Creating livelihoods from the "cloud-hunting peak of Tak Po"

Nestled amidst the majestic mountain ranges of Tra Tap commune (Da Nang city), the road to Tak Po peak is shrouded in a sea of clouds year-round. As dawn breaks, dispelling the white mist that blankets the mountain slopes, the magnificent scenery of the vast forest unfolds before your eyes. It is from these cloud-hunting seasons, which attract tourists, that the lives of many Xo Dang women here have begun to change.

Báo Phụ nữ Việt Nam•02/06/2026

From tourists' concerns to those involved in the tourism industry.

Since the camping and cloud-hunting activities here were voted among the Top 7 most impressive travel experiences in Vietnam in 2024, more and more domestic and international tourists have been flocking to this highland region. Following this influx of visitors, the stone road leading to the village has also taken on a new look with renovated houses, clean yards, and newly erected rest stops to welcome tourists.

Khơi nguồn sinh kế từ — From an altitude of over 1,000m, the summit of Tak Po (Tra Tap commune) offers a magical cloud-hunting landscape, attracting more and more tourists to experience it.

Behind these changes is the unwavering dedication of teacher Tra Thi Thu, a teacher at Chu Van An Primary School. Having spent over a decade in the highlands, she not only teaches literacy but also contributes to opening up new livelihood opportunities for the local people through community tourism models.

“I’ve worked here for over 10 years, so I really hope that the local people will have more opportunities to improve their lives right in their hometown. We are supporting households in building wooden and bamboo rest areas and organizing tent rental services to welcome tourists. When tourists come to experience life with the locals, the people also have an additional source of income, so they don’t have to leave their hometown to work far away,” Ms. Thu shared.

According to her, the biggest obstacle in the early days wasn't the facilities, but the hesitant attitude of the local people. "The locals were very shy. When they saw guests, they didn't dare greet them, not knowing where to begin. So I stayed with them, demonstrating everything from how to welcome guests and cook to arranging the space so they could see and follow suit," Ms. Thu recounted.

To encourage the locals to be more confident, the volunteer group chose a hands-on approach. They directly brought tourists to the village, stayed with the residents, and guided them through even the smallest skills. Simultaneously, local women and youth maintained regular cleaning efforts and collaborated in planting 300 peach trees and Thai crape myrtle flowers to create a green, clean, and beautiful landscape.

The family of Mr. Ho Van Mun and Ms. Ho Thi Teu was the first of 37 households in the area selected to pilot the homestay model. Without waiting for complete external support, the villagers collectively contributed their labor and resources to improve their living space.

“It wasn’t just my family; everyone around here contributed. Some went to get stones for the road, others cut bamboo to build stalls, and some cleaned up the village and planted more trees to make it more beautiful… Seeing more and more visitors coming, everyone is happy because their efforts have helped make the village more presentable and created more business opportunities,” Ms. Teu recounted.

Starting from a small homestay nestled in the mountains, Ms. Tếu's family gradually expanded their services to include tent rentals, selling organic agricultural products, and organizing local experiences for tourists.

Each tent is rented for approximately 300,000 VND per night. If guests require food, the family will prepare local specialties such as free-range chicken, bamboo-cooked rice, red rice, snakehead fish, or wild vegetables... These products are mainly supplied by the households in the village.

As a result, the benefits from tourism are not limited to families running homestays but spread to many surrounding households. Vegetable vendors, chicken farmers, suppliers of wild honey, and those involved in serving tourists all gain additional income.

Not far from Ms. Ho Thi Teu's house, the small coffee shop of the young couple Ho Thi Thanh Hoa and Tran Van Phai is also welcoming guests after their cloud-hunting trips. Besides the coffee shop serving cloud-hunting tourists, Ms. Hoa also works as a housekeeper at a homestay in the village, earning about 3.5 million VND per month.

"The money from housekeeping isn't much, but it's a steady stream every month. Thanks to tourism, I have extra work right here in the local area, allowing me to take care of my family while earning an income. Later, when I have the means, I'd like to develop my own family business," Ms. Hoa shared.

Besides that, the couple also buys wild vegetables, cloud-hunting chickens, forest honey, etc., from local people to sell to regular customers in the city. These specialties are grown completely naturally, without pesticides, so they are very popular with tourists.

Preserve your identity for long-distance travel.

Along with economic development opportunities, tourism also demands the preservation of the inherent cultural values of the Xơ Đăng community. At Ms. Hồ Thị Tếu's homestay, traditional dishes such as sticky rice cooked in bamboo tubes, red rice, wild vegetables, catfish, and grilled chicken are always prioritized for tourists. The ingredients are all grown or harvested naturally by the local people, carrying the distinctive flavors of the mountains and forests.

“What guests enjoy most is sitting by the fire, grilling sticky rice in bamboo tubes or ‘cloud-hunting chicken’ with the locals. The things we do every day become special experiences for them. I also want to preserve traditional methods so that guests can understand more about the life of the Xơ Đăng people,” Ms. Tếu recounted.

For Ms. Ho Thi Thanh Hoa, preserving culture is also a way to create a unique attraction for local tourism. The videos made by her and her husband not only showcase the beautiful scenery of cloud hunting but also tell stories about the fields, food, and daily life of the people in the highlands.

"Nowadays, tourists not only want to admire the scenery but also want to understand how the local people live. I want to show the most authentic images of life here so that people can get to know and love this land even more," Ms. Hoa shared.

One of the highlights of community tourism in Tắk Pổ is the dance and gong performances by the Xơ Đăng people themselves. Currently, the locality maintains a gong dance troupe of 15 members, with women making up the majority. These activities not only generate additional income but also contribute to preserving traditional cultural values that are facing the risk of disappearing.

According to Ms. Ho Thi Hoi, President of the Women's Union of Tra Tap commune, sustainable tourism development means preserving the cultural identity and living environment of the community.

Women are the keepers of the family hearth, preserving traditional dishes, clothing, language, and customs of their ethnic groups. By participating in tourism, women not only earn extra income but also have the motivation to preserve these values.”

Ms. Ho Thi Hoi - Chairperson of the Women's Union of Tra Tap Commune

Ms. Hoi also stated that the Women's Union of the commune regularly mobilizes its members to participate in environmental sanitation activities, tree planting, forest protection, and preserving the village landscape. She explained that the fluffy clouds above the peak of Tak Po only truly have meaning when the green forests remain intact, preserving the pristine beauty and unique cultural features passed down through generations.

Source: https://phunuvietnam.vn/khoi-nguon-sinh-ke-tu-noc-san-may-tak-po-238260601113816476.htm