Unprecedented: Vietnam and China Officially Launch Tourism at the World’s Most Spectacular Waterfall Landscape.

After a period of pilot implementation from September 15, 2023, until now, the authorities of Cao Bang province, Vietnam, and the People’s Government of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China, officially launched the Ban Gioc Waterfall (Vietnam) – Detian Waterfall (China) Scenic Area.

The official operation followed the talks between Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Chinese Premier Li Qiang on October 13, during the Chinese Premier’s visit to Vietnam.

According to the authorities, after a year of implementation, the pilot operation of the Ban Gioc – Detian Waterfall Scenic Area has been maintained, and the customs procedures have been handled flexibly, scientifically, and civilizedly by the immigration control forces, in accordance with the regulations, creating favorable conditions for tourists from both sides to visit the Scenic Area.

In addition, the management board of Cao Bang Geopark shared that during the pilot period, the Scenic Area maintained a stable number of visitors with 950 groups and approximately 12,000 entries of cross-border tourists between the two countries.

With the official operation, the Scenic Area will receive a maximum of 1,000 entries per day, with 20 people per group. The cross-border tourism route is designed to include major attractions on both the Vietnamese and Chinese sides.

On the Vietnamese side, tourists will visit from the foot of Ban Gioc Waterfall, passing by Saigon Hotel and Truc Lam Phat Tich Pagoda.

On the Chinese side, tourists will visit Detian Waterfall, the shopping street, the waterfall viewing point from above, and the viewing decks. This cross-border cooperation area covers 400 hectares, with 200 hectares on each side.

The inspection and control of entry and exit at the Ban Gioc (Vietnam) – Detian (China) border gate have been carried out in accordance with the regulations by the Border Guard, Customs, and Quarantine forces, creating favorable conditions for tourists from both sides; the coordination between the two travel companies in organizing cross-border tours has been quite smooth, complying with the laws of both sides; and the infrastructure in the Scenic Area on both sides has been invested and built.

Speaking at the official launch ceremony of the Ban Gioc Waterfall (Vietnam) – Detian Waterfall (China) Scenic Area on October 15, Vice Chairman of the Cao Bang Provincial People’s Committee Trinh Truong Huy emphasized that the cooperation model for the protection and tourism development of Ban Gioc Waterfall (Vietnam) – Detian Waterfall (China) is a new model, unprecedented. 

The official operation of the Scenic Area will contribute to promoting tourism cooperation, enhancing friendly exchanges between the local people of the two border provinces, and playing an important role in promoting the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between Vietnam and China to a new level.

Immediately after the official launch, two groups of Vietnamese tourists and four groups of Chinese tourists (20 people per group) visited the Scenic Area on both sides. 

According to the plan, the border gate will be open to tourists from 8:00 am Hanoi time (9:00 am Beijing time), and after 2:00 pm Hanoi time, the organization of cross-border groups will be stopped; the closing time is 5:00 pm Hanoi time (6:00 pm Beijing time). Tourists crossing the border are not allowed to stay illegally. The visiting time of each cross-border tourist group should not exceed 6 hours. Temporary entry is not permitted for citizens of third countries.