Stories from Son Lang

K50 Waterfall is located in Kon Chu Rang Nature Reserve ( Gia Lai ) - one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Asia.

Changes in the "forest of girls"

The place names Son Lang, Dak Roong or Ha Nung... of Kbang district, Gia Lai province, at first hearing, seem far away and inaccessible. After the liberation of the South, Division 332, Military Region 5 was established to carry out economic and defense tasks in Gia Lai. In 1984, Division 332 was transformed into Kon Ha Nung Forestry - Industrial Union under the management of the Ministry of Agriculture. Later, the Union was dissolved, and all 8 forest farms were handed over to the province.

However, at that time, to prepare for the construction of the forestry farms, nearly 5,000 people from all over were brought to Son Lang, of which more than half were women. At that time, Tram Lap Forestry Team had 40 girls whose task was to clear the forest, clean the forest and live together. All were in their twenties. They were the ones who left the most beautiful days of their lives here so that today these mountains and forests have that immense green color. Many people still call the green forests now "girls' forests", as if to mark the mark of such a time.

Many years have passed, Son Lang is now strong in agricultural economy with nearly 1,300 hectares of coffee, cultivating many types of oranges, tangerines, guava, avocado, papaya, durian, macadamia... Currently, in the commune, people intercrop durian trees on an area of ​​more than 10 hectares of coffee.

Many years have passed, Son Lang is now strong in agricultural economy with nearly 1,300 hectares of coffee, cultivating many types of oranges, tangerines, guava, avocado, papaya, durian, macadamia... Currently, in the commune, people intercrop durian trees on an area of ​​more than 10 hectares of coffee.

Now, Son Lang is focusing on implementing comprehensive rural development, improving the quality of people's lives by simultaneously implementing 3 national target programs. Along with that, with many capital sources from target programs, projects of the Central and the province, the district has focused on investing, building infrastructure, model points on culture, agriculture, developing traditional cultural forms, restoring festivals, preserving and exploiting the cultural values ​​of the nation for community tourism.

Prosperous thanks to forest tourism

Thanks to the potential of nature and unique traditional culture, people in Son Lang are now better off thanks to tourism. Over the past 3 years, the Kon Chu Rang Nature Reserve Management Board has invested in a 1.2m wide concrete road leading to the waterfall. Along with creating favorable conditions for employees, Kon Chu Rang Nature Reserve also helps Ba Na ethnic youth in neighboring areas in Son Lang earn income through "forest tourism" tours.

The fruit-laden Duong Canh orange garden of Mr. Nguyen Duc Manh's family in Hop Thanh village, Son Lang commune, Kbang district attracts visitors to visit and experience.

Mr. Dinh Van Quy, Party Cell Secretary and Head of Dak Asel Village, Son Lang Commune, is the pioneer in community tourism, helping to create jobs for many rural workers. Since being guided by Mr. Quy in tourism, villagers not only have jobs and increased income but also contribute to promoting the natural landscape and Ba Na ethnic identity to tourists from near and far. Up to now, Dak Asel village has only 6 poor households.

Or like Mr. Ksor Ngin, a teacher at Kon Ha Nung Secondary and High School, is also a local tour guide with trips through the Kon Chu Rang old forest. He has established a tourist service team with 10 members who are Ba Na people, including teachers and farmers with a stable income of 5-6 million VND/person/month. Not only creating a livelihood for the people, tourism helps them realize the importance of protecting natural resources and protecting the natural habitat.

According to the leaders of Son Lang commune, the goal by 2025 is to strive to reduce the poverty rate in the commune to below 5%, of which the poverty rate of ethnic minority households will be below 7%; strive to reach the advanced new rural commune standards by the end of 2025; maintain and consolidate the new rural village for Ha Nung village and build Dak ASel village to meet the new rural standards by the end of 2025.

Pioneer in community tourism in Dak Asel village