The transformation of the highlands of Tak Po

Tak Po aims to be a community tourism space imbued with indigenous cultural identity. Photo: Tran Oanh

Clouds rustle on the mountainside

“I came to Tak Po by chance,” Tran Oanh, owner of May Tak Po homestay, recalls her journey. “At that time, I went with a few friends to help the locals build a stone road leading to the village. The landscape at that time was still very wild, with only 37 households on a small hill, surrounded by mountains. But it was the honesty and gentleness of the locals that made me reluctant to leave.”

From that chance, Ms. Oanh decided to stay. She opened a small homestay as a way to keep a bit of peace, a place to return to for herself and for those who love nature, love the simplicity of the mountains and forests.

“Here, clouds cover the whole year. Every dawn, white clouds embrace the mountainside and spread over the roof. One day at noon, clouds suddenly come, making me feel like I am standing in the middle of space, both joyful and surprised,” Ms. Oanh said, her eyes shining.

But Tak Po is not all clouds. Hidden behind the misty mists is the simple life of a small Xo Dang village. Visitors can stroll around the village, listen to the children playing, sit by the fire and listen to the village elders tell old stories. When the harvest season comes, visitors follow the villagers to the fields, thresh rice, and carry rice back to the sound of laughter echoing across the hillsides. At night, gongs resound, fires flare, and rice wine is fragrant. Rustic dishes such as bamboo rice, grilled chicken, stream fish, and wild vegetables help visitors feel more clearly the warmth and hospitality of the mountains.

What is special here is that all activities are connected to the community. “We work with the locals, welcome guests, and tell stories together,” Ms. Oanh shared. Each person contributes a part: some clean the road, some cook, some play gongs. It is this connection that makes tourists not only come to admire the scenery, but also truly live in the highland life, fully feeling the breath and humanity of the highlands of Tak Po.

New spatial link

Last August, Tak Po welcomed the first groups of tourists on the journey Son Tra Peninsula - Ky Anh Tunnels - Loc Yen Ancient Village - Land of Ngoc Linh Ginseng, organized by HiVOOC Company Limited.

“Tourism trends are clearly changing, from simple experiences to journeys of learning from the community, exploring nature and living slowly amidst indigenous cultural values,” said Mr. Bui Van Tuan, Director of HiVOOC. “And Tak Po is the destination that fully converges those elements.”

Not only attractive by the majestic nature and poetic scenery, Tak Po also preserves the pristine indigenous culture. This place has become an important "link" in HiVOOC's product development strategy towards connecting ecological, cultural and historical destinations through the direct participation of local people.

This journey is not just a sightseeing tour, but a return to nature and history: from Son Tra peninsula - the "kingdom" of the red-shanked douc langur, to Ky Anh tunnel, passing through Dam river reed bank, Loc Yen ancient village, then stopping in the middle of Tak Po sea of clouds, where the long night is immersed in the sound of gongs and flickering firelight.

When leaving Tak Po, visitors can also attend the Ginseng God worship ceremony - a sacred ritual to pray for peace before going to Ngoc Linh Ginseng Garden, a symbol of vitality of the great forest.

According to Mr. Tuan, HiVOOC's goal is not only to exploit new tourism products, but also to create a bridge between tourists and the Tak Po community, contributing to promoting sustainable livelihoods and spreading indigenous cultural values here.

Villages in the new planning area

In 2024, Tak Po was selected by the Nam Tra My district government (formerly Quang Nam province) as a pilot investment location for a rural tourism model, with a budget of more than 2 billion VND. After the administrative boundaries were merged, the Tra Tap commune government continued to persistently pursue this orientation, considering community tourism as a key development direction associated with people's livelihoods.

In early October, the Da Nang City Architects Association had a direct working trip to Tra Tap commune to discuss the development orientation of Tak Po community tourism village. The event was considered an encouraging signal, showing that urban knowledge has begun to accompany the mountainous region, where development ideas are transformed into concrete actions.

A representative of Tra Tap commune said that since cloud hunting in Tak Po was honored in the Top 7 most impressive tourist experiences in Vietnam in 2024, the number of backpackers has increased significantly. Some community homestays have been initially formed, creating jobs for the people.

In the coming period, the commune will coordinate with planning experts to form pilot projects, upgrade roads into the village, and organize community tourism skills training for youth, women and mass organizations.

“We don’t want Tak Po to simply be a place to watch clouds and listen to gongs,” a commune leader emphasized. What the commune is aiming for is a community tourism space imbued with indigenous cultural identity, where nature is preserved, people are promoted, and every project and activity is linked to the sustainable livelihoods of the people. This will also be the path for Tra Tap commune to gradually assert itself on the community tourism map of the mountainous area west of the city.

Source: https://baodanang.vn/su-chuyen-minh-noi-non-cao-tak-po-3308942.html