The Phiêng Cằm highlands are bustling with preparations for Tet (Lunar New Year).

These days, in the highlands of Phiêng Cằm, every kitchen and house is adorned with a new look; the roads leading to the villages are bustling with vehicles, and laughter and chatter fill the air at the markets. Tet in the highlands is simple and rustic, with warm meals, overflowing with joy over the fruits of labor, and faith in the villages striving to escape poverty.

Báo Sơn La•13/02/2026

The road to Huoi Nha village, Phieng Cam commune, has been paved with concrete.

Attending the Phiêng Cằm highland market in the days leading up to the Lunar New Year, we clearly felt the joyful atmosphere of the local people celebrating the holiday. Located in Nong Tầu Thái village, the center of the commune, the market came alive from dawn with the vibrant colors of the traditional clothing worn by young women of the Hmong, Khơ Mú, Thái, and Sinh Mun ethnic groups. At the end of the year, the Phiêng Cằm highland market is more bustling and lively than usual. Everyone wants to prepare for a prosperous New Year for their families, with joy evident on every face. The market is divided into many sections selling agricultural products, precious medicinal herbs, livestock, household items, and characteristic local cuisine . From agricultural products like corn, rice, wood ear mushrooms, soybeans, and chili peppers… to bunches of wild vegetables, all grown or harvested by the locals themselves.

People of the Hmong ethnic group shop at the Phiêng Cằm highland market.

Ms. Giang Thi Sen, from Co Muong village, Phieng Cam commune, happily said: "I'm so happy! Since the commune has a market, my family has increased production, planted more vegetables, and raised more pigs and chickens to sell at the market to earn extra income. Especially at the market, people can enjoy cultural and artistic activities, play folk games, and strengthen solidarity among the ethnic groups in the commune."

Highland agricultural products are sold at the Phiêng Cằm market.

Since implementing the two-tiered local government model, Phiêng Cằm commune has built a highland market with the aim of creating a place for exchanging and trading goods, linking economic development with tourism development; and connecting local products with the market. The commune mobilized social resources, encouraging each village to set up a stall to display local products; mobilizing agencies, organizations, and businesses inside and outside the commune to sponsor money and materials (cement, sand, stone) to invest in the stage, internal roads, access roads to the market, and concrete yards; and mobilizing village performing arts groups to perform at the market.

Mr. Dang Tien Dung, Chairman of the People's Committee of Phieng Cam commune, informed: Phieng Cam has great potential for tourism development, with misty clouds in Pa Hoc village, Nam Put waterfall, lush green tea hills, rose gardens, and a cool climate. The commune will continue to maintain the highland market twice a month, linking the market with tourism development; continue to reorganize the sections and stalls rationally; strictly manage the origin and source of goods, and prioritize the development of characteristic goods of the Phieng Cam highland region.

Women from the Phiêng Cằm highlands pose for a commemorative photo at the Phiêng Cằm market.

Leaving the highland market, we continued our journey to the villages of Phiêng Phụ B, Nong Tầu Mông, Nong Xà Nghè, and Huổi Nhả, where the atmosphere of Tet (Lunar New Year) was everywhere. The villagers were cleaning their houses, making them neat and tidy; the elderly and children participated in age-appropriate tasks, everyone hoping their homes would be well-prepared for Tet. In Huổi Nhả village, there are 163 households with 877 people of the Khơ Mú and Mông ethnic groups; their economy is based on agricultural production. Thanks to the Party and State's policies and guidelines supporting the economic development of ethnic minorities, the local Party committee and government have concretized these through specific programs and plans, creating conditions for people to access capital and scientific and technical advancements in production. The people in the village have demonstrated a strong spirit of solidarity, overcoming difficulties and striving for economic development; in 2025, 28 households in the village are expected to escape poverty.

Hmong girls go to the Phiêng Cằm highland market.

Visiting the family of Ms. Quàng Thị Hương in Huổi Nhả village, we found them busily preparing to welcome the New Year with a more joyful and prosperous spirit than the previous year. The happiness was evident on the faces of every family member. Ms. Hương shared: "My family has 3 hectares of agricultural land. Since 2023, I switched to growing coffee, and this year we've started harvesting over 7 tons of fresh coffee beans. The price of coffee is higher than in previous years, so we're very happy."

Stick-pushing competition at the market.

Phiêng Cằm commune was established by merging Phiêng Cằm and Chiềng Nơi communes, comprising 34 villages, 2,832 households, and a population of 14,395 people, including the Thái, Kinh, Mông, and Khơ Mú ethnic groups. Compared to previous years, by 2025, Phiêng Cằm had seen significant infrastructure investment, with 11 projects and works totaling 31 billion VND; including completed projects such as the Phiêng Cằm Market, the Nhụng Trên - Bằng Ban road, and the Bằng Ban - Sài Khao - Phiêng Thẳm road. The national power grid has reached 99.05% of households. Newly opened roads and completed projects are gradually shortening the distance between Phiêng Cằm and central areas. Education and healthcare are prioritized, and 100% of households have access to clean drinking water.

Hmong women choose their traditional New Year's outfits at the Phieng Cam market.

With the support of the State and the efforts of the people, the lives of the people in Phieng Cam have changed day by day. Annually, the total cultivated area of the commune reaches over 3,500 hectares. Phieng Cam has developed distinctive, high-quality products that are popular with customers, such as: sweet oranges, passion fruit, crunchy persimmons, pickled persimmons, and tea; the commune has 4 agricultural production cooperatives that guarantee the purchase of agricultural products from farmers. Livestock farming is developing towards commodity production, with the entire commune maintaining a stable livestock population of over 4,000 head of cattle and 48,550 head of poultry of various types. The poverty rate is projected to decrease to nearly 40% by 2025.

Cultural exchange between villages at Phiêng Cằm market.

Amidst the spring atmosphere of the highlands, sharing joy with the locals and participating in the colorful market, we felt the spirit of unity, overcoming difficulties, and solidarity of the Party committee, government, and people here. We believe that in the future, Phiêng Cằm will continue to experience many changes and flourishing developments.