(HBO) - When the fog covering the town of Mai Chau gradually disappears, a small village with rustic houses on stilts show up, It is Pom Coong village imbued with characteristics of Thai ethnic people. Coming here, visitors can immerse themselves in the poetic natural scenery, enjoy traditional Thai ethnic food, grow rice and cook meals with ethnic people.
Tourists choose souvenirs in Pom Coong village, Mai Chau town, Mai Chau
district.
Pom Coong
means a village of hills lying on a big drum like the bronze one.
Currently,
Pom Coong is home to 70 households with 359 people and seven big families
living in harmony. Up to 89 percent of households are recognised as cultural
families. Pom Coong has been recognised as a cultural village for five
consecutive years. Local residents began providing homestay services in 1998, with
the first three families of Ha Thi Chung, Kha Van Vuong and Kha Van Hung. To
date, 15 households have engaged in this business. Up to 70 percent of visitors
are foreigners and the remaining are Vietnamese keen on Thai ethnic
characteristics. Pom Coong is attracting more and more tourists, earning locals
higher income. Last year, the village earned more than 2 billion VND from
tourism, or nearly 20 percent of the total revenue.
To lure
more visitors, local authorities and people always preserve special
characteristics of Thai ethnic culture, from stilt houses, traditional crafts
and costumes to folk dances. Thai ethnic people’s stilt houses are high, under
which, Thai young girls and women sit by the loom and weave brocade products.
Bows and
crossbows are also made available as souvenirs. When darkness falls down,
visitors could enjoy special music performances staged by local art troupes. In
the light of fire, flexible dances by beautiful Thai girls enchanted visitors.
The
village is well arranged and local residents abide by regulations of the
campaign "All people stand united to build cultural lifestyle in residential
areas”. There are not any social vices such as gambling, drug and prostitution.
Environment hygiene is ensured while garbage is classified and treated.
Chiho from
Japan said: "It is the first time I have visited
Vietnam.
Staying together with local family and joining in activities such as cycling,
rice growing, cooking ethnic food made me satisfied and impressed. Images of
Thai women next to the loom and pipe wine jar are unforgettable to me. After
returning home, I will introduce friends to Pom Coong village and return to the
village again”./.
Hoa Binh province has carried out multiple programmes and initiatives to revive its cultural heritage which has gradually fallen into oblivion through the ebbs and flows of history.
The most prominent and defining feature in the prehistoric era of Hoa Binh is the Hoa Binh Culture. The Culture was first discovered in Hoa Binh. The significant prehistoric culture represents not only Vietnam but also Southeast Asia and southern China. Through excavations of cave sites in the limestone regions of Hoa Binh, French archaeologist M. Colani introduced the world to a "Stone Age in Hoa Binh province – Northern Vietnam" in 1927. On January 30, 1932, the First Congress of Far Eastern Prehistorians, held in Hanoi, officially recognised the Hoa Binh Culture.
Known as the "Land of Epic History”, Hoa Binh province, the gateway to Vietnam’s northwest, boasts a strategic location and a unique cultural tapestry woven by its ethnic minority communities.
The People's Committee of Luong Son District recently held a ceremony to receive the certificate recognizing Sau Communal House in Thanh Cao Commune as a provincial-level historical and cultural site.
Recognising the importance of cultural heritage preservation in protecting and promoting the value system of Vietnamese culture, and serving socio-economic development in the new period, Party committees and local administrations in Hoa Binh province have identified it as a key task in the cultural development strategy. The province has been making efforts in mobilising resources, creating consensus among people and engaging ethnic communities in preserving and promoting cultural identity.
Hoa Binh province has captured growing attention both domestically and internationally for its distinctive cultural heritage and rich history. Most notably, it has been renowned for its famous Hoa Binh culture, considered the cradle of ancient Vietnamese civilisation. Looking ahead to significant milestones in 2025 and the 140th anniversary of province establishment in 2026, Hoa Binh Newspaper presents a comprehensive overview of the province's development across economic, social, cultural, tourism, and security domains.
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