Discover the amazing Tra Lan land

Location of Con Cuong ecological zone and heritage. Photo: Thanh Cuong

If departing from Vinh city (center of Nghe An province) in the early morning, visitors can move to the district center.Con Cuongby road in 3 directions. The first direction, from Vinh City, go through Nam Dan, Do Luong, Anh Son districts to reach Con Cuong; the second direction, from Vinh City, go through Nam Dan, Thanh Chuong, Anh Son districts; the third direction, from Vinh City, go through Nghi Loc, Do Luong, Anh Son districts... The distance in 3 directions is about 120-130 km, and takes about more than 2 hours.

Tham Nang Man - a new tourist destination of Con Cuong district. Photo: Thanh Cuong

The journey to explore Con Cuong - Tra Lan region is often introduced as the first stop is Tham Nang Man (Yen Khe commune). This is a stone cave formed by the weathering process hundreds of millions of years ago. The cave has an area of ​​about 1,800 m², dome-shaped structure, underground cave system through water and stalactites. Tham Nang Man is associated with the legend of the village at the foot of the mountain, telling the story of petrified love between a beautiful daughter of a landowner and a poor boy. For the indigenous Thai people, Tham Nang Man has long been a place of spiritual and cultural activities. Today, in Tham Nang Man, districtCon Cuonghas built a stopover, introducing local specialties.

Scenery on Giang River, Mon Son Commune. Photo: Canh Hung

Leaving Tham Nang Man, visitors continue to move to the scenic spot of Pha Lai Dam and Giang River (Mon Son Commune). Coming to this famous place, visitors will be able to admire the majestic natural scenery, with precarious rocky cliffs reflecting on the cool, clear Giang River, creating a beautiful ink painting. Here, visitors will experience thrilling sensations such as kayaking or ziplining across the river... During the journey to explore Giang River, visitors can admire the wild, majestic scenery of Pu Mat forest while immersing themselves in the daily life of the local people. At noon, visitors can enjoy many unique specialties of the Thai people such as Giang River fish and Muong Qua rice.

Rowing on the Giang River, exploring the great forest. Photo: Thanh Cuong

In the afternoon of the same day (before returning to rest at the homestay or hotel), visitors can visit community tourism villages, such as Xieng village (Mon Son commune), Nua village (Yen Khe commune), Pha village (Yen Khe commune) and Khe Ran village (Bong Khe commune). These are pure Thai villages, with beautiful natural landscapes, ancient and peaceful stilt houses. Coming to the community tourism villages, visitors will learn about the long-standing customs and practices of the Thai people; participate in interesting agricultural tourism activities, folk games; learn about traditional crafts such as rattan, bamboo weaving, brocade weaving... Visitors can also buy souvenirs and gifts here such as skirts, shirts, scarves, and handbags woven from brocade; buy handicrafts made from rattan, bamboo; Pu Mat medicinal herbs and jams, orange wine.

Community tourism in Khe Ran village, Bong Khe commune. Photo: Thanh Cuong

Coming to Con Cuong district, you should enjoy dinner at the community tourism villages to learn more about the uniqueness of Thai ethnic cuisine. Thai cuisine in Con Cuong district is the convergence and harmony of the quintessence of the land, sky, mountains and forests. The delicious dishes when coming to Con Cuong district that tourists cannot miss are: Crispy grilled mam fish; grilled fish; grilled meat; ho moc dishes; sour meat; bon soup; purple sticky rice and bamboo rice; banh chung; steamed and grilled chicken; khau khieu soup, vermicelli vegetables, wild bamboo shoots...; can wine, men la wine.

A shaman prays for luck and blessings for tourists. Photo: Thanh Cuong

Before dinner, visitors can participate in the lucky charm program - this is a unique traditional ritual, showing hospitality. Accordingly, the shaman will organize a lucky charm ceremony, tie a string around the wrist to bless visitors... After dinner, visitors can participate in cultural exchange programs, art performances, bamboo dance, lam vong dance and there may be a campfire and rice wine program. In the art program, visitors can listen to the melodies of nhuon, xuoi, lam, and xap, sing children's songs, and lullabies; listen to artists perform traditional musical instruments such as pi, khen, gong, drum, lam vong dance, xoe dance, gong drum dance, bamboo dance...

Special culinary features of Thai people in Con Cuong district. Photo: Thanh Cuong

On the second day of the Con Cuong discovery journey, after breakfast, visitors continue to visit 2 tourist attractions in Pu Mat National Park, which are Pu Mat Museum and Khe Kem Waterfall. Pu Mat National Park is a famous nature reserve, with rich flora and fauna, primeval forests with the highest biodiversity in Vietnam. Pu Mat National 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 curves softly like a white silk strip standing out among the vast mountains and forests. Photo: Canh Hung

Khe Kem Waterfall is a large waterfall and is considered the most beautiful in the North Central region. The waterfall is located about 25 km from the center of Con Cuong town, considered a precious gift from nature. Standing at the foot of the waterfall, visitors will admire the soft curving waterfall 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... There is nothing more interesting than having fun, bathing at the waterfall, having lunch at the on-site culinary service and taking the most beautiful pictures here before ending the short vacation.

Water wheel system in Binh Chuan commune. Photo: Dinh Tuyen

If the vacation is extended, Con Cuong district also has a series of other relics and landscapes for tourists to explore, such as: Tham Hoi Cave Archaeological Site, Ma Nhai Stele, Cua Luy Temple, Vi Van Khang Historical Site, Nuoc Moc Stream (Ta Bo), Co Phat Village, Na Co Dam, Tham Tong Cave and the water wheel system in Binh Chuan Commune, trekking route in Pu Mat National Park, medicinal herb garden, leaf-fermented wine garden, brocade exhibition and weaving area...

Thanh Chung