The culture and customs of the Muong people in the May Waterfall area attract tourists to explore and experience them.
Thanh Hoa is one of the few localities that possesses a complete range of topography, including mountainous, hilly, plain, and coastal areas. Along with the coexistence of seven ethnic groups, it has created a rich treasure trove of products, deeply rooted in local culture. This is also an important resource for the locality to develop unique tourism products.
Among the province's distinctive products, fermented pork sausage (nem chua) is the most widely recognized. From a simple everyday dish, nem chua has become synonymous with Thanh Hoa's tourism brand. At tourist destinations, hotels, resorts, and specialty shops, the sight of beautifully packaged boxes of nem chua has become commonplace. For many tourists, it's an indispensable souvenir after their trip.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Nga, owner of Nguyen Thi Nga food production facility (Sam Son ward), said: “Nowadays, tourists are not only interested in taste but also pay attention to origin. Therefore, the OCOP certification of our products not only helps to enhance our reputation but also creates more favorable conditions for promoting and introducing them to tourists inside and outside the province.”
Besides fermented pork sausage (nem chua), many other traditional products from the Mekong Delta region, such as Tu Tru sticky rice cake (banh gai Tu Tru), Phu Quang sticky rice cake (che lam Phu Quang), and handicrafts made from Nga Son sedge, are gradually becoming part of tourists' experiences. More than just goods, each product carries a story about the craft village, production experience, and cultural values preserved through generations.
In Sam Son, besides swimming and relaxing, many tourists enjoy experiencing the life of the fishermen. Every early morning, when the boats dock, the buying and selling of seafood takes place bustlingly right on the beach. Many tourists choose to wake up early to immerse themselves in this scene, personally selecting fresh seafood and creating unique experiences of the Sam Son coastal region.
Not content with just buying fresh seafood right on the beach, many tourists also visit the Red Pillar Market, specialty shops, and OCOP product showrooms to choose convenient products to take home as souvenirs. From traditional fish sauce, shrimp paste, dried shrimp, sun-dried mackerel, and dried squid to processed products made from local seafood, a wide variety is available.
Notably, many of Sam Son's signature products have been recognized as 3-star OCOP products, such as Bong Sen herring fish sauce, Bong Sen anchovy fish sauce, Hoang Long fish sauce concentrate, Phuoc Thinh squid patties, etc., and are gradually becoming tourism products, contributing to promoting the image of Thanh Hoa's coastal region.
Leaving the bustling coastal region, the journey to discover local products continues, taking visitors to the mountainous areas of Thanh Hoa province – a place that preserves many unique cultural features of the ethnic minority communities.
During the summer months, the May Waterfall Ecotourism Area attracts a large number of tourists for sightseeing and relaxation. Besides the beauty of the famous waterfall with its nine cascading white streams amidst the mountains and forests, many visitors also spend time learning about local culture such as weaving brocade, basketry, rice pounding, and enjoying local products such as: forest honey, bamboo shoots, wild vegetables, wild chili peppers, free-range chicken, rock snails, rice wine, and sticky rice cooked in bamboo tubes... From products serving daily needs, many mountain specialties have become popular goods for tourists.
Ms. Bui Thi Thao, a businesswoman in the May Waterfall area, said: “During peak season, the number of visitors looking to buy local products increases significantly. Many tourists, after experiencing the distinctive dishes of the Muong people, often buy additional specialties to take home as gifts for relatives and friends.”
In reality, for local products to become tourism specialties, quality alone is not enough; it's crucial to connect the product with experiences, cultural stories, and promotional activities. Therefore, in addition to improving product quality, localities need to focus on building brands, perfecting designs, boosting promotion, and strengthening connections between producers and tourism businesses. In particular, localities should prioritize developing experiential activities, connecting OCOP products and traditional craft villages with tourism tours and routes, and better telling the cultural stories associated with each product.
In the context of tourists increasingly seeking authentic local experiences, local products are no longer just souvenirs to take home. They are becoming an integral part of the exploration journey, a bridge for tourists to better understand the culture, people, and land of Thanh Hoa province. When local values are properly recognized, each local product can become a "tourism ambassador," contributing to the unique appeal of the destination.
Text and photos: Thùy Linh
Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/tu-san-pham-dia-phuong-den-dac-san-du-lich-291217.htm
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