Long Coc: The Dream of “Rising Dragon” Becoming Reality

Still the familiar bowl-shaped green tea hills compared to an inland Ha Long Bay, Long Coc today is no longer just a place to stop, breathe, and enjoy the peace. The dream of “rising like a dragon” cherished by the local Party Committee, government, and nearly 9,000 households is step-by-step taking shape through every new road, every experiential agricultural model, every visitor’s smile, and even the sincere reflections of nature lovers.

Tourists experience picking tea leaves on Long Coc tea hills.

Implementing Resolution No. 01-NQ/DU and the Project on leveraging internal strength, boosting investment attraction, and developing the economy in line with green tourism for the 2026–2030 period (with a vision to 2045), Long Coc Commune has shifted from “words on paper” to concrete action.

On May 31, 2026, the Provincial People’s Committee approved the tasks and cost estimates for planning the commune through 2045 at a 1/10,000 scale. On that foundation, infrastructure is prioritized: upgrading and renovating five rural traffic works; breaking ground on a flood-bypass bridge at Dat Vao 1 spillway with a total investment of over VND 63 billion; and constructing an 8,142-meter rural clean water supply system aiming to serve over 80% of the population. Rooftop solar energy is encouraged under the provincial plan. Three new enterprises and one cooperative were established—including two converted from tea-farming households—marking a transition from “selling leaves for cash” to offering managed, standardized services.

A view of the bowl-shaped tea hills in Long Coc Commune.

Not stopping at infrastructure, Long Coc is building a multi-value, circular agricultural model tailored for tourism. A 7-hectare Pink Banana cultivation model involving 10 households was supported with nearly 24 tons of fertilizer. A 16.3-hectare low-emission organic tea area meeting VietFarm standards at Tuyen Muoi Tea Cooperative (Bong 2 area) is receiving active guidance from the Institute of Green Technology. Multi-clawed chickens, Dong Tao chickens, hybrid wild boars, yellow potatoes, and more are emerging as new pieces of the value chain. OCOP products continue to be standardized and elevated.

Comrade Nguyen Xuan Viet, Chairman of Long Coc Commune People’s Committee, stated: “Long Coc is recognized as one of the largest and oldest tea-growing regions in Vietnam. Furthermore, the landscape of Long Coc tea hills is highly praised by tourists. Its location is relatively convenient, attracting an increasing number of visitors because the tea plants offer both delicious buds and gorgeous scenery to greet travelers.”

The local ethnic culture—the soul of community-based tourism—is also cherished by the commune. 20 folk culture clubs maintain regular activities. Documentation and records for the Dinh Mang historical site have been about 50% digitized, aiming for 100%. The anti-aircraft artillery site, Tien Well, and the tea hill cluster are being surveyed and documented for preservation. The Cap Sac (maturity ritual) and Lap Tinh dance of the Dao people, along with the gong sounds of the Muong people, are no longer just memories; they are becoming standardized experiential products serving domestic and international tourists.

Long Coc Commune organizes training on preserving cultural heritage of ethnic minorities linked with community tourism development.

Landscape and environment—prerequisites for “green tourism”—are meticulously cared for through environmental cleanup drives involving over 3,000 participants, clearing an average of over 40 km of canals and roads per campaign. Over VND 3 billion was allocated for beautification before, during, and after the Lunar New Year. Shade trees, flamboyant trees, lotuses, Gia Thanh roses, and more have been planted, adding fresh layers of color to the existing green backdrop.

Alongside these achievements are significant challenges. Funding has only reached 1–2% of the total project requirements. Many items remain in the survey and planning stages. Large-scale investment attraction remains limited. Environmental awareness among a segment of residents and business households still needs time to evolve... These are the “down notes” that the commune government does not shy away from in its first-half-year progress report.

Yet, Long Coc’s appeal continues to spread. Mr. Tran Anh Duc, a tourist from Nghe An, shared: “As a photography enthusiast, I must say that capturing Long Coc’s beauty with your eyes is easy, but catching it on camera is very difficult. Every moment, every hour seems to bring a different atmosphere and mood. Therefore, despite visiting many times, I’m still not fully satisfied and will definitely return.”

That heartfelt reflection serves as the most vivid confirmation: Long Coc is not only beautiful on the surface, but also rich in depth, evolving by the day and by the season.

In the second half of 2026, Long Coc Commune aims to complete its master plan in the third quarter; accelerate the disbursement of public investment capital; test-operate the GIS system; install smart equipment across the organic tea area; standardize at least 5 cultural performances imbued with Long Coc identity; and host its First Marathon, expected in November. The overarching goal remains to become one of the country’s top green tourism destinations, welcoming 10,000 visitors annually by 2030.

Long Coc’s “transformation into a dragon” is no longer just a dream of the local people or a plan on paper—it is coming alive in every meter of new road, every organic tea bush, every cultural club, and every returning glance of a tourist. A green, clean, and culturally rich Long Coc is rising, standing not only as a “healing” destination, but also as a vivid testament to the internal strength of the Ancestral Land when agriculture, culture, and tourism are sustainably combined.

Le Hoang