[Photo] Na Khuong water wheel, an attractive spring destination in Lai Chau

NDO - Only about 30km from Lai Chau city, with convenient transportation and cool climate, the cluster of about 30 water wheels in Na Khuong village (Ban Bo commune, Tam Duong district) has become a tourist attraction attracting visitors from all over the world in recent years. The project not only serves the Thai people in agriculture, but also creates the wild and unique beauty of the mountainous region.

NDO - Only about 30km from Lai Chau city, with convenient transportation and cool climate, the cluster of about 30 water wheels in Na Khuong village (Ban Bo commune, Tam Duong district) has become a tourist attraction attracting visitors from all over the world in recent years. The project not only serves the Thai people in agriculture, but also creates the wild and unique beauty of the mountainous region.

Na Khuong village is 9km from Tam Duong town and 40km from Sa Pa town (Lao Cai). This is an advantage for tourism development, not only tourists traveling on tours but also independent tourists can easily come to explore and experience.

From the parking lot at the beginning of the village, visitors walk about 500m across the suspension bridge and the trail through the fields to reach the bank of Nam Mu stream.

The best time to visit Na Khuong water wheel is during the dry season (from October to April next year).

Around February and March, Na Khuong village is surrounded by vast, cool green rice fields.

Water wheels are a product created by rice farmers to serve irrigation in special terrains such as mountain valleys, near rivers, streams... Many other mountainous localities also have water wheels, but Na Khuong village is recorded to date as the place with the most water wheels and the largest size.

30 giant water "wheels" rotate evenly along the Nam Mu River, creating vivid images and sounds, typical of the mountains and forests.

Tourists enjoy checking in with water wheels 4-6 meters high.

Water wheels are made from available natural materials such as wood, bamboo, rattan, reed...

With long-standing accumulated folk knowledge and diligent and skillful hands, the Black Thai people in Na Khuong village build water wheels that are neat and very sturdy.

It is interesting to know that the number of rice cakes is not fixed but can change every year. Because during many times of flood, the river water rises and flows rapidly and can wash away many rice cakes. When the flood recedes, the people will come out to clean up and then start making new rice cakes to replace them.

People built bamboo bridges, created miniature landscapes, rafts, and huts for tourists to rest and experience.

The family of Ms. Tran Thi Thuy Linh (Lai Chau city) often goes to Na Khuong village to have fun and relax on weekends.

Renting Thai ethnic costumes and taking photos is an activity that most female guests love.

Not only tourists from other provinces, but also people from Lai Chau city and some neighboring districts and towns often come to Na Khuong village to visit, picnic, and organize cultural and artistic exchange events.

Here, besides admiring the beauty of the series of water wheels, learning how they are made or operated, visitors can also be taken by the locals to fish, bathe in streams, row rafts, and experience wearing traditional costumes of ethnic groups in Lai Chau province such as Thai, Dao, Lu, Giay, Lao...

Children of Na Khuong village innocently play by the water.

The female owners of the stalls are all Thai people from Na Khuong village, selling goods at very reasonable prices with an enthusiastic and sincere attitude.

Thai ethnic culinary specialties: grilled hill chicken, bitter bamboo shoots, stream fish, bamboo rice...

Apart from those involved in tourism, the people of Na Khuong village work and live normally: adults farm and raise livestock, children play with each other. Tourists can witness and experience the lifestyle and customs of the people.

In the sunshine and wind of the Northwest mountains, water wheels have been diligently bringing cool water to the fields, for many seasons of heavy rice.

And when tourism has "touched" this pristine land, the water wheel has become a prominent highlight in photos and videos promoting tourism in Tam Duong in particular and Lai Chau in general, inviting visitors to explore and enjoy.

Source: https://nhandan.vn/anh-con-nuoc-na-khuong-diem-hen-mua-xuan-hap-dan-o-lai-chau-post864004.html