Hang Kia and Pa Co are two highland communes of Mai Chau district (Hoa Binh) located in the Hang Kia - Pa Co Nature Reserve, where more than 90% of the population is Mong ethnic people.
With pristine landscapes, majestic mountains and hills, and cultural values imbued with unique identities, for many generations, the Mong people have been aware of preserving and promoting their potential and advantages, creating a "promised land" that has become an attractive destination for domestic and international tourists.
Unique and attractive destination
The two communes of Hang Kia and Pa Co (Mai Chau) are located at an altitude of more than 1,000m above sea level, with a fresh, cool climate similar to Moc Chau (Son La). Here, clouds and fog cover the whole year round; the weather patterns of four seasons in one day: cool in the morning like spring, hot at noon like summer, cold in the afternoon like autumn and the weather like winter days when night falls.
The Mong people here have many traditional occupations associated with daily life such as: Hand weaving, brocade embroidery, indigo dyeing, beeswax painting, blacksmithing, do paper making... Along with that is a rich and unique culinary culture such as: corn wine, thang co, cat cabbage, local chicken, local pig, sticky rice, wild bamboo shoots...
When spring comes, the villages, paths, home gardens or mountain slopes, Hang Kia, Pa Co are covered in the pure white of apricot and plum blossoms, embellished with the faded pink of ancient peach trees. Spring is associated with Mong New Year, also the season of Gau Tao festival - the biggest and most important festival of the Mong community.
Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Hang Kia Commune (Mai Chau) Vang A Pao said that the two communes of Hang Kia and Pa Co still retain the unique architectural features of the Mong people, with pristine destinations such as tea hills and plum gardens in Thung A Lang, Thung Man, and Thung Ang. The two communes also have high points to see the rolling sea of clouds every morning such as: Heaven's Gate Point, Pa Khom area to Thung Mai, Thung Man to be able to see Pu Luong peak (Thanh Hoa) and Pha Luong peak (Son La).
Traditional folk games played by the Mong people during the festival include: Crossbow shooting, stick pushing, tu lu beating, panpipe playing, panpipe dancing, etc. Visitors coming here during the spring can also see how the Mong people make banh giay. Mong boys pound new sticky rice in a trough-shaped wooden mortar (a mortar made from a fine-grained, very sturdy wood, hollowed out inside) with giant wooden hammers. According to the Mong people, the more thoroughly the new sticky rice is pounded, the more sticky, delicious and long-lasting the banh giay will be.
During these days, Mong girls and boys wear colorful traditional costumes to go to festivals. The joyful and bustling atmosphere brightens up the vitality of the land and people here.
Ms. Hoang Tam (a tourist from Hanoi) said that the climate in Hang Kia and Pa Co is fresh and cool, the people are friendly and this land still retains the cultural values and typical architecture of the Mong people. This is what especially attracts many tourists to visit and learn about the landscape, culture and people of Hang Kia and Pa Co.
Exploiting tourism development potential
The Mong people in Hang Kia and Pa Co have gradually abandoned their backward customs and settled down, gathering into villages, together preserving the natural beauty, traditional culture and developing community tourism models.
Vice Chairman of Mai Chau District People's Committee Hoang Duc Minh said that the two communes of Hang Kia and Pa Co currently have more than 10 families operating homestay models to serve tourists, creating jobs and sustainable livelihoods for hundreds of local workers. The authorities and people of the two localities also focus on exploiting new and attractive tourism products associated with ethnic cultural identity to attract tourists such as: Night markets to exchange Mong ethnic culture; Hang Kia cloud hunting spot; night camping to watch the stars in Hang Kia...
Hang Kia Commune has established a cooperative to operate business activities associated with community tourism. Currently, there are 4 households providing homestay services, providing accommodation and food services. Pa Co Commune has also established a Farmers Association to provide homestays and models to experience the farming methods of the Mong people in Pa Co. Community tourism spots in the two communes welcome visitors and stayers all year round.
Ms. Sung Y Mua (owner of Y Mua homestay) said that with the cooperation of local authorities in promoting, supporting capital, and calling for investment, nowadays homestays in Hang Kia commune have gradually become more spacious. Y Mua homestay has cooperated with many travel agencies, welcoming large groups of guests, most of whom are international guests.
Traveling to Hang Kia, Pa Co, tourists can choose to rest and enjoy Mong ethnic cuisine at homestays such as: Y Mua, A Dinh, A Do, Son Bac, A Pao...
Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Hoa Binh province Nguyen Van Toan said that the provincial government and all levels have had many solutions and orientations to create conditions and support for the people of Mai Chau district, especially the people of Hang Kia and Pa Co communes, to build and develop community tourism models and experiential discovery tourism, contributing to creating branded and highly competitive tourism products, helping Hoa Binh province attract more investors and become a "red address" on the tourism map of Vietnam.
Identifying community tourism as the key goal and task, the government and people of Hang Kia and Pa Co communes and Mai Chau district are determined to implement it in order to develop the local economy, eliminate hunger and reduce poverty, gradually prevent drug abuse, eliminate child marriage, incestuous marriage, and eliminate superstitious practices. This also contributes to preserving and promoting the unique cultural values of the Mong community here.
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