On Mar. 19-20th, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MoCST) organized a fact-finding trip to Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex and Bai Dinh pagoda.

The trip was a chance to promote Trang An in the process of preparing the documentation to submit to UNESCO for approval as the Natural Heritage of the world.

Outstanding Universal Value

With a large area of over 10,000 hectares, Trang An has three individual components including Trang An ecological tourist site, Tam Coc-Bich Dong acttraction, and Hoa Lu Ancient Citadel. Together these three contiguous areas comprise the core zone of the heritage.

Being considered as “Ha Long Bay on land”, Trang An is characterized as dramatic limestone karsts, unique grottes and beautiful lakes. The crust in the Trang An region has a geologic history of 200 to 251 million years and includes six strata from of the Triassic and Quaternary Ages. It includes strata of different thickness, which has facilitated karstification and the formation of the area's unique landscape. Specially, there are numerous flooded caves and dry caves giving evidence of seawater intrusion. The system of caves is alternated with lake and swamp bringing a multi-colorful picturesque landscape.

In Trang An, the flora and fauna systems are very diverse with terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. The terrestrial ecosystems have over 600 species of plants, 200 species of animals and many other species was recorded in Vietnam's Red Book. The aquatic ecosystem includes more than 30 zooplankton species, 40 zoobenthic species of which many rare species, especially striped-neck turtles should be protected urgently.

Beside the grand values of landscape and geology, Trang An has also archaeological remains such as Bui cave, Trong cave…to prove the prehistoric existence in this region. Thereby, the prehistoric residents had taken the natural advantages to settle and developed their cultural values over neighbor regions. One of the cultural values of Trang An is Hoa Lu limestone ancient capital (the capital of rock) featuring architectural style of army bastion linking vestiges of Dinh – Tien Le – Ly citadels to form a cultural- historical space of legendary Hoa Lu.

High consensus

Recognizing the grand values of landscape, geology and geomorphology, the Ninh Binh People’s Committee and the MoCST are preparing documentation to submit to UNESCO for the recognition of Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex as the Natural Heritage of the world.

It is hoped that the Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex will be recognized as soon as possible to fulfill the local people and authorities’ expectation as well as to bring a chance to preserve cultural values and promote Ninh Binh’s image to the world.
Thanh Pham (TITC)