Hi guys so I'm in Moc Chau right now as you guys can see it is so beautiful here
My visit to Moc Chau gave me an opportunity to experience community-based tourism firsthand
I had a chance to collaborate with an NGO to help promote sustainable tourism and
support minority groups in Moc Chau.
Moc chau is about 200 kilometers northwest of Hanoi and
is an incredible plateau with majestic waterfalls, magnificent green tea hills, and beautiful flowers
if you want to see the heavenly scenery of white plum flowers, you should visit Moc Chau at the end
of January and the beginning of February. The landscapes are absolutely breathtaking!
In the high mountains, they build houses on stills called Nha San
to mitigate damage from the harsh weather and to avoid wild animals
Staying in Nha San was such a unique experience. I don't need a fancy air conditioner because I could
feel the fresh and cool mountain air. I don't need a 4k TV because I can observe the charming scenery
with clouds drifting through the window. Everything looks so dreamy and peaceful there
White and Black Thai people are the biggest ethnic groups in this region. They're known for their
stunning costumes and colorful scarves. The locals showed me how to make a traditional scarf called
khan Pieu. As thai women, they were taught by their mothers how to weave and embroider khan Pieu. So when
they get married, the scarf will be given to their parents-in-law as a gift to show respect
It takes about two to four weeks to complete a scarf and each khan Pieu tells a different
story through its patterns and colors. The hosts were friendly and helpful.
They gave me opportunities to fully embrace their culture. I had a chance to participate in many
agricultural activities such as picking plums, planting rice, and harvesting strawberries
these experiences really changed my views about food and where it comes from. I realized that every
every grain of rice that I have every day contains so much love and hard work from the farmers
Thanks to the trip, I learned that I'm terrible at walking on stilts
Have you ever tried it before? It's harder than it looks I swear
there was one kid telling me not to try it because he was afraid I would lose my front tooth like he
did last month, but he showed me anyway.
Playing with the kids, teaching them English, and taking pictures with them
were my favorite moments throughout the trip. I felt peace whenever I
looked at their innocent eyes and their beautiful smiles. I feel like a kid again
the highlight of this trip was cooking with the local people
I was impressed by how simple ingredients can make such delicious unique dishes like these
While cooking I learned a new word for taro stems in that. It sounds pretty similar to an English expression
after dinner i got to wear the traditional clothes and immerse myself in their cultural dances
Cong chieng dance is usually performed to wish for a prosperous new year in Muong culture
Dao people have unique bell dancing around fire rituals with the purpose of paying tribute to
their ancestors. Bamboo dancing is not only popular in thai culture, but also in other
northwestern tribes of Vietnam. The dances bring people from different ethnic groups closer
It's great to see them sharing cultures dancing and laughing together
Unfortunately, these traditions are fading away due to the rise of globalization.
One of the ways to help minority groups revive and preserve their culture is to become responsible travelers
That means understanding local cultures, supporting the local economy
by purchasing local goods, and practicing an environmentally conscious lifestyle
By doing so, we not only help minority groups increase their income which can help them
access education and healthcare but also empower local communities to lift themselves
out of poverty. I know it's hard to directly support minority groups in this challenging time
However, digital media has played an important role in cultural heritage preservation.
If you can't travel right now, share this video to raise awareness about sustainable tourism
connect with me on my social media to create a community, subscribe to my channel to follow my journey
Together we can preserve cultural heritage which can pass onto future generations
I decided to become a responsible traveler.
How about you?