The Dai Nam Joint-stock Company on Sunday opened the Dai Nam Sea, a part of the Lac Canh Dai Nam Van Hien tourist site in the southern province of Binh Duong.

Lac Canh Dai Nam Van Hien tourist site.

Dai Nam Sea is the largest artificial sea in Southeast Asia. It is 21.6ha, with a total water surface area of 20,000sq.m and coast of 1.4km long.

The artificial sea has beaches, with artificial waves up to 1.6m high.

The Dai Nam Sea will be opened for the public this lunar New Year.

The Lac Canh Dai Nam Van Hien project, which opened last September after nearly ten years of construction, has become the largest-ever tourism area in Vietnam. Located in Thu Dau Mot town, about 40km northwest of HCM City, the sprawling complex includes man-made lakes, rivers and mountains as well as a wide range of recreational facilities.

The company has invested VND1,800 billion, or some US$110 million, in the first phase of the project. Facilities now available include a 9-hectare temple area, a square, cooking and game areas, and open zoo.

Upon arriving at the complex visitors first see the Dai Nam Van Hien Temple, one of the most important structures in the park. The temple contains historical exhibits and is used as a place of worship. Exhibits from various Vietnamese dynasties are on display there.

The site also has a 12.5-hectare open zoo, which is home to rhinos, white lions, tigers, elephants, bears, ostriches, chamois, zebras, gnus, squirrel monkeys and foxes, many of which are not typically found in Vietnam.

Tran Dang Trung, manager of the safari park, said it took two years to develop the park at a cost of VND50 billion. Animals are allowed more space than in a regular zoo while the space between humans and animals is diminished. To protect visitors, deep spaces and various safety methods have been carefully applied. The zoo is open every day until 9 p.m. and admission is VND20,000 for adults and VND15,000 for children.

The project also includes 4,500 hotel rooms of different ratings, areas featuring miniature landmarks of Vietnam and the world, and an area showcasing pottery of Binh Duong.

Entrance to the complex in the first stage will be VND30,000 for adults and VND20,000 for children. Visitors can buy tickets for every game, or buy a package at a cost of VND120,000 for all the games in the complex.

The company will complete the second phase within three years with a total investment of VND1,200 billion or more than US$73 million.

(Source: TN/SGT)