The West is a region of rich sedimentary identity.

(Baonghean) - Many people compare the Western region of Nghe An to a sleeping princess who has not been awakened. That is a comparison of a land with many mysteries and untapped potential, especially tourism potential.

By the Nam Mo River (Tuong Duong). Photo: Sy Minh

If anyone has ever set foot on Muong Qua (Con Cuong) fields during the ripe rice season, they will be amazed by the scenery of a countryside that nature has bestowed upon people. Among the hills and green forests, Muong Qua valley appears like a hammock of brilliant yellow. This is a fertile land, nurturing many generations of residents and is also a cradle rich in cultural and historical sediments. The formation of the place name Muong Qua is associated with the migration of the Thai community from the Northwest to Nghe An hundreds of years ago. Legend has it that in the process of searching for new land, when setting foot on this land, the ancestors of the Thai people realized that this was the place to inherit their legacy forever. And the Mon Son and Luc Da residential clusters of Con Cuong district were also formed from there. What is special is that the land of Con Cuong today was formerly called Con Cong in the literal sense, because this is the place where many peacocks live and work - the dancers of the mountains and forests.

Khe Kem Waterfall (Con Cuong). Photo: Ho Phuong

People still pass on to each other the saying: "Muong Qua rice, Giang river fish". This is not only a summary of a countryside rich in cultural identity, rich in material and spiritual life, but also a record of a fertile countryside favored by nature, creating its own values ​​in the Western space of Nghe An. With Muong Qua valley, the Giang river with green water all year round is the buffer zone of Pu Mat National Park, one of the most important biosphere reserves in Vietnam and in the world. The Thai people here have a song: "Lying on your back, you see bees, lying on your side, you see fish, the trickling water flows like the sound of a heavenly flute...".

With an area of ​​over 91,000 hectares, Pu Mat is a place with extremely favorable biosphere conditions for the system of primeval forests and the habitat and development of flora and fauna. Currently, in Pu Mat National Park there are 2,494 species of plants, 1,781 species of animals, many of which are listed in the Red Book of Vietnam and the world. Regarding animals, there are: Indochinese tiger, Truong Son mang, saola, wild boar... Regarding plants, there are: po mu, samu, thong nang, lim, doi, tau... With these advantages, this place has formed an attractive eco-tourism system associated with the exploitation of cultural values ​​of the local people with a resting place being a system of ancient stilt houses. There is also Khe Kem waterfall in Luc Da commune; Nuoc Moc stream in Yen Khe commune, Pha Lai dam in Mon Son commune, which are attracting tourists from many places to come and enjoy. Along with that, the core area of ​​Pu Mat National Park with its thousand-year-old dwarf samu forest is an ideal destination for those who love exploration and adventure.

Bustling gong festival of Thai people. Photo: HP

Western Nghe An has an area of ​​1.4 million hectares with 10 districts and 1 town, accounting for 84% of the whole province. Coming to Western Nghe An, people can immerse themselves in cultural activities with strong national identity, dances, music or collect embroidery products of Thai, Mong, Kho Mu, Tho, O Du, Dan Lai ethnic groups. Tourists can also be overwhelmed by the sound of the panpipes of Mong and Thai people. Then dance xoe, jump on bamboo poles or sway next to jars of wine every time the village enters the festival... The presence of many ethnic groups in a typical mountainous area has created diversity and richness in traditional cultural values, the most attractive identity of the North Central region in particular and the whole country in general.

Enjoy the bamboo dance. Photo: HP

Western Nghe An also has two other endemic nature reserves in the Northwest, Pu Hoat and Pu Huong Nature Reserves. These endemic ecosystems span many districts and are home to nearly 2,000 plant species and more than 500 animal species. According to the tourism development plan of Nghe An province until 2020, the Western Nghe An region is identified as one of the three key areas of the whole province.

If Ky Son district is known for Puxailaileng peak, the highest in the Truong Son range (2,720m above sea level) and one of the highest peaks in Vietnam. Also in Ky Son district, in recent years, tourists have come to visit the land of heaven's gate Muong Long, My Ly, Bac Ly... or can also cross National Highway 7A, to Nam Can International Border Gate to go to Laos. These are all great places to organize exciting and attractive tours. Tourists can also find immense, romantic emotions when boarding a boat, going upstream of Ban Ve Hydropower Reservoir in Tuong Duong district and admiring a mysterious and charming area of ​​green mountains and blue water. Going to the Northwest, tourists can also admire the sparkling scenery of Xao Va waterfall in Que Phong district.

Brocade ferry dividers are a unique cultural feature of the Thai people (Cang village - Quy Hop). Photo: HP

With unique customs and practices, the ethnic groups in Western Nghe An also bring visitors the feeling of a gentle and lovable community. Every year, Western Nghe An has dozens of festivals imbued with local customs and beliefs, organized according to tradition, attracting a large number of visitors from all over the world. Typical ones are Phu Nha Thau Festival in Ky Son; Van Temple - Cua Rao Festival in Tuong Duong; Hang Bua Festival in Quy Chau; Chin Gian Temple Festival in Que Phong; Muong Ngam Festival in Quy Hop; Lang Vac Festival in Thai Hoa Town...

In particular, the Western Nghe An region is also home to many historical relics and archaeological sites of great significance in the research and archaeological work of Vietnam and the world. These are the national relics of Lang Vac (Thai Hoa Town), Tham Om Cave, and Bua Cave in Quy Chau. Through research and archaeological work, it has been shown that the Western region is the place where ancient Vietnamese people were born, resided, and lived.

In the mountainous area of ​​Western Nghe An, if Con Cuong district with Tra Lan area is considered the center of the Southwest, Quy Chau district is the center of the Northwest. On this ancient land with the Thai community accounting for nearly 80% of the population, there still exist legends about the conflict between the Mountain God (Phi Nu Pha hung) and the Water God (Phi Nam huoi ha) or the legendary love story of Tao Khun Tinh and Nang Ni. Especially in Chau Tien commune (Quy Chau), Hoa Tien ancient village is associated with the famous brocade weaving village. Currently, the products of the brocade weaving village have reached beyond the border, present at fairs and trade centers of Laos and Thailand and are welcomed by tourists from all over.

Volleyball competition at Anh Son Town Cultural House. Photo: tc

Quy Chau is also the only locality in the Northwest region to build a Cultural Museum with hundreds of artifacts and historical documents associated with the Muong Ham land as well as the lives of ethnic groups in the West throughout the history of the nation. This is also the address to preserve cultural documents serving the research of local history, ethnology and 865 photos and more than 2,000 films related to different topics.

Coming to Western Nghe An, visitors can also enjoy the products that have become the "brand" associated with this land. In the rivers and streams, the fish such as eel, catfish, catfish, bream, stone crab, etc. have created a culinary mark that is rarely found anywhere else. In the fields, there are sticky rice, purple corn, melon, mustard greens, bitter bamboo shoots, sweet bamboo shoots, etc. Anyone who has ever enjoyed the specialties of black chicken, piglet, duck, and beef jerky will not forget the rich, sweet, and spicy flavor of one of the places with the most unique lifestyle in Vietnam.

Nowadays, when community and ecological tourism become indispensable needs in society, Western Nghe An has become a land of great potential to promote the "smokeless industry". Tourism exploitation activities here are being promoted by all levels and sectors to exploit available advantages... It will be extremely interesting if tourists can admire the thousand-year-old sa mu tree in the core zone of Pu Mat National Park, or participate in the wrist-tying ceremony and fully enjoy the emotions in the ancient stilt houses of ethnic minorities... Research results in Western Nghe An show that 93% of people affirm that they want tourists to visit the place where their ethnic community lives; 99.4% support investment in developing community tourism in the locality; 96.9% of people want tourists to stay at their homes.

Dao Tuan - Nguyen Khoa