Developing Dong Nai’s first flagship tourism product

Dong Nai Province’s tourism industry is focusing on developing a distinctive tourism product, the “Tan Trieu Cultural and Tourism Village”. This initiative is the province’s first flagship tourism product to be implemented and launched in the 2025-2026 period.

Tourists experience making traditional cakes at a local's home in Tan Trieu Pomelo Village. Photo: Ngoc Lien

The Tan Trieu Cultural Tourism Village will become a model community tourism project, featuring direct participation by local people to promote the cultural, historical, and natural landscape values of Tan Trieu ward in Dong Nai province, paving the way for other tourism projects to develop throughout the province.

Discover the famous grapefruit village of Dong Nai

The Tan Trieu Cultural and Tourism Village project was developed in Tan Trieu, a land renowned for its specialty, Tan Trieu grapefruit. The grapefruit village sits entirely on a small islet surrounded by the Dong Nai River. Thanks to year-round irrigation from the river’s alluvial-rich waters, the grapefruit orchards bear fruit throughout the year and boast a distinctive flavor.

Nguyen Thi Anh Hoa, a resident of Trung My Tay ward, Ho Chi Minh City, has visited Tan Trieu grapefruit village many times to enjoy local delicacies and explore the famous grapefruit cultivation area of Dong Nai. According to Hoa, it has become a regular weekend destination for her friends and family.

“Whenever we visit Tan Trieu grapefruit village, we’re free to walk through the orchards, enjoy delicious dishes, and take souvenir photos together in the refreshing natural surroundings, under the canopy of grapefruit trees heavy with fruit. I’ve known about Tan Trieu grapefruit village for nearly 10 years. Although I’ve been there many times, whenever the opportunity arises, I still love coming back to enjoy the grapefruit and local cuisine in the peaceful countryside atmosphere, so different from the noisy city.”

Implementing the direction of the Provincial People's Committee, the Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism will preside over and coordinate with relevant departments, branches, units, and localities to deploy the plan for implementing the Tan Trieu Cultural and Tourism Village tourism model. Accordingly, the department will select a consulting unit to implement the model in accordance with the approved plan. At the same time, it will be responsible for monitoring, inspecting and supervising the implementation of the model according to the correct process. After the product is completed, the department will hold a ceremony to announce the Tan Trieu Cultural and Tourism Village model to organizations, tourism service businesses, and the public, inviting them to participate.

Le Thi Ngoc Loan, Member of Provincial Party Committee, Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Dong Nai Province

Tan Trieu grapefruit village spans nearly 400 hectares, primarily cultivating two main grapefruit varieties: orange-leaf grapefruit and green-skin grapefruit. Among these, orange-leaf grapefruit accounts for the majority of the area under cultivation. Thanks to the region’s highly suitable soil conditions, the fruit is exceptionally juicy, with a cool, sweet flavor balanced by a slight tartness, making it especially appealing to consumers.

Today, most growers in the village use organic fertilizers and microbial agents in grapefruit cultivation, aiming to protect the environment while providing a clean and safe food source for consumers.

With these distinctive characteristics, since 2012, Tan Trieu grapefruit has been granted geographical indication status for two varieties: orange-leaf grapefruit and guava grapefruit. It is now one of the agricultural products that generates high economic value for farmers in the Tan Trieu area.

Channel to promote culture, history and local specialties

In reality, Tan Trieu Grapefruit Village has been a renowned tourist destination across the country for many years. The area is home to numerous well-maintained and scenic grapefruit gardens such as Tan Trieu Nam Hue, Sau Pham, and Ngo Van Son, which offer picturesque settings for visitors. However, to develop these into a cohesive chain of destinations within a single tourism product, thoughtful planning and coordination are necessary to ensure that each stop offers a distinct experience for tourists.

Tourists from Singapore visit Tan Trieu grapefruit village. Photo: Ngoc Lien

With the goal of creating a distinctive tourism product for Dong Nai, the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism has recently conducted surveys and met with residents of the grapefruit village to learn about, encourage, and guide them in developing community-based tourism that leverages the locality’s unique advantages.

Nguyen Van Hau, Deputy Head of the Tourism Management Division under the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, shared: “When locals participate in tourism, they not only help promote regional specialties but can also tap into additional economic opportunities beyond traditional farming, such as creating new distribution channels and selling grapefruit products directly to tourists. This endeavor helps further enhance the economic and cultural value of the grapefruit village and contributes to promoting the Tan Trieu grapefruit brand to both domestic and international visitors.”

To fully promote the economic, cultural and historical values ​​of the Tan Trieu grapefruit specialty area of ​​Dong Nai, Comrade Le Truong Son, Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, has just signed and issued Plan No. 112/KH-UBND, dated September 29, 2025 on building a model of Community Tourism associated with agriculture in Dong Nai province.

According to the plan, Tan Trieu Grapefruit Village will be developed into a flagship community-based tourism model within the Tan Trieu Cultural and Tourism Village, with direct participation from locals to promote the cultural, historical, and natural landscape values of Tan Trieu ward, Dong Nai Province.

The Tan Trieu Cultural and Tourism Village experience will offer interactive engagement, enabling visitors to gain a deeper understanding of local culture, customs, traditions, and daily life. In addition, it presents an opportunity to create jobs and increase income for the community.

Step by step, the village will build tourism-supporting infrastructure and promote the development of cultural and eco-tourism with community involvement, aligned with the goals of new rural development. This undertaking includes the sustainable use of tourism resources while ensuring public order, security, and environmental hygiene.

Efforts will also focus on improving the quality and diversifying tourism products and services, with the aim of developing distinctive tourism offerings that reflect local identity, are competitive, and contribute to attracting visitors to Dong Nai.

By Ngoc Lien – Translated by Quoc Dung, Minho