The peaceful Mường villages of Vân Sơn Commune are currently magnets for tourists. VNA/VNS Photos

PHÚ THỌ Amid drifting clouds and layered mountain ranges in Việt Nam’s northwestern highlands, Vân Sơn Commune – known as the “roof of the Mường land” in Phú Thọ Province – stands out as a place where pristine nature and ancient culture meet.

With its cool climate, unspoiled landscapes and well-preserved Mường heritage, Vân Sơn is quickly emerging as a promising new destination in the province.

The only road into Vân Sơn winds like a silk ribbon along mountainsides nearly 1,000 metres above sea level, opening onto mist-shrouded valleys and quiet hamlets. The scenery unfolds vividly with stilt houses nestled against forested slopes, golden groves of centuries-old mandarins, birdsong echoing from primeval forests and a light veil of fog drifting over the villages.

Vân Sơn was formed from the merger of the former communes of Quyết Chiến, Vân Sơn and Ngô Luông. It has long been home to generations of Mường people, who maintain a gentle way of life closely connected to nature. Locals refer to it as the “valley of longevity”, as many elderly residents live well past 100 while remaining clear-minded and strong.

Bùi Xuân Trường, deputy director of the Phú Thọ Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said the essence of ancient Mường culture can be seen everywhere in Vân Sơn – from stilt house roofs shaped like turtle shells and black brocade garments adorned with geometric motifs, to the cheerful exchanges at early-morning markets and the jars of traditional rice wine warming by the hearth.

This cultural authenticity has endured in part thanks to the area’s former isolation. Once known as Lũng Vân, the highland region was difficult to reach, allowing customs and traditions to remain largely intact. Cultural researcher Phan Cẩm Thượng once described it as a rare place where traditions developed almost entirely from within, with little influence from the outside.

A road linking the centre of Vân Sơn commune with Xóm hamlet.

Bùi Thị Uôn, an elderly resident of Xóm Hamlet, recalls that the wider Mường Bi region once encompassed what is now Vân Sơn. According to legend, it was founded by a couple who survived a great flood by clinging to a giant “bi” tree. Their descendants later cleared forests, established villages and developed a wet-rice civilisation in the highlands – a sacred origin story still passed down today.

Vân Sơn is at its most beautiful from after the Lunar New Year until the fourth lunar month, when clouds spill into valleys and drift above terraced rice fields. Its fragrant, sticky rice was once offered to Mường lords and is still known as “Mường Lord’s rice”.

Visitors to the commune can also explore the Lũng Vân market, held every Tuesday and Sunday. In the morning mist, the market comes alive with bamboo shoots, forest vegetables, purple garlic, golden mandarins and handwoven brocade. Beyond commerce, it gives travellers an authentic glimpse into the rhythms of daily Mường life.

Vân Sơn is renowned for its ancient Nam Sơn mandarin variety, prized for its thin peel, juicy segments and distinctive fragrance. During the harvest season in the weeks before Tết, the mandarin orchards become popular agri-tourism attractions.

The commune is also home to limestone cave systems, most notably Nam Sơn Cave, often described as a “rough gem” for its shimmering stalactites and jade-coloured underground lakes. Recognised as a national scenic landscape in 2008, the cave draws eco-tourists, archaeologists and adventure enthusiasts. Other natural highlights include Thung Waterfall, Núi Kiên Cave, and a cluster of 11 ancient “nghiến” (Burretiodendron hsienmu) trees that are estimated to be around a thousand years old.

With these natural and cultural assets, local residents have begun developing community-based tourism. In Chiến Hamlet, traditional stilt houses have been upgraded into homestays while retaining their original architectural features. Several family-run lodgings now accommodate 15–20 guests, offering immersive experiences such as sharing Mường meals, preparing traditional dishes, working in the fields and foraging for bamboo shoots.

Looking ahead to 2025–30, the commune plans to invest in infrastructure, promote specialty agriculture linked with tourism, and equip local households with community-based tourism skills.

Nguyễn Duy Tú, Secretary of the Vân Sơn Party Committee, said a sustainable tourism development plan is being drafted with a focus on ecology, Mường culture and agriculture. The commune also plans to promote homestays, night markets and tourism linkages with the Mai Châu and Pù Luông areas.

Steadily awakening to its potential, Vân Sơn is revealing a rustic yet striking beauty where pristine nature, ancient Mường identity and sustainable community-based tourism come together to form an appealing destination in Phú Thọ and the northern highlands of Việt Nam. VNA/VNS