Terraforming an oasis retreat

Standing amidst lush green environs filled with flower orchards and bamboo groves, Nguyen Phuoc Hung took a moment to reminisce back to when this plot of earth was an arid wasteland untouched by local residents.

The owner and director of one of central Da Nang City’s most popular ecotourism centers used to be a regular farmer who was granted 30 hectares of land by the government in Hoa Vang District’s Phu Tuc Hamlet.

At that time 12 years ago, there was only a small river called Suoi Hoa running through the vast territory.

Hung proceeded to set up a small tent near the river and started doing what he loves most – planting trees and flowers.

Many locals thought he was crazy, as they believed the land was uncultivable and his efforts would all go for naught. But Hung didn’t worry about the naysayers as he was bent on transforming the desert land into something greener and more hospitable to life.

Between 1997 and 2000, Hung and his workers managed to sow numerous varieties of plants in the forest area west of nearby Hoa Phu Village. At his farm, he cultivated bamboos and various fruit trees while also raising cattle and fish.

Following years of hard work, Hung’s farm nowadays features around 2,500 bamboo trees producing 50 tons of bamboo shoots a year; two hectares of grass feeding a herd of 40 cows 300 betel trees and 1,000 apricot blossoms.

In 2000, Hung decided to take on the challenge of converting his farm into a major ecotourism center to introduce to visitors the best that nature had to offer.

“The main idea behind developing an ecotourism center is to promote public awareness about protecting our environment,” Hung said. “We’ve always kept that goal in mind while designing the Suoi Hoa Ecotourism Center to not cause any damages to the surrounding areas and harm residents.”

The center, situated 500 meters above sea level, required an investment of VND10 billion that Hung took out as a loan and the idealistic farmer also hired many members of the local Co Tu ethnic minority group to build and maintain the grounds. The area now encompasses a number of pretty waterfalls and lakes and workers have landscape the various flower species into neat rows, using carved stones and other ornaments as decoration.

With more than 100 bungalows on site, the center is capable of hosting thousands of visitors each day. On the grounds, there is even a 7,000-square-meter football field used by professional football teams, 11 ponds with several used for raising fish, and an area to breed around 100 wild pigs.

For tourists and visitors who enjoy outdoor picnics, a meal with grilled fish caught from one of the ponds provides an unforgettable experience.

David Nguyen, who visited Suoi Hoa along with eight family members from the US, said one of the best things about the site is the panoramic view it offers of the entire Da Nang City.

“It is located in an absolutely ideal location,” Nguyen said.

Another visitor, Hoang Quan, said he works in Da Nang City but often visits Suoi Hoa with family members and relatives every two or three months.

“We feel like we can really take in nature here after the long exhausting workdays in the city,” Quan said.

The center currently employs 40 people, but Hung said he’s thinking about hiring more locals to organize activities such as making “ruou can,” a type of wine drunk out of a jar, and knitting traditional products to give tourists a glimpse into the Co Tu people’s lives.

While the project has started yielding profit, Hung said his proudest achievement has been “to cover the landscape with greeneries and flowers.”

“I want to impart a lesson of perseverance in environmental protection and remind all visitors of the vital role they can play in creating greener spaces to contribute to the public good,” Hung said.

Reported by Tuong Nguyen