The wind blows freely across the mountain passes, the streams babble day and night, blending with the light blue smoke rising from the roofs of the rustic stilt houses. Here, time seems to stand still, making people feel like they can listen to the breath of the mountains, the forests, and the people working hard day and night.
Change from community tourism
Just a few years ago, when mentioning Hoang Su Phi - a difficult western district of Ha Giang province - people remembered dangerous roads and remote villages hidden in the mist.
Now, following the footsteps of tourists, coming to this land is not only to explore the landscape, but also to open a journey back to the original values, to seek a deeper connection with identity and people. Spring in Hoang Su Phi is vague and mysterious.
Early in the morning, when the first rays of sunlight touched the layers of mist covering the majestic mountains, the whole space gently awakened. The landscape in the mist gradually revealed itself to be lush, green, and strangely peaceful. Water from the clear streams gently poured evenly onto the green silk strips of terraced fields across the mountain slopes.
In the spring rain, the vitality of the crops rises, covering themselves with the green color of new rice. Each gust of wind blowing from the high mountains down to the valley, waves of rice sway one after another. The morning sun makes the green color even fresher through each shimmering streak of light like a brush stroke on each rice field, like delicate interwoven golden threads.
In each garden, beside the stone fences, peach, pear, and plum blossoms bloom in harmony, pure and innocent. Each branch of flower sways in the spring breeze, fragile yet full of life.
We were greeted by Trieu Menh Quyen, owner of Hoang Su Phi Bungalow and Dao's Homestay. His eyes were filled with joy, he didn't think the guests would arrive so early. All around, the village children were chattering to welcome the guests from afar.
Inviting guests right to the fire, the host's voice is warm and generous, telling stories about how the village celebrates Tet this year, and what specialties are waiting for guests. Smoke mixed with the smell of smoked meat, fragrant sticky rice, and laughter filled the cozy space. The host and guests blend into the sincere, simple, and profound atmosphere.
Trieu Menh Quyen, a Red Dao ethnic, from a hospitable young man has become a pioneer in developing community tourism, bringing change to his family and the village community where he was born. Graduating from the Vietnam Youth Academy and the National Economics University, Quyen returned to his hometown and started a business with his brother, starting with renovating his family's traditional house into a familiar stop for tourists.
The first days were full of confusion and difficulties, but with hospitality and dedicated care, the family's business gradually developed well. He and the young people of the village learned many necessary skills, from management to communication, culinary knowledge, tour organization, etc., helping them build a sustainable ecosystem and establish the Nam Hong Community Tourism Cooperative in 2017. Now, his family has a stable income, about more than 300 million VND per year.
The entire Hoang Su Phi district currently has over 3,720 hectares of terraced fields spread across 24 communes and towns, of which 675 hectares have been ranked by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as National Monuments of scenic terraced fields in 11 communes including: Nam Ty, Thong Nguyen, Ho Thau, Ban Luoc, San Sa Ho, Ban Phung, Thang Tin, Nam Khoa, Po Lo, Ban Nhung, Ta Su Choong...
Since 2017, the district has begun to exploit the potential of cultural tourism associated with the terraced field heritage. One of the most impressive highlights is the Cultural Tourism Week “Through the Hoang Su Phi terraced field heritage” held every autumn, the season of ripe rice, bringing a colorful cultural space.
Organized at the provincial level, the district has prepared very carefully to bring visitors memorable experiences. Rich, unique activities, imbued with folk identity are organized throughout, besides honoring the value of terraced fields heritage, also introducing the cultural diversity of ethnic groups, creating momentum to promote tourism development in the coming years.
Visitors can join in the collective performance of “Flowers on the highlands” with the symbol of blooming wild flowers. Along with that, there are competitions on Shan Tuyet tea, making sticky rice cakes, local traditional specialties, and cultural exchanges. In addition, there is also the unique experience of “paragliding over the golden season” to help visitors admire from above the majestic beauty of Hoang Su Phi terraced fields.
The event has become a big festival of the whole district, gathering unique cultural activities, from fairs to traditional art competitions, especially rituals imbued with national identity. Hoang Su Phi is a place to preserve rich traditional cultural values. With 13 ethnic groups living together, the district has a unique cultural treasure that few places have.
Traditional festivals such as the Gau Tao Festival of the H'Mong people, the Ban Vuong Festival of the Dao people, and the Long Tong Festival of the Tay people all have strong highland cultural identities, creating richness for community cultural tourism products.
With six community cultural tourism villages, including typical villages such as Nam Hong (Thong Nguyen), Tan Phong (Ho Thau), Na Leng (Ban Phung)..., Hoang Su Phi is gradually becoming an ideal destination for tourists who love the idyllic beauty of the highlands.
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The beauty of Hoang Su Phi terraced fields. |
Diverse identity
At the booths displaying handicraft products of ethnic groups, visitors will be immersed in a rich cultural space with many stories about culture, history of the land, people, and unique manufacturing processes recreated on the spot.
The Nung ethnic people in Nang Don and Po Ly Ngai communes are fascinated by every delicate silver carving, or the Tay artisans in Nam Son commune skillfully perform the art of forging with powerful hammer blows. The woven products of the H'Mong people in Then Chu Phin commune also captivate people with their ingenuity and meticulousness to every detail.
It is impossible not to mention the bamboo products of Nam Dich commune, the brocade embroidery of the Dao people in Ho Thau commune or the colorful brocade shirts of the Co Lao people from Tung San commune, all like a vivid picture of the creativity and ingenuity of the ethnic groups here.
In the series of ecological activities throughout the communes and towns in the district, visitors have the opportunity to experience interesting activities, such as catching carp in the fields and exploring the majestic four-tier waterfall in Nam Khoa commune, and visiting ancient tea gardens.
With its available potential and advantages, Hoang Su Phi district has proactively developed a variety of tourism products, focusing on four main groups: community tourism, cultural tourism, eco-resort tourism and adventure sports tourism. In particular, with community tourism, the district has prioritized investment in funding to support equipment for cultural houses in cultural tourism villages, build traditional art troupes, and create spaces to display local specialties.
For eco-tourism and resorts, the district actively invites and attracts investors, organizations and individuals to participate in developing the tourism service system, focusing on food, accommodation, entertainment and shopping services, with the goal of gradually upgrading the service system to turn the national scenic spot, especially the terraced fields area, into a provincial-level tourist area.
In parallel with those efforts, the district is implementing the Bao Yen Aerial Adventure Tourism Complex Infrastructure Construction Project in Nam Ty and Thong Nguyen communes, aiming to create a new and attractive tourism product.
Traditional festivals, folk games and unique cultural programs are always maintained and restored, contributing to creating highlights, attracting a large number of tourists to visit and explore the cultural and historical values of this land.
Hoang Su Phi terraced fields are not only a testament to the hard work but also a symbol of cultural beauty and soul contained in each story about a resilient community, always rising up amidst the harshness of nature. When night falls, by the red fire, homestay owner Trieu Menh Quyen is still enthusiastically chatting with tourists. The story is filled with a deep love for the land located halfway up the high mountains, with dreamy, floating white clouds and the sound of horse hooves still echoing in the quiet space.
“In the season of ripe rice, the whole sky and earth shine like gold. I love it so much, I am so proud that I choke up”, Trieu Menh Quyen's voice broke at night.
Every day that passes, the residents here still go to the fields, plant rice, pick tea, take care of the forest, the sound of horse hooves is bustling and anxious from the festival to the mysterious fire dance ceremony like an invitation ritual, like a warm welcome.
That terraced fields in the clouds - where every step, every look makes people feel like they are in harmony with their roots, where space and time blend into a melodious melody in a pristine, pure beauty.
Source: https://nhandan.vn/hoang-su-phi-mien-ruong-bac-thang-ky-ao-post856598.html
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