At the end of the year, visitors to Hoi An, Quang Nam, experienced a strange image of the ancient town. Floods from upstream flooded half of the walking street. And watching the street in the vast water became an interesting experience.
Korean tourists experience riding a cyclo through flooded streets – Photo: BD
The hydroelectric power plant upstream released floodwaters, causing the center of Hoi An ancient town to be flooded on the afternoon of November 26. For tourists and Hoi An residents, flooding is a common sight, and if there is no water in a year, it is a year of absence.
Experience Hoi An tourism in flood season
After a day of waiting for customers, at around 4pm, dozens of cyclo drivers standing at the entrance of Hoai River Square begin their busiest time. The road from the direction of the Japanese Covered Bridge along the riverbank to the Hoai River Square has a strange image during the flood season.
The ankle-deep yellow water contrasted with the restaurants and cafes. The Korean tourists were excited and asked to be taken on a tour of the flooded streets.
Cyclo groups circle around the Hoai River square. When they reach a flooded area, the drivers intentionally pedal faster to create a thrill for tourists.
Mr. Nguyen Nho Lan, a cyclo driver, said that Korean tourists especially enjoy the cyclo experience during the flood season.
Deeply flooded roads are barricaded by authorities, while flooded sections are bustling with people wading in the water, cycling, cyclos, etc.
On the two sides of An Hoi Bridge in recent days, customers from all directions flocked to nearby cafes and restaurants to enjoy food while watching the floodwaters rise. Everyone in Hoi An is so used to the flooding that no one is surprised; wherever the water rises, the shops are raised to that height.
Coffee shops with large terraces and panoramic views of the old town are crowded with customers. Most of them are young people and Europeans. At 22 Nguyen Thai Hoc, the owner of a large old house, over 400 square meters wide, clearly notes the flood milestones each year.
He affirmed that flooding is now almost normal for Hoi An people, although it is a bit inconvenient but not too worrying or scary. Many restaurants, cafes, accommodation areas and especially boat and cyclo rowers see this as an opportunity to earn extra income.
Turning floods into disaster-resilient tourism
Vice Chairman of Quang Nam Provincial People's Committee Ho Quang Buu said that Hoi An is located low-lying at the end of the river, so the water from upstream cannot drain quickly, causing flooding. He also affirmed that the flood experience in Hoi An is a specialty.
“Flood season tourism is a type of disaster adaptation that visitors really like when coming to Hoi An. The authorities have increased supervision and are on duty to ensure absolute safety for visitors to experience,” said Mr. Buu.
Flood experience is no longer a spontaneous tour but is included in the destination introduction program of Quang Nam. On the occasion of stimulating tourism in the summer of 2024, the flood experience tour in Hoi An was officially introduced and widely informed. Although there are still some concerns, the idea of flood season tourism is no longer just spontaneous.
Mr. Vo Phung, Vice President of Quang Nam Tourism Association, said that foreign tourists, especially Europeans and Americans, really enjoy the experience of rowing a boat to see the old town during the flood season. When the water recedes, tourists also join the locals and the authorities in cleaning the streets with mud. This is a unique experience.
Mr. Nguyen Hoai Bao, the owner of an accommodation on Nguyen Phuc Chu Street, said that during the flood season, his rooms receive a lot of guests. “Many people said that when they heard about heavy rain, they booked a room to stay just to see Hoi An in the flood season,” Mr. Bao said.
Take advantage of the opportunity to "turn misfortune into fortune"
According to Dr. Nguyen Thu Hanh - President of the Association of Science for Sustainable Tourism Development, floods are an irresistible natural disaster. Instead of being afraid, we need to have a breakthrough mindset, turning "disaster into blessing".
According to Ms. Hanh, Quang Nam province needs to soon apply technology to manage flooding, plan tourist routes for visitors to experience. It is necessary to design separate tours to join hands to protect heritage, adventure tours and responsible tourism such as helping people, preventing storms and floods and exploring... to experience the strong emotions brought by floods.
In addition, it is necessary to plan and design a system of hotels and cafes with specific themes about floods. Strongly develop indoor entertainment forms such as poetry and music performances, exhibitions, cultural exchange and sharing through cooking classes, painting classes, etc.
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/mua-lut-thanh-san-pham-du-lich-doc-dao-cua-hoi-an-20241128223458808.htm
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