"Si" is the shortened way people in Lao Cai refer to Si Ma Cai - a district located in the northeastern part of Lao Cai province. Si Ma Cai district boasts many beautiful scenic spots and numerous festivals and markets characteristic of the H'Mong, Thu Lao, and Nung ethnic groups. These are favorable conditions for tourism development.
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| Tourists seek out glimpses of everyday life at the Can Cau market. |
Si Ma Cai, situated upstream of the Chay River, boasts many beautiful landscapes and a cool, fresh climate. The area is surrounded by majestic limestone and jagged mountain ranges. Si Ma Cai is no longer a remote destination thanks to a paved road, significantly reducing travel time. Visiting Si Ma Cai, tourists can not only explore and learn about the diverse natural beauty but also immerse themselves in the rich cultural life of the local ethnic groups.
From the white plateau of Bac Ha, traveling less than 10 km north, visitors can reach Lu Than commune - the gateway to Si Ma Cai - with its vast fields of pink and purple buckwheat flowers stretching across the hillsides.
The green of the foliage blends with the green of the mountains and forests, along with the purple of the buckwheat flowers, creating a stunning scene that gives visitors a truly relaxing feeling...!
Si Ma Cai is also famous for its grey rock forests in San Chai, Quan Than San, and Thao Chu Phin communes, which float and appear amidst the clouds, with clouds and wind gently embracing these rock forests in the majestic landscape.
The terraced rice fields are also a highlight that creates the breathtaking beauty of the Si Ma Cai region. Upon arriving in Sin Cheng commune, visitors can admire the terraced rice fields, one after another, winding from high to low.
Along with its natural beauty, Si Ma Cai's appeal lies in its unique ethnic cultural identity. Si Ma Cai boasts distinctive cultural villages such as Can Chu Su, Ban Giang, and Say San Phin. The Thu Lao, Nung, Hmong, and Tay ethnic groups possess distinct clothing, customs, traditions, and architectural styles. Particularly noteworthy is the Hmong Hoa people in Si Ma Cai, who still preserve impressive two-story rammed earth houses with incredibly unique patterns.
In Thào Chư Phìn and Nàn Sín communes of Si Ma Cai district, visitors can explore vast cypress forests, where the melodious sound of flutes and the chirping of birds can be heard. Further south, along the Chảy River in Bản Mế commune, lies a picturesque landscape. From there, visitors can travel along the Chảy River to Cốc Ly (Bắc Hà district) to admire the expansive, deep valley.
A highlight of a trip to Si Ma Cai is visiting the local markets, where you can find products made by the local ethnic people. Every Wednesday, a visit to the Sin Cheng market will allow you to witness the vibrant cultural atmosphere of the Mong ethnic group's brocade fabrics in the stalls. In addition, visitors can enjoy delicious and unique dishes made from the famous Sin Cheng duck, renowned throughout the Si Ma Cai region.
Visiting Can Cau Market every Saturday, tourists feel as if they have stepped into a different cultural space, full of vibrant colors. The Can Cau Buffalo Market in this region is also known as the largest "buffalo trading floor" in the entire Northwest region.
To develop tourism in a way that matches its potential.
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| Tourists choose to buy brocade products. |
According to statistics, in the first eight months of 2017, Si Ma Cai welcomed approximately 15,000 domestic and international tourists. The majority of visitors were concentrated in areas such as Can Cau, Sin Cheng, and Ban Me. Although the number of domestic and international tourists to Si Ma Cai district has increased, overall, the results achieved are still not commensurate with Si Ma Cai's potential and advantages.
Many factors hinder the development of tourism in Si Ma Cai, but the main ones are infrastructure and human resources. Currently, the entire Si Ma Cai district only has 2 accommodation establishments with over 20 rooms; homestay services are underdeveloped; there are not many distinctive tourism products; and cultural villages and tourist attractions have not been invested in to create highlights to attract visitors. Many tourists visiting Si Ma Cai cannot find accommodation and have to stay temporarily in local homes with inadequate living conditions, food, and hygiene.
On his first visit to Si Ma Cai, Mr. Nguyen Van Bach (Dong Anh, Hanoi ) shared: "I was very impressed with the unspoiled beauty of the markets and the friendly, hospitable people. However, what I wasn't entirely satisfied with was the limited accommodation facilities and the lack of variety in restaurants. When traveling to Si Ma Cai, I couldn't find a room, so I had to choose to do a day trip, stay in Bac Ha overnight, and return to Si Ma Cai the next day, even though I knew it would take more time."
Mr. Giàng Sín Chớ, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Si Ma Cai district, said: "Awakening the tourism potential of the locality is a matter of concern for the local Party committee, government, and people. The district has actively implemented activities to stimulate tourism, but tourism has not yet brought significant revenue to the locality."
In the coming period, to develop tourism effectively and in line with its potential and strengths, Si Ma Cai needs a breakthrough boost. The district is aiming to develop and exploit tourism products with the goal of transforming Si Ma Cai into a safe, friendly, and high-quality tourist destination.
The district has developed a tourism development plan for Si Ma Cai for the period 2016-2020. In addition to developing the already recognized tourist route in the area (Bac Ha - Can Cau - Si Ma Cai - Ban Me - Coc Ly - Lao Cai route), the district continues to review potential tourist destinations to include in the planning and propose to the Lao Cai Provincial People's Committee for recognition as tourist destinations.
Identifying cultural and ecotourism as the characteristic tourism products of Si Ma Cai district, the district is also focusing on developing tourism in villages that still preserve many traditional cultural features such as traditional markets, buckwheat flower cultivation, exploring the Chay River, and cave tourism; at the same time, building exemplary cultural villages, preserving traditional crafts such as brocade embroidery, weaving, blacksmithing, casting, and traditional festivals such as the Gau Tao festival of the Mong ethnic group, the rice planting festival of the Nung ethnic group... In addition, the district is encouraging people to participate in planting and processing products from ginseng and buckwheat plants to create highlights to attract tourists and develop characteristic tourism products of Si Ma Cai district.
In addition, Si Ma Cai district is actively calling for investment; promoting and encouraging ethnic minority communities to preserve and develop their cultural identity, and boldly participate in community tourism to increase their income.
With these solutions, in the future, tourism in Si Ma Cai district will have more opportunities to develop, contributing to poverty reduction for local people and making Si Ma Cai an attractive destination for tourists.
Source: http://laocai.edu.vn/goc-van-nghe/len-si-ma-cai-kham-pha-canh-dep-net-van-hoa-doc-dao-275953
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