Unique community tourism villages in Khanh Son

In recent years, Hon Dung Community Tourism Village (Son Hiep commune, Khanh Son district) has gradually emerged as an attractive destination, especially for tourists who love exploring culture and pristine nature. It is being developed into a unique tourist destination for ethnic minority and mountainous areas in Khanh Son district.

Not far from Hon Dung Community Tourism Village is the scenic Ta Gu Waterfall. (Photo provided by the local authorities)

Attractive destination

Traveling up to Khánh Sơn this season, from the mountain pass, amidst the swirling morning clouds, we journeyed along lush green mountain roads, following the Tô Hạp river westward through orchards laden with fruit. Mr. Nguyễn Ngọc Hải, Chairman of the Sơn Hiệp Commune People's Committee, welcomed us at the Hòn Dung village suspension bridge with a warm and sincere handshake typical of the highlanders. Taking us to visit the Hòn Dung Community Tourism Village, Mr. Hải proudly said: “Hòn Dung village is one of the four villages with a large ethnic minority population in Sơn Hiệp commune, preserving many traditional features of the indigenous Raglai people; it has many favorable conditions for developing community tourism… That is why, at the beginning of 2025, the Hòn Dung Community Tourism Village was recognized by the Provincial People's Committee as one of the locations with potential for community tourism development in the province, and many tourists from near and far have come to explore Hòn Dung.”

The durian orchards in Hon Dung village always attract tourists. (Photo provided by the local authorities)

Visiting the traditional longhouse in Hon Dung village, we met village elder Mau Hong Thai (owner of a weaving and handicraft workshop in Hon Dung Community Tourism Village) who was teaching young people in the village how to make and play traditional Raglai musical instruments such as the chapi lute and the gourd flute. Elder Thai told us that in Khanh Son, there is only one traditional longhouse in Hon Dung village, which regularly organizes traditional Raglai cultural activities; it also preserves a set of stone xylophones - a unique musical instrument dating back thousands of years. Tourists visiting Hon Dung Community Tourism Village can also immerse themselves in the rich traditional culture of the Raglai people with rituals and customs such as the funeral ceremony, the first rice harvest ceremony, life cycle rituals, and thanksgiving ceremonies. Explore the diverse forms of Raglai folk art preserved and passed down through epics, folk songs, and folk dances, most notably the Alơu, Siri, Sa Nghôi, and Ru Tu songs; immerse yourself in the cultural atmosphere of gong and drum music; watch the crafting and performance of chapi – a famous musical instrument that has been immortalized in poetry; or enjoy the renowned rice wine and traditional dishes of the local Raglai people…

Tourists experience the celebration of the new rice harvest in Hon Dung village.

On the day we arrived, several tourists from Ho Chi Minh City were also visiting Hon Dung; many expressed their delight at having such a wonderful experience there. “The Hon Dung community tourism village has a cool, fresh climate, suitable for relaxing and exploring tourism activities. Here, we were able to immerse ourselves in the cultural space of gongs and drums, explore the traditional longhouse, enjoy local dishes, and learn about the unique customs and traditions of the people. Hon Dung also connects with many other tourist destinations in the district such as: exploring Ta Gu Waterfall (Son Hiep commune), Doc Quy Waterfall (Son Lam commune), the pine forest in Son Binh commune, trekking on the Ta Giang trail… Especially, tourists from afar are always captivated by the famous durian orchards in Hon Dung during the fruit season,” said Mr. Pham Van Hung, a tourist from Ho Chi Minh City.

Transform Hon Dung into a model tourist village.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Nguyet, Head of the Culture, Science and Information Department of Khanh Son District, shared that although Hon Dung village has many conditions for developing community tourism, there is still much work to be done to make it an attractive tourist destination, especially regarding limitations in tourism infrastructure and human resources; raising awareness about community tourism among the people is also an important issue… In the past, relevant departments and the People's Committee of Son Hiep commune have focused on implementing the project "Building a model of Hon Dung village as a community tourism destination in the mountainous and ethnic minority areas of Khanh Son district". The aim is to soon make Hon Dung village a typical community tourism village, outstanding with the distinctive culture of the Raglai people, attracting tourists and creating momentum for local development; promoting community participation, creating jobs, improving livelihoods for people, contributing to poverty reduction and socio-economic development of the locality. By the end of this year, Hon Dung Community Tourism Village aims to become a prominent tourist destination in Khanh Son district, with comprehensive tourism infrastructure to welcome visitors, offering distinctive tourism products linked to the culture of the Raglai people; attracting at least 5,000 visitors per year; and having at least 50% of households in Hon Dung village participate directly or indirectly in community tourism activities. Simultaneously, the goal is to preserve and promote the cultural values ​​of the Raglai people in tourism activities, such as traditional longhouses, musical instruments, costumes, cuisine, and traditional rituals; and to create a green, clean, and beautiful environment within the village.

Traditional cultural and artistic activities at the longhouse in Hon Dung village. (Photo provided by the local authorities)

Recently, the Provincial People's Committee approved the content and level of financial support for beneficiaries in the potential community tourism development area of ​​Hon Dung Village, as stipulated in Resolution No. 06 of 2022 of the Provincial People's Council on the level of financial support for community tourism development in the province. Accordingly, Hon Dung Village will receive support for items such as: Installation of signage and directional signs; development of tourism products; provision of necessary initial equipment for households operating accommodation businesses; organization of training courses to enhance knowledge and skills in serving tourists for individuals, households, and people in the community participating in providing tourism services; and promotion of community tourism products of the village.

Traditional cultural performances at the longhouse in Hon Dung village. (Photo provided by the local authorities)

Mr. Cao Minh Vy, Vice Chairman of the Khanh Son District People's Committee, said: “The district is urgently implementing the project and the support contents from the Provincial People's Committee to soon develop Hon Dung Village into a prominent tourist destination in the Khanh Son highlands. On June 18th, the District People's Committee will hold a ceremony to announce Hon Dung Village as a potential location for community tourism development to create a positive effect and attract tourists to visit and experience it. In addition, we will strengthen communication, promotion, and investment attraction for Hon Dung Village.”

HAI LANG

Source: https://baokhanhhoa.vn/du-lich/202506/doc-dao-lang-du-lich-cong-dong-o-khanh-son-77c1b68/