Locals and tourists come to shop at the Doan Street market.
According to the elders, the Pho Doan market, often called Pho Don market by locals, dates back to the French colonial era and is closely associated with the trading needs of people from the communes of Lung Niem, Thanh Son, Thanh Lam, Lung Cao, Co Lung... in the former Ba Thuoc district and surrounding areas. The market is usually held on Thursdays and Sundays. Every market day, from early morning, the roads leading to the market are bustling with the footsteps and laughter of people in traditional clothing. People carrying baskets on their backs and loads on their shoulders flock to Pho Doan. They bring to the market all kinds of local products such as nutmeg, mac khen seeds, upland sticky rice, honey, wild vegetables, free-range chicken, stream fish... All of this creates a colorful picture, where each product is not just merchandise but also carries a story about the land, the people, and the way of life in the highlands.
What makes Doan Street Market so appealing is not only the variety of goods but also the communal atmosphere, where people meet with friendly, warm smiles. People come to the market to chat, make friends, and share stories about their fields, harvests, and their children's education. The market thus becomes a "stage" for socio-life, where cultural identity is preserved and recreated.
Ms. Ha Thi Giao, owner of a vegetable and fruit stall at the market, said: “The Doan Street market is a long-standing tradition of the people here. Nowadays, people still maintain the habit of going to the market not only to buy and sell but also to meet, visit, and strengthen community bonds. For us, each market day is a joy, a unique aspect of our traditional culture.”
Fortunately, local people are increasingly aware of the value of the market fair for socio-economic development. Many families not only participate in the market fair but also develop homestay services, introducing tourists to traditional crafts such as brocade weaving, basket weaving, and ethnic cuisine. This combination not only helps increase income but also creates motivation to preserve the way of life and customs. As a result, in recent years, community tourism has become an important direction in Pu Luong commune, and the Pho Doan market fair is a highlight in the journey of exploring local culture for many tourists. This place is already famous for its pristine natural scenery, traditional stilt houses, and captivating folk dances, and the market fair acts as a connecting link, helping tourists have a truly authentic experience. At the market, visitors can enjoy traditional dishes such as bitter bamboo shoots, grilled stream fish, and five-colored sticky rice, buy handcrafted brocade items woven by Thai women, and chat with the locals. These are values that cannot be found in modern urban markets.
With its unique cultural "material," many community tourism tours to the Pu Luong Community Ecotourism Area have included Doan Street Market in their itineraries. Domestic and international tourists have expressed their delight at experiencing a vibrant cultural space where they are not just spectators but also become a part of the market.
Ms. Phan Thi Ha (Le Gia Trading and Tourism Joint Stock Company) commented: “Doan Street Market needs to be recognized as having a particularly important position in preserving the cultural identity of the ethnic minorities. Currently, in most of our Pù Luông experiential tours, we include Doan Street Market. After the programs, the feedback from tourists has been very positive. If properly planned and promoted, this will be an attractive destination, contributing to increasing the income of the people, and at the same time spreading the beautiful image of Pù Luông to a large number of tourists.”
According to Ms. Ha, the challenge is how to both preserve the cultural space of the traditional market and effectively exploit its tourism value in the modern lifestyle. On the one hand, it is necessary to maintain the cultural and natural values of the market, avoiding turning it into a place of excessive display or commercialization. On the other hand, solutions are needed to improve the quality of services, from environmental hygiene and security to transportation infrastructure, so that the market becomes increasingly attractive to tourists. In this regard, the role of the local government in guiding and supporting local people in promoting their products and connecting them with tourism businesses is very important.
It can be said that the Pho Doan market is a place where traditional values and new development opportunities converge. This cultural space embodies the spirit of the past while opening the door to the future through sustainable community tourism. In the passage of time, the voices of the Thai people, the colors of their clothing, and the flavors of the mountains and forests... all resonate at the Pho Doan market, contributing to the richness of Thanh Hoa's cultural heritage and making Pu Luong a shining example of community tourism.
Text and photos: Le Anh
Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/noi-hoi-tu-gia-tri-van-hoa-nbsp-va-tiem-nang-du-lich-260924.htm
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