Da Bac is a mountainous district, located in the northwest of Hoa Binh province. The natural area is more than 779 km2, including 17 administrative units, including 16 communes and one town. Da Bac district has diverse terrain types with great fragmentation, located at an average altitude of 560 m, with many mountains over 1,000 m above sea level.

Da Bac has a wild and majestic natural landscape and is home to five ethnic groups: Muong, Tay, Dao, Kinh, and Thai. Each ethnic group has its own unique cultural identity, creating peaceful, beautiful villages that are favorable for the development of community tourism. The district has hundreds of kilometers of Da River lakeshore with many floating islands, peninsulas and bays with interesting landscapes. This place is located in the Master Plan for the development of Hoa Binh Lake National Tourist Area until 2030, which is a favorable condition for tourism development, especially the development of community tourism.

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Performing team at Da Bia community tourism site

Coming to Da Bac, visitors can visit and stay at the Ke hamlet community tourist site located in Hien Luong Bay, a branch of Hoa Binh Lake. Ke hamlet, more than 12km from Da Bac town, is home to more than 100 Muong ethnic households. Here, guests will experience the unique culture of the Muong people and the majestic and poetic natural scenery. Participate in exciting experiential activities such as rafting, kayaking, visiting the fish breeding center, visiting the sacred Doi Co temple, immersing yourself in the water of Suoi Trach waterfall, and enjoying local products.

About 38 km from the district center is Duc Phong hamlet, formerly known as Da Bia, an ideal place for tourists who want to relax and explore the life of the Muong Ao Ta highland people. Duc Phong fully converges natural elements and unique indigenous culture. Visitors will have extremely interesting feelings and experiences: walking around the village, eating and staying at local houses, watching cultural performances, buying local products at Tu Giac shop (a store without sellers, customers choose themselves items according to price ticked on and put money in a busket in the shop), explore caves in the surrounding areas. With good quality of service provided by local people to tourists, this tourist destination was honored to receive the "ASEAN Community Tourism" award given at the ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) in 2019.

Located between the two community tourist attractions of Ke and Duc Phong hamlets is Doan Ket hamlet consisting of 28 Muong ethnic households living on the banks of Hoa Binh lake. Doan Ket Hamlet has a beautiful natural landscape, a perfect combination of clouds, sky, mountains, forests, lakes and villages inhabited by indigenous people. This is a place with a lot of potential waiting for investors to develop types of community tourism associated with eco-resorts.

International tourists participate in walking program

 at Sung hamlet community tourist site

The next destination that many international tourists visit and experience is the community tourism site of Sung hamlet. This is the living area of the Dao ethnic group in Cao Son commune, Da Bac district at an altitude of about 530m above sea level. This tourist destination has a prime location, behind is the majestic Bieu mountain range, in front are fields and winding terraced fields stretching along the hillside, creating a beautiful landscape picture. This place also preserves many traditional cultural values of the Dao Tien people. Tourism businesses in Sung hamlet are currently serving tourists with standard tourism services. Visitors coming here will enjoy Dao ethnic specialties such as: Hill chicken, stream fish, wild bamboo shoots, Hoang wine, etc. Especially experience the activities of the people here such as rice cultivation, growing trees in forest,  raising livestock, cooking rice, and fishing.

After eight years of formation and development, with the help and support of AFAP organization in Vietnam to invest in infrastructure, technical materials, promotion and training, professional development for local people , community tourism in Da Bac district has been developing rapidly and sustainably, becoming an ideal destination for domestic and international tourists.

Tuan Hung – Tourism Division