Into the land of fairy tales, Ngoc Chien

After crossing the Sam Sip pass with its 30 winding hairpin bends halfway up the mountain and the Nam Chien hydroelectric dam, the "fairytale" countryside of Ngoc Chien unfolded before our eyes with its rustic, peaceful beauty, the quiet stilt houses with their Pơ Mu roofs reflected in the gentle Chien stream.

Báo Sơn La•09/02/2026

The stone fence was built by the people of Dong Xuong village.

Greeting us at the stone-paved, pine-roofed entrance gate at the beginning of the village, Mr. Lo Van Lon, Party Secretary and Head of Dong Xuong village, excitedly shared: "The village mobilized over 50 million VND and labor from the villagers to build the entrance gate, and 70% of households built their own stone fences and gates; 65% built bougainvillea trellises. Thanks to this, the village has completely changed, becoming more beautiful, cleaner, and more spacious. Everyone is happy, excited, and proud to introduce their village to friends and tourists."

The people of Muong Chien village celebrate the spring festival.

Choosing to visit Ngoc Chien for his spring outing at the beginning of the year, Mr. Phan Bach, a tourist from Hanoi , shared: "This is my fourth time returning here because this land is so poetic, its culture is preserved intact, and the people are friendly. Especially unique are the ancient stilt houses with wooden roofs made of Pơ Mu wood, or the way the locals 'breathe life' into pebbles, creating impressive structures like fences, gates, and stone jars."

Located at an average altitude of 1,800 meters above sea level, Ngoc Chien possesses significant tourism development potential, with its year-round cool climate; hot spring areas; over 300 hectares of pine hills covered in bonsai trees; more than 2,600 hectares of hawthorn trees blooming white in the forest; over 1,000 hectares of ancient tea trees in the primeval forest; along with a rich system of waterfalls and caves, magnificent natural landscapes; over 1,000-year-old fir trees, the legend of the two love trees... and the rich cultural identity of various ethnic groups.

High-tech agricultural model in Ngoc Chien commune.

Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Ngoc Chien commune, Bui Tien Sy, shared: Along with exploiting existing advantages and potential to develop tourism, the commune has also effectively used capital from national target programs to invest in rural infrastructure and social welfare projects. In particular, the "zero-cost projects" continue to be implemented with the consensus of the commune's Party committee, government, and people, bringing a new look to the Ngoc Chien countryside. To date, the commune has completed upgrading 21 km of rural roads; built and renovated the Don Ho ancestral church, the Sa Mu tree church, the Xu Cong church, and the Coc No Xi Tu church; 15 out of 15 villages have built unique welcome gates and sports fields to serve cultural, artistic, and sports activities. The design includes the Lau Xa cultural space of the La Ha ethnic group and the Chum road in Ke village; a giant windmill area and 40 water wheels... with a total cost of tens of billions of dong.

High-tech flower cultivation in Ngoc Chien commune.

Home to the Thai, Mong, and La Ha ethnic groups, the commune focuses on preserving the unique cultural characteristics of these ethnic groups and reviving traditional festivals and rituals, such as the New Rice Festival and the Hawthorn Flower Festival, attracting a large number of tourists to experience them. In 2025, the entire commune is expected to welcome over 22,000 tourists, generating a total revenue of 5.5 billion VND.

Furthermore, the people of Ngoc Chien have focused on applying technology and technical advancements in agricultural production. On their fields, farmers have invested in greenhouses, glasshouses, and automatic irrigation systems, supplying the market with clean and safe agricultural products. Annually, they cultivate 718 hectares of rice; 300 hectares of various vegetables; over 300 hectares of short-term crops; and care for 2,660 hectares of fruit trees. Of these, 13 hectares of high-tech vegetable farming in Phay and Dong Xuong villages yield over 1,500 tons of vegetables and fruits, generating revenue exceeding 30 billion VND.

Mr. Nguyen Xuan Truong, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Ngoc Chien High-Tech Vegetable and Flower Cooperative, said: The cooperative has 8 hectares of land for growing various vegetables and fruits, of which 3 hectares are cultivated in greenhouses. The cooperative's annual production of vegetables and fruits reaches nearly 600 tons, yielding a profit of over 1 billion VND after deducting expenses. It provides regular and seasonal employment for 30 to 50 local workers, with an average income of 6 million VND per month or more.

The development of tourism and agriculture has been helping households in Ngoc Chien commune increase their income and improve their lives. By the end of 2025, the poverty rate in the commune will decrease to 6.34%; and the near-poverty rate will decrease to 1.22%.

Awakening potential and leveraging the strengths of this "fairytale land," the Party Committee and local government of the merged commune have been continuously striving to work alongside the people, formulating sound policies and decisions that are appropriate to the reality, helping Ngoc Chien to flourish and become an attractive tourist destination in Son La.

Source: https://baosonla.vn/xa-hoi/ve-mien-co-tich-ngoc-chien-PzzOYiDDR.html