Quang Ngai tourism: Falling in love with Go Co.

“I am in a very remote place, where there is no city smog…”, I would like to borrow the lyrics of singer Soobin Hoang Son's song to record my feelings when I first came to Go Co, Quang Ngai .

View of Sa Huynh beach from Go Co village. (Photo: Linh Chi)

During his survey trip to Go Co, Dr. Guy Martini, Secretary-General of the UNESCO Global Geopark Network, affirmed that the village is a "treasure" of Quang Ngai province. It possesses the cultural and geological conditions to become a vibrant entity within the Sa Huynh cultural space.

Enthusiastically developing tourism.

Go Co Village is located about 70km south of Quang Ngai city center. It has approximately 80 households and is situated between two high hills, isolated from the outside world.

The village was discovered in 2017 by domestic and international experts during a survey to develop the Sa Huynh cultural space for submission to UNESCO for recognition as a World Cultural Heritage site. Go Co was once home to an ancient population, the creators of the Sa Huynh culture, dating back 2,500-3,000 years.

In a conversation with me, Mr. Nguyen Binh, 58 years old, a retired teacher, recounted how the land of Go Co has witnessed countless historical changes, from the hardships of the protracted resistance war to oblivion and spectacular resurgence. Previously, the villagers mainly lived by fishing and farming, and the name Go Co sounded very distant; hardly anyone knew about it.

“But then, everything changed when our small village was discovered. At that time, the villagers enthusiastically learned how to develop tourism. They were determined to continue preserving the soul of an ancient Champa village and give it a new look,” Mr. Binh recalled, his voice choked with emotion.

In 2019, the Go Co Village Community Tourism Cooperative was established. In 2020, the village was recognized as a 3-star tourist village according to the One Commune One Product (OCOP) standard. Currently, there are 34 households in the village involved in tourism, of which 22 households participate in homestay services, and 15 out of 34 households participate in food and beverage services.

Ms. Huynh Thi Thuong, 70 years old, a resident of the village, shared her thoughts, saying that the village culture remains intact. The villagers still fish in bamboo boats, cultivate the land to grow potatoes and cacti. “The people here welcome tourists with all kinds of potatoes and tubers typical of the sunny and windy Central region. Tourists feel a sense of closeness when they get to enjoy the simple yet distinctive dishes that the villagers themselves produce. We take tourists on tours of the entire small village, telling them stories about this land. It truly feels like a dream,” Ms. Thuong confided.

Meanwhile, 68-year-old Bui Thi Van, a member of a family directly involved in tourism, said that she had lived her whole life surrounded by heritage without knowing it. When the Go Co Village Community Tourism Cooperative was formed, despite her age, she enthusiastically "went to school to learn about tourism." Her thatched house has now become a charming homestay.

Ms. Vân proudly stated, "From a village nobody wanted to visit, Gò Cỏ has undergone a dramatic transformation as its own descendants gradually left. Tourists flock to the village in droves, so much so that sometimes we have to turn away groups because we can't serve them all."

The simple, rustic beauty of Go Co. (Photo: Linh Chi)

Become a resident of Gò Cỏ

Upon arriving in Go Co, my first impression was one of strange tranquility, with a lingering sense of old-world charm throughout the village. There were no car horns, noise, dust, or "Instagrammable" photos; only the sounds of laughter, the gentle lapping of the waves, and the rustling of the wind. The landscape of this village was incredibly pristine and rustic, and the lives of the people were peaceful, simple, and genuine.

After exchanging a few greetings, I felt like a true villager. In the morning, I strolled around the village; at noon, I enjoyed a simple meal of braised fish and traditional dragon tongue soup; in the afternoon, I went to Sa Huynh beach to watch the sunset and listened to the locals sing folk songs. If I wanted to go to the fields to plant potatoes, weave nets, make rice cakes, or go fishing at sea... the villagers were always happy to guide me.

What made me fall in love with this village was the kind and honest nature of its people.

While weaving fishing nets, Ms. Bui Thi Van shared that during the two years of lockdown due to Covid-19, the entire village didn't need to go outside. People fished, raised chickens, and grew vegetables and fruits to sustain their lives. They continued farming in traditional ways, without harming the environment or nature. Even everyday items like baskets and containers, mainly woven from bamboo, and hats and caps made from coconut leaves... Everything was simple, familiar, and comforting.

Upon arriving at Go Co, visitors can easily find typical features of the Champa people that have been preserved by the inhabitants of this fishing village for thousands of years, such as temples and shrines from the Champa era, stone wells, stone bridges, and thatched-roof houses.

In particular, instead of the modern hedges, concrete walls, or wire mesh fences found in most other rural areas, many roads and fences here are still meticulously constructed from stone. The locals say that all the beauty and value of Go Co village originate from the stone.

Stopping at a small cafe, enjoying a glass of seaweed and rock sugar drink, and gazing out at the famous Sa Huynh beach, visitors will see rocks "sitting" contemplatively beside the waves.

Teacher Binh said: “In Go Co, stone is the foundation of the village. The village is located next to the sea, but the terrain is high hills, so every rainy season it is very susceptible to landslides. But thanks to the stones stacked on top of each other, one layer on top of another, the village has not lost a single inch of land. In the village, there are still about 12 ancient stone wells intact – products left behind by the Champa people when they settled here. This system of ancient wells has been and continues to be the lifeblood, nurturing many generations of people in the village.”

Besides the beautiful natural scenery, local products, cultural relics, geological heritage, the people, and the long-standing stories of war memories, folk songs, and traditional theater performances are highlights when visiting this ancient village.

“The traditional folk songs of the people are preserved for cultural exchange and to pass them on to future generations. Since Go Co became a tourist village, these songs have also been used to entertain tourists, helping the locals earn extra income,” said Ms. Huynh Thi Thuong.

“Go Co is a ‘treasure’ of Quang Ngai province. It possesses all the cultural and geological conditions to become a vibrant entity within the Sa Huynh cultural space.”

Dr. Guy Martini, Secretary-General of the UNESCO Global Geoparks Network

Persistently preserving the "treasure"

To meet the needs of tourists, the Go Co Village Community Tourism Cooperative has established service groups such as: boat tours and experiences; homestay services with a total capacity of about 50 guests/night; a group of tour guides about Go Co Village; a community restaurant group; a group offering farmer experience services; a group offering cooking experience services; a group offering folk games experience services and several other experiential services.

Despite its growing popularity, as Mr. Binh emphasized, the locals still want to preserve Go Co's inherent tranquility and pristine beauty. The families involved in tourism don't prioritize quantity; they operate fairly and support each other. The people want to introduce visitors to a smart form of tourism that respects nature.

“We know exactly what we want and what we don’t want. The Go Co cooperative wasn’t established to ‘make more money,’ but so that our children and grandchildren can return to the village and make a living in the place where they were born. Therefore, the villagers are diligently working day and night to preserve and cherish the heritage and natural values ​​of this land, which is considered a ‘treasure,’” Mr. Binh shared.

Leaving Go Co as the sun was setting, I secretly hoped that time would "forget" this village, so that it would be the first name that came to mind for tourists seeking peace and tranquility.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/du-lich-quang-ngai-phai-long-go-co-239616.html