Hai Son develops community tourism

Mong Cai city has become a suitable destination for a two-day trip on weekends or holidays since the operation of an expressway. Some 30 km from the city, Hai Son commune is a famous attraction for nature lovers.

As a highland border commune with nearly 87% of the population being ethnic minorities, Hai Son commune has recently emerged as an attractive community tourism destination.

Tourists can visit some typical attractions such as the Po Hen national historical site, the Po Hen rural village, the majestic 72-chamber waterfall, Panai mountain, Ma Thau Son, etc.

It’s also awesome to enjoy local dishes namely stream fish, black goose meat, ca sai (duck-goose hybrid), sticky rice cake, brocade, wild honey, salted galangal, salted wild bamboo shoots, sim wine, etc.

Particularly, the annual Border Hoa Sim (Rose myrtle) Festival held in May at Hai Son Commune city attracted thousands of tourist arrivals. The event aims to create a new tourism product in association with the development of community-based tourism in Hai Son commune, contributing to preserving and promoting the cultural values of ethnic minority groups in Mong Cai city. 

The activities within the festival are often held in several tourist areas of Hai Son commune such as the communal cultural and sports centre, Po Hen martyrs’ Monument, Border marker 1347, Ho Dang hamlet, Po Hen village, Than Phu Xa village, rose myrtle hill and Panai mountain peak. 

The festival also featured various attractive activities including the Po Hen rural market, sports exchanges and folk games. 

Hai Son is a highland border commune with an ethnic minority population, located 34 km northwest of the city center of Mong Cai, with 349 households and 1,533 inhabitants, consisting of three ethnic groups: Kinh, Dao, and San Chi, of which the ethnic minority group accounts for 86.8%. 

The Hai Son region with its natural landscapes, rustic ethnic minority communities, traditional cultural identity, and hospitable people is an essential factor in organizing community-based tourism. 

The area has historical relics such as the Po Hen Historical Site, a colorful mural amidst the Dong Bac mountains, the 72-cascade Trang Vinh Lake waterfall, Panai mountain, Ma Thau Son, Myrtle hill, and many traditional cultural and artistic features of the local ethnic groups, culinary arts, and folk games, suitable for travelers who love to explore and experience the border region.