The Hmong boy and his journey to help his people escape poverty.

TPO - Driven by a passion for exploration and a desire to escape poverty, Vang A Di (born in 1989, Ta Pheng village, Tan Yen commune, Son La province) boldly explored and "awakened" the tourism potential of the cat's ear-shaped rock formation and the majestic "dinosaur's spine" amidst the mountains and forests of Northwest Vietnam.

Báo Tiền Phong•07/09/2025

Take advantage of nature's gifts.

From National Highway 6 (Moc Chau Ward, Son La Province), following a 30km winding road across the mountain slopes, visitors will reach Ta Pheng village. At the beginning of the village, Vang A Di was already there to welcome us. He led us on a short walk to A Di Homestay, nestled amidst a garden of flowers and fruits – a house steeped in the culture of the Hmong people.

Currently, A Di Homestay has 1 communal room and 2 private rooms, accommodating approximately 30 guests. The homestay's space is designed in a traditional style: stone walls, rustic wooden houses, and inside, everyday items used by the Hmong people are displayed.

Around her house, A Di planted many kinds of flowers, creating a vibrant landscape so that visitors could both sightsee and immerse themselves in nature. In particular, from the veranda, guests can admire the entire mystical Northwest mountains and forests shrouded in mist.

"I want to preserve the traditional features of the Hmong people in the homestay to introduce the traditional culture of my ethnic group to tourists," A Di shared.

Every weekend, the homestay becomes more vibrant with experiential activities: pounding sticky rice cakes, embroidering patterns on traditional clothing, participating in folk games, enjoying unique cuisine , or dancing to the sounds of flutes and pipes in cultural exchange events. The grounds also feature a garden and fish pond, providing a fresh and peaceful atmosphere...

A highlight that impresses many tourists is the display of traditional Hmong costumes proudly hanging on the walls – serving both as decoration and a reminder of their cultural identity.

Sharing his entrepreneurial journey, A Di said that when he first got married, he tried many farming models but none met his expectations. During his field trips to find business opportunities, A Di realized that his hometown had unique natural advantages and cultural identity, and could absolutely develop community tourism to boost the economy .

In 2018, taking advantage of the scenic landscape and cool climate of her hometown, A Di began building homestays and engaging in community tourism.

Tourists participate in hands-on experiences at A Di Homestay.

"Tan Yen commune has ancient cat's ear rock formations and a mountain resembling a 'dinosaur's spine,' which are increasingly attracting tourists. Taking advantage of these natural features, I invested 100 million VND borrowed from friends and relatives to start building a homestay with a strong Hmong cultural imprint. Each year, I save up to invest more, and to date, the capital invested has exceeded 600 million VND, gradually attracting many domestic and international tourists."

Mr. Nguyen Van Hai (Hanoi), a tourist who has stayed at A Di Homestay, shared: “Here, I not only got to live in a space rich in Hmong culture and admire the beautiful mountain scenery, but also enjoyed delicious food prepared by the host himself. I will definitely come back here.”

At A Di Homestay, visitors can enjoy the beauty of a traditional Hmong house.

Bring your fellow villagers along to escape poverty.

For generations, the people of A Di village have only been familiar with slash-and-burn agriculture, growing corn and cassava, so poverty has clung to them from one generation to the next.

Building on his initial successes, A Di is gradually encouraging the people of Ta Pheng village to participate in community tourism. To persuade the villagers, especially the youth, he has designed many experiential tours such as going down to the stream to catch fish and collect snails, thereby helping them better understand how to combine agriculture and tourism.

"The important thing is to change the mindset, so that people understand that besides farming, they can engage in tourism, which will both increase their income and preserve their cultural identity. I am trying to encourage people to build a clean and beautiful environment, while preserving traditional cultural features to develop sustainable tourism," A Di shared.

The stunning cat's ear rock formations in Ta Pheng village.

Currently, A Di Homestay welcomes over 100 groups of tourists each year, creating jobs for many local workers. Not stopping there, A Di hopes to transform Ta Pheng village into a community-based tourism complex showcasing the unique Mong culture, connecting with other tourist destinations in the region to create a diverse and rich tour route.

"I will continue to diversify tourism and culinary products, so that this place becomes an attractive stop on the journey to explore Northwest Vietnam," A Di affirmed.

Here, visitors can "hunt for clouds" on the majestic "dinosaur's spine" mountain amidst the forests of Northwest Vietnam.

Ms. Dinh Thi Nhung, Secretary of the Tan Yen Commune Youth Union, commented: “Vang A Di is a young person with aspirations, who knows how to exploit the advantages of the geographical location, landscape, and traditional cultural identity of his homeland to build a community tourism model. The initial success of A Di Homestay has opened up a new direction for the people here, gradually contributing to poverty alleviation.”