Imprint of Bac Yen highlands

Ta Xua possesses beautiful natural scenery.

During the resistance war against the French, the people of Bac Yen and the whole province contributed manpower and resources to the campaign to liberate the Northwest (1952), contributing to changing the situation on the battlefield. During the anti-American period, Bac Yen was a solid rear base, the starting point, the shelter, and the supply of many army units and youth volunteers. Bac Yen was also the place where patriotism, solidarity, and steadfast will in the resistance war and perseverance and creativity in building the homeland crystallized. That tradition over the past half century has become the driving force for the Party Committee, government, and people of all ethnic groups in Bac Yen to steadily move forward, promoting the advantages of agriculture, forestry , tourism, and services, while preserving cultural identity, building a new life, and putting the Party's resolutions into practice.

From a mountainous area with many difficulties, Bac Yen has gradually risen. There are many attractive and famous tourist destinations here, such as Ta Xua Tourism and Xim Vang. What makes Bac Yen different is the majestic natural scenery, the combination of cultural preservation and tourism development. Festivals have become tourism products, and villages are destinations for tourists to experience. Artisans, village elders... have become "cultural ambassadors" to welcome visitors from afar. Coming to Bac Yen, visitors can climb mountains to see the clouds of Ta Xua, attend village campfires, enjoy Mong flute music, or pick Shan Tuyet tea with the locals and enjoy sips of fragrant tea made by the skillful hands of the highland people. Indigenous culture has truly become the "soul" of Bac Yen tourism.

A cloud hunting spot that attracts tourists in Ta Xua.

Tourism development has created a series of job opportunities, helping more than 750 local workers have new jobs, many households have boldly opened homestays, culinary and transportation services. OCOP products such as Ta Xua Shan Tuyet tea, Hang Dong salted bamboo shoots, dried hawthorn, dried cardamom... are introduced at fairs and events inside and outside the province, associated with experiential tourism. Along with that, Bac Yen also focuses on planning with 5 major projects on tourism development, including the Project on Planning the construction of Ta Xua Eco-tourism Area; the construction of the Dinosaur's spine area; the planning of the Lotus Lake Eco-tourism Area and the planning of the A Phu Cave relic area; the planning of the Pu Nhi pine hill area. This is a strategic step, creating a legal framework for sustainable development.

Mong ethnic women in Ta Xua village, Ta Xua commune, process tea using manual methods.

Since July 1, 2025, the implementation of the two-level local government model has helped streamline the apparatus and open up new development space for the Bac Yen highlands. After the merger, Bac Yen district was reorganized into 6 communes, of which 3 communes: Bac Yen, Ta Xua and Xim Vang are included in the General Planning Project of Ta Xua Tourist Area and surrounding areas.

Inheriting the foundation of the old district center, the new Bac Yen commune is developing a diversified economy , flourishing trade and services; 100% of the roads from the commune center to the village are solid. Cooperatives build specialty brands such as: Hang Chu wine, bamboo shoots with chili salt, hawthorn, cardamom... The commune benefits from the Ta Xua tourism planning, attracting a large number of visitors to stay and experience. Culture is preserved through festivals, competitions, and performing arts; the commune has 31 art and sports teams always serving the community and tourists. The movement of cultural families and villages is spreading, the rate of cultural households is over 90%; folk songs, Mong flute, xoe dance, and bamboo dance become daily activities, affirming its own identity.

Mr. Nham Quyet Thang, Chairman of Bac Yen Commune People's Committee, informed: In the past 5 years, the commune has welcomed more than 180,000 visitors, with revenue of over 126 billion VND. With the orientation of taking culture as a pillar, Bac Yen has both preserved its identity and turned culture into a "lever" for economic development, affirming its position in the tourism flow of the district and province, but still maintaining its own soul, a land rich in identity, full of humanity.

For Ta Xua, a commune with a majority of Mong people, rich in identity with festivals and folk games such as Khen dancing, Pao throwing, stick pushing, horse hooves in the clouds. This is the foundation for developing cultural - ecological - community tourism. In the General Planning of Ta Xua Tourist Area and surrounding areas, the commune is identified as a highlight, so the orientation for sustainable development is based on Mong ethnic culture.

Mr. Nguyen Xuan Hong, Secretary of the Commune Party Committee, said: The commune aims to make Ta Xua a provincial-level tourist area by 2030, and a national-level tourist area by 2045. The commune focuses on developing community tourism associated with preserving Mong culture; strengthening land management and environmental protection. Traditional occupations are restored to serve both daily life and create tourism products. Developing commodity agriculture associated with experiential tourism, preserving landscapes and special-use forests. Currently, the whole commune has nearly 90 homestays, welcoming about 1,500 visitors/day, contributing to creating jobs, increasing income for people and preserving cultural identity.

Terraced fields in Xim Vang commune, Son La province.

As for Xim Vang, the commune has 100% Mong people living there, thanks to which the folk culture, festivals, cuisine, costumes, and customs are preserved quite intact. Xim Vang has initially exploited the potential of tourism associated with culture, with many famous places such as Phu Sa Phin, Sa Mu, terraced fields, Khe Ho ancient stone carvings... Tourists can experience homestay, weaving, making Hang Chu wine, enjoying cuisine, listening to Mong flute. Xim Vang commune has been included in the General Planning of Ta Xua Tourist Area and surrounding areas.

Mr. Nguyen Xuan Bac, Chairman of the Commune People's Committee, said: In the period of 2025-2030, Xim Vang aims to develop eco-tourism, community, resort, adventure; build typical products such as terraced fields, Son Tra apple brand, Hang Chu wine, brocade; invest in infrastructure, support homestay, strengthen promotion of Ta Xua - Bac Yen connection. The goal by 2030 is to welcome 60,000 visitors, earn 9 billion VND, and make tourism a spearhead economic sector.

People of Lang Sang village, Ta Xua commune, harvest specialty tea.

Ms. Ha Thi Ngoc Yen, former Secretary of the Bac Yen District Party Committee (old), Secretary of the Bac Yen Commune Party Committee, said: The goal by 2030 is for Bac Yen to reach the average development level of the province, with culture and tourism as strategic pillars. In the long term, focus on training human resources, improving foreign languages and professional skills for the service team; preserving ethnic identities as core factors to create differences. Culture is the "root", tourism is the "door", believing that this combination is the key for Bac Yen to break through.

Today, the highlands of Bac Yen have been gradually rising strongly, promoting their potential advantages to both boost agricultural and forestry production and develop tourism associated with cultural identity. Each region and each product creates its own attraction, contributing to enriching the diverse picture. The new communes after the merger maintain the orientation of green, sustainable tourism, taking culture as the root, the community as the subject, helping this area to both preserve its soul and create a driving force for long-term socio-economic development.

Source: https://baosonla.vn/van-hoa-xa-hoi/dau-an-cua-vung-cao-bac-yen-9gH4MjeHR.html