HCM City, June 22 -- Community-based tourism has transformed traditional ways of life into unique travel experiences, helping boost socio-economic development as well as preserve cultural heritage.

Seventy kilometres to the centre of Ho Chi Minh City, the tranquil Thieng Lieng hamlet on Thanh An island commune of Can Gio district offers an escape into a world of mangrove forests and sunlit salt fields. The transformation began in late 2022, when Thieng Lieng became the city's first community-based tourist destination, built on local cultural traits and the authentic ecosystem of mangrove forests and river - sea confluence.

Coming to Thieng Lieng, visitors can stroll or cycle around the island's winding paths and discover 24 different to...