Thai An - a countryside with great tourism potential

11:44, January 17, 2024

BHG - In the chilly early winter, when the sun had just risen above the mountain top, the dew drops glittered in the morning sunlight, we arrived at the poetic Thai An commune. As soon as I arrived here, I could clearly feel the fresh air, the winding road around the mountain slopes, watching the forests, the blue river, I took the opportunity to take a few photos as souvenirs and also to show off to my friends about the peaceful and poetic scenery that is hard to describe in words.

Taking us to visit some villages, comrade Ma Mi Phong, Secretary of the Youth Union of Thai An commune, said: “The commune has a total natural land area of 5,071.84 hectares, 575 households with 2,893 people. Unlike a few years ago, when people mainly relied on growing corn and rice, now the people of Thai An commune have gradually changed the crop structure, combining agricultural, forestry, livestock production and developing services and tourism. The commune is on the tourist map of Dong Van Karst Plateau Geopark, with potential for eco-tourism and experiential tourism with rustic beauty. This is also the place where the Mong, Dao, Nung, Giay ethnic groups live, people still preserve their traditional cultural identity, expressed through cuisine , costumes, and house customs”.

Ba Tien Market attracts domestic and foreign tourists to visit and experience.

Visitors coming here will be able to visit, experience and immerse themselves in nature with the straight, green bamboo forest. Many visitors coming here have compared the bamboo forest to the setting of a Chinese historical film. Visitors not only enjoy the fresh air and beautiful scenery, but when experiencing the bamboo forest, they will also discover many extremely beautiful "check-in" corners.

Along with that, there is a famous market called "Ba Tien love market" held every Thursday afternoon at the intersection of Can Ho village and Lung Hau village, located right on the inter-commune road of Thai An (Quan Ba) - Duong Thuong (Yen Minh). The market originated from a legend about the love of a couple. In a Mong village, located at the foot of the mountain, a girl named Ba Tien fell in love with a boy who played the flute well. The two people loved each other and promised to get married one day. However, because the two families were not of equal social status, they could not get married, the girl sadly left for the high mountain, the boy heard the news and hurriedly went up the mountain to find her. To reach the top of the mountain, he traveled for 7 days, but still could not find her, no matter how he called, he only heard the heartbreaking echo of the mountains and forests. Every 7 days, the boy came to sit at the foot of the mountain and play the flute, his flute attracted many curious boys and girls in the village at the foot of the mountain to come and listen. Since then, the people named the mountain Ba Tien. From that story, today this place has become a dating spot for young couples and a shopping market in the Mong village every Thursday afternoon until now. Ba Tien Mountain is also an ideal place for tourists who are passionate about trekking and experiencing.

The traditional linen weaving profession of the Mong ethnic group in Thai An commune is preserved to develop tourism .

In addition, this place has rich culinary cultural values with dishes such as: Thang Co, beef hotpot, wild bamboo shoots, black chicken, meat hung in the kitchen, grilled dishes. With agriculture as the main force, in addition to the area of rice and corn grown seasonally, the people of Thai An commune also grow buckwheat flowers to serve tourists to visit and take photos. Growing medicinal plants, fruit trees, raising bees for honey, creating typical products, serving the shopping needs of tourists.

Ms. Le Kieu Oanh, a tourist from Ho Chi Minh City, shared: “My first feeling when coming to Thai An was the immense green of trees and the fresh, cool air. When visiting the bamboo forest, I felt overwhelmed and impressed, even though this place is still quite wild. If Thai An is invested, it will definitely become a tourist attraction. Surely in the near future, I will come here with my friends to experience climbing Ba Tien mountain.”

Comrade Hang Mi Ngoc, Chairman of Thai An Commune People's Committee said: "In recent years, the commune has built 3 model residential areas, cleaned houses, planted flowers, green fences... creating a green, clean and beautiful environment to improve the quality of life, protect health and attract tourists. Organizing activities such as: Weaving Festival; maintaining Mong ethnic folk clubs; market sessions held on Wednesdays and Ba Tien market on Thursday afternoons every week. In the coming time, the locality will continue to promote and advertise the potential and advantages of local tourism development".

Leaving Thai An at sunset, on the journey back to the city, we were still moved. The rustic, simple beauty of a high mountain range with endless green forests will make visitors unforgettable. If the potential and strength of the land and people are awakened, I believe that Thai An tourism will "take off" in the not too distant future.

Article and photos: Nguyen Dieu

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