Clouds hover over the mountain tops of Muong land

The unique road winds like a soft silk strip, crossing the overlapping mountain slopes, leading us to Van Son - considered the roof of Muong land, a place known as the magical "Cloud Valley", where white clouds float all year round.

Located at an altitude of nearly 1,000m above sea level, the mountainous commune of Van Son today is not only a land of clouds and mist, but also a place that contains ancient Muong cultural sediments and rich natural resources waiting to be awakened.

A corner of Van Son commune center. Photo: Nguyen Bon

Van Son commune was formed from 3 communes Quyet Chien, Van Son (old) and Ngo Luong. The land has long been famous as the "longevity valley", where the scenery is fresh, the climate is mild, and people are in harmony with nature. The air here is cool all year round, fog covers the stilt houses nestled on the mountainside. Most of the people are Muong people, gentle, honest and hospitable.

The “dense” ancient Muong character is present in every house, in the crisp laughter at the market, in the gatherings of people drinking rice wine. This natural, diligent and harmonious lifestyle seems to be the “secret” that makes this place called “the valley of longevity”, where many old people who live to be a hundred years old are still clear-headed, healthy, and kind-hearted like the clouds and wind of the highlands.

Anyone who has ever been to Van Son cannot miss the Bo - Lung Van market - where the cultural soul of "Thung May" converges. The market is held every Tuesday and Sunday morning, an opportunity for villagers to gather, buy, sell and exchange.

People selling local agricultural products

Amidst the early morning mist, baskets of bamboo shoots, wild vegetables, ancient tangerines, purple garlic, local products... are carried by women from far away. The market sells everything from daily goods, farming tools to a bustling buffalo and cow market - a typical cultural feature of the Muong people.

There, people come not only to buy and sell, but also to meet, exchange stories, and share joy in a space that blends tradition and modern life.

Van Son commune begins to form community tourism spots

From Lung Van market, baskets of golden tangerines, exuding a fresh fragrance, led us to the “treasure” of this land – Nam Son ancient tangerines. People jokingly call them “stinky tangerines” or “ancient tangerines”, because no one remembers exactly when they took root here, only knowing that this tree has been associated with Muong land since before 1950.

Once a particularly poor commune with more than 98% of the population being Muong people, living on small-scale agriculture , but it was the ancient tangerine tree that opened the way for change. With thin peel, thick, juicy segments, sweet taste and characteristic aroma, Nam Son tangerine quickly conquered the market.

In particular, the ripening season near Tet helps increase economic value, bringing stable income from 30 to 100 million VND per year to many households.

Nam Son Cave is recognized as a National Scenic Monument.

With a cool climate and a large difference in day and night temperatures, tangerine trees easily differentiate flower buds, bear fruit evenly, and accumulate a special flavor that cannot be found anywhere else. Now, the ancient tangerine hills are not only “poverty-relief trees”, but also “agricultural tourism landscapes”, a unique experience for visitors to “Thung May”.

Nam Son Cave (also known as Ton Cave) is a treasure hidden deep in the heart of the mountain. The journey to the cave entrance is an exciting trekking trip. From the commune center, you have to cross the trails through the bamboo forest, across the sharp cat-ear rock mountainside, to see the small cave entrance, only about 1 meter high, less than 90 cm wide.

But just by bending down slightly to step through the narrow door, a magical world opens up: shimmering stalactites, a large, cool space, so quiet that you can only hear the sound of water dripping from the ceiling, echoing like the music of the great forest. Nam Son Cave is being awakened by the government and the people together, putting it into sustainable tourism exploitation.

Not only Ton cave, Van Son also owns Trang waterfall, Thung waterfall, Nui Kien cave, and a complex of 11 thousand-year-old heritage nghien trees in Bo Tram hamlet - all creating a rich, pristine and attractive ecological complex for tourists who love to explore.

Recognizing the advantages and potential, in recent years, some pioneering households have started doing community tourism. In Chien hamlet - the old Nam Son land - the stilt houses have been renovated to be spacious, clean, and have a modern sanitation system, ready to welcome guests. Ms. Dinh Thi Truong in Chieng hamlet is one of the pioneers. From the old stilt house, she boldly invested nearly 400 million VND to build Lung Van Homestay, which can welcome 15-20 guests at a time. She said that visitors coming here all want to experience Muong cuisine - rustic dishes but full of the soul of the mountains and forests, and everyone leaves with satisfaction and nostalgia.

After the merger, Van Son has many new advantages to develop more strongly. The Party Committee of the commune for the 2025-2030 term identified strategic breakthroughs as follows: Prioritizing investment in transportation connecting tourist destinations and production areas. Developing agricultural specialties, especially ancient tangerines - according to the value chain associated with experiential tourism. Training skills, improving capacity for community tourism for people.

Secretary of the Van Son Commune Party Committee Nguyen Duy Tu shared: The commune is developing a sustainable tourism exploitation project, first of all, renovating the road to Nam Son cave, installing stone steps and safety railings; at the same time, expanding the homestay model to other hamlets such as Hay Duoi, organizing night markets, positioning specific Muong cultural and agricultural eco-tourism products. Further, Van Son aims to connect regions according to the triangle "Van Son - Mai Chau - Pu Luong", creating a chain of attractive destinations, keeping tourists longer.

Leaving Van Son when the afternoon sun pierced through the clouds, the valley seemed to be gilded by the sunset. The hills of tangerine trees laden with fruit, the sound of trickling water in the heart of Nam Son cave, the kind smiles of the gentle, simple Muong people.

“The roof of Muong land” is no longer a land sleeping in the mist, but is becoming fresher day by day, so that one day not far away, “Thung May” will not only be a destination for nature lovers, but also a symbol for the journey to awaken potential, to build a rich and beautiful Muong village in the middle of the great forest.

Le Chung

Source: https://baophutho.vn/may-von-dinh-nui-noc-nha-xu-muong-242219.htm