(HBO) – A mountainous commune in Lac Son district, Tu Do has focused on optimising its natural advantages to develop experiential and community-based tourism. The locality is becoming popular among visitor who come to enjoy cool weather, untouched natural landscapes and the unique local cultural identity.
Foreign visitors explore the cultural identity of Muong ethnic minority group in Tu Do commune, Lac Son district.
Bui Thi Him, a Muong girl who was born and grew up in the beautiful commune, has been a tour guide to introduce the beauty of her homeland and traditional practices of locals to visitors.
According to her, along with Mu waterfall, Tu Do has a large natural lake, along with other scenic sites such as Cao waterfall, Cao stream and Dong Be field.
It is also home to unique cultural identity from traditional practices, costumes and cuisine of Muong people, and a friendly local community.
Helen, a German visitor said that she has spent one week in the locality enjoying Mu waterfall and Mu stream, trekking through the forest, and joining locals during their daily activities, which is an impressive experience for her.
Statistics showed that 80% of local households are living in stilt houses of Muong people in harmony with the nature. The local community has a high sense of responsibility for preserving and promoting their cultural identity during tourism activities. Many art troupes have been formed to perform Muong folk music.
Bui Van Thinh, Vice Chairman of the Tu Do People’s Committee said that in recent years, the local Party organisation and administration have defined tourism as a way for the locality to boost economic development and promote sustainable poverty reduction in the locality, which is combined with the preservation and promotion of the local tangible and tangible heritage.
Last year, the commune welcomed more than 13,500 visitors, of whom 2,400 spent nights at the locality. A Mu waterfall tourism cooperative has been established with 19 members. Tu Do currently has 12 homestays, each can accommodate about 30 visitors. Thanks to its natural and cultural beauty, Tu Do has become increasingly popular among domestic and foreign tourists./.
As a land deeply intertwined with human history and Vietnam’s millennia-long journey of nation-building and defence, Hoa Binh is often revered for its epic tales and legends.
Residents of Hoa Binh boast a rich cultural identity, reflected in their unique language, traditional attire, customs, and folk melodies – described as "sweet as honey, clear as a mountain stream.”
Lac Son district’s Vu ban town held the 2025 Truong Kha temple festival on April 12–13 (the 15th–16th days of the third lunar month). Since its revival in 2019, the festival has been organised every three years, preserving valuable intangible heritage while meeting the community’s cultural and spiritual needs.
The clothing of women reflects the culture of the Muong, Thai, Tay, Dao, and Mong ethnic groups in the northern province of Hoa Binh.
Gongs hold a special place in the cultural and spiritual life of the Muong ethnic people in Hoa Binh province. More than musical instruments, they are an indispensable part of community rituals and collective memory, echoing through generations as a spiritual thread linking the past, present, and future.
Preserving and promoting the cultural values of the Muong ethnic group has become an urgent task in the current context, as many traditional values face the risk of fading away. This effort requires not only protecting the cultural identity but also eliminating outdated customs and developing a modern cultural lifestyle, contributing to sustainable values for the Muong community in Hoa Binh province.
The Muong ethnic culture, deeply rooted in Vietnam’s mountainous north, continues to be preserved and revitalised by dedicated individuals and communities determined to safeguard their ancestral identity.
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