Who's going to Muong Long...?

With its advantages and potential, Nghe An is opening up opportunities to develop the tourism industry in the western mountainous districts. In Ky Son, one of the interesting tourist destinations is the Muong Long Sky Gate area.

Harvesting plums.

In spring, Muong Long is resplendent and fragrant with vast fields of peach and plum blossoms, and then, as summer arrives, streams of peach and plum blossoms follow tourists back to the lowlands.

In summer, Muong Long enjoys a very cool climate. Gentle breezes sweep down the mountain slopes, carrying moisture from the misty clouds, keeping the temperature below 23 degrees Celsius. The Chao Sa stream runs along the capital, forming a long stretch of water, and at its end, it creates majestic and picturesque waterfalls and rapids.

Leaving the orchard laden with sweet plums, we headed up to Bat Cave, located only about 100 meters from the center of the commune. According to the locals, the cave is nearly 2 kilometers deep, 5 to 7 meters wide, and over 10 meters high. The air inside the cave is cool, and thousands of stalactites, formed over tens of thousands of years, create unique shapes.

Here, tourists also have the opportunity to explore the culture of the Hmong people. They can participate in harvesting fruits with the locals, and especially enjoy a cool, comfortable meal in traditional earthen houses, sharing a family meal with the Hmong people, featuring their famous black chicken. Currently, with the help of the District Agricultural Department, black chickens are being bred more widely. However, families in Muong Long remain loyal to traditional methods of raising them. Therefore, the black chicken meat here is unique and not found or raised in other regions. Many families raise hundreds of black chickens and have gradually become suppliers for customers. Black chicken has become a specialty, and Muong Long black chicken has created a "brand" for Ky Son district.

While the Thai ethnic group is known for its brocade weaving, the Hmong people are famous for their embroidery and knife-making. In their free time, Hmong women gather to spin thread and embroider unique patterns. It takes a Hmong woman 3 to 5 days to complete one of these embroidered panels. Hmong women are passionate about each stitch. These patterns are used on skirts, blouses, headscarves, and other items. The more embroidered panels a woman owns, the more she affirms her and her family's status in the village.

When visiting Muong Long, be sure to go to the highland market. There are two market days each month, one at the beginning and one in the middle. They go to the market mainly to meet and socialize, not just for the sake of making a living. Here, you can hear Hmong folk songs that you would normally only hear at festivals...

If Ky Son were a multi-colored painting, Muong Long would be its most captivating brushstroke. According to Mr. Bui Tram, Chairman of the Ky Son District People's Committee, to develop tourism, the district is calling for investment focusing on three areas: the Muong Long tourist destination, the My Ly commune tourist destination (this is a hydroelectric reservoir area with beautiful scenery and abundant fish resources at the headwaters of the Nam Non River), and another area: the pristine pine hills that have existed for generations in the two communes of Muong Ai and Muong Tip.

Bidding farewell to Muong Long amidst sunshine and flowers, standing at the gateway to the capital and looking back, many will surely never forget the unique impressions this land has left.

Huu Dung - Xuan Tuan (Ky Son Radio Station)