Quang Ninh to offer coal mine tours to tourists

These coal mines could represent a boom for Quang Ninh tourism. The sector is now planning tours to coal mines and hopes soon to test the concept with tourists.

Tourists who decide to take one of the new coal mine tours will be surprised at the spectacular size of the coal rooms.

Coal mine tourists will have to follow all the safety rules of the miners, like wearing protective clothing and traveling in the coal industry’s specialized vehicles.

In return, they will see some unforgettable sights, according to Nguyen Anh Tuan, Director of the Dat Mo Travel Company in Quang Ninh.

Tuan said, “The coal mines overlook Bai Tu Long Bay. You can see coal quarries and big conveyors in the mass media but these tours will let you see these things in person.”

Seen from the top, the Deo Nai coal mine in Cam Pha city is an extravagant blend of colors.

Tuan said, “Cam Pha City has two types of coal extraction - opencast mining and underground mining. Opencast mining is a technique of extracting rock or minerals from the earth from an open pit. Underground mining requires tunneling into the earth to make a main room and inserting pillars within the coal seam. Cam Pha is currently transporting workers to coal seams located 300 meters below sea level.”

Mining sites are brightened by the gigantic yellow trucks that carry coal from the seams. Tran Van Tuyen, who has been driving at the Deo Nai coal mine for 20 years, said driving the 96-ton truck requires experience.

“Mining is a hard job. You must love it to endure a long attachment to it. The vehicles used at mining sites are strong and fuel-efficient. We agree with the company’s decision to work with travel agents to create tours so people can come to  learn about the coal industry,” according to Tuyen.

Most coal companies of the Vietnam Coal and Mineral Group have museums displaying items associated with their history.

Among the items are photos depicting the hard life of miners under French colonial rule in the early 20th century.

Tu Thi My Hanh, Director of the AsiaLand Travel Company, said, “This is the first time I have visited Deo Nai coal mine in Cam Pha city. I found the tour unique. My first impression was of imposing and beautiful scenery. I saw with my own eyes coal quarries and coal seams 150 meters below sea level, enormous trucks with wheels 2.7 meters high.

You can’t see such trucks anywhere else. I also saw how coal is extracted, from blasting to crushing and transporting. Now I understand the work of miners.”

Coal mine tourism is still being tested and will be launched for the public in the near future.