Discovery of ethnic minority villages in the Northwest

The region is rich in long range of mountains mysterious caves and grottos fine rivers and streams and more, it’s the cultural traditions of minority groups that make Northwest a destination could be found nowhere.

Trekking to mountainous villages of minority people is a tour most foreigners wish to enjoy. It’s a trip for those who are adventurous, fact-finding and culture-lovers and Giang Mỗ village is well invested by  Hòa Bình tourism to meet customers’ demands. Giang Mỗ village lies at the foot of Mỗ mountain in Bình Thanh commune, about 10km from Hòa Bình town and with 106 households supplied by waterpipes from stream, and the villagers earn their living by hunting with bow and arrows, pounding rice. Their ways of farming and holding religious rituals still retain traditional identities of Mường minority in old time. Visitors are always warmly welcome, enjoy bamboo flute and mono-cord musical instrument while drinking rượu cần with house-owners (rượu cần is kept in a vase and drunk by a long pipe).

           

Lác village in Mai Châu, about 60km from Hòa Bình town, is a well-known destination for both domestic and foreign tourists. Stilt-houses in Mai Châu are large, floors are made of good bamboo or wood, roofs covered with palm leaves. Windows are large enough to get in the wind and to be hung with orchids or bird-cages. It’ll be an unforgettable memory to take part in camp-fire while striking gongs or taking to local artisans singing with Thái minority young girls. There are 25 houses-on-stilt in Lác and Pom Coọng village, fully-certified to serve tourists.

           

Mòng village is an eco-tourism spot and good for relax and cultural traditions in Hua La commune, Sơn La town. There’s here a naturally hot-water stream called Bó Nặm Ún. It’s good for medical services. The village has 106 households of Thái minority and villagers live mainly on brocade-weaving forgery, pottery… The resounding of birds singing, of dance music, of drums and gongs will give you impressive experience.

           

Gastronomy in the Northwest is a good attraction: glutinous rice, cơm lam or rice cooked in bamboo, baked fish, smoked meat, bamboo-shoots and vegetables, mushroom… are a must to try. In Nam Sơn commune, Tân Lạc district (Hòa Bình province), there’s Nam Sơn grotto where visitors are opportune to try and taste Nam Sơn chickens which is one of 3 Vietnamese food listed in best 1600 dishes from 150 countries by Terra Madre foundation (the Italian Ministry of Agriculture) and in the famous book on world best food (Slow Food Editore)  

                                     QUỲNH TRANG