Elevating position of Dong Nai tourism

Dong Nai is facing many opportunities for breakthrough development, with national key projects being implemented; the urban and transport infrastructure system is being invested in synchronously, gradually affirming its position as a major urban area. In the tourism sector, the province has many large-scale, international-standard eco-tourism and resort projects that have been planned and developed into proposals to attract investors.

A corner of Tri An Hydropower Plant, located between Ma Da Forest and Tri An Lake, within Dong Nai Nature - Culture Reserve, which is planned as a national tourist area. Photo: Quang Huy

According to statistics from the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the whole province currently has 10 tourism projects approved in principle by competent authorities, with a total investment of tens of trillions of dong. In addition, two areas, Tri An Lake and Ba Ra Mountain - Thac Mo, have been planned to become national tourist areas under the Tourism System Planning for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2045, approved by the Prime Minister in 2024.

Formation of many new tourism products

After Resolution No. 04-NQ/TU dated December 30, 2021, of the Provincial Party Executive Committee on developing tourism into an important economic sector was issued, Dong Nai tourism began to undergo a clear transformation, with many projects and proposals being planned and developed with very large projected investment capital.

Highlights include the Eco-tourism, Resort and Entertainment Project at Chua Chan Mountain, with expected investment capital of 16 trillion dong; Son Tien Tourist Area, with projected investment of about 5 trillion dong; eco-tourism and resort proposals in Tan Phu protection forest; and proposals for Dong Nai Nature - Culture Reserve and Cat Tien National Park, among others.

Alongside these large-scale tourism projects, in recent years, Dong Nai tourism has also seen many new products emerge from businesses, with total investment in these products exceeding 4 trillion dong. These include a system of 8 quality hotels such as Son Tien Amazing Island Resort, Quoc Thanh, Bcon, Song Trang Boutique, among others, as well as 2 newly invested tourist areas now in operation, including Son Tien Tourist Area (Long Hung ward) and Ba Giot Waterfall Tourist Area (Phu Vinh commune), with diverse, quality services that have contributed to the development of the province's destination products and services.

In localities, besides relics and scenic spots, many agricultural and rural tourism models have been formed, gradually meeting the increasingly diverse needs of tourists.

Nguyen Hoang Hao, Director of Dong Nai Nature - Culture Reserve, said that the province approved the reserve's eco-tourism, resort, and entertainment proposal in 2023. After receiving approval, the reserve has invited investment and developed tourist sites in line with the planning.

In recent years, many investors have studied and registered to invest in tourism products in the reserve. Notably, after the Prime Minister included Tri An Lake in the planning for development as a national tourist destination, leaders of the Provincial Party Committee and the provincial People's Committee conducted many surveys and directed the reserve to coordinate with relevant departments and agencies to formulate an overall plan for tourism exploitation on Tri An Lake in accordance with national tourism standards.

“There is still much room for tourism development around Tri An Lake. The reserve has just signed a contract to lease the forest environment to a partner specializing in high-end tourism and exploitation, with a system of 4-5 star hotels. It is hoped that in the coming time, the reserve will continue to welcome potential investors. The province will complete infrastructure around the area to connect with the reserve's tourist sites. When infrastructure conditions become more favorable, the number of visitors to the reserve will certainly increase,” Nguyen Hoang Hao emphasized.

Development strategy in the new period

On February 27, 2026, the People’s Council of Dong Nai province issued Resolution No. 05/NQ-HDND approving adjustments to the Dong Nai provincial master plan for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050. In the development plan for functional areas and areas playing a driving role in the development of tourism zones and regions, the Resolution clearly states the need to promote the potential and strengths of landscapes along rivers, mountains and lakes; protection forest systems; diverse biological resources and cultural-historical resources; and to tap the potential for the formation and development of urban-tourism areas, to make tourism one of the province's important economic sectors.

Tourism types oriented toward development include: eco-tourism and resorts; cultural-spiritual tourism; tourism combined with health care; MICE tourism; experiential-cultural tourism.

Number of tourists visiting Dong Nai and tourism revenue in the period 2021-2025. Information - Graphics: Hai Quan.

Key tourism areas include: the high-end eco-tourism, resort and entertainment cluster of Tri An Lake, Cat Tien National Park, Bu Gia Map National Park, Chua Chan Mountain, and Thac Mai - Bau Nuoc Soi; the cultural tourism cluster of S'tieng Ethnic Culture Preservation Area in Bom Bo Hamlet, Tran Bien Temple of Literature, and historical relics in Tran Bien; the cultural tourism cluster of Ba Ra - Thac Mo area; the MICE and entertainment cluster in Long Thanh; agricultural and community tourism clusters; urban tourism along Dong Nai River; and other tourist destinations across the province under detailed sectoral planning.

For the Dong Nai River corridor, Resolution No. 05 sets out a plan to develop cultural, sports, and tourism infrastructure. It aims to foster the comprehensive and diverse development of Dong Nai culture and people, while preserving and promoting the tangible and intangible cultural heritage of ethnic communities in the province, and creating a wider range of distinctive cultural and tourism products. At the same time, it encourages and calls for investment by corporations and businesses in key tourism areas such as Tri An Lake, Thac Mo Lake, Ba Ra Mountain, Chua Chan Mountain - Nui Le Lake, Cat Tien National Park, Bu Gia Map National Park, and Dong Nai Nature - Culture Reserve, as well as entertainment destinations and high-end resorts suited to market demand and new tourism trends.

According to the Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Le Thi Ngoc Loan, in recent years, provincial leaders at all levels have paid close attention to tourism planning and its implementation in a coordinated manner. The Dong Nai provincial master plan for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050, is an important legal basis for the tourism sector to develop and to shape core, distinctive projects and tourism products associated with cultural, historical, and economic values. Tourism product planning must also be able to connect with and capture domestic and international tourist flows arriving by air when Long Thanh International Airport comes into operation.

In the context of Dong Nai aiming to become a centrally governed city, tourism is identified as one of the sectors with strong breakthrough potential. The province focuses on developing key product groups, including: eco-tourism and resorts; cultural-spiritual tourism; agricultural and rural tourism; MICE tourism, shopping, and health care. At the same time, attention is paid to training human resources, improving management capacity, and promoting investment promotion and image promotion of the locality in the coming time.

By Ngoc Lien - Translated by Diec Quyen, Minho