Hoa Binh is a mountainous province, acting as a gateway to the North-West of Vietnam, 76 kilometers from Hanoi capital. The province, 4,662.53 square kilometers by area, is administratively divided into ten districts and one city. Additionally, its road and waterway system is very convenient. It is notable that the province enjoyed a year-on-year economic growth of 13.5% in 2006, the highest level so far. There was a positive change in its economic restructuring. GDP per capita in Hoa Binh is estimated at VND 6.2 million per year.

In 2007, the trade and tourism sector fulfilled major economic targets. In particular, the total retail sales of goods and services expanded by 23 per cent on year. Exports of commodities and services surged by 6 per cent. while import bills increased by 110 per cent. Also, tourism turnover bounced by 110 per cent.

The province of Hoa Binh embraces beautiful natural landscape and has a rich culture and history. It is also home to six ethnicities, including Muong, Kinh, Thai, Tay, Dao, H’Mong with a combination of harmonized cultural features. Hoa Binh is known not only for Lac Hamlet, Mai Chau District, vast Hoa Binh Lake, the primitive forest of Thuong Tien – Kim Boi, Hang Kia – Pa Co forest in Mai Chau, and Phu Canh forest in Da Bac etc., but also for the hot springs of Kim Boi and Lac Son, encompassing high mountains and large lakes, with favorable climate for the development of convalescence tourism. Besides, famous pagodas and temples are located here, such as Fairy Pagoda in Lac Thuy and Bo Temple on the Hoa Binh Lake.

Additionally, Hoa Binh has a wide range of natural minerals, including asbestos, coal, limestone, and a large reserve of stone, mineral water and clay. Gabrodiaba, granite and limestone reserves, which are estimated at 2.2 million cubic meters, 8.1 million cubic meters and over 700 million metric tons respectively, are feedstock for the building of transport and irrigation works as well as for capital construction. Further, there are six small coal mines and two quarries in the districts of Kim Boi, Lac Thuy, Yen Thuy, Lac Son, Da Bac and Ky Son with a combined reserve of 982,000 MT. Again, dolomite, barite, and kaolin reserves are significant, with unproven reserves at some mines. Clay is available in low lands and dispersedly distributed across the province with an estimated reserve of 8 to 10 million cubic meters. Moreover, the province’s natural mineral resource includes gold, copper, lead, zinc, antimony, pyrite, mercury, and phosphorite etc.

Given its geographical proximity to the Red River Delta and Hanoi Capital as well as favorable natural conditions, rich mineral resources, and cultural diversity, the province of Hoa Binh is well conditioned to develop its predominant industries.

Hoa Binh Building materials industry:

With large reserves of clay and limestone, building materials industry currently is one among Hoa Binh’s key industries. As a result, the province has become a provider of building materials to the neighboring provinces and the region as a whole. At present, it has three cement plants with a capacity of 88,000 MT a year in the districts of Luong Son and Yen Thuy as well as Hoa Binh City.
Hoa Binh Agriculture and forestry processing:

Hoa Binh’s land is suited to a wide range of industrial crops, such as sugarcane, cassava, tea, bamboo etc.), fruit trees (orange, mandarin, pine apple, and litchi), thereby facilitating the development of agriculture processing industries, such as tapioca, dried tea, flowers and canned fruit. Besides, forestry land accounts for roughly 55% of the province’s natural area, while above 40% of the forest area is covered with vegetation. Additionally, several economic forests are subject to growing and exploitation in service of the forest products industry.

Hoa Binh Mechanical, electronic, garment, footwear and leather industries:
The proximity of Hoa Binh to the large industrial hubs of Hanoi and Ha Tay as well as its plentiful labor resource (of which, rural labor represents 84% while the rate of recruitment time is only 74%) facilitate the development of electronic, garment, footwear and leather industries. Currently, there are several manufacturers throughout the province, such as Song Da Garment Company, 3/2 Garment Company, Ban Dai – Vietnam Co., Ltd., R Vietnam Technical Research Co., Ltd. and Sankor Vietnam Co., Ltd.
Throughout the renovation process, particularly after Vietnam’s accession into the WTO, the trade and tourism sector of Hoa Binh Province is committed to accomplishing given economic targets in the spirit of solidarity, overcoming difficulties, bringing internal forces into full play and availing support from the central government, the provincial Party Committee, the People’s Committee. Again, we welcome Vietnamese and foreign investors and sponsors to Hoa Binh and will create all favorable conditions on the basis of equality and cooperation for mutual development and benefit.

Hoa Binh Geography

Hoa Binh is a mountainous province in the North. It is bordered by Phu Tho and Ha Tay in the north, Ninh Binh and Thanh Hoa in the south, Ha Nam in the east, and Son La in the west.

The topography is combined by mountains and narrow valleys. The annual average temperature varies between 23 and 25oC.

Hoa Binh Tourism

The culture of Hoa Binh combines several ethnic groups with their own languages, traditional literature, and festivals.

Tourists especially enjoy the ethnic specialty dishes including rice cooked in bamboo and grilled meat. At night, visitors can stay in stilt houses at Lac Village in Mai Chau Valley, enjoy watching traditional dancing, music performances (bronze drums, gongs), and Thai minority singing and dancing. The remote Muong, Dao, Tay minority villages draw visitors who like study the life of ethnic groups. Beautiful brocade and forest products are interesting souvenirs.

Mountainous terrain with Thac Bo, Hoa Tien grottoes, Ret Cave, Pu Nooc Primitive forest and many clean springs are suitable for swimming, climbing, walking, and hunting. Visitors are also fascinated by superb beauty of Hoa Binh Hydroelectric Power Plant, the largest one in Vietnam. Boating on Da River is an enjoyable feeling.

Apart of these, scientific tests have shown that the mineral water at Kim Boi Hot Spring is good for drinking, bathing and treatment.

Hoa Binh Transportation

Road and water transportation are convenient. There is National Highway No. 6 from Hanoi vie Ha Tay to Hoa Binh, Son La, National Highway No. 15 from Mai Chau to Thanh Hoa, National Highway No. 12B from Hoa Binh to Nho Quan (Ninh Binh).

Hoa Binh Town is 82km from Hanoi. Da River is 5km from Hoa Binh City