Vietnamese Family Sets Example on How to Turn Your Place of Living into Eco-Tourism Destination

Back in 1984, after the Tri An Hydropower Plant was built on Dong Nai River and formed about 75 islets, a man named Nguyen Van Long settled on one of these islets which could only be reached by boat. In the course of these years, he and his wife managed to turn it into a sustainable tourism destination.

While in the very beginning the family relied on chopping the trees to sustain their living, they soon discovered the soil of the islet was good for planting cashew trees. Now the cashew crop is the main source of their income. Fishing and selling the catch at the local market is another important part of the family's budget. 

In 2011, the family installed solar power panels on the roof and bought a motorboat to substitute the rowboat they had been using before.

In the meantime, Tri An Lake has become increasingly popular with visitors these days – and more and more tourists are seaking to spend some time on Nguyen Van Long's islet, too. Long's family then built several huts with hammocks with more solar power panels installed to cover the guests' needs. As this unusual homestay habitually gets great reviews from travellers, Dong Nai Province’s Culture and Nature Reserve plans to add the islet to its tour of Tri An Lake to promote eco-tourism.

The place can accommodate up to 20 people a night and currently charges VND50,000 per person (less then USD3). 

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