There is a valley of beautiful women in western Nghe An province.

(Baonghean.vn) - My Ly Valley in Ky Son district, running along the picturesque Nam Non River, is often described as the land of "white rice and clear water" in western Nghe An province and is also the land of beautiful women with fair skin.

The My Ly Valley runs along the picturesque Nam Non River. Photo: Cong Kien

Traveling through the highlands, the land of the Hmong people in the communes of Huoi Tu and Muong Long in Ky Son district, and descending the nearly ten-kilometer-long Pha Bun slope, you will reach My Ly commune. This area is almost 60 km from the center of Ky Son district.

The Thai ethnic villages, with their stilt houses scattered across the picturesque mountain slopes, are truly stunning. The commune has 12 villages, most of which are nestled along the Nam Non River. In the summer, the riverbanks are dotted with women, their shoulders bare, searching for snails and catching fish. Every afternoon, the riverbanks become bathing spots for the villagers. The men bathe upstream, while the women bathe downstream.

Walking along the paved road beside the river, you can hear the giggling laughter and splashing of water from Thai girls. It's an unwritten custom that at the bathing dock, people are allowed to go topless and bathe freely.

Thai and Hmong girls in My Ly village. Photo: Cong Kien

People in western Nghe An often say that the girls from My Ly are the most beautiful in the mountainous region. Their tall, slender figures, fair skin, and free-spirited, hospitable nature often leave visitors from afar captivated.

My Ly commune, part of the ancient My Ly district, existed until the government fell to the revolution in 1945. Even so, life here remained quite isolated due to poor road access. A paved road to the commune center was only built in 2011. Therefore, the old way of life still persists in each stilt house and village. Girls still traditionally wear their hair long and black, which further enhances their fair complexion, even though many have passed their youthful years.

The Thai people believe that the water source is what determines the fair complexion of the girls in My Ly commune. In addition, the pure nature and food sources also contribute to the graceful figures and delicate beauty of the girls, with a hint of wildness.

Thai girls, with their passionate and somewhat wild beauty, diligently work at their looms. Photo: Cong Kien

The Thai people in My Ly live alongside the Nam Non River, which is abundant in shrimp and fish. Aquatic products such as river shrimp, catfish, and other species are the main food source for the local inhabitants. Native vegetables and herbs also frequently appear in their daily meals. The mountainous terrain has accustomed the mountain girls to physical activity from a young age. Perhaps this is also one reason why the skin and figure of the girls in My Ly captivate tourists.

Mr. Lo Van Diep, from Xang Nua village, My Ly commune, shared: “Almost all the villages in the commune have famous beauties. But the place with the most beautiful women is still Xieng Tam, the central village of the commune, and Cha Nga, located near the Vietnam-Laos border.”

According to Diep, nowadays, the influence of cosmetics and trendy hair dyeing is significantly affecting the lifestyle of My Ly girls. He said he still feels more attracted to girls who keep their hair long and don't use cosmetics, because the long hair and natural skin of the My Ly mountain girls are already very beautiful.

Bun My