Highlanders doing tourism

Exploiting the potential of the special national landscape of terraced fields, more and more Mong families in the Mu Cang Chai area are boldly investing in tourism. With just enough facilities, check-in points focus on natural scenery, experiencing cultural identity, but the simplicity, rusticity, and sincerity in the way of doing tourism of the indigenous people have created a strong attraction for tourists when coming to this highland.

Over the past years, identifying tourism as a key economic sector, localities in Mu Cang Chai area have invested and gradually completed technical infrastructure such as: roads, parking lots, lighting, sightseeing spots, service areas; and restored historical and cultural relics.

Mu Cang Chai terraced fields are a special national scenic spot.

People are also given preferential loans to build community guesthouses; support vocational training in tourism services; restore and develop some traditional occupations and maintain valuable historical and cultural products of the Mong people. Therefore, people here have boldly invested in building accommodation facilities, restaurants, tourist attractions, welcoming guests, forming inter-commune tours with the locals as tour guides, guides, motorbike taxi drivers, porters, etc.

Mr. Giang A De - Director of Hello Mu Cang Chai Trading and Tourism Company Limited in La Pan Tan, Pung Luong commune is not a pioneer in tourism but is the first person to create a breakthrough for tourism in the core area of ​​the special national scenic spot of Mu Cang Chai terraced fields.

Giang A De tourist base from above.

Because since Giang A De started tourism with impressive services, it has limited the number of tourists coming to the locality to sightsee and then returning to the central area to eat and rest.

A De confided: “Many years ago, tourists came to the locality mainly to see the terraced fields and then return to the central area to spend money because here, we could not provide services to meet the needs of tourists. Therefore, in 2017, as soon as I started doing tourism, I planned to provide full services for tourists right in the locality from accommodation, food and drink to experiences.”

Giang A De's accommodation is currently located right on the top of the hill at an altitude of over 1,000 meters above sea level, with 8 bungalows and 1 homestay with 5 rooms. On the hillside, A De and his wife bring water to the fields, make concrete roads to the door of the homestay, plant flowers, trees, and pave stones and gravel to create a landscape.

In this location, visitors can enjoy the panoramic view of the majestic and enchanting natural masterpiece with terraced fields stretching along the mountains and forests, floating sea of ​​clouds every morning and enjoy the fresh air of the harmony of heaven and earth...

The room is simply designed to minimize costs but is still very reasonable and harmonious.

Each room is designed and furnished simply to minimize costs. The walls are made of pine wood panels, the roof is thatched with palm leaves; the Mong women's skirts are flared, the brocade curtains, and handmade bamboo and rattan products are decorative accents. Simple but very "tasteful", creating a harmonious and beautiful whole.

A De also cooperates with the villagers to grow vegetables, raise chickens and pigs to provide clean food for the homestay; at the same time, he builds nearly 20 tours to experience the national cultural identity, combining mountain climbing, paragliding, fishing, farming...

With that way of doing, tourists coming to Hello Mu Cang Chai do not feel bored or monotonous, attracting thousands of tourists to stop, bringing in an income of about 800 million VND per year for Giang A De's family.

Ricardo, a Portuguese tourist, repeatedly gave the thumbs up sign as a “like” to express his delight at the land, people and culture. Ricardo shared: “This is my second time coming to this land and every time I am satisfied.”

Giang A De's way of doing tourism has strongly inspired and motivated Thao A Su, Ly A Do, Giang A Chinh and nearly 40 Mong youths in Mu Cang Chai area to do new tourism.

From only 84 accommodation establishments in 2020, up to now, this area has 144 establishments. A team of tourism service personnel such as motorbike taxis, porters, local guides... has also been formed with hundreds of people; connecting accommodation and sightseeing spots into tours, creating an ecosystem for tourism development based on nature combined with cultural identity and ethnic people.

From the perspective of young people, many tourist attractions are also built, renovated, and improved to suit the trend but without losing their inherent beauty and value. This can be clearly felt in the way Giang Hanh Phuc in Mu Cang Chai commune built and operated the Mo De bamboo forest tourist attraction when all the scenery here is kept to the maximum.

The path leading to the bamboo forest is still a trail, only paved with soil to form steps on steep, slippery sections, making it easy for visitors to explore on foot. Some miniature landscapes made from bamboo are placed in open spaces such as swings, heart models, Mong flutes... adding to the rusticity and intimacy of the destination. All help visitors fully feel the value of peace and the connection between people and nature.

Mr. Giang Hanh Phuc - owner of the bamboo forest tourist attraction said: "Every step in the forest is not only a journey of discovery but also a journey of finding oneself, immersing oneself in nature and culture. I hope that with this approach, visitors coming here will not only take photos but also understand more about the life of the Mong people, love the forest, and protect the forest with the people."

Obviously, in the way of doing tourism of the highland people here, the natural landscape and traditional cultural identity are exploited in parallel with preservation and conservation. They do tourism with heart, sincerity, warmth and hospitality.

Many guests experience ethnic culture...

Coming to any accommodation or tourist attraction, visitors can experience daily life, eat family meals, listen to the melodious sound of Mong flutes and truly immerse themselves in nature.

The meal to entertain guests is simple but contains so much love from the people here.

By the flickering firelight and a cup of warm corn wine, tourists and tourism workers share stories about life and dreams. The boundary of strangers seems to disappear, they are not only sellers and buyers of services, but also friends and companions on the journey of discovery and connection.

Ms. Nguyen Thu - a tourist from Hanoi shared: “In Mu Cang Chai, I clearly felt the beauty of nature, of life and culture, very peaceful and full of emotions. Along with that is the beauty of the people, the friendliness, hospitality and thoughtfulness of the motorbike taxi drivers, local guides and accommodation facilities. Thank you for playing the flute, singing happy birthday to me in the local language; telling me stories about life and cooking for me typical dishes of the people, helping me have a birthday and many memorable memories”.

The Hmong people's simple, genuine, and enthusiastic way of doing tourism has made this place a destination not only for sightseeing, but also for feeling and finding simple, profound values ​​of life. That is the lasting, unmistakable beauty of this highland land.

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/nguoi-vung-cao-lam-du-lich-post879391.html