Developing community-based tourism with Giay ethnic people in Ta Van Village

 

 

Located within the area of Muong Hoa valley, about 8 kilometers from Sa Pa Town, Lao Cai Province, Ta Van Commune is a popular destination for those who love to experience a memorable homestay in a local ethnic people’s house and share the dinner with them as a member of their family. 

Being at the altitude of 1,200 – 1,500m, annual average temperature of Ta Van is 15 – 16ºC. Ta Van is home to H’mong ethnic people (occupying nearly 45%) in Den Thang, Xeo Mi Ty and Ta Van Mong villages, Giay people (35%) in Ta Van Giay village, and Dao people (20%) in Giang Ta Chai Dao Village.

Ta Van Commune lies within a picturesque valley with ancient rock field, falls, spring and terrace fields... It is convenient for tourists to travel from here to other well-known destinations in Sa Pa as Lao Chai, Ta Phin, Cat Cat… Ta Van thus is the first choice of tourists on the way to discover Sa Pa. 

Thanks to available potential, Ta Van has become an important community-based tourism commune of Sa Pa District with the participation of 3 - 4 households in 2001, 28 ones in 2008, and now 45. Noticeably, Ta Van Giay is village of more than 20 households of Giay people, mostly taking part in community-based tourism. 

Crossing the suspension bridge over Muong Hoa spring, visitors come to Ta Van Giay. In the early morning, mist and cloud covers the spring making bridge bobbed in cloud. The two sides of the road to the village are fertile terraced fields offered by the green of young corn and rice. Upon arrival at Ta Van Giay Village, visitors are surprised at the beauty from simplicity mixed nicely, courtesy of the houses on stills in the village.

The houses are made of wood with three compartments: the middle one is use to lay altar and receive guests, the right one is bedroom, the left one is kitchen with a garret to keep food. In the middle of door, there is red amulet with yellow paper and a sentence in Chinese script in order to dispel evil spirits.

Giay people in Ta Van cultivate wet rice, forge tools of production, engrave silver and weave fabric. Coming here, visitors will have chances to witness Giay woman making sophisticated jewelry, brocade products.

Under the direction of local government, the village has built spacious houses with full bed cushions, blankets, bathroom, toilets to welcome guests who want to stay here. Besides, Giay ethnic people also learn to communicate with foreigners and do various services to serve tourists. Thanks to community-based tourism development, their lives have been improved, contributing to poverty alleviation.

Visiting Ta Van Giay village, tourists have a chance to enjoy special dishes of Giay ethnic people (Muong Hum grilled fish, Muong Khuong thang co, Bac Ha pork, Van Ban five-color sticky...), local festivals (Nao Cong ceremony, Roong Pooc ceremony), folk games (nem con, danh yen…). 

In order to diversify community-based tourism activities, the village has set up performance team with 30 artists to show special dances, songs of Giay ethnic people as: then dancing, ken dancing, giao duyen singing (dual love songs)…

The friendliness and hospitality of Giay ethnic people in Ta Van are among most memorable things which make visitors desire to go back... 

Source: VNTNews

 

The lush green valley of Muong Hoa

Situated about 15 kilometers from the tourist hotspot of Sapa town in Lao Cai Province is the green valley Muong Hoa, which is the homeland of minority peoples who inhabit and cultivate the land.

The valley has the beautiful Muong Hoa River, which flows across the small town and rice fields of the ethnic minority people of H’Mong, Dao and many others. Located on the sides of the river are the small towns of Lao Chai, Ta Van and Hau Thao; these locations are favored destinations for foreigners for a variety of activities including trekking and shopping for hand-made products

Battle-hardened tourists trek on a slope in the valley

A farmer ploughs on a rice field in the valley

 A stunning view of the beautiful rice fi elds of Muong Hoa Valley - Photos: Pham Thai

Journey to Ta Phin Village

On the way to Sapa Town in the northwest province of Lao Cai, Ta Phin Village located about four kilometers off the center of town is awaiting your presence.

 

Tourists tramp around Ta Phin Village in Sapa Town 

Nestled in Sa Peng Commune, Sapa District, Ta Phin is home to Dao people and to reach the village there is a splendid view of the valley on one side and mountain on the other. Under the valley is a crystal water stream winding along green terraced rice fields and in the distance are lines of corn trees, ensuring tourists feast their eyes as they discover a new land.

Visitors will be firstly amazed at the Dao ethnic ladies, with their red scarves covering their hair, as they flock to welcome travelers. They are dressed mostly in black costumes with colorful patterns hemmed in collars, sleeves and laps together with a white hat and shoes. All Dao women shave the hair on their foreheads and eyebrows following their traditional custom.

On the tramp around the village, some Dao women or children will chase after visitors to ask them to buy their brocade products. The village is studded with simple houses with girls sitting sewing products by hand. Bright smiles and the laughter of children will also make an unforgettable memory.

Strolling for about 1,000 meters, excursionists will meet a huge cave at the foot of a high mountain, which legend states was the place where Dao people’s ancestor settled.

The cave is named Dinh Binh Ta Thanh Long Dong and tourists will pay VND50,000 for a guide with a flashlight as they encounter the mysterious grotto with colorful stalactites in weird shapes. The cave is also the start of Ta Chai Stream running through a primeval forest, creating picturesque scenery worthy of anyone’s admiration.

Near the cave is also a brocade-making craft village where tourists can buy and witness artisans making costumes, handbags, hats, carpets as well as many kinds of jewelry. The village is also famous for tasty fruit such as peach, plums, apple and persimmon and many ethnic cakes and indigenous wines as well which tourists should stock up on for gifts for family and friends.

A view of Dai Binh Ta Thanh Long Cave in Ta Phin Village - Photos: Dang Hoang Tham

Visiting Mau Temple and Vang Pagoda in Tam Dao

Tam Dao Tourist Area, just 70 kilometers north west of Hanoi and about 25 kilometers from Vinh Yen City in Vinh Phuc Province, was originally built by the French as a hill station to escape from the oppressive humidity of Hanoi.

A view of Vang Pagoda in Tam Dao Tourist Area in Vinh Phuc Province

Tam Dao is endowed with a lot of beautiful landscapes, the romantic combination of forests, streams and mountains; clouds driven by the wind; the sounds of the cascades echoing far and wide, mingled with the songs of forest birds.

There are remnants from the French colonial-designed villas, now reduced to rubble, scattered around the mountain walls where visitors can stay to experience the romance of Tam Dao and explore the vestiges of time.

With three magnificent peaks which are over 1,000 meters above sea level, people say Tam Dao resembles a giant man with his hands to the sky and standing imposingly in the mist. There is Ban Thach in the middle which is 1,338 meters, Thien Nhi Mount to the left at 1,375 meters and on the right is the 1,400-meter Phu Nghia.

Tam Dao is blessed with ideal temperatures of about 21 degrees Celsius and it appears to have four seasons in one day. The cool wind in the morning makes people think of spring, the sun at noon is like summer, the romantic sunset makes you think of autumn, while the chill at night is like wintertime.

Coming to Tam Dao, after strolling amidst the pine forests, tourists should make a stop at Mau Temple and Vang Pagoda to discover the ancient architecture and find some peace and balance for the soul.

Nestled right at the foot of Thien Thi Mountain after its 200 stone steps, Ba Chua Mau Thuong Ngan Temple is apparently a sacred place luring many pilgrims daily, especially during festivals to pray for love and bearing children.

Moreover, Vang Pagoda is where tourists can admire many large Buddha statues and goddess as well as many artworks of bas relief and parallel sentences and scrolls.

After that, tourists should trek about 1,200 steps to a television tower on Thien Nhi Mountain to enjoy the panoramic view of Vinh Yen City below like a colorful picture.

The picturesque King Meo palace

The magnificent palace of the Vuong family in Sa Phin, Dong Van commune, located around 125 kilometers from Ha Giang City, is one of the most popular tourist spots in Ha Giang province.

 

The front of the grand palace 

The palace belonged to Vuong Duc Chinh, who was named King of Meo people in Dong Van commune, and is nearly 100 years old. It was used as a fortress to defend Vuong and his subordinates as they drove out the French forces in 1940.

The regime of Vuong became prosperous thanks to his trading of opium from China and surrounding regions into Vietnam.

He was then persuaded by Ho Chi Minh, leader of Communist party in Vietnam to fight against the French and to protect the far north region of Vietnam.

The stone palace backs onto the mountainous borders with China while viewing Sa Phin market, where local minority people, mostly H’Mong, trade agricultural products.

Its architectural design is a mixture between ancient Chinese and Western architecture. In addition to the living space, the construction has a warehouse for food, gold and opium products.