VietNamNet Bridge – Visitors to a nipa palm forest in Cam Thanh Commune on the lower Thu Bon River will have to pay entrance fees from next month.

Fishermen show how to net fish in nipa palm forest in Cam Thanh Commune.

Vice chairman of Hoi An City’s People’s Committee Nguyen Van Son said ticket collections were aimed at promoting tourism and protecting nature.

Son said booming forest tourism in recent years had damaged habitats and scenery landscapes in the wetlands - and that local administration was too weak to control the situation.

“We will offer tickets for VND30,000 (US$1.30) from early December. Reception centres and rest-stops have also been developed,” Son said.

“We also have 450 coracles for paddling through the forest. They will cost between VND200,000 ($8.80) and VND300,000 ($13.20),” he said, adding that residents would be invited to join the tourism service teams.

He said each coracle owner would get VND80,000 ($3.50) from each rental and that 8 per cent of entrance costs would return to households in the community-based tourism team.

Son said the forest hosted about 5,000 visitors in the high season and at weekends.

Nipa palm forest is the most powerful plant in the wetland of Cam Thanh Commune and ecological system, which ranges from Hoi An to Cua Dai estuary and Cham Island.

It plays an important role in Cham Island-Hoi An, as it sheltered fish and aquatic species during breeding.

A report from the Cham Islands revealed that poor planning development had claimed 40ha of nina palms between 1975 and 1990, while rapid urban expansion encroached on to 20 per cent more of the forest.

Hoi An has already successfully launched community-based tourism activities, such as farming, fishing, boat rides and biking. 

VNS