Here, community tourism is developing strongly, becoming an attractive destination on the journey to explore the works of this century.
Hoa Binh Lake was formed from the construction of the Hoa Binh Hydropower Plant on the Da River, over 100km long, spread across 17 communes of the old Hoa Binh province, with a capacity of up to nearly 9.5 billion cubic meters of water - the largest artificial lake in Southeast Asia. With an alternating river and mountain ecosystem creating a unique landscape complex, this lake area has been planned to become Hoa Binh Lake National Tourist Area.
The majesty of Ha Long Bay on the shore
That is the feeling not only of strangers, but also of those who have returned to this place many times. We have had the opportunity to travel on the majestic lake at many different times of the year. After Tet is the busiest time, when tourists excitedly take a boat along the lake to worship the Bo Waterfall - one of the famous spiritual destinations in the Northwest region.
After the ceremony, boats are often floated in the middle of a large lake with calm blue water. On the boat cabin, visitors can freely enjoy the scenery and local dishes such as catfish, mackerel, river shrimp, vegetables, and bitter bamboo shoots.
In the middle of the flood season, the vast lake scene is like a painting. But in the dry season, this place has an unusual beauty. From the end of May onwards, the lake water recedes deeply, only 5 - 7m from the dead water level, revealing rocky banks and steep, sedge-prone cliffs. The mountains that were once submerged in water now show clear signs of time. Boating this season requires experience - like Mr. Tuan, who has been carrying passengers on the lake for more than 20 years - to clearly understand each water channel, each rock beach, each deep pond.
At that time, visitors can visit cage fish farms - where high-value specialty fish such as black carp, black catfish, and snakehead fish are produced. Or stop at small islands in the middle of the lake, have a simple lunch, then rest on a bamboo stretcher under the shade of a cool stilt house.
Even more impressive is when boats dock in villages along the lake. In Hien Luong Bay - now in Da Bac Commune, Phu Tho Province - the water is clear and calm all year round. The peaceful, poetic scenery, with stilt houses that used to "follow the water" has now become a community tourism destination for visitors.
Or the Bia Stone Village, now Duc Phong Hamlet, Tien Phong Commune - the place where Muong Ao Ta people live - now also has homestays, community houses, life experience tours, ethnic cuisine, cycling around the village, climbing mountains, watching the sunset by the lake...
A tourism worker here shared: We are making efforts to preserve and promote the best traditional cultures of our nation. These are costumes, cuisine, culture, and arts. Only then can visitors truly feel the identity of the Muong people by this lake".
Visit unique villages
I used to think that if I had not gone through the villages along the lake, my journey to explore the Hoa Binh lake would not have been complete. The gentle stilt houses amidst the green of the mountains and forests, the laughter of children issuing from the dirt road, and the smoke from the stove every afternoon - that is what makes people want to stay longer.
Da Bia hamlet, now Duc Phong hamlet, Tien Phong commune, is an impressive stop on the journey to explore Hoa Binh Hydropower Reservoir. Here, more than 40 Muong Ao Ta households still retain traditional cultural features.
At Da Beu, visitors can experience a unique form of tourism - " self-conscious restaurant". People sell agricultural products such as sticky rice, bananas, sweet potatoes, bamboo shoots, wood ear, and wild vegetables. Each basket of goods has a price list so that anyone who passes by can take it home and willingly put money in the basket.
In 2019, Da Bia community tourism area received the ASEAN Community Tourism Award. That is a testament to the attractiveness of a primitive village to visitors every time they come to Hoa Binh Hydropower Reservoir. Ms. Bui Thi Nham, one of the first households to do community tourism here, said: "In the past, my family only worked as farmers. Later, there were many customers, I learned how to cook traditional dishes, renovated the house to welcome guests to sleep. Traveling is not easy, but life has improved, and children have the opportunity to study. The meals at her house are a real party, with grilled fish, boiled bamboo shoots, wild vegetables, grilled meat with mangosteen - all things taken from the mountains and forests and the lake, eaten in a fragrant, rich way.
More than 10 kilometers away, Hien Luong land is also an ideal stop. This place has a bay of water as quiet as a mirror, cool summer, warm winter. Some villages have names on the tourism map, such as Ke hamlet, Mo hamlet. The well-invested resorts have also "grown" on the banks of the poetic lake, with a view of the vast mountains and rivers. In that beautiful picture, the homestays interspersed create a rustic, unique look for those who love to explore nature and indigenous culture.
The family of Ms. Luong Thi Thao, Ke hamlet, Hien Luong commune has been one of the households that has developed community tourism for more than 10 years. According to Ms. Thao, her family used to mainly work as farmers and fishermen in the lake. Since working in tourism, my family has switched to accommodation and culinary services to serve tourists. Agricultural products, shrimp and fish and local specialties have become attractive tourism products. In addition, visitors can also experience new products such as kayaking and visiting cage fish farming models.
According to Ms. Dinh Thi Hao - Director of Da Bac Community Tourism Joint Stock Company (Da Bac CBT), in order to have a stable income and unique tourism products, the company has recently organized marketing activities, distributed customers, developed products, managed quality and signed contracts with tourism businesses. From 2017 to present, community tourism development has generated a total income of more than 12 billion VND.
To develop tourism commensurate with its potential, investment in tourism infrastructure in the lake area is also being promoted by the locality. The roads to the village have been upgraded, the bridges across the stream are more solid than before, electricity and domestic water have been improved, creating favorable conditions to attract tourists and develop services.
At the same time, local people have also had a clear change in their thinking about tourism. Ms. Lo Thi Trang - coordinator of Da Bac CBT - shared: "We are promoting the image of local tourism on many platforms, especially social networks. People are trained in welcoming skills, introducing culture, organizing experiential activities to retain tourists for longer.
