Heritage values

Pham Thi Huong, Deputy Head of the Lang Son Geopark Management Office said according to scientific research, the Lang Son Geopark region was primarily formed around 500 million years ago.

Lang Son Geopark contains a complete and continuous evolutionary flow of geological development history. Numerous fossils and rich geological sequences of different origins and ages have been discovered in sedimentary rocks, volcanic rocks, carbonate rocks and metamorphic rocks, including many ancient species first found in Lang Son.

Most notably, the fossil complex discovered in the Na Duong Depression was formed approximately 40 million years ago. Here, coal mining operations have uncovered an extremely rich and diverse complex of giant animal and plant fossils: rhinoceros, coal beasts, primates, crocodiles, turtles, monitor lizards, fish species, molluscs and dense plant fossils, representative of life in Southeast Asian tropical forest, river, lake and swamp ecosystems. Among the geological heritage sites in Lang Son Geopark, this location is considered to have a global scientific value.

Particularly, in Tham Khuyen-Tham Hai caves and many other caves in the Bac Son limestone massif, fossils of Homo erectus dating back approximately 500,000 years have been discovered, indicating this region was one of the earliest cradles of ancient humans in Vietnam. Life continued to develop thereafter, becoming the birthplace of the famous Bac Son and Mai Pha archaeological cultures in Vietnamese archaeology. This system of archaeological caves has international significance, demonstrating the close relationship between geological formation processes, natural environmental conditions and human life that has long existed in the Lang Son Geopark region.

Christian Manhart, former UNESCO Representative to Vietnam, said he was highly impressed with Lang Son’s mountains and caves, particularly Tham Hai and Tham Khuyen caves - sites that preserve human historical traces dating back over 500,000 years, as well as many valuable palaeontological artefacts and fossils millions of years old at Na Duong coal mine. This confirms that the Lang Son Geopark region is extremely rich in geological heritage potential. He expressed his confidence that the province will continue to maintain and promote these values.

Pham Van Manh, Director of Vietnam Expeditions, stated that after approximately two years of surveying the Lang Son Geopark region, they have identified significant potential for geological tourism development in the caves. Creating international-standard tours and routes will help increase domestic and international visitor numbers to the geopark.

Scientists exploring the values of Tam Thanh Cave in Lang Son City.

Tapping into tourism potential

Director of the Lang Son Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Dang An said that Lang Son’s geological heritage potential is quite rich, demonstrated through its extensive system of caves that are large and impressive in length, containing numerous and varied stalactite formations, most of which remain perfectly preserved. These resources represent important potential for developing geopark tourism activities such as cave exploration, sport climbing, paragliding and trekking.

To exploit the advantages of unique geological and cultural heritage for tourism development, the province has recently implemented solutions to build and promote the geopark region’s heritage values, establishing four tourist routes with 38 attractive and unique tourist sites.

Notably, the province has invested in restoring 58 heritage sites, including archaeological sites and scenic spots, with funding of over 84 billion VND (3.3 million USD).

Hoang Vu, owner of Son Thuy homestay (Bac Son District) shared that from 2023 until now, the establishment has participated in a partnership agreement with the Lang Son Geopark Management Board, helping to increase visitor numbers by 50%.

In addition to service businesses, approximately 30% of partners in the geopark area are production units and cooperatives processing agricultural products that meet OCOP standards, thereby leveraging investment resources, enriching tourism programmes, attracting visitors and in turn promoting, selling and enhancing the value of OCOP products. This has helped increase income for local people and promote sustainable tourism and rural development.

Lang Son Vice Chairman Duong Xuan Huyen affirmed that to develop tourism into a key economic sector, using cultural heritage as the foundation and driving force for development, the province is actively directing the implementation of the Lang Son Geopark development project for 2021-2025, with determination and careful steps to promote sustainable and comprehensive economic growth, ensuring livelihoods, providing employment, improving and increasing income for people while protecting, preserving and honouring the province’s cultural and natural heritage values.

Activities to preserve and promote heritage values, including geological heritage, linked with sustainable tourism development in the Lang Son Geopark region are also among the key tasks and solutions to promote Lang Son’s tourism development towards becoming an important economic sector of the province. This is an opportunity for Lang Son and other member provinces of the Vietnam Geoparks Network to strengthen cooperation and share experiences and a common vision on the management, preservation and promotion of geopark values.