Experience the 'mountain gift' with the Vân Kiều people

Trickling down from the rocky crevices of high mountains, flowing towards Klu village (Đakrông commune, Đakrông district, Quảng Trị province) and forming warm water ponds right next to the village, attracting numerous tourists.

Experience the 'mountain gift' with the Vân Kiều people in Klu village

The Vân Kiều people in this area refer to it as the gift of the mountains. In gratitude for this miraculous gift bestowed by the mountains, the people of the village collectively protect and cherish this precious water source.

For almost a year now, the community of Vân Kiều people has transformed this spring into an intriguing and extraordinary community tourism destination.

An intriguing destination

The weekend chill sets in. A group of friends decide to ride motorbikes from Dong Ha city (Quang Tri province) up to Klu village. Some feel hesitant due to the weather not being ideal for a stream outing. Hieu Minh, a member of the group, confidently asserts: 'Just go and you'll see. There are many surprises waiting. The colder, the more intriguing.'

A swift 50km journey along Highway 9 quickly comes to an end. Before the young travelers lies a rugged landscape, a tourist area that has welcomed thousands over the past few months. Minh, having been here several times, leads the group down to a spacious water body amidst the stream, allowing them to freely explore the wilderness before veering onto a small path behind the trees.

The highlight of Klu village lies in the stream itself. Unlike other ordinary streams, the Klu stream possesses its unique beauty. It's ethereal, almost surreal. If you look closely, you'll notice a thin layer of mist hovering just above the water's surface.

A young member of the group dips his hand into the stream, only to withdraw it quickly due to the heat. As they ascend, the water gets hotter, and the mist thickens. 'Up at the peak of that mountain, the water is hot enough to boil eggs,' Minh recounts.

The young travelers pause at two large water ponds amidst the stream. These are considered the 'swimming pools' of the stream. One is a warm pool at around 30 degrees Celsius. The other is about 50 degrees Celsius, entirely natural spring water channeled through a pipeline from the mountain's upper reaches.

In the late afternoon, the young travelers weave through the forested area along the stream's bank, turning towards a row of traditional Vân Kiều stilt houses made of bamboo and leaf roofs. A new and unfamiliar space unfolds before them.

The group of guests felt like they were truly immersed in village life. Stepping into a local house, it was time for the young travelers to indulge in the authentic culinary culture of the indigenous people.

In just a few minutes, a grand feast was laid out in the middle of the house. There were dried mountain fish, boiled wild bamboo shoots with salt dip, and even rice wine brewed from forest leaves... Simple yet enough to captivate the guests until late into the night.

'It's truly surprising. In the midst of the wilderness, there's a place that evokes such unique emotions,' remarked Tung, one of the guests.

The Vân Kiều engaging in community tourism

Hồ Văn Hưm, an elder of the village who has been connected to this stream since childhood, recalls not knowing when this stream came into existence. He only remembers being led by other elders in the village to trek up the mountain in search of the origins of that strange hot spring water. However, the higher they climbed, the hotter the stream became.

Some were determined to reach the end, only to witness streams trickling from the rocks and thick smoke billowing.

'A few years ago, some tourists traveling along Highway 9 happened to stop at Klu stream and were surprised to discover such a strange natural hot spring in this remote mountainous area. They then introduced it to their friends. And this place began to become a frequent stop for tourists' – Mr. Hưm recounted.

Day by day, the number of visitors increases. Many even want to hike up to the mountain peak to experience the gradually increasing heat of the stream. Young people from the village are hired as guides. Women are hired to prepare food and drinks for the journey. The Vân Kiều people in Klu village began to learn about tourism from that day on.

A large clearing right next to the stream is chosen, where 16 traditional Vân Kiều stilt houses are built exactly like the 'original village' with bamboo and leaf roofs. Other Vân Kiều villages nearby also come together to build Klu into a community tourism area.

Each village sets up a leaf hut according to the Vân Kiều style to sell their own village products to tourists.

It's simple but surprisingly attractive. In just a few months, there have been thousands of tourists visiting Klu. The Vân Kiều people, who used to live halfway up the mountain, have recently begun to move down to settlements near major roads. Therefore, the Vân Kiều community in this area has a rich cultural heritage of hundreds of years.

But according to Mr. Hưm, the Vân Kiều people engage in tourism like novices because this is the first time they've dealt with guests with sincere hearts. It wasn't until early 2018, with the advice of some professional tourists, that the Vân Kiều people here began to think about bigger things.

'I am a Vân Kiều person. I have to borrow this stream as a bridge to introduce the Vân Kiều culture to everyone,” said Mr. Hưm.

A tourism area for the Vân Kiều people will be established

Mr. Hồ Văn Phương, Deputy Head of the Department of Culture of Đakrông District, stated that Klu is no longer just a usual tourist destination but a cultural rendezvous. The most unique, quintessential, and traditional aspects of Vân Kiều cuisine and community culture are gathered here. 'We will develop Klu into a tourism area embodying the pure soul of the Vân Kiều people,' Mr. Phương said.

According to Quốc Nam/Youth

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Reference: Travel guide Mytour