The Western region is a land rich in cultural heritage.

(Baonghean) - Many people liken the western region of Nghe An to a sleeping princess waiting to be awakened. This is a metaphor for a land full of mysteries and untapped potential, especially tourism potential.

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

Anyone who has ever set foot on the Muong Qua rice fields (Con Cuong district) during the harvest season will be amazed by the beauty of this rural area, a gift from nature. Amidst the hills and lush green forests, the Muong Qua valley appears like a vibrant golden hammock. This fertile land has nurtured countless generations of inhabitants and is also a cradle rich in cultural and historical heritage. The formation of the place name Muong Qua is linked to the migrations of the Thai people from the Northwest region to Nghe An province hundreds of years ago. Legend has it that during their search for new land, upon arriving in this area, the ancestors of the Thai people recognized it as the place to continue their lineage for generations. And the Mon Son and Luc Da settlements of Con Cuong district were formed from that. Interestingly, the land of Con Cuong today was formerly called Con Cong (Peacock) in the literal sense, because it was the habitat of many peacocks – the dancers of the mountains and forests.

Khe Kèm Waterfall (Con Cuông). Photo: Hồ Phương

People still pass down the saying: "Rice from Muong Qua, fish from the Giang River." This is not only a summary of a region rich in cultural identity and abundant in material and spiritual life, but also an acknowledgment of a fertile countryside blessed by nature, creating unique values ​​in the western part of Nghe An province. With the Muong Qua valley and the Giang River, whose waters remain clear and blue all year round, it forms a buffer zone for Pu Mat National Park, one of the most important biosphere reserves in Vietnam and the world. The Thai people here have a song that goes: "Lying on your back, you see bees; lying on your side, you see fish; the babbling of the water sounds like a heavenly flute..."

With an area of ​​over 91,000 hectares, Pu Mat National Park boasts extremely favorable biosphere conditions for the development of its primary forest system and diverse flora and fauna. Currently, Pu Mat National Park is home to 2,494 plant species and 1,781 animal species, many of which are listed in the Red Book of Vietnam and the world. Notable animal species include the Indochinese tiger, the Trường Sơn muntjac, the saola, and the wild boar. Plant species include the cypress, samu, pine, ironwood, mahogany, and teak. These advantages have led to the development of an attractive ecotourism system linked to the exploitation of the local culture, with accommodation in traditional stilt houses. Other attractions include Khe Kem waterfall in Luc Da commune, Nuoc Moc stream in Yen Khe commune, and Pha Lai dam in Mon Son commune, all drawing tourists from various places. In addition, the core area of ​​Pu Mat National Park, with its thousand-year-old dwarf samu forest, is an ideal destination for those who enjoy exploration and adventure.

The lively sounds of gongs fill the air during the festival of the Thai ethnic group. Photo: HP

Western Nghe An province covers an area of ​​1.4 million hectares with 10 districts and 1 town, accounting for 84% of the province's total. Visiting Western Nghe An allows you to immerse yourself in cultural activities rich in ethnic identity, enjoying traditional dances and music, or collecting embroidered and woven products of the Thai, Mong, Khmu, Tho, O Du, and Dan Lai ethnic groups. Tourists can also be captivated by the sound of the Mong and Thai bamboo flutes, the Xoe dance, the bamboo pole dance, or swaying around jars of rice wine during village festivals... The presence of many ethnic groups in this unique mountainous region creates a diverse and rich cultural heritage, making it one of the most attractive areas in the North Central region in particular and the whole country in general.

Enjoying the bamboo pole 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 across many districts and are home to nearly 2,000 plant species and over 500 animal species. According to Nghe An province's tourism development plan until 2020, the western region of Nghe An is identified as one of the three key areas for tourism development in the entire province.

While Ky Son district is known for Puxailaileng peak, the highest in the Truong Son mountain range (2,720m above sea level) and one of the highest mountains in Vietnam, in recent years, tourists have also flocked to the Muong Long, My Ly, and Bac Ly areas, or traveled along National Highway 7A to the Nam Can International Border Gate to cross into Laos. These are all excellent locations for organizing exciting and attractive tours. Visitors can also experience a sense of vastness and romance by taking a boat trip up the Ban Ve hydroelectric reservoir in Tuong Duong district, admiring the mysterious and captivating landscape of lush green mountains and clear blue waters. Further northwest, tourists can also admire the shimmering beauty of Xao Va waterfall in Que Phong district.

The brocade ferry dividers are a distinctive cultural feature of the Thai ethnic group (Cang village - Quy Hop district). Photo: HP

With their unique customs and traditions, the ethnic groups in Western Nghe An province offer visitors a sense of a gentle and amiable community. Every year, Western Nghe An hosts dozens of festivals steeped in local customs and beliefs, attracting numerous visitors from all over. Notable examples include the Phu Nha Thau Festival in Ky Son; the Van Temple - Cua Rao Festival in Tuong Duong; the Hang Bua Festival in Quy Chau; the Chin Gian Temple Festival in Que Phong; the Muong Ngam Festival in Quy Hop; and the Lang Vac Festival in Thai Hoa town...

Notably, western Nghe An province is also home to numerous historical relics and archaeological sites of immense importance to archaeological research in Vietnam and worldwide. These include the national-level Lang Vac site (Thai Hoa town), Tham Om cave, and Bua cave in Quy Chau district. Archaeological research has revealed that this western region was the birthplace and home of ancient Vietnamese people.

In the mountainous region of western Nghe An province, while Con Cuong district and Tra Lan area are considered the southwestern center, Quy Chau district is the northwestern center. In this ancient land, where the Thai ethnic group makes up nearly 80% of the population, legends still persist about the battle 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. Particularly noteworthy is the ancient Hoa Tien village in Chau Tien commune, renowned for its brocade weaving. Currently, the brocade products from this village have reached beyond the borders, appearing at fairs and trade centers in Laos and Thailand, and are well-received by tourists from all over.

Volleyball match at Anh Son Town Cultural Center. Photo: tc

Quỳ Châu is also the only locality in the Northwest region to have built a cultural museum with hundreds of artifacts and historical documents related to the Mường Ham area as well as the lives of ethnic groups in the western region throughout the nation's history. It also serves as a repository for cultural documents serving local history and ethnography research, and contains 865 photographs and over 2,000 film reels related to various topics.

In Western Nghe An, visitors can also enjoy local products that have become "brands" associated with this land. In the rivers and streams, fish such as catfish, eel, snakehead fish, carp, mudfish, mudfish, and stone crabs create a unique culinary experience rarely found elsewhere. On the hillsides, there are upland sticky rice, purple corn, upland melons, mustard greens, bitter bamboo shoots, and sweet bamboo shoots. Anyone who has tasted specialties like black chicken, small pig, Muscovy duck, and aged beef will find it hard to forget the rich, sweet, and spicy flavors of one of the most distinctive lifestyles in Vietnam.

Currently, with community-based and ecotourism becoming indispensable needs in society, Western Nghe An has become an extremely potential area for developing the "non-polluting industry" (tourism). Tourism development activities here are being actively promoted by all levels and sectors to exploit existing advantages... It would be incredibly fascinating for tourists to admire the thousand-year-old fir trees in the core area of ​​Pu Mat National Park, or to participate in the wrist-tying ceremony and fully enjoy the atmosphere in the ancient stilt houses of the ethnic minorities... Research results in Western Nghe An show that 93% of people affirm they want tourists to visit their ethnic communities; 99.4% support investment in community-based tourism development in the locality; and 96.9% of people want tourists to stay in their homes.

Dao Tuan - Nguyen Khoa