Donning a picturesque patchwork of white and pink hues, courtesy of the blooming plum and peach flowers in spring, community-based tourism villages in Hoa Binh province have drawn a large number of visitors from far and wide, helping mountainous localities get out of poverty.
Ethnic women in Ngoi village, Suoi Hoa commune, Tan Lac district, are making meticulous preparation to welcome visitors.
According to Deputy Director of the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism Bui Xuan Truong, local community-based tourism has been attractive to both domestic and foreign visitors.
Twenty-two community-based tourism villages with 180 homestays have been developed in the province so far, bringing a better life to the Muong, Thai, Mong and Dao people, he said, adding many households have escaped poverty thanks to tourism.
The community-based model was developed in Chien hamlet - a small Muong village with difficulties in 2019 with the support of the Australian non-governmental organisation Action on Poverty (AOP). After four years of operation, it has helped the hamlet position itself in the province’s tourism map with more visitors coming to experience local landscape and culture.
Mai Hich commune in Mai Chau district, bestowed with scenic beauty and unique cultural traits, has branched out community-based tourism, with 11 households in Hich 1, Hich 2 and Cha Lang hamlets providing this kind of service. Each homestay in the district could accommodate up to 30 guests.
Although the commune has not gained popularity like Lac village or Pom Coong village, it has drawn an increasing number of domestic and foreign arrivals, bringing better income for local residents.
Meanwhile, Sung hamlet in Cao Son commune, Da Bac district, locating in the foot of Bieu mountain, has become a magnet for tourists who come to enjoy the standout cultural traits of the Dao Tien ethnic people.
Being introduced to indigo-dying technique and traditional brocade-weaving craft, giving it a try to print patterns on fabric with beeswax and healing themselves with Dao herbal bathing are among the most interesting experiences that visitors have while staying in the hamlet. Beyond cultural exchange, community-based tourism has contributed to creating jobs and increasing income for local residents.
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.
