Catching up with the trend of community tourism
Located in the area of Lang Son UNESCO Global Geopark, Huu Lien commune is blessed by nature with the richest ecosystem with special-use forests, lakes, caves, limestone mountains... This is also the place where the Tay, Nung, Dao, Mong ethnic groups live... with long-standing historical and cultural values such as four-roofed stilt house architecture, traditional Then melodies or a cuisine rich in identity.
Possessing so much potential for tourism development, but about 10 years ago, Huu Lien was still a "sleeping land", little known. People's lives mainly depended on self-sufficient agriculture , with fields, forests, orchards and small farms. However, if only relying on the seasons, people's lives were still difficult, lacking in material things.
Realizing the difficulties in people's lives and the untapped tourism potential, Huu Lien commune authorities determined the goal of making tourism a key economic sector. Thinking is doing, the authorities proactively coordinated with the people, promoting the community tourism model to increase income and improve living standards. Thanks to this coordination, many typical tourism products such as homestays and cultural experiences have been formed and developed.
From the first 3 homestay establishments opened in 2018, up to now, the whole Huu Lien commune has had 36 homestay establishments in operation, creating jobs for over 180 local workers with an average income of 7 - 9 million VND/person/month. The number of tourists coming to stay, visit and experience is increasing, from 2020 - 2025 there were over 180,000 visitors inside and outside the commune, with estimated revenue reaching over 52 billion VND. This rapid growth shows the attractiveness of the community tourism model as well as the timely response of local people to create a sustainable value chain.
It is called a sustainable value chain because homestays are not simply a place to stop, but also open up a rich ecosystem of experiences, from exploring culture, folk arts (Ngo Lang Giang Festival, Go Chua Communal House Festival, Pao Dung singing, Then singing, Tinh lute...), enjoying local cuisine (roasted pig, roasted duck, grilled spring rolls, khau nhuc, lap xuong, fermented leaf wine, corn wine...) to immersing in the daily life of the people. Thanks to that, Huu Lien people can directly participate in tourism: cooking for tourists, leading tours, providing agricultural products and local specialties. This method not only helps to create more income but also raises awareness of preserving and promoting traditional cultural values for people and tourists.
Starting community tourism in 2018, Ms. Leo Thu Phuong - owner of Rung Xanh homestay, facility 1, as well as many people in Huu Lien, experienced a confusing initial period. Lacking experience and professional tourism skills, the number of visitors to Huu Lien at that time was very limited. However, with the attention and support of the local government in promoting and connecting, her homestay was sought out by many tourists, especially international visitors, and booking rooms more and more.
“In the past, my family was mainly involved in farming. In recent years, we have switched to tourism services and have had a stable source of income. The people of Huu Lien are very friendly, and the homestays are always united and closely connected with each other, from sharing guests to supporting food. The source of raw materials for tourism is mainly taken from the local people, thereby creating more jobs and increasing their income,” said Ms. Phuong.
Coming to Ms. Phuong's homestay, visitors will be immersed in the local cultural life such as visiting the village, exploring the Tay ethnic stilt house or experiencing farming such as planting rice, harvesting rice, growing vegetables. In addition, visitors can also learn how to make traditional cakes such as pumpkin cake, pumpkin cake (banh gio bau), black square cake (banh giay). Each experience makes visitors excited and happy because they can participate in the daily work of the people.
Thanks to the continuous efforts of the government and people, in October 2020, Huu Lien Community Tourism Village was officially recognized as a provincial-level tourist destination. By 2025, the Village continued to be honored to receive the ASEAN Tourism Award. The award is an important "push" to help the locality enhance brand recognition, while attracting more and more tourists to experience and explore Huu Lien.
The "holy land" of mountain climbing in Vietnam
Along with community tourism, Huu Lien also develops a variety of other tourism models, such as cultural tourism, experiential tourism, eco-tourism, geological tourism, agricultural tourism or adventure tourism, attracting more and more tourists. In particular, adventure tourism has emerged as a unique tourism product.
Located in Huu Lien commune, Yen Thinh valley has all the conditions to develop adventure sports with majestic limestone mountains and vertical cliffs tens of meters high. However, to realize that the limestone mountains are not only an obstacle to traffic or farming, but also an advantage to form a unique tourism product is a journey.
The story began in 2012, when Jean Verly - founder of VietClimb Company and his international friends surveyed many localities in search of the ideal "holy land" for climbing in Vietnam. They quickly realized that the limestone mountains they passed through were not "old" enough to drill holes for climbing ropes. Only when they arrived in Huu Lien, with their experience and professional eyes, they quickly realized that this place was not inferior to Krabi (Thailand) or Yangshuo (China) in terms of potential for developing the sport of climbing.
From this assessment, in 2016, VietClimb Company began to build and exploit sport climbing activities in Huu Lien. The first climbing routes were established, specialized hooks were drilled into the cliffs, opening up the opportunity to form a completely new "holy land" of climbing in Vietnam, at the same time putting Huu Lien on the adventure tourism map in the region.
After many years of operation, mountain climbing activities in Huu Lien have undergone a professional and systematic upgrading process. This area is now organized into 5 main climbing points and 3 secondary points, with a total of more than 110 climbing routes. The climbing routes are clearly classified into two forms, and each area is equipped with a climbing route map designed by experts, meeting international safety standards and helping visitors easily choose the appropriate level of challenge. Many visitors who come here for the first time have confidently conquered the 20 - 30m high cliffs.
Coming to Lang Son with the purpose of participating in mountain climbing activities, Ms. Larar - a tourist from the US shared: “I stayed here for 4 nights and spent 3 days climbing. The experience was really beyond expectations. The climbing spot is right at the end of the road and can be seen from afar. The triangular mountain has white rocks and many hollows with very special lines. Not to mention the tufa patches and unique climbing paths make the climbing experience very interesting. I have never seen a place like this. It is wonderful, we will definitely come back”.
According to statistics, every year, the adventure sport of mountain climbing in Huu Lien attracts over 25,000 domestic and international visitors, with annual revenue from tourism services estimated at over 10 billion VND. In addition to mountain climbing, Huu Lien also offers many activities to explore rich nature. Visitors can trek through Dong Lam grassland, kayak on Nong Dung lake, or bathe in clear lakes in the middle of limestone forests. The trails leading to the majestic Khe Dau waterfall are also an ideal choice for those who love adventure in the mountains and forests.
It can be seen that the colorful tourism picture has been “awakening” Huu Lien from a “sleeping land” to become an attractive destination on the tourist map. This place not only brings visitors unique and complete experiences, but also creates a sustainable value chain for the local community, contributing to promoting the economy, preserving cultural heritage and preserving the natural environment - the invaluable assets of this land.
Source: https://baophapluat.vn/vung-dat-ngu-quen-vuon-minh-hut-khach-du-lich.html
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