Quan Hoa - a land with great potential for developing the "smokeless industry" (Part 1): An attractive destination for community tourism and experiential discovery tourism

Quan Hoa, formerly known as Muong Ca Da, is a highland district in western Thanh Hoa province. With its beautiful and majestic natural scenery, it has enormous potential for tourism , especially ecotourism and community-based tourism.

The traditional rice wine culture of the Thai ethnic group in Quan Hoa. Photo: Dinh Giang

Ban But, located in Nam Xuan commune, less than 10km from the center of Quan Hoa district, is home to over 100 households of the Thai ethnic minority. From above, Ban But appears with its traditional stilt houses, surrounded by pristine forests. Visitors can hike along winding mountain paths, immerse themselves in the lives of the local people, experience farming , weaving brocade, and enjoy local specialties such as free-range chicken, rock snails, bamboo rice, and traditional rice wine.

What makes But village special is that visitors can experience camping by riding motorbikes up to Pha Day Lake. Located on a mountain at an altitude of 1,200m above sea level, the lake covers approximately 2.2 hectares and boasts crystal-clear water year-round, resembling a giant mirror in nature. According to the villagers, the area around the lake was once a low-lying region with streams flowing into it. Later, the locals expanded it into a reservoir for irrigation. Today, Pha Day Lake is not only a beautiful scenic spot but also plays a crucial role in providing water for daily life and agricultural production in the region, with a capacity of over 200,000 cubic meters of water. Here, visitors can enjoy boat trips on the lake, try casting nets to catch fish, and immerse themselves in nature. The fresh air and the activity of camping overnight will create unforgettable relaxing moments.

In the early days of spring 2025 (Year of the Snake), But village welcomed a larger-than-usual number of visitors. Ms. Nguyen Thi Hanh, from Thanh Hoa City, shared: “At the beginning of spring, my family usually chooses a short trip so that the children can have fun. This year, my family traveled to the western part of Thanh Hoa province to experience community tourism in But village, Nam Xuan commune. What is interesting about this place is the harmony between the natural scenery and the rich cultural values ​​of the local Thai ethnic people.”

Ms. Pham Thi Nhi, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Nam Xuan commune, said: "But village was the first village in Nam Xuan commune to be recognized as achieving New Rural Area standards in 2018. Implementing the community tourism development project, Nam Xuan commune selected 5 Thai ethnic minority households in But village to pilot homestay tourism services. To date, community tourism in But village has become a highlight for tourists visiting the mountainous district of Quan Hoa."

Homestay A Béo in Bản Bút village, Nam Xuân commune, has been invested in and is well-equipped.

Besides the Bản Bút village, Quan Hóa district boasts many attractive tourism resources, notably its rich, diverse, and pristine forest ecosystem. Along with the Pù Hu Nature Reserve, the Pù Luông Nature Reserve, and the Nam Động Rare Coniferous Forest Reserve, Quan Hóa is also blessed with a system of rivers and streams interspersed with majestic mountains and many beautiful caves such as Phi Cave, Co Phương Cave, Co Luồng Cave, and Na Cave... In particular, Co Phương Cave in Bản Sại, Phú Lệ commune, has been classified as a National Historical Monument. Beyond its natural beauty, Quan Hóa district is also a melting pot of cultures from the Thái, Mường, Kinh, Mông, and Hoa ethnic groups. This diversity is reflected in the traditional crafts, folk culture, and unique cuisine of each ethnic group. In particular, the district still preserves many valuable intangible cultural heritage values, most notably the Muong Ca Da Festival, which was recognized as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in 2019.

To capitalize on these potential advantages, on April 26, 2019, the People's Committee of Thanh Hoa province issued Decision No. 1574/QD-UBND approving the Project "Developing Community Tourism in Quan Hoa District until 2025, with a vision to 2030". This is considered an important condition for the development of Quan Hoa's tourism industry. Based on the approved project, in recent years, the district has focused on developing diverse types of tourism, such as cultural and spiritual tourism, community tourism, and experiential tourism. Many outstanding tourism products attract tourists, such as exploring terraced rice fields, discovering Pha Day Lake and Vinh Quang Lake, experiencing the Hoi Xuan night market, experiencing ethnic culture, and experiencing local cuisine... Among these, the most prominent are the adventure tours for tourists who enjoy exploring and learning about biodiversity and ecology on the summit of Pu Hu. The Ma River downstream tour is for tourists who enjoy activities such as rowing boats, paddling rafts, and fishing on the river.

Mr. Le Huu Quyet, Head of the Culture and Information Department of Quan Hoa District, affirmed: "To effectively exploit the tourism potential, in the coming time the district will focus on promoting investment in tourism infrastructure. At the same time, we will implement solutions to develop and promote local tourism, combined with maintaining and preserving indigenous cultural values, hoping that in the near future, this will be a key economic sector of Quan Hoa District."

Dinh Giang

Lesson 2: Making tourism a key economic sector as soon as possible.

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/quan-hoa-vung-dat-giau-tiem-nang-phat-trien-nganh-cong-nghiep-khong-khoi-bai-1-diem-den-hap-dan-cua-du-lich-cong-dong-nbsp-du-lich-kham-pha-trai-nghiem-239886.htm