Phong Du Thuong - a beautiful natural "painting"

>> Exciting "wonder" of Phong Du Thuong terraced fields

>> Phong Du Thuong - "fairyland" in the Northwest highlands

>> Experience hot spring bathing in Phong Du Thuong

>> Phong Du Thuong builds unique tourism products

>> Phong Du Thuong unleashes tourism potential

With a natural area of over 19,500 hectares and a population of over 6,000 people, Phong Du Thuong is not only notable for its large area bordering many communes and provinces, but also for its gradually improving transportation network. The routes connecting the commune to the district center, to tourist attractions, or even connecting to Son La province, Lai Chau province, Van Chan district... promise to turn this land into a new highlight on the Northwest tourism map.

Only about 7km from the commune center, Khe Tau appears like a magnificent picture drawn by nature and people. The terraced fields follow each other in layers, softly curving around the mountainside like a silk strip, lush green in spring, shimmering golden in summer, and quiet reddish brown in autumn.

Under the thin morning mist, visitors standing at an ideal height can admire the majestic mountains and forests, the poetic villages of the Mong people looming, creating a picture that is both dreamy and realistic.

Not only is it an enchanting check-in photo spot, Khe Tau is also a place for visitors to immerse themselves in the local lifestyle - walking on small dirt roads, chatting with locals carrying rice home, or sitting by the fire listening to the elderly tell old stories in a peaceful space.

We visited Khe Tau - where the terraced fields are layer upon layer, soft as silk, creating a spectacular landscape. We talked to Giang Thi Xua, a Mong woman carrying rice home.

Ms. Xua smiled and said: "This land was left by our ancestors, we grow rice to raise our children, now visitors come to take pictures and ask questions, I am very happy! I hope that in the future, people here will have more roads, more tourists so that life will be better."

Mr. Lu A Do - Secretary of Khe Tau village Party Cell shared: "Due to the harsh climate, upland rice cultivation has low productivity, so in order to adapt to nature, over the past decades, the Mong people in the village have actively worked and innovated, turning their family's barren upland land into majestic terraced fields to cultivate wet rice for high productivity. With the increasingly strong development of tourism, the terraced fields of the Mong people in Khe Tau village are not only used to grow rice to ensure food for the people but have also become a unique tourism product, attracting many tourists to visit and admire".

Going 4km further towards Cao Son village, we came across a system of hot mineral springs that are still pristine and have never been commercially exploited. The thin stream of evaporating water, with a natural temperature of about 60 - 70oC all year round, is considered a "healing source" in the middle of the forest. The water here contains many beneficial minerals, creating a feeling of relaxation and comfort, an ideal place to soak after hours of trekking to explore the mountains and forests.

Fresh air, wild scenery, the sound of the stream mixed with the sound of wild birds... all seem to hold the feet of anyone who comes. We met Mr. Doan Van Thu - Secretary of the Cao Son village Youth Union, who was leading a small group of visitors to the hot mineral spring.

Mr. Thu excitedly shared: "The water here is naturally hot, no one has exploited it yet, only the locals have known how to bathe since ancient times. In winter, visitors come to bathe in the mineral water and love it. I also want to have more homestays and tourism services in the future so that people don't have to go far to work."

Accompanying us, Mr. Lo Van Manh - Secretary of the Party Committee of Phong Du Thuong commune said: "We are implementing an eco-tourism development plan, in which Cao Son hot spring is an important highlight. The goal is to preserve the natural beauty while creating sustainable livelihoods for local people". The experience of bathing in hot springs in Phong Du Thuong has attracted a large number of tourists who love experiential tourism to come here. With its pristine landscape, cool climate and precious mineral water source, Cao Son hot spring is not only an ideal destination for tourists but also a symbol of the potential for sustainable tourism development in Phong Du Thuong.

The beauty of hot mineral springs in Phong Du Thuong commune.

When mentioning Phong Du Thuong, people cannot forget the historic storm and flood in 2018 that swept away Ban Lung village, leaving giant rocks lying bare in the middle of fields and streams. But from that rubble, thanks to the spirit of solidarity and love, the people here have strongly revived. They rebuilt houses, replanted rice, replanted cinnamon, and woven a new life.

Lung Village today not only has the appearance of a resilient village but also becomes an attractive community tourism destination. Tourists can visit ancient stilt houses, walk on flower roads, admire fields, streams, cinnamon hills, immerse themselves in the Khen dance, Then singing or attend the Long Tong Festival - cultural features imbued with the identity of the Tay and Mong ethnic groups.

In particular, you cannot miss the cool, clear Khe Ban waterfall, where visitors can soak in the water flowing from the primeval forest, listening to the wind and the sound of water. Coming to Ban Lung, visitors have the opportunity to understand more deeply about the lifestyle, beliefs, and cultural values of the ethnic minorities in the highlands and will certainly see a revived Ban Lung developing day by day, especially the people here are extremely friendly and hospitable.

If nature has endowed Phong Du Thuong with majestic scenery, the people here put their souls into each dish. Visitors who have visited once will never forget the taste of stream snails, grilled stream fish, green-necked duck, local pigs, smoked meat, cinnamon chicken, ant eggs, fern leaves, and upland mustard greens... The simple but rich dishes, prepared in traditional style, carry the pristine flavor of the mountains and forests, creating a unique identity that is hard to find anywhere else.

In particular, dishes such as dried buffalo meat, Chinese sausage smoked with cinnamon wood or bamboo shoots wrapped in meat all have the rich flavor of the mountains and forests and are prepared according to the traditional methods of the local people. Not only are the dishes delicious, Phong Du Thuong cuisine is also a story about the connection between people and nature, about cultural values preserved through many generations.

Visitors coming here not only enjoy unique dishes but also experience the culture and customs of the local people, creating unforgettable memories. With the combination of majestic natural scenery and rich cuisine, Phong Du Thuong promises to be an attractive destination for those who love to explore and experience highland culture.

Phong Du Thuong is not only a potential tourist destination but also a symbol of the strong vitality of the highland people. With a diverse ecosystem, cool climate, pristine landscape, increasingly convenient traffic connections and especially the friendliness and hospitality of the people, Phong Du Thuong commune is a "rough diamond" that needs to be polished, promoted and developed.

In the flow of integration, amidst daily changes, Phong Du Thuong is gradually transforming itself, rising strongly, confidently putting on a new coat, ready to welcome visitors from all over, telling stories about mountains, forests, people and the desire for revival of a resilient land.

Mr. Dung

Source: https://baoyenbai.com.vn/226/351432/Ph111ng-Du-Thuong---buc-hoa-thien-nhien-tuoi-dep.aspx