What means of transport were used in ancient times to transport and lift such large blocks of stone?
Architecturally, the citadel is rectangular, opening into four gates: East, West, South, North, called the front gate, the back gate, the left gate, and the right gate. Of these, the front gate is the most intact. The gate opens into three doors, the middle gate is 5.8m wide and 8m high, the two side gates are 5m wide and 7.8m high. All the gates are built with arches, U-shaped architecture, made of dark green stone polished into a grapefruit salt shape, thanks to their weight, they wedge tightly together. The gates are made of thick slabs of ironwood, with two stone wheels installed at the foot. All the walls are over 6m high, with a 4m wide path on the surface. The walls are built with large stone blocks 2m x 1m x (0.7m). The stones are too heavy to be built on. The inside of the citadel is packed with soil like a dike. From the South Gate, there is a marble-paved road running through the north-south axis of the citadel to the foot of Don Son Mountain (Dun Mountain), where the Ho Dynasty built the Nam Giao altar.
Today, the most valuable remaining relics in the citadel are the pair of stone dragons. Unfortunately, over time, due to lack of protection and low public awareness, the stone dragons have lost their heads. However, this is still the most valuable artifact. Each dragon is ten meters long, gracefully winding and majestic as if flying. That majestic aura was created by the talented hands of the stonemasons of Nhoi village.
Over 6 centuries have passed, Tay Kinh - a massive capital with magnificent palaces. But all that remains is ruins, not a single trace of temples remains, only the citadel wall remains to prove that a dynasty existed, as well as forever affirm a unique and most progressive architectural form of Vietnam - Stone rampart architecture.
Ben En Eco-tourism Area:
As an important eco-tourism and resort area in the overall planning of Northern tourism, the national park covers an area of 6,634 hectares with 21 islands on the lake, and a lake surface area of nearly 4,000 hectares. In the tourist area, there are also some famous historical sites such as Lo Cao cave, Ngoc cave... Ben En center is about 30 km from National Highway 1A and 15 km from Ho Chi Minh road.
This place is not only a conservation area for rare animal and plant genetic resources serving scientific research but also an ideal place for sightseeing, tourism and vacation.
- Nature: Specialized ecological tourist area of Forest - Lake.
- Main tourism products: Scientific research tours; resorts, medical treatment; sports, entertainment.
Ben En National Park has a 4,000-hectare Muc River Lake, tens of meters deep, which is the water body of four large streams in the region. Muc River Lake is also divided into two lakes, the Upper Lake is more than 3,000 hectares wide and the Lower Lake is about 800 hectares wide. On the lake surface, there are 24 large and small islands creating a picturesque landscape, with many magical caves that are no different from a fairyland. On the islands, there are forests and some species of birds and animals raised by humans. On some islands, visitors can also set up tents to stay overnight and entertain themselves by fishing, relaxing, and cooking on the spot. And if you take a motorboat to cruise on the lake during the cool moonlight, there is nothing more enjoyable.
Ben En Forest is a very favorable shelter for many groups of insects, birds, rodents, ungulates and carnivores to develop and reproduce. Through many surveys and investigations, it has been shown that Ben En National Park has 50 orders, 177 families, 216 genera and more than 1,000 species of animals, including 91 species of mammals, 201 species of birds, 54 species of reptiles, 31 species of frogs, 68 species of fish, 499 species of insects. There are many rare animals listed in the Red Book such as elephants, gaurs, bears, leopards, red-faced monkeys, silver-cheeked gibbons, golden turtles, etc.
Ben En Forest belongs to the tropical humid mountain forest ecosystem. This is the distribution center of the green lim species, a famous endemic in Vietnam, with trees up to several hundred years old with a diameter of nearly 3m. In addition, there are rare timber species such as cho chi, vu huong, sen mat, vang tam, lim, xet, lat hoa, trai ly... and groups of soft-stemmed trees such as song, rattan, giang, tre, oil-bearing trees such as trau, sen, men tang... Especially rich are over 300 species of medicinal plants.
To visit Ben En National Park, visitors also have to spend many days. Ben En Forest is located in Tan Binh and Binh Luong communes. Here, Thai, Muong, Tho and Kinh ethnic groups live together with many different customs and practices. In addition to the lake, island and forest areas, Ben En also has a limestone mountain range in Hai Van commune with a number of caves that still retain their original natural beauty, untouched by human hands. Among them, the most notable is Ngoc Cave. This cave is about 80m long, 8m wide, 2.5m high, with stalactites sparkling in many colors and shapes inside.
In particular, in the middle of the cave there is a large stalactite, sparkling like jade, so it is called "the pearl". Water flows from the cliff in the cave, forming a small, cool stream, with a babbling sound all day and night.
Next to Ngoc cave is Can cave, which is both spacious and airy. If visitors climb to the top of the cave and look through the hole, they can observe the entire Ben En area. Due to the structure of the terrain of forests, mountains and lakes, the climate here is cool all year round, with an average temperature of 25 degrees Celsius, making it very suitable for tourists to travel and relax.
Around Ben En area, there are also some temples such as Phu Na temple in Xuan Du commune, Khe Rong temple in Hai Long commune, Phu Sung temple in Hai Van commune. Khe Rong temple worships a general of Le Loi in the Lam Son uprising against the Ming army in the early 15th century, called Duc Ong. Phu Sung temple worships Lieu Hanh Thanh Mau.
When visiting Ben En, tourists can also enjoy "bitter soup", a specialty of Thanh Hoa's mountainous region. The soup is cooked with leaves of a very bitter forest tree with chicken, beef or pig heart, liver... a soup that is bitter, fatty, spicy and sweet and sour... The mountain people believe that this "bitter soup" is very nutritious and cool. In Ben En, there is also a special type of silver carp found only in Muc River, very large, weighing up to ten kilos. The fish meat is white, delicious, and has a lot of fat. Nowadays, Muc River silver carp has become scarce due to indiscriminate fishing.
Coming to Ben En National Park, visitors have the opportunity to discover many interesting things in the primeval forest and listen to birds chirping, gibbons howling in the ravines and mountainsides, and breathe the fresh air. Ben En will certainly become an attractive eco-tourism area of Thanh Hoa province in the future.
Pu Luong Eco-tourism Area:
- Nature: A specialized ecological and cultural mountain tourist area.
- Main tourism products: Sightseeing, scientific research, learning about the cultural life of ethnic minority communities in mountainous areas; eco-tourism, resorts, adventure mountain climbing.
Pu Luong Nature Reserve is located adjacent to Ninh Binh and Hoa Binh provinces, in Ba Thuoc and Quan Hoa districts. This is a nature reserve with a mainly rocky mountain and rich forest ecosystem, interspersed with dirt mountains, so it has a very rich flora and fauna, majestic landscapes, beautiful caves, ideal climate (4 seasons in a day), temperature not exceeding 20 0 C.
2.4.1.2 Tourist routes:
Intra-provincial tourist routes:
* Thanh Hoa city - Sam Son - Thanh Hoa city tourist route:Tourists will be able to visit and learn about the history, culture, and traditions of Thanh Hoa city through the museum system, historical relics... Sam Son Beach helps visitors have wonderful moments of relaxation with various activities such as swimming, boating, jet skiing, mountain climbing, or comprehensive beach resorts...
* Thanh Hoa City - Quang Xuong - Nong Cong - Ben En tourist route: the main tourism products of this route are cultural tourism, research tours, comprehensive beach resorts, and eco-tourism.
* Thanh Hoa city - Lam Kinh - Thanh Hoa city tourist route:Tourists will rest, shop, and stroll around Thanh Hoa City. If they come to Lam Kinh on the anniversary of Le Lai and Le Loi, they will attend the ceremony, burn incense in memory, visit scenic spots and historical sites, watch traditional dances and games such as Xuan Pha dance, Binh Ngo Pha Tran game..., listen to the sounds of gongs,
Gongs and drums sounded along with the recitation of the Proclamation of Victory over the Wu echoing through the mountains and forests, while enjoying some local specialties such as grapefruit, sugarcane, guava, Lam River sugar and the famous Tu Tru sticky rice cake.
* Thanh Hoa city - Ben En - Lam Kinh - Thanh Hoa city tourist routeChemistry:In addition to the tourism products introduced in the above routes, with this route, visitors will be immersed in the scenery of mountains, forests and lakes, refreshed with the cool, fresh climate, satisfied with sightseeing, traveling and researching at Ben En National Park. Besides, visitors can also enjoy "bitter soup", a specialty dish of the mountainous region of Thanh Hoa.
* Thanh Hoa City - Lam Kinh - Cam Thuy - Vinh Loc - Thanh Hoa CityChemistry:With this tour, visitors will be able to explore more tourism products in Tay Do citadel. Coming here, visitors will get to know a historical site recognized by UNESCO as a world cultural heritage, an area with many attractive landscapes and enjoy a local specialty that is not available anywhere else, which is Phu Quang Lam tea, which appeared from the Ho Dynasty, considered a high-class dry food in ancient times, used for soldiers in long combat operations.
* Sam Son - Thanh Hoa city - Lam Kinh - Cam Luong fish stream (Cam Thuy)
- Ho Dynasty Citadel (Vinh Loc) - Sam Son:This is a comprehensive tour, lasting 2 to 3 days, helping visitors enjoy almost all the beauty of Thanh Hoa's landscape. After watching the sunrise on the sea in Sam Son, visitors quickly pass through the streets, routes, high-rise buildings, shopping centers, theaters... of Thanh Hoa City to go to the Le Dynasty tombstone complex in Lam Kinh. Discover the wild beauty, learn about a unique historical relic of the ancient feudal dynasty, enjoy famous local specialties... visitors will take a lunch break here in hotels, motels or thatched houses depending on their preferences. In the afternoon, tourists will continue their journey to Cam Luong fish stream, visit and stay overnight here, light a campfire, drink rice wine, dance with Muong girls... The next morning, tourists continue their trip to Ho Dynasty Citadel and return to Thanh Hoa City with fun activities, shopping for souvenirs in supermarkets, shopping centers or in markets.
Traditionally, enjoy nem chua - a specialty that anyone coming to Thanh Hoa wants to enjoy and buy as a gift for relatives and friends. When the sun is less hot, tourists will return to Sam Son beach, immerse themselves in vibrant tourism and beach resort activities....
* Thanh Hoa city - Nga Son tourist route:This is a one-day tour. In addition to the activities in Thanh Hoa City mentioned above, visitors can learn about the process and stages of making a sedge mat, participate directly in making products in craft villages, buy souvenirs...
* Thanh Hoa city - Vinh Loc - Cam Thuy - Ba Thuoc tourist route:The main types of tourism are cultural tourism, research tours, culture - ecology. In the morning, the car and tour guide pick up guests at the meeting point to depart to visit Ho Dynasty Citadel - a unique architectural work in Vietnam. You will have lunch at Vinh Loc and continue the journey to Cam Luong Fish Stream - a masterpiece that nature has bestowed upon this place. Saying goodbye to Cam Luong Fish Stream, the car will take you to Pu Luong Nature Reserve. You will rest in the traditional houses of the Thai people, immerse yourself in the traditional dances and songs of the Muong and Thai people such as conical hat dance, bamboo dance, lullabies...
* Thanh Hoa City - Tinh Gia - Hon Me tourist route (road and waterway):Departing from Thanh Hoa City, tourists can visit Bien Son scenic spot, Nghi Son industrial park. Have lunch in Tinh Gia town. In the afternoon, visit Ba Lang parish church. Visit Do Xuyen fishing village and Quang Trung temple. Go to Do Xuyen market to buy famous Do Xuyen fish sauce. If tourists choose river transportation, they can take a boat along Ma river, admire the beautiful scenery of two green mulberry fields along both banks, in the distance, majestic mountains looming, creating a beautiful ink painting, unforgettable in the hearts of tourists.
Inter-provincial tourist routes:
* Thanh Hoa - Ninh Binh - Ha Nam - Ha Tay - Hanoi along National Highway 1A.
Tourists depart from Thanh Hoa to visit the ancient capital Hoa Lu. Visit the temples of King Dinh and King Le. You will have lunch at the restaurant. In the afternoon, tourists will go to the temple.
Buddha at Bai Dinh Pagoda and continue the journey to Hanoi to visit Uncle Ho's Mausoleum, admire the scenery of West Lake...
* Thanh Hoa - Nghe An - Ha Tinh - Central Highlands provinces, SouthCentral and Southern regions along National Highway 1A.
Tourists depart from Thanh Hoa to Nghe An, swim at Cua Lo beach, visit the relic of Phuong Hoang Trung Do, visit the hometown of Uncle Ho's paternal and maternal ancestors, have lunch and visit and shop in Vinh city. Coming to the Central Highlands provinces, tourists continue to explore the unique culture of ethnic minorities here: go to the market, drink rice wine, row a boat on Lak Lake, visit Buon Don, ride an elephant...
With this journey, visitors can admire most of the beautiful beaches of Vietnam from North to South: From Sam Son, Cua Lo to Nha Trang, Phan Thiet, Vung Tau...
Go to the West to enjoy the typical Southern cuisine, cross My Thuan bridge, visit Cai Rang floating market, admire the poetic vastness of Dong Thap Muoi region...
* Thanh Hoa - Southern and Northern provinces along Ho Chi Minh road.
This is a newly opened tourist route. Tourists from Thanh Hoa travel along the Ho Chi Minh trail to the southern provinces or to the northern provinces.
Type of tourism: Visiting the source, learning about history and culture. Tourists will understand more about a legendary route, see how strong our people's will to fight for independence is and how much blood has been shed to have a unified country like today...
* Thanh Hoa - Hoa Binh - Northwestern provinces (National Highway 47, 15A).
- Route: from Thanh Hoa to Hoa Binh, Phu Tho, Yen Bai, Lao Cai, Lai Chau, Dien Bien.
- Type of tourism:
+ Visit and learn about Hung Temple and Hung Temple festival
+ Visit and study traditional cultural heritages: Brocade weaving village, love market, gong dance, flute playing.
+ Visit historical sites: ancient battlefields, find comrades, the westernmost point of the country, combine mountain climbing, caves...
+ Visit national parks and nature reserves.
* Thanh Hoa - Thuong Xuan - Bat Mot (Laos) - countries in the region (international)Route 217):Cultural and historical relic sightseeing tour, combining mountain climbing, cave tours, nature observation and transit.
* Thanh Hoa - Ba Thuoc - Na Meo - Sam Neua (Laos) - countries in the regionArea (Highway 217):Cultural and historical relic sightseeing tour, combining mountain climbing, cave tours, nature observation and transit.
2.4.2 Labor use in tourism
Human resources are an important factor determining the success of any economic sector, in which tourism activities always require and place increasingly higher demands on both the quantity and quality of human resources.
Table 2.1. Labor force in tourism industry of Thanh Hoa province in the period 2006-2010
Year
2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | |
Total number of employees in the province | 1,909,500 | 1,947,900 | 1,987,300 | 2,029,400 | 2,070,000 |
Tourism workers | 6,743 | 7,854 | 8,323 | 8,967 | 10,320 |
Average monthly income (thousands) copper) | 1,208 | 1,569 | 1,688 | 2,389 | 2,831 |
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State management of Thanh Hoa province for sustainable tourism development - 2 -
State management of Thanh Hoa province for sustainable tourism development - 23 -
Research on local sustainability index (LSI) in some communes of Hau Loc district - Thanh Hoa province - 1 -
Research on current status and improvement of cropping system on coastal land of Thanh Hoa province - 19 -
History of Formation and Development of Thanh Hoa Province
(Source: Thanh Hoa Province Statistical Yearbook-2011)
The labor force in Thanh Hoa tourism industry is increasing gradually over the years, however the increase is not high, not enough to meet the actual human resource needs of the industry. In 2010, Thanh Hoa had a total of 2,070,000 employees, including
455,400 people work in the service industry. According to the provincial tourism industry,