A homestay in Lao Chải 1 village in Khun Há Cmmune, Lai Châu Province. — VNA/VNS Photos

HÀ NỘI — Community-based tourism and adventure sports are helping transform remote villages in northern mountainous provinces, making them more beautiful and attractive while gradually raising local incomes and contributing to cultural value preservation.

Despite difficult terrain and limited transport infrastructure, villages in Lai Châu and Sơn La provinces are turning their natural landscapes, distinctive cultures and rural lifestyles into tourism assets.

Turning difficulties into advantages

Reaching Lao Chải 1 village in Khun Há Commune, Lai Châu Province, from Hà Nội takes more than half a day by road. Yet visitors who make the journey are rewarded with peaceful scenery, clean surroundings and well-maintained paths winding along the hillsides.

Hoàng Thị Ngoan, an official at the commune’s general services centre, said the village was selected in 2016 for community-based tourism development as part of the local new-style rural area programme.

Five households were initially chosen to visit tourism models in other provinces and learn how to welcome visitors, prepare meals and provide accommodation. Local authorities subsequently supported road construction and homestay development, while residents contributed labour and received cement support from the State to build concrete paths leading to their homes.

Residents have also changed their daily practices, including no longer allowing pigs and chickens to roam freely, helping keep the village clean and welcoming.

Long A Phao, one of the first five residents to receive tourism training, invested hundreds of millions of Vietnamese dong in a wooden homestay facility. His family now earns additional income by providing accommodation and meals for visitors.

Reaching Lao Chải 1 village in Khun Há Commune, Lai Châu Province, from Hà Nội takes more than half a day by road.

There are more than 40 households in Lao Chải 1, with 18 currently offering homestay services. Although tourism revenue remains modest for some families, it provides a valuable supplement to their livelihoods.

About 60km away, Sìn Suối Hồ village, home to the Mong ethnic group, has developed a more established tourism model since being recognised as a community-based tourism destination in 2015.

The village now has nearly 30 homestay operators, alongside a traditional market selling brocade products and agricultural produce, restaurants and distinctive cafes.

Village head Giàng A Chinh, a pioneer in homestay development, said that over the past decade, Sìn Suối Hồ has transformed from a remote settlement where 80 per cent of households lived in poverty into a more beautiful and prosperous community. Tourism and agricultural sales now generate billions of đồng in revenue.

Adventure sports and rural experiences attract visitors

Mountain running and climbing events are further boosting tourism. A recent Golden Season Footsteps race in Khun Ha drew nearly 1,000 participants, filling accommodation in Lao Chải 1. In early October, the Steps on the Clouds race, featuring the challenge of conquering the ancient Pavi stone trail, also brought hundreds of visitors to Sìn Suối Hồ.

Tràn Quang Khang, deputy director of the Lai Châu Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said the province is home to seven of Việt Nam’s 10 highest mountains. Local authorities are promoting mountain races and adventure sports to turn challenging terrain and transport conditions into distinctive tourism advantages.

In Sơn La, meanwhile, community-based tourism is increasingly linked with agriculture and nature-based experiences.

Nguyễn Cao Cường, director of the Nam Nghiệp Cooperative in Ngọc Chiến Commune, said this year, the cooperative organised children's summer camps featuring nature exploration, artwork made from leaves and stones, cultural activities and tree planting. It has 14 members and cooperates with nearly 100 guides and porters to provide tourism services.

In Vân Sơn Ward, tourism is also helping farmers add value to agricultural products. The area houses nearly 900ha of tea plantations and 225ha of fruit orchards. Visitors can tour farms and experience planting, tending and harvesting crops.

Since the beginning of the year, Vân Sơn has welcomed hundreds of thousands of visitors, generating tourism revenue of around VNĐ600 billion (US$23.22 million) annually.

However, tourism development in these localities remains somewhat spontaneous, with limited variety in visitor experiences. More engaging stories about local people, landscapes and cultural traditions, along with dedicated outlets for local farm produce and OCOP-certified products, could help attract more visitors and ensure that tourism benefits spread further through rural communities. — VNA/VNS