As part of Quang Ninh’s sustainable tourism development strategy, connecting heritage regions not only expands the space for exploration but also creates more in-depth tourism products, enhancing the value of destinations. From within the province to interregional connections, heritage-linking journeys are becoming the “golden key” for Quang Ninh to affirm its position on the international tourism map.
With its rich system of heritage sites, Quang Ninh has a rare advantage for developing in-depth tourism. Most prominent are the World Natural Heritage Site of Ha Long Bay and, more recently, Yen Tu, part of the Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem - Con Son, Kiep Bac Complex, which was recognized as a World Cultural Heritage Site. This has opened up a space connecting natural heritage with cultural and spiritual heritage. Soon afterward, in September 2025, the discussion “One Journey - Two Heritage Sites,” organized by the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism in coordination with Tung Lam Development JSC and attended by nearly 30 travel companies, clearly assessed the potential of this connecting journey.
From a world natural wonder to the distinctive cultural space of Truc Lam Buddhism, this combination creates a “one-of-a-kind” tourism product that meets visitors’ increasingly high expectations, particularly those of the high-end segment. Mr. Nguyen Duc Hanh, Executive Director of All Asia Vacation Travel Company, shared: We have brought many billionaire and millionaire groups to Vietnam, and Quang Ninh has always been a favorite destination. Besides Ha Long Bay, we are connecting with Yen Tu to bring visitors there for experiences. High-end travelers are very interested in authentic values and distinctive culture—qualities that Yen Tu fully offers.
Using Ha Long Bay as the central connecting point, the tourism sector has developed expanded tour routes linking the island and sea spaces through the launch of tourism routes from Ao Tien International Port to Bai Tu Long Bay. Since 2024, Quang Ninh has announced 10 sightseeing itineraries on Bai Tu Long Bay, along with 3 routes connecting Ha Long Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay. These journeys combine nature tourism and spiritual-cultural tourism with ecotourism, research, and experiences of cultural and historical values, as well as seaside resorts… within Van Don Special Zone.
From within the province, Quang Ninh continues to expand regional links with localities rich in potential. Among them, the tourism route connecting Ha Long Bay (Quang Ninh) and Lan Ha Bay (Hai Phong), with 2-day 1-night and 3-day 2-night itineraries, is creating a stable, high-quality interregional product. The tourism space has been expanded and the experience elevated, while also increasing visitors’ spending and length of stay.
To strengthen heritage connections and lay the foundation for long-term cooperation, the Tourism Associations of the 3 localities—Quang Ninh, Hai Phong, and Bac Ninh—organized the conference “One Journey - Three Heritage Destinations” in mid-April. Connecting Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago - Yen Tu - Con Son, Kiep Bac will open up a distinctive interprovincial heritage journey combining nature, culture, and spirituality.
The 3 localities signed a memorandum of understanding on tourism development cooperation for the 2026-2028 period. This includes strengthening the exchange of information and experience; organizing famtrips, tourism fairs, and joint promotional campaigns; and developing attractive promotional packages for visitors to experience multiple destinations in a single journey. This direction is suited to modern tourism trends, as visitors increasingly want to explore multiple values in the same trip.
Heritage connections not only help diversify products but also contribute to sustainably preserving and promoting heritage values. Quang Ninh has proactively developed conservation plans and projects while strengthening management and ensuring a civilized and safe tourism environment. At the same time, it has expanded multilateral connections in the region. One example is the cooperation program established in 2006 between Quang Ninh (Vietnam), Luang Prabang (Laos), and Udonthani (Thailand)—3 localities that possess prominent world heritage sites, forming an attractive “heritage triangle.”
These systematic steps show that Quang Ninh is undergoing a strong transformation from a “single destination” into a closely connected “heritage tourism ecosystem.” The province is not only effectively tapping its existing resources but also creating new journeys rich in experiences and distinctive in character. In this way, it is gradually affirming its role as a “leading force,” guiding trends and taking Vietnam’s heritage tourism further onto the world map.
