The Bay Mau nipa palm forest near Hoi An, a war-time revolutionary base, has become a peace-time eco-tourism hotspot famous for coracle tours.
The Bay Mau nipa palm forest near Hoi An, a war-time revolutionary base, has become a peace-time eco-tourism hotspot famous for coracle tours.
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The forest is around three kilometers from the UNESCO heritage town of Hoi An, in Cam Thanh Commune. It once sheltered Vietnamese troops from shelling and raids during the Vietnam War. In 2009, Quang Nam Province recognized the Bay Mau nipa palm forest as an eco-tourism site and allowed locals to offer coracle tours and homestay services to boost tourism and their income. |
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Locals say their ancestors brought nipa palm trees from the Mekong Delta 200 years ago. Over the years, as people noticed their ability to protect the coast from erosion, strong waves and winds, more nipa palm trees were planted. The nipa forest area was only around 3.5 hectares at the beginning. Today, the total area has expanded to 120 hectares. The government has categorized nipa palms in Cam Thanh as a protected forest, which means they cannot be chopped down or otherwise exploited. |
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(Source: VNexpress)
