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).
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.
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