(HBO) – Untouched rustic Mai Hich commune, which is emblazoned with ripen rice terraces surrounded by mountain ranges and trails covered by white smoke streaking from local houses’ roofs, has grown in stature among domestic and international visitors in recent years.
Photo:
Homestay Minh Tho in Hich 2 village, Mai Hich commune (Mai Chau district) is a
favourable accommodation among travel companies.
Community-based
tourism has undergone positive changes and brought stable income to local
people. There are seven households offering homestay services and three
villages developing community-based tourism, comprising Hich 1, Hich 2 and Cha
Lang. In the first half of the year, the commune welcomed over 1,600 visitors, 900
of whom are foreigners, and raked in nearly 600 million VND in tourism revenue.
The commune has mobilised locals to promote community-based tourism after
seeing its economic benefits. It has also asked the locals to pay attention to
ensuring environmental hygiene to lure more holiday-makers to the locality.
Connections between villages and tourist attractions help visitors have
brilliant experience during their stay.
Ha Cong Minh, a homestay owner in Hich 2 village, said: "How to make tourists
feel comfortable and enjoyable is what we care. We have teamed up with travel
agents to set up tours for visitors to go sightseeing, enjoy stunning views of
waterfalls and landscape of rural areas as well as involve in local activities
like rice harvesting, fishing, brocading and experience traditional dishes and
cultural exchange.
The Centre for Community Health and Development (COHED) has supported homestay
service providers in Hich 2 village with necessary skills and knowledge as well
as capital to develop community-based tourism since 2010. The commune is home
to 120 Thai ethnic families, who have preserved nearly 90 percent of their
traditional stilt houses.
Bestowed with natural landscapes and tourism investment, coupled with local
hospitality, Mai Hich has become an attractive draw for tourists to discover
spectacular sceneries and ethnic traditional culture. It is expected to make
community-based tourism a major currency earner of the commune./.
A Phong Linh (Yellow Tabebuia) flower garden in Thang village, Thach Yen commune, Cao Phong district is currently in full bloom, drawing a large number of visitors.
Community-based tourism has been thriving in Pa Co commune, Mai Chau district thanks to advantages in natural landscape and cultural identity.
Doan Ket commune of Yen Thuy district has recently held a ceremony to receive a certificate recognising Ta communal house as a provincial-level historical and cultural relic site.
In Lac Thuy district, the fertile alluvial land along the Boi River is now home to lush green mulberry gardens, marking the emergence of a new agricultural industry - mulberry cultivation and silkworm farming.
Officially opening in February, Ngoi Hoa Ecotourism Site (PriorBay Resort) in Suoi Hoa commune, Tan Lac district, has quickly become a sought-after destination. It offers visitors a chance to indulge in distinctive and enticing experiences.
Gia Trang Heian Homestay, a unique cultural oasis in the heart of Hoa Binh city, has become a compelling attraction for tourists seeking ethnic cultural experiences within an urban setting. Bui Thi Hien, a local in Kim Boi district with aspiration for ethnic culture and community-based tourism development, created the homestay that seamlessly blends traditional and contemporary features.