Awakening the Fairy Waterfall

The story of Lady Bang - Lady Muong

Nang Tien Waterfall is formed from the water source of Tan stream, converging from the branch of Suoi Lin village, Van Ho commune and Suoi Khem village, Phieng Luong commune, Moc Chau district.

According to the locals, at the most beautiful time of the waterfall, the whole view of the waterfall is like a strip of white clouds hanging from the top of the mountain down to the deep abyss. The rapid flow of water makes the white foam splash, creating a hazy mist like clouds. Thus the name May Waterfall was born.

Talking about the legend of Nang Tien waterfall, Thai people often tell each other the story of two beautiful girls Kham Khe and Kham Kieu whose parents were the first white Thai people to migrate from Da Bac ( Hoa Binh ) to reclaim land in Chieng Khoa. They named the new land Muong May because the climate was often foggy.

People from everywhere gradually came to establish villages. The two ladies Kham Khe and Kham Kieu taught them how to farm, build houses, dance xoè, and play the khen and pi melodies. The people admired their talents and virtues and honored them as fairies and called them Nang Bang and Nang Muong.

The local people later built a temple, called Nang Bang - Nang Muong temple, or Ba Chua Son Lam temple. Every year, in the season of Ban flowers in March, people come to burn incense, pray for peace and a favorable harvest. According to custom, in odd years, people worship a 2-legged animal, in even years, they worship a 4-legged animal, and every 5 years, they hold a big ceremony, inviting the upper and lower villages to attend.

The best season to visit Nang Tien waterfall is from March to May, when the weather changes from spring to summer. Nang Tien waterfall consists of 5 waterfall levels, stretching about 1.5km along the forest road. The waterfall levels are not far apart, each level is a different height, a different scene, will bring different emotional experiences at this place likened to a fairyland.

Every year, when the Ban flowers bloom all over the mountains and forests of the Northwest, Thai boys and girls dress up in their best clothes to celebrate the Ban Flower Festival, with the wish to worship “Then” – a supreme deity in the ranks of gods according to the Thai people’s beliefs; and to worship Nang Ban – a legendary female character representing the purity of Thai girls and the faithful love of couples, the desire for freedom.

The Ban Flower Festival is also an opportunity for the Thai people of Chieng Khoa and the local ethnic communities to express their gratitude to the “Two Goddesses” - who opened up this land, taught people how to do business, embroider, weave, and taught people how to dance and sing love songs. In the minds of the people, the “Two Goddesses” become sacred deities who protect and shelter the village, bless the people with good health and good luck in business.

Exploitation associated with landscape preservation and conservation

Village elder Hoang Van Phuong, Na Cha village, who has been attached to this land for more than 70 years, confided: According to the old people, in the past, this area was very wild, with many wild animals, and it was scary to walk on the road.

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Before, this area was very wild, there were many wild animals, it was scary to walk on the road.
Village elder Hoang Van Phuong

Not letting the potential lie dormant, implementing the orientation of Van Ho district on developing green and sustainable tourism , in 2019, 16 households in Na Cha village discussed, agreed, boldly borrowed capital, and invested in building a stilt house area right next to Nang Tien Waterfall to serve tourists.

In 2020, Chieng Khoa Agricultural Service Tourism Cooperative was officially established, with the task of managing and protecting the landscape of Nang Tien Waterfall, as well as creating conditions for people to do tourism.

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Visitors to Nang Tien waterfall will experience 5 waterfall levels. At each waterfall level, the cooperative arranges a tour guide to introduce the characteristics of the waterfall level and take photos for visitors, promote the protection of the waterfall landscape, and avoid negative impacts on the environment.
Mr. Ha Van Cong - Executive Director of Chieng Khoa Agricultural Service Tourism Cooperative

Mr. Ha Van Cong - Executive Director of the Cooperative shared: Visitors to Nang Tien waterfall will experience 5 waterfall levels. At each waterfall level, the Cooperative has arranged a tour guide on duty, introducing the characteristics of the waterfall to visitors. Also to protect the waterfall landscape, not to have a negative impact on the environment.

Every day, this place attracts an average of 300 visitors. In addition to experiencing the tower floors, visitors will enjoy the fresh, cool air and enjoy ethnic cuisine prepared by the ethnic people. Thanks to that, the lives of the people here have changed a lot.

With the view of developing tourism associated with protecting the landscape and environment, the cooperative has regularly promoted to tourists and local people to join hands to preserve the landscape and environment, not to throw waste into rivers and streams. Planting more rows of cherry trees along the road to the waterfall...

Mr. Ha Van Ung, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Chieng Khoa commune, shared: Since the cooperative was established and managed Nang Tien Waterfall, it has helped a lot in creating livelihoods and improving the quality of life of people around the waterfall from tourism activities, cooking, experiences... For the remaining households that did not participate in the investment, they have formed 5 self-managed inter-family groups, established and managed motorbike taxi groups of 10-15 people/group, assigned to work daily to pick up and drop off tourists from the road to the waterfall area.

At the same time, the local government has regularly held propaganda conferences, signed commitments with households implementing motorbike taxi services, requiring them to sign a commitment not to solicit customers, or have bad images that affect local tourism. Regularly monitor the activities of cooperatives as well as motorbike taxi teams in the area, ensuring social security and order.

Overcoming initial difficulties, up to now, Nang Tien Waterfall has become a place that attracts a lot of tourists from inside and outside the province. However, due to the difficult roads, it is difficult to organize tours if organized in groups, so it mainly attracts young people who like to explore and experience, and tourism revenue is not high.

Hopefully, in the coming time, the authorities will pay more attention and invest more systematically and on a larger scale to attract more tourists to visit and experience the waterfall area. From there, creating more livelihoods for the people here. Contributing to bringing the image of the Fairy to all regions...