Potential and advantages for tourism development

Song Pe is a commune in region III of Bac Yen district, Son La province. The commune has 08 villages, more than 1,120 households and over 5,380 people, with 7 ethnic groups living together, including: Mong, Thai, Muong, Dao, Kho Mu, Kinh and Tay; in which the Muong ethnic group accounts for the majority with more than 72% of the total population of the commune. Each ethnic group in the commune has its own unique cultural features, the people of the ethnic groups are always united, helping each other to develop the economy and society. Along with many other localities in Bac Yen district, in addition to developing agriculture in a green and sustainable direction, Song Pe commune has many potentials and advantages to develop tourism to increase people's income and contribute to poverty reduction.

Song Pe Commune, Bac Yen District (Son La) develops an annual boat racing festival to promote tourism. Photo: T. Thao

Located on Highway 37, the route connects to many tourist attractions, such as: Ta Xua Eco-tourism Area, Pu Nhi Eco-tourism Area, Ho Sen Eco-tourism Area, Hua Nhan Commune, Dinosaur Spine Sightseeing, A Phu Cave Relic Site, Khe Ho Ancient Stone Relic Site, Chen Pass National Historical Site, Hua Nhan Commune; 99 Resistance Base Historical Site... In particular, Song Pe Commune has an inland waterway running through the legendary Da River stretching through the majestic high mountain range. These are favorable conditions for Song Pe to develop tourism associated with organizing traditional festivals and building festivals associated with existing potential.

Speaking to reporters of the NTNN Newspaper/Dan Viet/Trang Trai Viet Electronic, Ms. Dinh Thi Bich, Chairman of the People's Committee of Song Pe Commune, Bac Yen District (Son La), said: "Along with the project on tourism development for the period 2021-2025, with a vision to 2030 of the district, Song Pe Commune also developed plans and options based on the potential and advantages to develop local tourism. Through surveys and assessments, we found that, in addition to traditional festivals imbued with identity, the construction of the Song Pe boat racing festival, experiential tourism at Mo Tom Cave, Doi Cave, Lanh Cave... is the right direction and potential for tourism development of the commune".

Developing tourism to increase people's income

From favorable conditions, in recent times, the Party Committee and government of Song Pe commune have Coordinate with departments and specialized units of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Son La province to survey and include in the planning potential points for tourism development such as: cruises on the Da River reservoir, community tourism, restoration of Muong ethnic culture, experiential tourism at Mo Tom cave, Doi cave, Lanh cave..., each cave can accommodate from 100 to 200 people; exploration tours of Lanh cave, waterfalls, Mong cave, Co Thai cave in villages along the Da River, or ancient jackfruit trees in Ngam village... combined with unique cuisine such as sour fish, river shrimp...

The boat racing festival in Song Pe commune, Bac Yen district (Son La) will take place annually to attract tourists and develop local tourism. Photo: Nguyen Vinh

Song Pe commune also focuses on propaganda, mobilization, and guidance for people to preserve, conserve, and promote national cultural identity associated with tourism development, and increase resources for preserving the cultural identity of ethnic groups. Preserving and developing tangible and intangible cultural heritage in the Muong, Dao ethnic communities... Building art troupes with unique characteristics of each ethnic group associated with preserving the traditional cultural identity of festivals, costumes, musical instruments, folk songs, such as: Mo Muong folk rituals, the establishment ceremony, the coming-of-age ceremony of the Dao ethnic group, folk games such as throwing con, tug of war, crossbow shooting, hitting tu lu... and folk singing and dancing activities such as dang muong, xoe dance, vi singing...

Mr. Dinh Van Doan, Party cell secretary, head of Pe village, Song Pe commune, Bac Yen district (Son La), shared: "The Party cell and the village management board will continue to propagate to the people to preserve the national cultural identities, traditional sports, folk songs, dances, etc. to restore them. In the village, there are some caves where our ancestors took refuge during the war to do revolutionary work. We always convey to the people of Pe village to preserve and conserve them so that they can visit them in the future."

Folk games in traditional festivals attract enthusiastic participation from people. Photo: T. Thao

Recently, the Cultural Communication Center of Bac Yen district, Son La province, coordinated with Song Pe commune to organize the Ceremony to announce the decision to establish the Muong Bac Yen Club in Pe village. Currently, the club has gathered 50 members and is actively practicing folk songs, singing, dancing 3 times a week, ready to serve local cultural events, festivals, and holidays. This is an opportunity to spread and promote the cultural and artistic movement, contributing to preserving the cultural identity of ethnic groups in Song Pe commune in particular and Bac Yen district in general. In addition, Song Pe commune also directs and propagates people to restore handicraft products, such as brocade fabrics, cotton cushions, rattan and bamboo woven objects, steel tempering techniques, forging and casting to make plows, knives, hoes, carving wood to make sticky rice pots, fabric dyeing techniques, sewing, embroidery, weaving, etc.

Mr. Dinh Minh Xuat, head of the Muong Bac Yen Club in Pe village, Song Pe commune, Bac Yen district, Son La, happily shared: "I am the head of the club and a son of Song Pe commune. I wish to contribute my small part with the People's Committee of Song Pe commune to support the preservation and promotion of the cultural identity of the Muong ethnic group. Promoting the identity of our Muong ethnic group so that audiences from all over the world know about the Muong ethnic group in Bac Yen contributes to the development of local tourism."

In traditional festivals in Song Pe commune, Bac Yen district (Son La), xoe dance, solidarity dance... show the solidarity of the people. Photo: Nguyen Vinh

Clearly defining the tasks in tourism development in the commune, right from the beginning of the Congress term, term 2020-2025, Song Pe Commune Party Committee proposed a Resolution on tourism work, that is: by 2025, Song Pe is expected to welcome 1,500 tourists to visit and experience. To achieve the target of tourism development in the area, the Party Committee and the government of Song Pe commune are actively propagating to cadres, party members and people to do a good job of preserving and promoting the cultural identity of ethnic groups in the area, protecting resources, environment, ... promoting advantages and potentials to develop tourism, contributing to increasing people's income, eliminating hunger and reducing poverty, and building new rural areas.

Nguyen Vinh