People not only preserve heritage but also actively bring indigenous cultural products to the market, creating unique tourism highlights for the locality.
In fact, the cultural life in the craft villages always radiates great attraction to tourists. Mr. Davir Liero - a French tourist - shared that he and his wife have just returned to Cao Bang for the second time to explore Phja Thap incense village, Dia Tren paper village, Phuc Sen indigo dyeing village and Luong Noi brocade weaving village. He assessed that the people here are diligent, skillful, and make many sophisticated and environmentally friendly products themselves.
In Luong Noi, Tay ethnic artisan Nong Thi Thuoc has been attached to the weaving frame for more than half a century. She said that brocade weaving requires perseverance, the craftsman must remember every detail to weave from the back of the fabric without drawings.
These scarves and handbags even appear at many UNESCO events within the framework of the Non Nuoc Cao Bang Global Geopark.
Along with brocade, the Dao Tien people in Hoai Khao impress with the technique of drawing beeswax on indigo fabric. The Nung An people in Quang Uyen are the core for incense making, indigo dyeing and paper making villages.
In Dia Tren village, many households have been attached for decades to manual stages such as soaking tree bark, pounding, and paper coating to make durable paper for living and belief.
Recognizing the great potential, the locality actively brings cultural values into tourism development. At the 2025 National Exhibition Fair, Cao Bang booth attracted a large number of visitors thanks to the Then singing, Tinh zither performances and brocade weaving activities.
Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nong Thi Tuyen assessed that handicrafts made by people have become "messengers", strongly promoting the image of local tourism.
Thanks to the attraction from the 2025 fair, Mr. Nguyen Minh Duc, a Hanoi tourist, chose Cao Bang as a spring travel destination at the beginning of 2026.
In Khuoi Ky ancient stone village, Tay families expand the community tourism model, inviting tourists to make cakes together, listen to Then singing, and play the zither to make the trip more meaningful.
Currently, Cao Bang people actively teach the craft to the younger generation through Then singing clubs, brocade weaving groups and culinary groups. Many households boldly start businesses, transforming cultural values into economic products.
The whole province owns 174 OCOP products, of which people directly produce more than half. Facilities continuously improve the designs of five-color vermicelli, black jelly, and brocade gifts to improve quality and expand consumption markets.
Cao Bang Provincial People's Committee clearly defines the orientation of linking cultural preservation with tourism development to create sustainable livelihoods. With diligence and national pride, ethnic minority communities are playing a good role as "cultural ambassadors", turning traditional heritage into resources to promote local socio-economic development.
