(HBO) – How excited I was when receiving an invitation from a friend to visit Muong Bi in Tan Lac district when the season was shifting from winter to spring. This time of the year, the land offers red pomelos and festive music.
Tourists
explore local food during festive occasions
Muong Bi is an ancient land full of mystic features. Popular
destinations include the Muoi cave archaeological site, a series of caves,
namely Muong Chieng, But, Bung, Hoa Tien, and Nam Son, and Thac Bo, and the
Muong Bi flag pole, just to name a few.
Everywhere we go, either travelling to the longevity valley in
Lung Van or visiting Ai village (Phong Phu commune), and Ngoi village (Ngoi Hoa
commune), we always see the Muong ethnic culture and lifestyle in local
architect, costume, dance, and behaviour.
The Muong gong is a highlight of the land. It comes along with the
image of thousands of Muong Bi women in traditional costumes parading and
playing the musical instrument in different festivals.
Tan Lac district is endowed with advantages for many types of
tourism from cultural and spiritual to ecological tours. The land has
impressive forests and mountains, streams and waterfalls, and traditional
colourful ethnic festivals. In recent years, it has carried out more
professional tourism activities, with traditional events, such as the fishing
festival in Lo Son and Phu Vinh communes, and the summer festival, gradually
revived.
The Muong Bi summer festival marks the beginning of the season. It
is said to showcase most of Muong Bi’s special cultural features, including
food, lifestyle, and sports. The festival has attracted thousands of visitors
in recent years.
Tan Lac has put forth several measures to attract investment in
tourism. It has held various tourism promotion conferences and taken specific
steps to realise Resolution 03-NQ/HU of the district Party Committee issued on
June 21, 2016 on local tourism development for 2016 – 2020.
In 2017, Tan Lac welcomed many investors who came to study local
potentials. As a result, the district’s authorities are considering three
projects in Quyet Chien and Ngoi Hoa communes.
The number of visitors to Tan Lac amounted to 94,729 last year;
they spent over 10.9 trillion VND, up 946 million VND from the same period in
2016.
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.
Leveraging the natural landscapes and the cultural identity of the ethnic minority communities, many rural areas in Hoa Binh province have developed the unique tourism products to promote rural tourism (RT).