Attractive tourism in Tra Lan region

Beautiful mountains and rivers

Con Cuong is a mountainous district in the western region of Nghe An. Nature has favoredCon CuongThe landscape is spectacular, the mountains and rivers are charming, containing an extremely rich and unique treasure of biodiversity, an ancient land with many legends and relics... That is why, about 500 years ago, when Trang Bung - Phung Khac Khoan returned to Thanh Nam land (the old name of Con Cuong), he wrote a poem full of emotion:“The mountains are not high, the water is not deep/ Who skillfully painted this one-color landscape painting?”, depicting the beauty of this charming countryside, easily captivating people's hearts.

Location of the ecological and heritage area of ​​Con Cuong district. Photo: Thanh Cuong

First of all, the beauty of Con Cuong district lies in its mountains and forests. The district has a forest coverage of over 85%, the highest in the country. In particular, Pu Mat National Park is located in the district with an area of ​​over 60,000 hectares.

The park is a famous nature reserve, with rich flora and fauna, primeval forests with the highest biodiversity in Vietnam. Possessing an extremely unique and diverse ecosystem, wild and majestic nature, along with rich geological values. The park is considered one of the wonderful "natural museums" of world stature, an attractive destination for those who love to explore and experience.

Khe Kem Waterfall in Pu Mat Forest. Photo: Thanh Cuong

Located in Pu Mat National Park is the famous Khe Kem waterfall. Khe Kem waterfall is located about 25 km from the center of Con Cuong town, with a car road leading to the place. Above and on both sides of the waterfall are vegetation with hundreds of colorful flowers. Standing at the foot of the waterfall, visitors will admire the strong flow of water, softly curving like a white silk strip standing out among the vast mountains and forests. Khe Kem waterfall is considered the most pristine tourist destination in Con Cuong, because this place has never been affected by human hands.

The scenic spot of Nuoc Moc stream. Photo: Thanh Cuong

Besides Khe Kem waterfall, Con Cuong district also owns many other special landscapes. That is Nuoc Moc stream, water gushes up from deep underground all year round. Surrounding the clear green stream are ancient trees and mossy rocks, connecting into steps, creating safety for visitors when bathing. That is also Tham Nang Man cave - a stone cave formed by weathering hundreds of millions of years ago, with an area of ​​about 1,800 m², has a dome-shaped structure, a system of underground caves, water and beautiful stalactites. Tham Nang Man Cave is associated with a legend about the village in this land.

The Deep Cave of the Misty Lady. Photo: Thanh Cuong

And in particular, the Pha Lai Dam - Giang River complex is a destination that tourists cannot miss when coming to Con Cuong district. Coming to this complex, visitors will be able to admire the majestic natural scenery with precarious rocky cliffs blending with the clear, cool Giang River water. In the early morning, the entire Giang River is covered with a white mist, creating a beautiful ink painting. Taking a boat upstream to explore the Giang River, visitors can admire the wild, majestic scenery of the Pu Mat forest, and immerse themselves in the daily river life of the indigenous Thai and Dan Lai people.

Cultural sediments

In addition to the natural landscapes, Con Cuong district also has many archaeological, historical, cultural, revolutionary relics... clearly showing the long-standing cultural sediments. It is possible to mention the Tham Hoi Cave Archaeological Site with basic characteristics, marking the presence of Hoa Binh culture in Nghe An in general, in Con Cuong district in particular. Ma Nhai stele is a testament to the feat of the Tran Dynasty army and people against the Ai Lao invaders who plundered the border area. The stele was ordered by the retired Emperor Tran Minh Tong to be engraved by Nguyen Trung Ngan to record the feat. The stele's inscription is bold, as big as a hand, printed more than 1 inch deep, with 14 lines and 155 words engraved on the mountain arch in front of the cave entrance.

Mr. Vi Van Khang's house. Photo: Thanh Cuong

There is also Khe Sat Temple worshiping Uy Minh Vuong Ly Nhat Quang, a spiritual activity place for many people and tourists from all over when coming to Con Cuong district. Cua Luy Temple worships His Excellency Truong Cong Han. He was the Chief of the Thai people in Ke Trang, Chom Phuc, Tho Son, Anh Son district. He was a person who made great contributions in supporting Binh Dinh King Le Loi (15th century) to attack Tra Lan citadel... The house of Mr. Vi Van Khang - where the first Communist Party of Vietnam cell in the mountainous region of Nghe An was established (April 1931). The house became the liaison between the revolutionaries in the lowlands and the highlands, between the movement of the Kinh people and the ethnic groups in the mountainous region of Nghe An.

Community tourism in Nua village. Photo: Thanh Cuong

Coming to Con Cuong district, visitors should spend more time exploring some villages of the Thai and Dan Lai ethnic groups to learn about their traditional life and cultural identity. Khe Ran village (Bong Khe commune) has a poetic suspension bridge, an ancient banyan tree next to a lyrical wharf, and stilt houses interspersed like waves on the hill. Xieng village (Mon Son commune) has ancient stilt houses, and the villagers are diligent and hard-working, passionate about preserving traditional cultural features such as gongs and brocade weaving.

Bamboo and rattan products of Con Cuong district. Photo: Thanh Cuong

With Nua village (Yen Khe commune) - a village that preserves the long-standing customs and practices of the Thai people and has many interesting agricultural tourism activities, such as watching the afternoons on the fields of Nua village; experiencing a ride on an ox cart around the village; enjoying rustic and unique dishes made from plants, animals raised by the people and being drunk in the night of wine festival, dancing by the flickering fire. With Co Phat village (Mon Son commune) - a village of the Dan Lai ethnic group in the core area of ​​Pu Mat National Park, when coming here, visitors will hear about the history of the Dan Lai community, learn about the customs, practices, lifestyle and cultural features that still contain many mysteries.

Wine festival in Tra Lan region. Photo: Thanh Cuong

Coming to the above mentioned villages for community tourism, visitors will experience many folk games; listen to the melodies of nhuon, suoi, lam, and xap, sing children's songs, and lullabies; listen to artisans perform traditional musical instruments such as pi, khen, gong, drum, lam vong dance, xoe dance, gong and drum dance, and bamboo dance... and learn about and buy souvenirs at the villages of brocade weaving, rattan and bamboo weaving, medicinal herbs production, and making fermented leaf wine and can wine. All of these products have been recognized as products of Vietnam.OCOPAnd above all, visitors can also enjoy and explore the culinary culture of "Muong Qua rice, Giang River fish" of the Thai people in Con Cuong district with delicious dishes that cannot be missed.

Harmonious, sustainable

Con Cuong district with the beauty of a “princess in the forest”. In recent years, with the strategic orientation of building Con Cuong district into an ecological urban area, becoming the economic and cultural center of the Southwest region of the province. Con Cuong tourism is gradually being revived and becoming a destination for friends from all over the world.

Rhythm of life on the Giang River. Photo: Thanh Cuong

Specifically, Con Cuong district has been focusing on mobilizing priority resources for planning, investing in infrastructure construction, renovating historical and cultural relics; calling for investment, developing community tourism combined with forest protection and development; establishing and effectively implementing tours and routes of community tourism combined with eco-tourism, based on identified destinations, with the participation of economic sectors and communities.

Giang River - Pha Lai Dam in Mon Son commune. Photo: Thanh Cuong

The district has also coordinated with organizations and units to implement biodiversity conservation in the Western Nghe An Biosphere Reserve in association with protecting and developing sustainable forests. Enhancing the tourism brand, diversifying products and improving the efficiency of products, the district has built community tourism into an OCOP product. This is a good way to contribute to preserving national cultural identity, enhancing the value of OCOP products and improving people's lives...

In addition, another noteworthy point is that the district has promoted the construction of new rural areas associated with environmental protection; building "green - clean - beautiful" rural areas associated with roads filled with flowers. Environmental protection is the protection of natural resources, creating a foundation for tourism development. Environmental protection has become a regular activity in residential areas; becoming a convention and a covenant for all people to implement.

Tra Lan mountains and rivers today. Photo: Thanh Cuong

Mr. Luong Dinh Viet - Vice Chairman of Con Cuong District People's Committee shared: In the coming time, the district will continue to mobilize resources to complete and effectively implement plans; focus on developing green economy, in an ecological direction; promote trade and service development; invest in tourism development, especially eco-tourism, discovery tourism and community tourism combined with culinary culture for people to participate and create livelihoods for people; exploit relics and scenic spots in a planned and effective manner.

Thanh Chung