Ngoc Chien's "Fairytale Land"

Ngoc Chien commune boasts beautiful scenery with traditional houses of the ethnic minority communities.

Paving the way to the future.

Ngoc Chien commune has over 2,300 households of the Thai, Mong, and Kinh ethnic groups, living in 15 villages. To reach Ngoc Chien, you can travel from Mu Cang Chai (Yen Bai, at the foot of Khau Pha pass) or follow provincial road 106, from Son La city to Muong La and then to Ngoc Chien.

Just over a decade ago, mentioning Ngoc Chien immediately brought to mind a desolate, impoverished area with difficult access. However, now, this place has undergone a dramatic transformation and, somehow, has come to be known as a "fairytale land."

Upon arriving in Ngoc Chien, we were captivated by the "symphony" of wind, streams, and waterwheels in the villages of Khua Vai, Muong Chien, Luot, and Phay. Walking across the long rows of rocks and bamboo bridges over the Chien stream, sitting in a small hut, watching the waterwheels turn, listening to the gentle sound of the flowing stream, and smelling the fragrant rice fields carried on the breeze… we felt an extraordinary sense of peace.

The stream flowing through the village brings a sense of peace.

Mr. Bui Tien Sy, Secretary of the Party Committee of Ngoc Chien commune, said that he has been working in the commune since 2019; right then, he realized that this land has many advantages for economic and tourism development. However, to develop, the path must be paved first.

When the road construction plan was first proposed, there were quite a few dissenting opinions. Mr. Sy spent time visiting each household in the village to persuade and convince them. The commune also established 15 working groups, each with 3-5 people, to be responsible for 15 villages and directly address the people's concerns. In a short time, most people agreed, donated land, and contributed labor to build the roads. To date, 100% of the commune's roads, village roads, and inter-village roads have been paved, ensuring smooth traffic flow. 100% of the alleyways and lanes are clean and convenient for year-round travel.

The roads leading to the villages have all been paved with concrete, and many unique structures reflecting the distinct cultural identity of the ethnic minority communities have been built to attract tourists.

Mr. Luong Van Huong from Phay village shared: "After the commune officials directly came down to publicize and persuade the people about the road construction plan, everyone agreed and was very supportive. Thanks to that, not only the people in Phay village, but also the people in Ngoc Chien commune all wholeheartedly donated land and contributed labor to build the road."

“The road has now been widened from 6 to 8 meters. The commune also has a cultural center and a school. Now, in my Phay village, there are no more impoverished households, and the people can work with peace of mind and improve their lives,” Mr. Huong said happily.

Potential is being awakened.

Taking us to visit Dong Xuong village, Bui Tien Sy, Secretary of the Party Committee of Ngoc Chien commune, shared that Ngoc Chien commune has a unique architectural culture with centuries-old stilt houses, built entirely of Pơ Mu wood by the Thai people, from the pillars to the roofs. Each village in the commune has about 70-100 houses built in a checkerboard pattern, very different from Thai villages elsewhere.

In particular, the roof made of cypress wood is meticulously crafted; instead of sawing, the wood is split into planks along the grain to minimize warping. Although the cypress roof is rough and not as smooth as a tiled roof, it is very windproof. In the summer, the house is very cool. "This is also a potential strength in terms of cultural identity that Ngoc Chien can exploit in tourism development," Mr. Sy said.

In Dong Xuong village, the people themselves beautify the landscape, taking care of and decorating their houses to promote tourism. Along the well-maintained and clean roads leading into the villages, the residents plant many flowerbeds and build fences clad with pebbles.

According to Mr. Sy, the people of all ethnic groups in Ngoc Chien today trust the commune's policy of developing tourism while preserving and promoting traditional cultural features; and at the same time, creating unique and distinctive tourism products.

The people of Ngoc Chien have developed many homestays to serve tourists visiting and experiencing the area. These guesthouses and homestays are designed and built using readily available materials, all blending harmoniously with nature. The entire commune currently has 23 homestays and guesthouses catering to the needs of tourists seeking relaxation and access to natural hot springs.

Many tour groups expressed their delight at visiting and experiencing firsthand the community-based tourism villages in Ngoc Chien commune.

Thanks to the effective implementation of policies and guidelines, the lives of the people have been steadily improving. By the end of 2023, the average income of the people in the commune had reached 41.9 million VND/person/year; the multidimensional poverty rate was only 11.26%. Ngoc Chien was also recognized as a commune meeting the standards of the new rural development program at the end of 2023.

On the way to the area of ​​the over 1,000-year-old fir tree, the Vice Chairman of the Ngoc Chien Commune People's Committee, Lo Van Thoa, said: "Here, a shrine dedicated to the sacred fir tree has been erected, meeting the religious needs of the villagers. Under the fir tree, the surrounding land is divided into 36 sections, all paved with stream stones. Visitors who come here always express their delight."

Mr. Lo Van Thoa informed that, with its existing potential, Ngoc Chien will develop four types of tourism: community tourism; hot spring bathing tourism combined with relaxation; eco-tourism and experiential tourism; and cultural and spiritual tourism. At the same time, it will implement tourism connections along the routes “Yen Bai – Mu Cang Chai – Ngoc Chien”; “Son La – Muong La – Ngoc Chien” and “Ngoc Chien – Mu Cang Chai – Lai Chau – Sa Pa – Lao Cai – Hanoi”.

Despite a thorough understanding of the lives of the people in Ngoc Chien, many difficulties remain; in particular, the agricultural products they produce are still consumed in a self-sufficient manner; many students drop out after completing junior high school because the road to high school is too far… Nevertheless, the highland area of ​​Ngoc Chien today is undergoing a transformation compared to the past. Officials and people of various ethnic groups here are persistently striving with many solutions to build Ngoc Chien into a livable and attractive rural area, making every visitor want to return again and again…

To contribute to helping the people of Ngoc Chien commune, on July 9th, the Ethnic Minorities and Development Newspaper, together with a volunteer group of DJs and music listeners, coordinated with the People's Committee of Ngoc Chien commune to organize the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the Na Din bridge for the people of the particularly disadvantaged Muong Chien 2 village. It is expected that after 2 months of completion, the bridge will directly serve the transportation needs of more than 1,000 people. At the same time, it will pave the way for Muong Chien 2 village to become a community tourism destination.

Changes in La Cha village