Rare mineral stream
About 150km away from Hanoi, the journey to Phu Mau village (Van Ho commune, Son La province) takes visitors away from the urban noise to touch a green space. Unlike luxurious hot spring resorts, Bo Am stream brings a very unique wild beauty of the Northwest mountains and forests. This is a natural hot spring flowing directly from the springs in the rocky mountains, hidden under the canopies.
The mineral water source here is divided into 3 layers with different temperatures, people separate them into natural stone bathtubs. The top layer, where the water just flowed out from the ground, has the highest temperature, always maintaining an ideal warm level of about 35 - 40 degrees C. The temperature gradually decreases through the next layers. The bottom layer has cool water, not too cold.
This natural bathtub becomes a wonderful space for visitors to freely swim and wave right in the middle of summer. In winter, when the weather in the highlands becomes cold, hot springs seem to be even warmer, faintly evaporating in the mountains and forests of Son La.
Not only valuable in terms of landscape, Bo Am mineral spring is also highly appreciated by geologists for its water quality. A survey by specialized agencies in 2023 confirmed that the water source has a moderate pH and low sulfur content, which is very safe and good for health.
Ms. Duong Thi Hang, from Moc Chau (Son La), often takes her family for nearly an hour to Van Ho for relaxation. She said that Bo Am stream is familiar to local people and is the most crowded on weekends.
The water flows straight from the stream, very fresh. Local people tell me that anyone with insomnia or joint pain can get water to drink, and their condition can be improved. My friends also bring bottles to get water to use," Ms. Hang said.
Not only bathing in hot springs, the weekend resort can continue with leisurely steps along the small road around Phu Mau village, leading to Tat Nang waterfall - a white silk strip in the misty valley. For those who love to explore, a trekking trip in the early morning of the next day through Na Bai old forest will be an interesting challenge to "touch" the soul of the great forest. Under the shade of the strictly protected forest, visitors will successively cross through Pua Lut valley, Cuon valley, conquering dangerous cat ear stone roads to fully capture the majestic and pristine beauty of the Northwest mountains and forests.
Source of livelihood
Bo Am still retains its pristine and rustic beauty because it is operated by the hands of gentle indigenous people. Tat Nang Tourism and Agricultural Cooperative (HTX) with 13 members has been maintaining this destination since 2019. After a period of interruption due to the COVID-19 epidemic, from 2022, the mineral spring officially reopened to welcome visitors.
According to Mr. Ha Van Khuong, a member of the Cooperative, in 2023, during peak periods such as weekends or Tet holidays, this place can welcome from 250 to 300 visitors per day. Cooperative members take turns on duty, selling tickets and supporting tourists, creating a community tourism model closely linked to the production life of people.
Besides mineral bathing services, visitors to Phu Mau village also have the opportunity to enjoy highland-style meals with sticky rice, grilled chicken and specialty forest vegetables. Homestays operated by locals themselves a few hundred meters from the stream have begun to form a more complete tourism ecosystem, although the facilities still retain their simple and rustic features.
People doing community tourism in Phu Mau village always cherish the desire to receive more systematic investment to expand the scale, thereby creating more sustainable livelihoods.
