Tram Chim National Park promotes ecotourism and local culture

Dong Thap province in Vietnam is promoting a sustainable ecotourism model centered on Tram Chim National Park, the world’s 2,000th Ramsar site. The initiative aims to preserve local cultural heritage and create sustainable livelihoods for residents in the park's buffer zone by leveraging the seasonal flood cycle.

Through the “Tram Chim at the rhythm of the flood season waters” program, visitors can engage in nine experiential activities. These include navigating canals, observing Sesbania sesban flowers and various bird species, and practicing traditional fishing methods using traps and nets to catch Henicorhynchus siamensis.

Local residents from four communes have been trained as storytellers to guide tourists through these ancestral practices. This approach seeks to prevent the disappearance of traditional knowledge and fishing techniques that are increasingly rare due to urbanization. Local businesses, such as farmstays, complement these activities by offering rural experiences like cycling through melaleuca forests and traditional fishing.