The Moc Chau National Tourist Area has a total planned area of 206,150 hectares, located in Moc Chau and Van Ho districts. This place boasts diverse, rich, unique and attractive tourism resources, both in terms of natural tourism and cultural tourism.

About 150km from Hanoi, the area is both the gateway to Son La province and a bridge connecting tourism in the capital and the Northern Delta with the northwestern provinces. It is regarded as the most important national tourist areas on the "Through the Northwest" tourism corridor on the main traffic route of National Highway 6.

Moc Chau plateau is blessed by nature with many beautiful landscapes, systems of caves and waterfalls, majestic mountains and forests such as: Doi (Bat) cave, the five caves in On hamlet, Dai Yem waterfall, Tat Nang waterfall, Nang Tien waterfall, the pine forest in Ang hamlet, Pha Luong mountain, and the hot spring system in Phu Mau hamlet. This place is also a land of many flowers, notably peach and plum blossoms, Ban (Bauhini) and white mustard flowers. The green tea hills are also attractive to tourists who come to the Moc Chau National Tourist Area.

The highland area contains tangible and intangible cultural heritage values, representing rich potential for tourism development. In the tourist area, there are four national-level and nearly 20 provincial-level relic sites. This place also preserves many unique cultural values of the Thai, Mong, Dao, Xinh Mun, La Ha and Muong ethnic groups with seven national intangible cultural heritages.

Many ethnic villages and hamlets still retain traditional cultural values. Traditional house architectures of ethnic minorities and traditional crafts are resources that can be tapped for tourism development, especially community-based tourism.

Tran Xuan Viet, Deputy Director of the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said that natural and cultural tourism resources have become a strength of Moc Chau tourism and a driving force for sustainable tourism growth and development. International tourists tend to choose places with pristine natural landscapes and intact culture. Son La province has preserved its natural landscapes, retained its original features, and created differences to lure visitors.

With the goal of building the Moc Chau National Tourist Area into an attractive destination for tourists, the Party Committees and authorities of the province and the two districts of Moc Chau and Van Ho have directed relevant units to focus on developing tourism to ensure a harmony of factors: economy - society - culture - environment; and harmonise the interests of stakeholders in tourism activities. They urged strengthening tourism management, planning and planning management, thus ensuring harmony with the environment and not damaging the natural landscape; developing tourism facilities; and enhancing tourism promotion.

According to Tran Dan Khoi, Secretary of the Moc Chau district Party Committee, the district Party Committee and authorities have directed the synchronous implementation of many solutions, focusing on improving the business environment and competitiveness, creating the most favourable conditions for investors to survey, devise and implement tourism projects in the area, contributing to making Moc Chau worthy of a national tourist area.

In recent years, the tourism infrastructure of the Moc Chau National Tourist Area has developed rapidly and sustainably with 324 accommodation establishments, of them 54 star-rated and evaluated to meet standards for serving tourists. Here there are 395 food service providers and 58 shopping establishments serving tourists.

Many special tourist areas and spots, and service facilities boast synchronous infrastructure, with many attractive tourism products, such as Moc Chau Island tourist area, Ang hamlet pine forest, Dai Yem waterfall, Happy Land Moc Chau, and A Chu Homestay, which are attracting more and more tourists.

The Moc Chau Island tourist area in Muong Sang commune is the most modern amusement park in the northwestern region, with many attractive entertainment activities chosen by tourists when coming to Moc Chau plateau. The Bach Long Glass Bridge has won many Guinness world records, or unprecedented adventure games like the "Exploring the sky" zipline are appealing to visitors. Tourists can become a racer with F1 Kart Club, experience rainbow air-slide and train hotel, or explore Chim Than cave.

The 50-hectare pine forest tourist area in Ang hamlet, Dong Sang commune is likened to a "miniature Da Lat" with towering ancient pine trees around a romantic 3-hectare natural lake, and a resort and entertainment area.

The Happy Land Moc Chau resort and entertainment complex is a tourist destination covering a large valley in Lun hamlet, Muong Sang commune, Moc Chau district with full tourism infrastructure and services to serve tourists.

The Dai Yem waterfall tourist area in Muong Sang commune stands out with Dai Yem waterfall made up of many large and small waterfall branches with a height of more than 100m. Opposite the waterfall is the first 5D glass bridge in Vietnam called the Love Glass Bridge.

The Moc Chau walking street and night market include a dining area, kiosks selling ethnic brocade items; a snack and fast food area; an area selling Moc Chau agricultural products; an area displaying artifacts featuring the Thai ethnic cultural identity. Coming here, visitors can feel a multi-colour space of culture with artistic and traditional values; enjoy unique musical performances and explore handicrafts and agricultural products produced by ethnic people.

A Chu Homestay in Van Ho commune has a unique design and is made of natural materials imbued with Mong ethnic culture. The Nordic Village Resort in Hua Tat village, Van Ho commune is located in the middle of a green pine forest with bungalows featuring unique architecture like villages in Northern Europe.

There are many other attractive tourist attractions, such as the Tay Tien Regiment 52 historical relic site; the Tang Me tomb cave; and Pha Luong Peak. Located nearly 2000m above sea level near the Vietnam - Laos border area, Pha Luong Peak is a famous tourist destination, in the top 19 northwestern tourist destinations with pristine beauty and majestic mountains hidden in the hazy clouds.

Nguyen Thanh Hai, Vice Chairman of the Van Ho district People's Committee, said tourism development is one of the three breakthroughs set out by Van Ho. The district has implemented many solutions to accompany businesses in implementing investment procedures and encourage mobilisation of social sources. It is focusing on preserving and embellishing traditional house architectures, works serving production, and homestays to ensure quality and safety for sightseeing activities.

To bring Son La tourism, especially the Moc Chau National Tourist Area, to the world, specialised agencies of the province and the district has stepped up digital transformation and applied 4.0 technology to promote and develop tourism. The Moc Chau Tourist Area Management Board has used virtual reality (VR) technology to promote Moc Chau tourism (mocchautourism.com/vi/moc-chau-360). Moc Chau district has built the digital tourism map of Moc Chau (Moc Chau-Son La 3D/360 Smart Tourism).

According to Phung Quang Thang, Standing Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Society of Travel Agents, the Moc Chau National Tourist Area has seen strong development. “Through the province’s efforts to promote investment and connect travel businesses, and especially via direct surveys, we realise that this land has many attractive tourist attractions, which help companies organise many tours during the year,” he said.

With unique cultural features, many landscapes, and the determination of the local Party Committee and authorities, the Moc Chau National Tourist Area will continue to affirm its position and shine on the national and world tourism maps in the coming time.