Renowned for its beauty and richness!

(Baonghean) - From Lang Vac with its many ancient legends to the modern-day Thai Hoa mountain town, tourists are captivated by the fact that, despite becoming a bustling city, the town still shines with the rich history and is lush green everywhere.

Towards the land of reunion

Going back in time to about 2000 years ago, the land of Thai Hoa was once a gathering place and settlement of the Vietnamese people in the dawn of history.

Visiting Lang Vac Temple, Mr. Dang Cong Chat, the temple caretaker, guided us around the temple grounds and to the exhibition area of ​​ancient artifacts. Particularly impressive was the large bronze cauldron with a handle, along with many other ancient artifacts, including display cabinets containing artifacts that locals had found scattered throughout the area and donated recently. It seems that not only were there 5 official excavations by archaeologists (in 1972, 1973, 1980, 1990, and 1991), and not only were 347 tombs discovered and 1,228 artifacts recovered; but every time people dug the earth to build houses, dig wells, etc., they could unearth ancient cultural sediments stored underground, and on more than one occasion, sacred objects seemed to choose the right time and the right people to entrust their remains to (?).

Tourists visit the artifact gallery at Lang Vac Temple.

The exquisite patterns, materials, and types of artifacts—from tools and weapons to household items and jewelry—reflect the dazzling brilliance of a brilliant period of material and spiritual development, primarily inhabited by the ancient Vietnamese people. This reveals the immense scale, richness, diversity, and wealth of the Lang Vac treasure trove, far exceeding our initial understanding.

Hieu Bridge connects the two banks of Thai Hoa town. Photo: Trong Sach

While strolling along the slopes of the Dai Van dam, admiring the picturesque landscape, Mr. Tran Anh Tuan, a cultural officer of the town, introduced us to the legend of the bronze cauldron used to cook rice for the troops and to celebrate victories in repelling invaders and defending the village and the country. We learned more about this place, named after an ancient artifact with symbolic meaning representing the spirit of unity, solidarity, and patriotism of our people throughout history. And, it wasn't only during the construction of the Dai Van dam in 1972 that the first ancient artifact was discovered and officially recognized as the Lang Vac archaeological site; the treasure trove of ancient artifacts in this region has long been ingrained in the folk consciousness.

On a late spring afternoon, we still encountered quite a few tourists visiting Lang Vac Temple, some performing purification rituals and attaching precious stones to the statue of King Hung. Among them was Mr. Le Tien Kham, former Chairman of the Association of Small and Medium Enterprises of Thai Hoa town, one of those who participated in the casting of the statue of King Hung and the procession of the ancestral spirit from Phu Tho province to Lang Vac Temple in 2010. Mr. Kham spoke with emotion about his pride and joy upon learning that the Provincial People's Committee had agreed to allow the Lang Vac Temple Festival to be held on the 9th, 10th, and 11th days of the third lunar month every year starting from 2017. This is a convergence of spirituality and culture, in line with the wishes of the people, and has profound significance in its connection to historical roots.

For another reason, the fertile land of Thai Hoa – home to the Lang Vac archaeological site, a landmark in the formation of the nation – has become a meeting place for tourists from near and far.

All roads lead to… green.

Naturally, Thai Hoa has long been considered the capital of the fertile Phu Quy region, with its lush, fruit-laden land. Since the French colonial period, plantations have been established on this red basalt soil. According to published documents, coffee took root in this area in 1913 for export to France, even before coffee from the Central Highlands (from 1920-1925), with a delicious aroma comparable to American coffee. Besides the fertile red soil, the Hieu River annually deposits alluvial soil, creating a vast area of ​​fertile plains, providing favorable conditions for maintaining greenery and generating wealth from the trees.

Taking care of the Quang Tiến pink pomelo orchard (Thai Hoa town). Photo: Cao Dong

If we measure the vibrant pace of development in the town, it's interesting to see that it's not only reflected in urban economic growth indicators, but also in the transformation of business practices and the increase in value in the green, clean, and high-tech agricultural sector.

We visited the family of Mr. Tran Van Huu and Ms. Nguyen Thi Thoa – one of many dairy farmers in Tan Ap hamlet (Nghia Hoa commune). From a 1-hectare plot of land planted with elephant grass, the family raises 9 dairy cows. After only two years, 4 of them are already producing milk, and despite self-care, they can yield 34 kg of milk per cow on some days. It is known that in 2016, the dairy cow herd in the town reached 2,801 cows, an increase of 3.4% compared to 2015; the fresh milk production was 11,299 tons.

Rubber trees shedding their leaves during the leaf-changing season. (Archival photo)

Regarding the products of Thai Hoa town, nowadays, people talk not only about coffee and rubber, but also about oranges, guavas, sugarcane, and especially the Quang Tien pink pomelo. This is a variety of pomelo with pink flesh, whose taste is comparable to Nam Roi and Phuc Trach pomelos. At the 2-hectare pomelo orchard on Du Di hill belonging to Ms. Nguyen Thi Loan's family (Trung Nghia block, Quang Tien ward), Ms. Loan said that after 8 years, the 2 hectares of pomelos have yielded fruit for 5 seasons. In 2016, Ms. Loan's family earned about 700 million VND from pomelos, in addition to selling 2,500 pomelo saplings at prices ranging from 30,000 to 40,000 VND per sapling. According to Mr. Le Nho Hong, an agricultural extension officer of the town, while in the early years of this decade, Quang Tien pink pomelos only provided small, scattered incomes due to the lack of concentrated cultivation by individual households, the newly planted area has now reached over 80 hectares, all yielding high incomes.

Bau Sen Dam, Thai Hoa Town. (Photo courtesy of the archives)

From Hieu Bridge upwards, along both sides of National Highway 48, next to shops and service businesses, there are many stalls selling honey and bee pollen. On March 30th, during a meeting of the Tay Hieu Commune Beekeeping Club, hundreds of beekeeping households proposed establishing a beekeeping cooperative. With the long-standing presence of the Central Beekeeping Joint Stock Company - Zone 4 Beekeeping Enterprise in Quang Tien Ward, the potential for beekeeping development in the town is growing. This partly shows that despite the rapid urbanization, the construction, mineral processing, small-scale industries, and the vibrant development of service-commerce-finance complexes (with 243 businesses operating in the area and many household businesses, and the formation of an industrial zone), green remains the dominant color that creates the beauty of an ecological town with the appearance of a mountainous urban area. In addition to the natural green landscape, the total area of ​​annual tree planting reaches 5,655 hectares, with the area of ​​newly planted forests in 2016 estimated at 77.5 hectares, contributing to the ever-increasing green rhythm and creating a highlight of an ecotourism city - a top choice for tourists today.

Identified as a growth pole of Northwest Nghe An province and a key component of the region's development dynamics, Thai Hoa town is increasingly attracting tourists thanks to its well-developed transportation network. Besides major arteries like National Highway 48 running along the town, and the North-South Highway – Ho Chi Minh Highway running across it, there are also roads connecting to Dong Hoi and Hoang Mai, along with many other routes that allow access to Thai Hoa town from all directions. A common feature is that all these roads are shaded by greenery, connecting people from all over to a vibrant, eco-friendly urban area that is both ancient and youthful!

Ngo Kien