracticing exercises and actively participating in your entertainment

Education: Active tourism encourages tourists to learn anothercultures and way of living Your vacations should broaden new horizons.Willingness to learn the language, eat the typical food, value local traditions andrespect foreign cultures and benefits.

Benefit: Tourism not only brings advantages to visitors but also helps

the local economy and promotes development of the visited land Active Tourism islow impact, ecologically and socially sustainable Active Tourism uses and valuesnature, protects biodiversity and offers work to people

2.4.2 Mass Tourism

Mass Tourism could not really begin to develop until two things occurred:

a) Improvements in communications allowed the transport of large numbers ofpeople in a short space of time to places ofleisure interest

b) Greater numbers of people began to enjoy the benefits of leisure time Amajor development was the invention of railways

The father of modem mass tourism was Thomas Cook who, on 5 July 1841,organized the first package tour in history, by chartering a train to take a group ofpassengers from Leicester to rally in Loughborough, some twenty miles away Cookimmediately saw the potential for business development in the sector, and becamethe world's first tour operator

He was soon followed by others As a result, the tourist industry developedrapidly in early Victorian Britain

2.4.3 Special Forms of Tourism

For the past few decades, other forms of tourism have been becoming morepopular such as Adventure Tourism, Eco-tourism, Cultural Tourism, etc

2.4.3.1 Cultural Tourism

Cultural Tourism is a type of tourism concerned with a country or region'sculture Cultural Tourism includes tourism in urban areas, particularly historic orlarge cities and their cultural facilities The segment of tourism consisting of

programs and activities aims at participants interested in learning the customs of acertain people or region For example, dance, folk tradition, gastronomy

Cultural Tourism is an important type of travel industry because

a) Cultural Tourism is the fastest growing sector of the tourism industry

b) Cultural Tourists spend $62 more per day and $200 more per trip than othertravelers

c) Cultural Tourism include multiple destinations during a visit and stay onehalf-day longer at each destination

d) Cultural Tourists have higher levels of income

2.4.3.2 Eco-tourism

In 1991, The International Eco-tourism Society (TIES) provided a definition:

"Eco-tourism is responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environmentand sustains the well being of local people" The World Conservation Union stated

in 1996 that eco-tourism " is environmentally responsible travel and visitation torelatively undisturbed natural areas, in order to enjoy and appreciate nature and anycultural features -both past and present Eco-tourism promotes conservation whichhas low negative visitor impact, and provides beneficially active socio-economicinvolvement of local populations"

a) Common Aims of Eco-tourism and Active TourismBoth Eco-tourism and Active Tourism share high respect for nature andBiodiversity Nature is beautiful and the best way to protect it is to enjoy it bydiscovering and knowing it They both include an interpretation and learning effect

as an important aspect of the visit Both Eco-tourists and Active Tourists pursue

"life enhancement" and share a common desire for authenticity, completeimmersion in cultural and physical environment" Both Eco-tourism and ActiveTourism aim to have little impact as possible on the ecosystems and the visitedcountry They both seek long-term and sustainable benefits

b) Differences between Eco-tourism and Active Tourism

- Eco-tourism is primarily defined by - Active Tourism is defined by "thethe location, the destination of way of visiting", the attitude of thetraveling visiting of undisturbed tourist and the activities that arenatural areas

- Eco-tourism is only possible in

undisturbed "natural jungle"

- Eco-tourism requires as may trees, as

little construction and as few people as

possible

- Eco-tourism does not require active

physical and mental involvement of

tourists

carried out during visitation ActiveTourism requires active physical andintellectual participation of thetourists, regardless of the destination

- Active Tourism is both possible innatural areas as well as in the middle

of an "urban jungle" like city

- Active Tourism is not limited bytrees or houses, cars, streets and manypeople around

- Active Tourism does require

2.4.3.3 Adventure Tourism and Sport or Action Tourisma) Adventure Tourism

Adventure Tourism offers exciting experiences that are physical demanding.Adventure travel is personal accomplishment through the thrills of dominatingdangerous environments White-water rafting, ocean canoeing, horse riding, freeclimbing, and trekking through natural areas are some examples of adventuretourism Adventure Tourism is linked to an intact nature with a minimum ofcivilization influences

b) Action Tourism or Sport Tourism involves many sportsactivities like mountain bike, cross country rally, speed boat riding, bun geejumping and extreme sports The production and delivery of adrenal in to the body

is the desired result Often, some of the activities involve high personal risks and

dangers Action Tourism does not necessarily require a close or authenticinteraction with intact nature.

c) Differences between Adventure Tourism and Action orSport Tourism and Active Tourism

- Action Tourism involves many sport - Active Tourism also offers someactivities like mountain bike, speed boat activities of Active Tourism but itriding, etc

Adventure Tourism

exclude activities that are harmful to theenvironment and pose a treat tobiodiversity and local culture Mountainbike, free climbing, river crafting bevery harmful for natural environment ifthey are not done properly Thus, "what

to done" is not important as "How todone"

Active Tourism

- Adventure Tourism offers exciting - Active Tourism also offers theexperiences that are physically activities of Adventure Tourism but itdemanding White-water rafting, ocean adds an intellectual component to thecanoeing, horse riding, etc are some travel experiences

examples of adventure tourism

2.4.3.4 Business Tourism or MICE TourismMICE tourism is the new buzzword in international tourist markets and relates

to various forms of business tourism related to groups of business individuals ratherthan individual business travelers MICE stand for meetings, incentives,conferences and exhibitions

a) Meeting

A meeting is defined as an event designed to bring people together for thepurpose of exchanging information, either from within one company ororganization or from a broader spectrum of people: cocktail functions, productlaunches, lunch dinners and breakfast meetings, as well as special occasions such

as weddings would constitute a meeting as defined by the WTO (World TradeOrganization)

b) Incentives

Incentives are the second category of this market segment and include travel

to a foreign country or domestically as part of a motivational incentive scheme toincrease or reward employee effort

c) Conferences

The definition of conferences is highly contentious but is generally accepted

as being a multi day event having at least 100 delegates attending the event for thepurpose of exchanging information Conferences are thus differentiated frommeetings by both the duration of the event and the number of people attending

d) Exhibitions

Exhibitions involve the bringing together of people for the purposes ofviewing products and services

e) The Advantages of MICE Tourism

I) The MICE travel segment comprises the affluent corporate sector traveling forconventions, seminars and product launches, etc

2) The advantages of MICE travel was that it occurred throughout the year and wasnot confined to a particular season; the MICE tourists spent nine times more thanthe average holiday maker; they booked in advance; there were less 'no showpassengers'; and MICE travelers return with their families for a holiday to the samedestination

3) Many business firms believe that MICE not only can effectively motivate their employees, but also is a new way of enhancing public awareness of their own firms.

4) The attraction of the MICE industry is based predominantly on the fact that it is the fastest growing segment of the tourism market Internationally MICE tourism accounted for $90billion in 1997 and the industry is growing at between 8 and 10 percent per annum.

5) MICE travel provides high standard accommodation This can be shown that accommodation accounts for at least 55% of all expenditure, being consumption directly attributable to the tourist industry.

6) Serving MICE guests is a profitable business for travel companies because these visitors are willing to pay for new, attractive tourism services regardless of the pnce.

7) Advantages of Mice Tourism so far

Local government or private sector High development costs

High carrying costs High operation costs

investment.

High level of delegate spending

Increased employment

Economic gains to the local community Losses in operations

Impact on occupancy hotel bookings Infrastructure costs

Enhanced urban image Opportunity costs

Redevelopment of blighted areas Loss ofpropel1y taxes

Continuing costs for police, firemen

High debt service

2.4.3.5 AgritourismAgritourism is a style of vacation in which hospitality is offered on farms This may include the opportunity to assist with farming tasks during the visit Agritourism is often practiced in wine growing regions, as in Italy, France and Spain.

2.4.3.6 Study TourismThe segment of tourism consists of programs and activities for learning, training or increasing knowledge on site, involving students and teachers with local professionals For examples, anthropology, botany, languages, photography, etc.

In conclusion, tourism isa service industry, comprising a number of tangible and intangible components The tangible elements include transport system - air, rail, road, water, and now space; hospitality services - accommodation, foods and beverages, tours, souvenirs; and related services such as banking, insurance, safety and security The intangible elements include rest and relaxation, culture, escape, adventure, new and different experiences.

Nowadays, tourism has really become an attractive and profitable industry Like all forms of development, tourism can have positive and negative impacts The aim of sustainable tourism is to maximize benefits such as job creation, foreign exchange earnings and new infrastructure while safeguarding cultural heritage and living culture and minimizing negative environmental and social impacts From this reason, many countries depend heavily upon expenditures by foreigners as source

of taxation and income for the enterprises that sell services to travelers Realizing these benefits, in recent years, Vietnam has considered tourism as a main economy

of the country Furthermore, Vietnam has enough convenient conditions to develop tourism such as favorable natural conditions, many traditional festivals and destinations One of these attractive destinations is An Giang Province which is

very potential for tourist development in the future.

CHAPTER 3: AN OVERVIEW OF AN GIANG

3.1 An Giang in the New Development Era

The An Giang Province was officially registered into administrative system

in 1832 (during the 13th year of Minh Mang Dynasty) It belongs to the six-provincegroup of Gia Dinh - Bien Hoa - Dinh Tuong - Vinh Long - Ha Tien and An Giang

The An Giang residents gathered on this land since the seventeenth century.Most of them were exiled people from the North and the Central Vietnam coming toexplore and open the land

Nowadays, along with the whole country, An Giang is manifesting the strongpoints and achievements attained during the past few years, overcoming difficulties,and continuing to exploit and utilize to the best potentials and advantages in order todevelop the economy in a fast, efficient and steady pace, and build a civilized andadvanced society

With a population of over 2.1 million, a surface area of 3,424 km2, situated

at the source of the Mekong River; being a mountainous delta province; being aplace where there are many resources for development in agriculture, aquaculture,industry, commerce, services and tourism; having mineral resources, rivers andditches providing drinking water quality all year round, a convenient land and rivertransport network, beautiful landscapes and renowned sites, ancient historic remainssites, traditional cultural and popular festivals; especially possessing the Oc Eovestige site, and national ports, those are the advantages for An Giang to developthe economy in a fast and complete way and in the future An Giang will be thebridge province and a center for the communication with the Mekong sub-region,consisting of Viet Nam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and a number of other SoutheastAsian countries

An Giang has efficiently exploited and utilized the potentials, resources andadvantages concentrating on the investment for development of the fast growingeconomy An Giang's produced goods have never stopped increasing within thelocal and overseas markets Furthermore, tourism is quickly developing, annuallythere are over 2 millions local and foreign tourists coming to An Giang for visiting,

leisure and entertainment The technical infrastructure has been built to be more andmore homogeneous everyday The cities and countryside have been renovated tobecome neater, tidier, cleaner and more and more beautiful everyday; the residents'living standard, cultural and spiritual life has been upgraded step-by-step Thenationwide electricity and telephone network has been extended to cover remoteareas, mountain areas and border areas.

Realizing the government's strategy for a global development of the MekongRiver Delta until 2010, An Giang will continue to exploit the potentials andadvantages in order to develop the economy - society in a fast, efficient and steadypace, increasing the average GDP from 8.5% to 10%, continuing to invest in theconstruction of the social welfare infrastructure so that after 2010 An Giang will be

a province with a relatively modem agriculture, industry, commerce, services andtourism; and the people's material life will be improved

3.2 Geography features

3.2.1 Natural conditions

3.2.1.1 Map of An Giang Province

3.2.1.2 Location

An Giang Province is located to the west of the Mekong Delta between theTien and Hau rivers and shares a 100 km border with Cambodia in the northwest Italso shares border with Dong Thap Province in the east, Can Tho City in thesoutheast, and Kien Giang Province in the southwest

3.2.1.3 Climate

An Giang is divided into two seasons: the dry and the rain

Main raining months

6 months(May - November)

3.2.1.4 Temperature

Main drying months

4 months(December - April)

Temperature in An Giang is not only high but also stable

3.2.1.6 WindWind

Ethnicities

2,146,800Kinh, Khmer, Cham,Chinese

An Giang is home to a sizable number of people from Vietnam's ethnicgroups Due to the province's proximity to Cambodia, the Khmer is the.largest non-Vietnamese group Other groups, such as the Cham and ethnic Chinese, are alsofound in An Giang

Whole Province

Total2,146,800(Peo Ie)

of which workable1,065,000(Peo Ie)Source: An Giang Province Population Committee

Indust Trade and servicesWorkable people:

1.065.000

Source: An Giang Province Population CommitteeNote:

Total percentage of trained workers

Rate of university degrees and higher

Rate of vocational secondary studying

Rate of skilled workers

10% (100,000 pp.)1.3% (13,000 pp.)1.7% (17,000 pp.)70% (70,000 pp.)

Source: An Giang Province Population Committee

3.3.2 Labor Demand

In recent years, An Giang has become the main province for rice production

in the Mekong Delta Moreover, the Province is pushing other industries such astrade, services and especially tourism industry Therefore, basing on the abovestatistics, generally speaking, the trained human resources have not met therequirements of socio-economic development of the province

3.3.2.1 Major Targets in Human Resources for An Giang Province in the near future

In order to attract many students graduating from junior high school into jobtraining institutes and students from senior high school into universities, theProvince has plans to improve and establish new colleges and universities includingthe University of An Giang, the center of continuing Education and a number ofother organisms Moreover, projects of vocational training at secondary andtechnical worker level and job training are also major goals for human resources in

An Giang With these targets, the Province hopes that the percentage of trainedlabor force can attain 20% in 2005 and 30% in 2010 and attain a ratio of universitystudents from 130,000 to 150,000 students in 2010

3.3.3.2 Fishing

An Giang is extremely rich in aquatic resources in terms of fish habitats in

rivers, canals An Giang now has more than 3,400 breeding cages of tra and basa

and thousand of hectares of water are used to raise other fishes An GiangProvince's aquatic products such as cuttle, shrimps are favorite products in anymarkets, especially in the European Union, the United State and Japan Every year,the fishing raising villages supply the frozen food processing factories with over150,000 tons

In conclusion, to developing countries such as Vietnam, tourism has become

a profitable industry nowadays It brings many benefits such as creating jobs, increasing income and contributing to the local economic development.

With the analysis of the natural conditions, social and economic characteristics, An Giang has enough convenient conditions for tourist development Lying at the upper stream of the Mekong, in which the Tien and the Hau rivers flow by, An Giang has a temperate and mild climate Besides that, every year, the rivers swell and inundate the lands, bringing rich alluvia to fields From

this reason, An Giang is known as the granary of the Mekong Delta It offers rice fields stretching as far as the eye can see Moreover, the area is also the nation's fruit belt growing a wide range tropical fruits such as mangoes, oranges, longans, jackfruits, bananas, durians, papayas, etc.

Furthermore, An Giang has many tourist attractions, traditional festivals and typical tourist products which are very convenient for tourist development Therefore, we do believe that, in the next few years, An Giang will become more attractive and popular destination for tourists Whenever you want to relax, take sightseeing or enjoy fresh air and fresh fruits, An Giang always welcomes you.

Rice Fields An Giang at sunset

A peaceful picture Impressive Seven Mountains

CHAPTER 4: A GLIMPSE OF PRESENT TOURIST

To Mountain and other landscapes are of great attraction to local and internationaltourists

4.1.1.1 Hang (Grotto) Pagoda

On an altitude of 300m and apart from the Sam Mountain, historical relics,the Hang (Grotto) Pagoda is submerged in a quiet poetic ambience Its solemn,ancient, and magnificent look is wel1- known to visitors and pilgrims The mostdistinguishing features are the natural rock cave above the Pagoda and the mainTemple The cave has long been associated with many interesting interpretations ofits legend, contributing to attracting a great number of curious visitors The Templeincludes the grand statue of Buddha seated on a lotus-shaped pedestal, the house ofworship and the towers dating back 1840 - 1845 In the 1946, Senior Monk NguyenVan Luan came forward with the restoration of the Pagoda Thanks to thecombination of natural beauty, creativity and preservation of local people, HangPagoda has now become an attractive tourist site

4.1.1.2 Tay An Old Pagoda

With its outstanding existence dating back more than two centuries, Tay AnOld Pagoda has seen many ups and downs throughout the course of history Themagnificent outward appearance, and harmonious tone values of this ancientstructure are still mysteriously intact, interspersing with fresh, charming naturalscenery of the mountainous region and thus luring increasing number of visitors andpilgrims After having been restored numerous times, now it is a perfect work of art,contributing an available vestige to the national treasuries of cultural legacy

4.1.1.3 Linh Son PagodaLinh Son Pagoda is in Vong The Village, Thoai Son District (about 40kilometers away from Long Xuyen City) The pagoda is located on a high moundand under the shadow of Starwort trees People worship a four-hand Buddha statueand two holy stones inside the pagoda These are highly evaluated art works datedback about 2000 years According to the archaeologists, the antique scriptsengraved on the two stones might be the old Phu Nam ethnic language.

Although the two stones are still in good shapes, the scripts nearly fade away

as time has gone by The four-hand Buddha statue, which was discovered in 1913near Ba The Market, is fittedly matching between the two stones Therefore, peoplebuilt a pagoda for the statue and named it Linh Son, but it is so called four-handBuddha pagoda by the habitants

4.1.1.4 Floating villageVisitors to the Chau Doc confluence III Chau Doc Town (An GiangProvince) will have a chance to admire about 30m x 10m houses floating peacefully

in the river With lightly painted wooden walls, eye-catching patterned ceilings, andgood facilities; they can provide tourists a sojourn as wonderful as one in aluxurious hotel room The 5-meter-deep underwater part of nearly VND.1 billionhouses as such are made of wood and enclosed with ingot iron nets for raisingMekong Basa fish and other fish species

The view of hundreds of fish rafts coming together and forming a prosperousfish raft village has contributed to instituting a unique cultural trait that will attractlarge number of visitors, sightseers, and researchers

4.1.1.5 Uncle Ton's Memorial on Ong Ho (Mr Tiger)Island

Tourists can travel to Ong Ho (Mr.Tiger) Island (My Hoa Hung Commune),which is separated from Long Xuyen City by a tributary of the Hau River either byboat or by road to visit Late President Ton Duc Thang's house and relics incommemoration of his childhood In 1887, his father, Ton Van De, built the house

in the shape of a Chinese hieroglyphic character meaning "nation" Covering anarea of more than 150 square meters, the fine architectural work is 12 meters in

width and 13 meters in length with a wooden floor and a tube tile-thatched roof In

1984, the house was recognized as a historical vestige at the national level by theMinistry of Culture and Communication In commemoration of Late President TonDuc Thang's great contributions to the national revolutionary cause, the An Giangpeople held a solemn inauguration of the Memorial in His Name on the occasion ofhis 110th birthday His childhood home is the center of many newly built structuresamong which Temple of Uncle Ton is the most imposing It is a typically old-stylethree -story building that covers an area of about 1600 square meters Across fromthe Temple is the Exhibition Hall where a display of photos, exhibits, films andmaterials Uncle Ton's life and revolutionary career will give tourists interestinginsights into the life of a great example in the national history

4.1.1.6 Mubarak Mosque

The population of An Giang, a province III the delta of Mekong River,mainly includes four ethnic groups - Vietnamese, Chinese, Cham and Khmer TheCham ethnic people in An Giang Province cluster mainly in Phu Tan, Tan Chau,Chau Phu and An Phu Districts They are all Muslims who worship Allah Thus,their living place has the distinctive ubiquity of mosques One of the mostmagnificent, spectacular structures that features the Islamic identity in architectureand is recognized by the Ministry of Culture and Communication is MubarakMosque Situated in Phu Hiep Commune, Phu Tan District, this original building is

62 kilometers away from Long Xuyen City Visitors can drive along NationalHighway 91 westbound toward Chau Doc Town, then take a boat trip at ChauGiang pier to the Mosque

Mubarak Mosque was the fruit of believes' donations and contributions Thecurrent structure, which was originally designed by the Mohamed Amin - an Indianarchitect, has undergone a lot of restorations

With the magnificent porch facing a spacious courtyard, the Mosque lookslike an ancient Persian or Indian temple in the distance

pilgrims on their way to Mecca on December IO (in the Islamic calendar), etc.There are a great number of visitors joining these festivals on these days.

4.1.1.7 Oe Eo Cultural Vestige Land

This is a large ancient vestige area associating with the remains of Phu NamKingdom (a prosperous nation in South-East Asian 2,000 years ago) Therefore, it isknown by tourists in and out of the nation

Together with this area, known as "Oc Eo City" and sized in 4500 hectares,there are also some other mysterious regions to researchers and archaeologists such

as Dong Thap Muoi, Chau Doc, Kien Giang, etc

Oc Eo Vestige Land attracts not only antique collectors and archaeologistsbut also tourists in and out of nation to have a look at the discovered relics andknow more about a prosperous dynasty of the old An Giang in Cuu Long Delta

4.1.1.8 Tue Dup Hill

Tuc Dup Hill, located in Tri Ton District, An Giang Province, belongs to Co

To Mountain Even though it is only 300 meters high, it owns an obstacle anddangerous geography with rough cliffs forming caves getting though each other like

a hive For these distinctive characteristics together with brave fighting will andwisdom of An Giang people, Tuc Dup became a famous fighting base in the tomebeing against American During 128 days, the enemy who have a very powerfulmilitary force such as fighting jets, artillery and infantry did not defeat ourdetermined fighting will As a result, American was defeated Thus, a terrible namewas heard" 2 million-dollar hill" (the sum of money that American paid for bulletsand bombs)

After peace was set up, Tuc Dup Hill, which had no trees and norphenomena of life because of the war's impact, has been vital with green trees andbecome a historic site recognized and classified by Academic Ministry Beingromantic and next to splendid Co To Mountain, Tuc Dup Hill is visited by tourists

on holidays so that they can see the war remains, enjoy fresh air and admire rangingmountains

4.1.1.9 Bach Van (White Cloud) HillThe nearly-100m-high Bach Van (White Cloud) Hill belongs to SamMountain In a distance, the mountain seems like a king crab with the hill being itshead looking toward the north.

Around 1942, an anchorite came to the hil1 where he built a simple sm"alltemple named "White Cloud Hermitage", for his religious meditation Since thenthe area has been known as "White Cloud Hill" though it was previously cal1ed

"Small Mountain" There are two ways up White Cloud Hill from the foot of SamMountain Visitors can arrive there either by the rocky way behind Thoai Ngoc HauTomb up the mountain halfway and cross Hoa Binh (Peace) Bridge or by theeasterly route around the foot of the mountain to stairs leading up to the hil1

Upon arriving at White Cloud Hill, tourists can admire striking wonders oflarge rocks that are heaped up each other forming spectacular, attractive sunshadesand grottos of nature In addition, an interesting feature of the hill is its variousancient pagodas, and hermitages Its moderate altitude together with many flatmakes the hil1 a popular holiday destination for nearby visitors Tourists are offeredthere a package tour with relaxation, dining, sightseeing and other services In thenear future, White Cloud Hill will certainly be a wonderful tourist attraction

4.1.1.10 Tra Su Cajuput ForestTraveling approximately 10 kilometers out of Sam Mountain along NationalHighway 91 bound Nha Bang (Tinh Bien District, An Giang Province), tourists cantake the left tum at Muon Tien Bridge and drive along a trail (wide enough for a 15-seater van) up to Tra Su Cajuput Forest Upon arriving there, they will have achance to enjoy precious moments living in harmony with nature as well as thewholesome atmosphere

Some friendly officers at the An Giang Forest Control Bureau offer a guidedtrip by rowboats on canals under the shade of cajuput trees The forest has beenrestored since 1983 with a current extension area of 700 hectares

This ecology spot is the habitat of many genera of water birds (mostlystorks), colonies of various rare animal and bird species Especially, tourists wil1 beflabbergasted by smal1 houses on stilts with rudimentary bamboo ceilings that are