Da Phuc: A missing piece in Hanoi’s tourism landscape

THE HANOI TIMES — Riverside landscapes, dense heritage systems and rural villages shaped by Red River Delta culture are emerging as valuable tourism assets in Da Phuc Commune on Hanoi’s outskirts.

Yet the question remains how these advantages can be harnessed and how Da Phuc should be positioned within Hanoi’s wider tourism map, a task that calls for connectivity, phased development and long-term sustainability.

This approach was presented at a field survey and tourism development coordination conference held on December 23 by the Hanoi Department of Tourism, in coordination with local authorities.

The event gathered representatives from state agencies, experts, travel companies and tourism associations, signaling growing interest in Da Phuc’s potential.

The event gathered representatives from state agencies, experts, travel businesses and tourism associations.

A land of natural and cultural convergence

Da Phuc Commune was established through the merger of seven former communes under the two-tier local government model, officially coming into operation in July 2025.

The commune covers about 55 square kilometers, ranking tenth among Hanoi’s communes and wards with a population of more than 83,600 and a planned capacity of around 116,000 residents. Its scale and location provide room for diversified tourism development.

Indeed, Da Phuc lies in the northeastern part of the capital, bordering several Hanoi wards and Bac Ninh Province, giving it a strategic position within the capital region.

According to Party Secretary Nguyen Hong Minh, transport connectivity stands out as one of the commune’s strongest advantages.

Da Phuc links directly to the Hanoi - Thai Nguyen Expressway, provincial roads 16 and 296, the Xuan Cam Bridge, Da Phuc railway station on the Hanoi - Quan Trieu line and Noi Bai International Airport.

Nearly 39 kilometers of inland waterways along the Cau River and Ca Lo River create opportunities for riverside tourism, water sports and ecological experiences.

The commune has 15 kilometers of the Cau River, 25 kilometers of the Ca Lo River and the 600-hectare Lai Cach lagoon, forming a foundation for eco-tourism resort development, wellness tourism and agricultural experiences.

Beyond its water landscapes, Da Phuc is also rich in cultural resources. The commune has 92 historical and religious sites, including six nationally recognized relics and 17 city-level sites.

Several sites are famous for their architecture and setting, such as the Duc Hau communal house and pagoda complex Phu Tang Communal House, Kim Thuong Communal House and Tien Tao Communal House.

Meanwhile, the Keo Mo ritual of Xuan Lai Village, which takes place on the 4th day of the Lunar New Year, remains a cultural highlight.

The ritual, associated with the Vua Ba Temple Festival, which was recognized by UNESCO in 2015 as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity, gives Da Phuc a distinct cultural identity.

Positioning Da Phuc within the regional tourism network

Ahead of the discussions, delegates conducted on-site surveys of areas with tourism potential across Da Phuc.

The program included visits to Den Ba Temple, observation of the Keo Mo ritual, surveys of Ca Lo River sandbanks for outdoor and camping tourism Tien Tao Communal House and the Lai Cach lagoon.

The field survey helped experts, businesses and authorities visualize Da Phuc as a destination combining heritage, natural scenery, agricultural space and river ecosystems typical of the Red River Delta.

However, unlocking this potential will require strategic planning.

The commune’s Party chief Nguyen Hong Minh said that internal roads remain narrow, tourism infrastructure is not yet synchronized and accommodation services are extremely limited.

The commune currently has only two guesthouses with no hotels or homestay facilities. Meanwhile, food services mainly serve daily local needs and have yet to reach the scale or professionalism required for tourism and events.

Tourism workers have not received systematic training and promotion and digital transformation remains at an early stage.

Deputy Head of the commune’s Culture Division, Tran Kien, said Da Phuc is newly established and still focused on administrative restructuring, leaving limited resources for tourism development.

At the conference, participants agreed that Da Phuc should not develop in isolation but function as a connected destination within a regional tourism network.

Nguyen Manh Hung, Deputy General Director of Hanoitourist, said Da Phuc offers a rare combination of large agricultural land, UNESCO-recognized heritage and proximity to the Soc Son horse racing project.

"Rather than standing alone, Da Phuc should serve as a connecting node," he said.

Hung said that Lai Cach lagoon is suitable for eco-tourism and mid-range accommodation, catering to future visitor flows linked to the horse racing complex. Riverside zones along the Ca Lo River should also be upgraded for outdoor activities, nature-based experiences and eco-agricultural tourism.

Hanoitourist is ready to advise on product development, riverside dining concepts and railway-linked tours, bringing visitors via Da Phuc Station to attend the UNESCO-recognized Keo Mo festival.

Sharing the same view, Nguyen Tuan Anh, Vice Chairman of the UNESCO Hanoi Travel Club, said Da Phuc preserves classic Red River Delta village features, such as banyan trees, communal yards and river landings.

Therefore, he said the commune should become part of the Soc Son tourism area, creating cultural experience routes rather than operating independently. "With more than 1,000 members, the club is ready to support product design, promotion and visitor attraction."

Green tourism and experiential directions

From a sustainability perspective, Phung Quang Thang, Chairman of the Vietnam Green Tourism Association, proposed positioning Da Phuc as a green agricultural tourism destination.

He said the commune could develop camping and glamping products along the Ca Lo River combined with high-tech agriculture and strong community participation, while residents should be encouraged to engage in professional training and operate community-based homestays to maintain visitor circulation.

Nguyen Tien Dat, Vice Chairman of the Hanoi Tourism Association, suggested focusing first on weekend family tours. Meanwhile, the Cau River and Ca Lo River should be used for water sports, such as SUP (Stand-up paddleboard) kayaking and annual boat races to create tourism highlights.

At the conference, Truong Ngoc Anh, Director of AA Hospitality, said Da Phuc is starting from zero but shows structured tourism thinking. Therefore, she advised phased development with a short-term focus on suitable market segments and a long-term orientation toward high-end resorts over five to ten years.

Another view came from Dang Thi Tho, Chief Representative of Phoenix Voyages in Vietnam, who said high-quality resorts would strengthen Da Phuc’s competitiveness within northern Vietnam and support connections to Lao Cai and Ha Long.

To tap potentials, Director of the Hanoi Department of Tourism Dang Huong Giang said that Da Phuc is an inseparable part of the Soc Son tourism space.

She said development must be closely linked with neighboring areas and guided by phased visitor attraction plans tailored to specific markets.

"Priority should be given to training the local tourism workforce and mobilizing community participation to ensure quality and sustainability," said Giang.

At the same time, developing quality accommodation will be essential for Da Phuc to become a suitable stay destination supporting Hanoi’s tourism system.

Giang said that the department will connect travel businesses with Da Phuc to design tours, link routes, pilot new products and resolve implementation challenges.

"The department will act as a focal coordinator in effective and sustainable tour development and investment to outline a clear path for Da Phuc tourism to make the locality a balanced and attractive piece in Hanoi’s expanding tourism picture," said Giang.