Pù Luông during the rice harvest season.

Pù Luông during the rice harvest season.

We arrived in Thanh Lam, a commune located in the core area of Pu Luong , on a day in early June. The morning mist still lingered on the mountain slopes, but the rumble of motorbikes carrying tourists could already be heard along the slope connecting Kho Muong with Highway 15C. Mr. Ha Van Thuoc, owner of Puluong Home, was welcoming a new group of guests. His family owns 16 bungalows and two stilt houses. During this season, every weekend is fully booked.

Mr. Thược said: “Children are on summer vacation, so families can arrange their time more easily. Tourists who come here all enjoy the feeling of walking through the quiet village, eating freshly cooked sticky rice in bamboo tubes by the stilt house, and admiring the ripening rice in the afternoon sun.”

From Puluong Home, the valley resembles a changing landscape painting. The rice paddies are a mix of green and yellow, the stalks bending in the early morning sun. Below, the laughter of a few tourists echoes. On the slopes, smoke drifts lazily from the cooking fires of the stilt houses. By the rocky stream, Émilie, a French tourist, shared: “I’ve been to Sa Pa , Ninh Binh , and Pu Luong. The scenery here is beautiful, very intimate, and not too crowded.”

Mr. Tanaka, a Japanese tourist, was about to begin a trekking adventure through the mountains and forests with two friends. “The evening was very quiet, we slept well, and now we’re full of energy. It feels exciting,” he told us as he prepared drinks for the journey.

Homestays in Pù Luông are nestled beside terraced rice fields.

Without dazzling lights or grand structures, Pu Luong captivates visitors with its tranquility. A stilt house nestled on a hillside. A buffalo resting by the rice paddy. The sound of pestles pounding rice from the kitchen. Or simply the nod of greeting from a middle-aged Thai woman carrying wild vegetables through the alley. Here, nature and people are both relaxed and unhurried.

Mr. Ha Nam Khanh, Head of the Culture and Information Department of Ba Thuoc District, Thanh Hoa Province, said: “We are focusing on building Pu Luong into a safe, culturally rich, and green destination. In 2025, we will accelerate digital transformation, upgrade infrastructure, create new tourism products associated with local and rural culture, and train local human resources to improve service quality.”

According to Mr. Khanh, the number of visitors to Pu Luong has grown rapidly in recent years. In 2020, the locality welcomed more than 40,000 tourists. In 2024, the entire district is expected to welcome approximately 320,000 visitors, including 50,000 international visitors. It is projected that in 2025, the total number of visitors will reach 360,000, with about 60,000 being international visitors.

A picnic route in the early morning sun.

To date, Ba Thuoc district has 116 accommodation establishments, of which the Pu Luong tourist area accounts for 95 establishments, capable of accommodating 4,120 guests per day and night. The communes and towns have 22 establishments, with a capacity of 510 guests per day and night. The entire district has approximately 920 tourism workers, including 420 permanent and over 500 seasonal workers.

In Bản Đôn, Ms. Hà Thị Sâm, owner of Pù Luông Happy Home, is preparing food for guests. She and her husband started their tourism business in Pù Luông in 2020. She explained that because they lacked capital, they expanded their business gradually. To date, they have six bungalows and a stilt house for rent. Ms. Sâm doesn't speak English, only a few greetings. She said, "Just be cheerful, sir. Guests only need a warm smile and a firm handshake."

International tourists are impressed with the scenery and people of Pu Luong.

We met Mr. Hoang Van Loi, a tourist from Hanoi , as he was relaxing on the porch of a stilt house, leisurely sipping tea and gazing out at the valley. This was his third visit to Pu Luong, each time on a different occasion. “The rice harvest season is the most beautiful,” he said, “the horizon is ablaze with golden hues, yet it’s not as noisy as other famous places. Here, I feel like I’m living at a slower pace.”

On his first trip with a group of friends, Lợi rented a homestay in Hang village, then walked through Hiêu village, had lunch by the stream, swam in the waterfall, and returned in the late afternoon. “That night the moon was bright. We sat around the campfire telling stories, surrounded by the sounds of insects and the wind rustling through the thatched roof. No one touched their phones,” he laughed. “In the city, that would be unthinkable.”

According to Mr. Nguyen Co Thach, Chairman of the People's Committee of Thanh Lam commune, the number of domestic tourists returning to Pu Luong is increasing day by day. "The commune encourages people to participate in building accommodation facilities, improving service skills while still preserving traditional culture. We also guide people to grow sticky rice to extend the ripening period for tourists."

For many domestic tourists, Pu Luong is gradually becoming a destination away from the crowds of major tourist areas. Pham Thu Huong's family, from Nam Dinh, chose to spend their 4-day, 3-night vacation in Pu Luong. Her husband, a civil engineer, prefers quiet places.

“The two kids kept running around the terraced rice fields, and in the evening they roasted corn with the older children from the village,” Ms. Pham Thu Huong recounted about her two-day experience. “It’s been a long time since the whole family had time to gather together, and it felt very peaceful.” Ms. Huong plans to return here during the rainy season.

A corner of the homestay with nature stretching out from the window.

In Pu Luong, many people take photos and check in, but what truly captivates tourists isn't just the scenery. It's the feeling of tranquility, the opportunity to slow down, and to listen to oneself amidst nature.

"I thought it would be boring here at night," shared Hoang Van Loi, a tourist from Hanoi. "But then, sitting by the wood-burning stove, drinking corn wine, listening to people chat, watching the children play on the porch, I suddenly felt like I was back home, back to a time before telephones, when things weren't as hectic as they are now."

Ms. Nguyen Phuong Thao, a tourist from Hai Phong, commented: “I have traveled to many places and found the night in Pu Luong very impressive. There were no car noises, no dazzling lights. I could hear crickets, smell the lingering smoke from the kitchen fires, and feel the cool air seeping into my blanket. I felt my heart lighten, as if I had never had any worries.”

Experience the feeling of riding a boat in Pu Luong.

What makes Pu Luong special is not just its scenery, but its rare mountain and forest character amidst the rapidly spreading wave of tourism development across the country. The people of Pu Luong have learned to be hospitable without compromising their identity. They choose to do tourism in their own way, slowly, friendly, and in harmony with nature. Not because they can't do otherwise, but perhaps because they understand that to retain tourists, they must first preserve the soul of this land.

Our tour guide, Mr. Le Thanh Van, led us through a large rice field, then along a trail to Bat Cave. The whole group was captivated by the sight of the stalactite formations, shaped over hundreds of millions of years. Time seemed to have lingered on every rock face and arch. Mr. Van said, "This cave, also known as Kho Muong Cave, is home to many species of bats and is one of the most attractive tourist destinations in Pu Luong."

The afternoon descended slowly on the mountainside, the sunlight fading behind the dense bamboo groves. In the distance, smoke from cooking fires traced thin streaks against the dark sky. At a bend in the path, we met an old man leading his cow back to its shed. He didn't speak Vietnamese fluently, but he smiled kindly and said concisely, "Many visitors, a good rice crop, the villagers are happy." His words were as simple as potatoes or cassava, yet they encompassed the lifeblood of this place—simple, steadfast, and full of hope.

New homestays are gradually appearing, and concrete roads have even reached the most remote villages. But Pu Luong still moves slowly, as if nature here is choosing its own path. The tour guide recounted that last year, an English tourist stayed for three nights. On the last day, she said, "It's been a long time since I've felt so peaceful." He smiled and said, "As long as we can maintain that feeling, people will always come back to this place."

The afternoon descends upon Pu Luong like a slow melody. The twilight casts a golden glow over the terraced rice fields. Groups of tourists leisurely return after a day of traversing the terraced fields, exploring caves, and immersing themselves in the lush green mountains. On the dry fields, some Thai children run barefoot, waving and smiling at us. Amidst the endless mountains and the rustling wind through the leaves, Pu Luong instills in the heart something everyone needs, but which is becoming increasingly rare: a sense of peace.

Bui Thai Binh - Nhandan.vn

Source: https://nhandan.vn/pu-luong-mua-lua-chin-post886942.html