(HBO) – Dinh Quy Huu, born in the 1990s, in Ke hamlet, Hien Luong commune (Da Bac district) has not only realised potentials of ethnic cultural identity such as traditional houses, daily activities and local cuisine, he has also developed new tourism products like raft-rowing and kayaking and learnt about western cuisine. All of them have created the unique traits of Huu Thao homestay, turning it into an interesting destination for tourists.


Dinh Quy Huu cooks dishes for guests staying at Huu Thao homestay in Ke hamlet, Hien Luong commune (Da Bac district).

In April 2014, representatives of a project sponsored by the Australian Foundation for the Peoples of Asia and the Pacific (AFAP) conducted a field trip to explore Ke hamlet in Hien Luong commune, Huu said.

"The hamlet boasts all needed factors to develop tourism, including nature, people and Muong ethnic group’s cultural identity. I am fortunate to be among two households in the hamlet that received support from the project to borrow loans, participate in training and buy tourism equipment”.

In early 2015, after nearly six months of preparation, homestay facility of Huu’s family was officially inaugurated with the name of Huu Thao homestay.

To attract more tourists to visit and stay at his home, Huu has actively joined in training courses held by the project to improve his guest-serving skills. Aside from traditional dishes like steamed and grilled fish, Huu also learnt to make various new dishes that are suitable with domestic and foreign visitors.

Besides, guests of Huu Thao homestay are enabled to participate in raft-rowing and kayaking, sight-seeing on Da river and swimming at local springs. Especially, tourists can join local people to make traditional cakes, catch fresh-water snails and pick bamboo shoots.

In addition, Huu learned additional services in Sa Pa to create more tourism products for visitors, including herbal bath of Red Dao ethnic group and foot bath with medicinal herbs. After using those services, many visitors feel more relaxed and less tired.

With the aim of maintaining the tradition, he and other members of the family decided to wear traditional clothes when receiving guests. Additionally, on Saturday evenings, his family invites the hamlet’s art troupe to entertain tourists with gong beating performance, bamboo pole and fan dances, among others. Domestic and foreign tourists find it enjoyable to experience and explore customs and cultural identity of the ethnic group. Therefore, many of them returned here to further explore the pristine land.

Since 2016, Huu’s homestay estblishment has received more than 300 guests, with foreign tourists accounting over 20 percent. It costs each visitor about 500,000 VND (22 USD) per day for meals and accommodation at the homestay establishment (price of recreational activities not included). Realising the economic efficiency of homestay services, his family decided to build another stilt house to serve more visitors./.

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