People in Cha Day village in Pa Co commune, Mai Chau district of Hoa Binh province, have been taking advantage of natural conditions and traditional cultural values to develop community-based tourism which has helped improve their quality of life.
Tourists join in picking tea leaves with local people
in Cha Day village.
In the past, Mong people in Pa Co commune mostly
earned their living by growing corn, paddy and raising cattle and poultry. Six years ago, Phang A Pao, a local resident,
was the first person to start community-based tourism model in the commune. Pao, who is now head of a group of farmers who
provide Mong homestay service, said that since he started his tourism business,
he has learnt many things. He understood that preserving the natural
landscape and cultural identity can help people from ethnic groups to develop,
and escape from poverty.
So far, ten families in the village have joined
in developing community-based tourism in association with preserving and
promoting tangible and intangible cultural values.
In the village, the homestay service providers
have still preserved traditional houses made of natural materials and decorated
in the style of Mong people. New tourism products have been exploited such as
cultural space of the Mong people, traditional night market, and camping
combined with cloud watching in the mountains, which helped attract domestic
and international visitors.
Anline, a visitor from France, said that she was
impressed when she visited "Mong Space" and was told interesting
stories about traditional costumes, patterns on fabric, and long preserved
items. She was also guided to make paper, paint with beeswax and relax with
herbal bath.
After 6 years of implementing the
community-based tourism models, Cha Day village has become one of the popular
destinations for domestic and international tourists. While running tourism
business, households in the village are highly aware of the importance of
preserving local culture, particularly traditional costumes, cuisine, and
festivals.
Up to now, the "Homestay Mong and
experience Pa Co agriculture" has gathered 35 members with six homestays.
Houses that provide homestay service got an average annual income of 100
million VND (4,000 USD).
Da Bia hamlet, now Duc Phong, in Tien Phong commune, Da Bac district, was once almost isolated from the outside as the only way to the hamlet was to get a boat ride across the Hoa Binh reservoir. However, as its tourism potential has been unleashed, the hamlet has established itself as one of the most attractive destinations on the tourism map. It has even received the ASEAN Community-Based Tourism Awards in 2019.
Da Bac district, bestowed with stunning landscapes, is developing ecological and resort tourism offerings. Several tourist sites, put into operation this year, has attracted throngs of high-spending and young domestic visitors.
In the first nine months of 2024, Da Bac district has intensified efforts in preserving and promoting the cultural values of ethnic groups in tandem with community-based tourism development. Many cultural tourism products have been built on the basis of preserving and maintaining the architecture of ethnic minority houses as well as traditional crafts such as making do (poonah) paper, brocade weaving, embroidery, and indigo dyeing.
Tan Lac district’s three highland communes of Quyet Chien, Ngo Luong, and Van Son sit at altitudes ranging from 800 to 1,000 metres above sea level. Known for their wide forest coverage and rich biodiversity, the areas boast a cool, temperate climate in summer and is home to several scenic spots and caves recognised as provincial and national heritage sites. Besides, the region still preserves the cultural traditions of the Muong ethnic group, alongside a variety of agricultural products, which add to its unique appeal for visitors.
The survey on selecting and developing the new tourism products and tours.
On September 27th and 28th, the Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism collaborated with Hanoi Unesco Travel Club to organize a survey program to select and develop the new tourism products and tours that highlight the unique features of the lake region in Da Bac district. The survey group included the experts for developing the tourism product, the members of the Vietnam Travel Club, the Vietnam Travel Association, the representatives from businesses, travel companies, domestic and international tourism operators, and media agencies from both inside and outside the province.
Blessed with a stunning natural landscape, fresh air, and a unique cultural identity, Mai Chau district, where the Thai people make up over 60% of its population, has located itself on the Vietnamese tourism map with community tourism.
