Launching ecotourism
The Co Co River once served as an important waterway connecting Da Nang with Hoi An from the 16th to the 18th centuries. For a long time, the river was silted up, disrupting its original function. However, in recent years, the river has been gradually dredged, restored, and its value enhanced, becoming a unique ecological, cultural, and tourism axis, creating new impetus for socio-economic development, especially sustainable tourism development in the locality.
Mr. Ngo Nguyen Tho, Director of the Public Service Supply Center of Hoi An Tay Ward and Deputy Head of the Standing Committee of the festival organizing committee, said that the first Co Co River Festival, held in 2024 with the theme "Awakening the Legendary River," mainly focused on recreational activities. This year, with the theme "Co Co - The Flow of Heritage," the locality hopes to unleash the potential of ecotourism and community tourism, as this river is a connecting link between traditional craft villages.
“Located at the intersection of routes connecting to Tra Que vegetable village, Tan Thanh fishing village, An My vegetable village..., the Co Co River is expected to become a heritage link, connecting the Hoi An area with the center of Da Nang city. The festival will not only contribute to promoting the potential of the river, awakening long-forgotten heritage values, but also open up opportunities to develop river tourism experiences, forming a new eco-cultural tourism flow…,” Mr. Tho said.
Notably, throughout the two days of the festival, in the Co Co River area, the small park at the foot of An Bang Bridge, there will be many new activities aimed at unlocking tourism potential such as: boat trips on the Co Co River and enjoying music ; fishing net casting demonstrations on the river; sailing and kayaking experiences; and visiting the local market selling local products.
Through this, tourists will experience a journey on the Co Co River by boat, admire the scenery on both banks to feel the peaceful beauty of the riverine region and enjoy musical performances held right on the boat.
In particular, activities recreating the traditional fishing practices of the local people through performances of casting nets showcase the labor skills of fishermen, contributing to introducing the beauty of the culture, life, and long-standing livelihoods associated with the Co Co River.
Along with a traditional market space that recreates the rustic charm of Quang Nam's countryside, this is a place that brings together characteristic local products such as Tra Que vegetables and fresh seafood from the An Bang sea area. This is an opportunity for tourists to visit, shop, and enjoy the flavors of local specialties, while also contributing to promoting agricultural products, seafood, and local cultural values to a wider audience of locals and tourists.
Connecting heritage, spreading its values.
This year's festival also features an art program titled "Co Co River - Past, Present, and Aspirations for the Future"; cultural exchanges between residential areas, associations, organizations, and community groups; an exhibition of firewood, bamboo roots, Thanh Ha pottery, and fishing gear from the riverine region; stalls displaying food , OCOP products, and local specialties; folk dance performances and traditional games…
According to Ms. Le Thi Hong Thao, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Hoi An Tay Ward, with more than 10 cultural, tourism, sports , and experiential activities, the festival aims to promote the historical, cultural, and ecological values of the Co Co River, while also promoting the potential and strengths of ecotourism and community tourism development in the ward. During the festival, the local authorities will invite businesses to experience the activities, thereby jointly investing and creating many new tourism products.
This year's Co Co River Festival not only revives memories of the river that once served as a vital trade artery between Da Nang and Hoi An, but also creates a space connecting the cultural, historical, and ecological values of the entire region. Through experiential activities, art performances, and river tourism, the heritage is "awakened," local identity is spread, and new impetus is opened for the development of sustainable cultural and ecological tourism, making the river a bridge connecting the past with the present and the future.
According to Le Quoc Viet, Chairman of the Quang Nam Destination Club (Da Nang Tourism Association), organizing the Co Co River Festival near the location of Tra Que vegetable village, An My rice village, and An Bang fishing village will be a leverage to further promote tour connections. “There are many feasible ideas to promote Co Co River tourism, based on local resources. Several travel agencies have expressed interest. Therefore, it is necessary to quickly open up the entire river route connecting Da Nang to Hoi An so that tourism in this area can flourish,” Mr. Viet shared.
Researcher Vo Van Thang, former Director of the Da Nang Cham Sculpture Museum, suggested: "The cultural sector should create a ranking dossier for the Ngu Hanh Son complex and the Co Co River as a mixed cultural landscape because here, people and nature have been intertwined from ancient times to the present day. The Co Co River, connecting Cua Han and Cua Dai, passing through Ngu Hanh Son, is not only a transportation route but also a cultural waterway."