(HBO) – Thung Nai is a commune in Cao Phong district, about 25km from Hoa Binh city, is an ideal destination for tourists who love the pristine beauty of Hoa Binh lake. We visited Thung Nai in an autumn sunny morning. The road to Thung Nai is winding under the sunny and crystal-clear sky. There are some tranquil villages on the side of the lake.
Tourists will enjoy art performances by locals
when visiting tourist sites in Thung Nai commune, Cao Phong district.
Legend has it that Thung
Nai used to be a vast valley surrounded by high mountains, forests with
countless deer, making the name Thung Nai (the valley of deer). Afterwards, the
construction of the Hoa Binh hydropower dam on the Da River took a large area
of Thung Nai. High mountains in the area now become islands in different sizes in
the vast lake, dubbed "Ha Long Bay on land”. Let’s spend at least a full day to
enjoy the site.
It is romantic to explore Thung Nai by a tourist boat. From Thung Nai pier, tourists
can enjoy the lake’s tranquil landscape in breezy and fresh atmosphere on local
boats. Thung Nai is the most attractive in autumn with breeze and light
sunlight. The scene of sky and water in autumn brings a primitive beauty to
Thung Nai, enchanting visitors.
Thung Nai is said to be the harmonious combination of mountains, forests,
islands in various sizes and the water colour outlined in the sky. There are
many places for tourists in Thung Nai. It takes around 30 minutes by boat to
get the Thac Bo temple, where tourists can offer incense, learn the history of
the temple, explore the mystery and charm of Thac Bo cave with stalactites in different
shapes and sizes, enriching visitors’ imagination.
Tourists can also visit and enjoy local food on numerous islands in the lake,
such as Dua (coconut), Xanh (green), Qua (crow), De (goat) islands.
Tourists will have interesting sentiments when visiting the windmill where they
can see the panorama of Thung Nai which is appeared dimly in the misty morning
or is seen verdantly in the sunny day.
By night, tourists can join campfire and enjoy songs and dances performed by
locals. Home-stay service is also available in the locality, so visitors can
stay with local people, join their production and daily life activities and enjoy
local dishes and specialties such as smoked fish, roasted pork and local
vegetables with special seasoning.
Besides, visitors can go with locals on their boats to the lake to fish for
their food, an unforgettable memory for anyone who comes to Thung Nai./.
Hoa Binh province’s rich natural and cultural resources position it as a prime location for developing community-based tourism (CBT). In recent years, support from central and provincial policies, as well as assistance from non-governmental organisations, have encouraged local ethnic minority and mountainous communities to actively engage in the sector.
Van Son Commune, Tan Lạc district, Hoa Binh province also known as "Cloud Valley," boasts a cool climate, stunning natural landscapes, and majestic scenery. Visitors who have been to this place should make a stop at Chien Hamlet to experience a lot of fascinating things and feel the friendly, warmth of the Muong ethnic people.
Thanks to the effective exploitation of natural landscape and the cultural diversity of ethnic minorities, Hoa Binh province has become an attractive destination for tourists seeking experiences and exploration.
The Department of Cultural Heritage has just coordinated with the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Hoa Binh province to organize a training on implementing the model of the cultural heritage connected in the cultural tourism journey in Cao Phong and Lac Son districts.
The Sung village in Cao Son commune, Da Bac district, is endowed with pristine natural landscape, and Dao Tien ethnic minority community in the village preserves rich cultural heritage, including traditional housing, clothing, language, scripts, customs, and daily life practices. Since the community-based tourism model was introduced in the locality, these traditional cultural values have been further preserved and promoted.