Beautification of natural heritage site unseemly to many

Two mountains standing side by side in Tam Son Township, Quan Ba District are called Nui Doi or Twin Mountains, and cover an area of around 3.6 hectares. They are also associated with several local legends.

Nui Doi before recognition

Nui Doi was granted the title of National Relic in 2010 by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism because of their aesthetic and cultural value.

Nui Doi and Tam Son, three nearby mountains, are among the favoured spots of the Dong Van Stone Highlands. The site was recognised as a global geo-park by UNESCO-supported Global Geoparks Network in October 2010, Vietnam’s first UNESCO-recognised geopark and the second of its kind in Southeast Asia.

After the recognition, Nui Doi was upgraded by the setup of flower gardens in the surrounding area. This has been criticised for having detracted from the natural beauty of the place. The words “Nui Doi Quan Ba” spelled out large in vegetation at the base of the mountains is also said to have violated standard preservation of natural heritage sites.

Hoang Xuan Don, an official from Dong Van Geopark’s management board, said, “We don’t intentionally interfere with the natural space of the park, and we don’t agree with it. Quan Ba District authorities are to blame for the upgrades.”

After recognition, Nui Doi was upgraded by the setup of flower gardens in the surrounding area

According to Don, many tourists and local residents have complained about the upgrades but find it difficult to do anything because the park is too large and the board is headquartered in Ha Giang City, around 40 kilometres away.

He added that the board does not have the right to make any decisions but just acts in an advisory capacity only.

In addition there are several other projects by the provincial government in the works, including clearing other hills in the area to make Nui Doi more prominent and adding more flower gardens.