A prestigious international recognition
Lang Son Geopark in Viet Nam, along with 15 other geoparks worldwide, was honoured in this latest recognition round. It was the first time UNESCO organised the certificate awarding ceremony for global geoparks at its headquarters, combining both in-person and online formats.
According to Ambassador Nguyen Thi Van Anh, Head of the Permanent Delegation of Viet Nam to UNESCO, the official recognition of Lang Son Geopark as a UNESCO Global Geopark is of great significance.
This is a landmark event that opens new possibilities for sustainable tourism development in Lang Son, while also enabling the province to establish deep connections with the global network of UNESCO Global Geoparks. It facilitates cooperation and knowledge exchange in heritage management, conservation, and the sustainable promotion of natural heritage for long-term development.
Located in the northeast of Viet Nam, the UNESCO Global Geopark Lang Son covers the entire administrative area of the districts of Bac Son, Chi Lang, Huu Lung, Loc Binh, Van Quan, Lang Son City, and parts of districts Binh Gia and Cao Loc. It spans more than 4,842 square kilometres and is home to nearly 627,000 people, representing about 58% of the province's area and 78% of its population.
Luu Ba Mac, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Lang Son Province, stated: “The development of Lang Son Geopark is a concrete and essential step in implementing the Master Plan for the Conservation of Geological Heritage and the Management of the Geopark Network in Viet Nam, as approved by the Prime Minister’s Decision No. 1590 (dated September 9, 2014). It aims to preserve cultural, historical, and natural values; protect the environment; and promote tourism and future-oriented education.”
What makes Lang Son Global Geopark unique is its archaeological value, with numerous sites dating back thousands of years. In the Tham Khuyen and Keo Leng caves, archaeologists have unearthed relics dating to between 30,000 and 470,000 years ago.
At the Mai Pha site, a large number of ceramic shards, stone tools, and jewellery dating back 3,500 to 5,000 years has been discovered.
Especially notable are the fossil findings in the Na Duong Basin in Loc Binh District, where remains of giant prehistoric flora and fauna dating back 40 to 50 million years have been identified, including crocodiles, turtles, monitor lizards, and flowering plants.
“What sets Lang Son Global Geopark apart is the morphology of its distinct karst fields, which are completely different from the older karst towers and cones found in Cao Bang or Ha Giang,” affirmed Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Tan Van, former Director of the Institute of Geosciences and Mineral Resources.
A land shaped by vibrant cultural traditions
Over thousands of years of settlement and development, communities within Lang Son Global Geopark have fostered a rich landscape of scenic sites and cultural-historical relics, alongside a wealth of intangible cultural heritage such as Long Tong Festival, Ky Cung–Ta Phu Festival, Na Nhem Festival, the lion dance of the Tay and Nung ethnic groups, and sli folk singing. Notably, Then ritual singing and the Worship of Mother Goddesses of the Three Realms have been recognised by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage of humanity.
“Through our fieldwork, we have found that most of the key temples associated with the Mother Goddess belief system in Lang Son are located within the core zone of the geopark. This presents a strong foundation for developing spiritual tourism integrated with the activities of Lang Son Geopark,” said Dr Trinh Hai Son, Head of the Vietnamese Subcommittee on UNESCO Global Geoparks.
Visitors to Lang Son Global Geopark can explore approximately 200 caves of various types and scales, including dry caves, wet caves, fossil caves, and mysterious underground river systems. Most caves extend horizontally, with intricate, multi-layered stalactite formations creating a landscape that is both majestic and ethereal.
In recent times, Lang Son’s Centre for Investment, Trade and Tourism Promotion has actively collaborated with tourism companies to survey and assess the potential for adventure tourism and cave exploration.
With the theme “The flow of life in a sacred land,” the journey to discover Lang Son Geopark will be divided into four tourism routes: Discovering the Sacred Highlands, Journey to the Celestial Realm, Rural Life on Earth, and Exploring the Underwater World. These routes feature a total of 38 destinations, which are currently under development, and primarily follow national highways 1A, 1B, 4B, and 279, each offering between 7 and 11 stops.
