Buzz
Many first-time tourists visiting Triem Tay (Dien Ban town, Quang Nam) are surprised to find an appealing rural tourism destination nestled at the end of the Thu River, right next to the ancient streets of Hoi An.
Exploring Triem Tay - From Erosion to Rural Tourism Destination
Mr. Nguyen Hien, director of the Triem Tay Community Tourism Cooperative, mentioned that not long ago, Triem Tay was a land constantly threatened by erosion, shrinking with each rainy season and causing villagers to seek refuge whenever floods came, fearing landslides.
“Before this tourism spot emerged, many Triem Tay residents left their homeland in search of a better life, fearing erosion and struggling to sustain themselves with meager patches of land. None of them could have imagined that their village would undergo such a transformation,” Mr. Hien remarked.
Rural Tourism Haven
The recently constructed Cẩm Kim Bridge has connected the two shores for just a few months, yet it has brought a lively atmosphere to the village of Triêm Tây. As one crosses the bridge and turns right, the silhouette of people returning to the village is reflected on the constantly moving water, animated by the ferry trips across the river.
Wandering through the small alleys, following the paths that inevitably lead to the heart of the village. This piece of land has now become a garden tourism spot referred to by the locals as the 'brain' of the community-based tourism village of Triêm Tây.
What immediately captures the attention of first-time visitors here are the green pathways meandering gracefully along ancient shapes reminiscent of the past, lined with betel palm trees.
On either side of the road, the neatly trimmed green tea fences gleam beautifully, so immaculately arranged that one could easily forget about the bustling Hội An, teeming with tourists from all corners of the globe.
Perhaps it is only in this community-based tourism village that the narrow village paths, originally only wide enough for two people to pass, are elegantly adorned with street signs at the entrance of each alley.
In addition to enjoying the serene countryside atmosphere, visitors to Triêm Tây can also learn about traditional crafts such as mat weaving, Quảng noodle-making, caring for bonsai trees, cultivating organic vegetables, or pay a visit to the two ancient houses belonging to the Võ Thị and Võ Đại lineages, dating back nearly 300 years.
In 2014, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the International Labour Organization (ILO), in collaboration with Điện Bàn district, conducted training for rural residents in 'country-friendly' English.
Essential skills for community-based tourism development, waste management methods, and household waste management have been diligently taught to villagers by these organizations over the past two years.
Ms. Phạm Thị Khánh (58 years old), who weaves mats here, stated that villagers with skills in the village like hers all have... English proficiency after attending training courses.
Previously, Ms. Khánh weaved mats while her husband rowed boats to Hội An to sell and then rowed back to Duy Vinh commune (Duy Xuyên) to obtain materials, resulting in very unstable income.
“Nowadays, Western guests frequently visit here, and when they see me weaving, they come into the house to chat. They walk around the house to see how we live, how we raise chickens and ducks. Some take pictures if they're happy, some buy mats to support. Since the tourism cooperative was established, my husband also works there, no longer crossing the river early morning and late night like before” – Ms. Khánh said.
Preserving the village with eco-friendly embankments
Mr. Dương Phú Thứ, a resident of group 3, revealed that around 2009, when the erosion threatened their home, his family also considered packing up and moving to another village to build a new house.
Therefore, when they heard that someone wanted to rent land here for tourism purposes, they were initially skeptical. However, after this project was implemented, everything in Triêm Tây changed completely.
According to Mr. Thứ, the person responsible for transforming the 'ghostly' area into a community tourism destination is architect Bùi Kiến Quốc (72 years old, a French expatriate), currently living in Hội An city.
Guiding visitors under the cool shade of bamboo, Mr. Bùi Kiến Quốc explained that upon first setting foot in this village, he was captivated by the pristine beauty of the scenery, despite being just across the river from Hội An. He decided to invest in a tourism project.
“The biggest challenge was how to preserve the land here without disrupting the surrounding landscape, especially avoiding concrete embankments that could cause erosion and sedimentation, affecting adjacent areas” – Mr. Quốc said.
Before embarking on the project, Mr. Quốc toured the village to gather opinions, but everyone shook their heads, saying that bamboo was so sturdy that even water couldn't 'play' with it.
During the late afternoons, while rowing a boat around the village with the locals, he was advised on the types of reeds and grasses that are 'flood-tolerant'. From there, he designed an eco-friendly embankment solution with three tiers – three layers protecting the front of the village with bamboo embankments – taking shape.
The first tier consists of reeds, plants with water-resistant roots, as long as they can hold onto the soil at a depth of about 1 meter. The second tier is planted with a sturdy grass species with a strong root system to stabilize the soil and reduce impacts on the embankment.
The third tier, about 3 meters deep, consists of vetiver grass, known for its unbeatable ability to prevent erosion and create greenery right at the entrance of the village.
To date, this eco-friendly terraced embankment has endured more than four seasons of testing without any 'erosion and sedimentation' phenomenon, unlike what has happened to coastal resort areas like Cửa Đại in Hội An.
“Since the construction of this embankment, the government no longer needs to invest money in erosion control, and the people of Triêm Tây not only retain their land but also have additional income from stable employment opportunities” – Mr. Quốc affirmed.
Ending the exodus
Mr. Dương Văn Cả, vice chairman of Điện Phương Commune People's Committee, admitted that he couldn't even dream of Triêm Tây transforming as it has today. Instead of flocking to Hội An for a living as before, Triêm Tây is now attracting laborers from elsewhere to work, as this area is becoming the most promising tourism destination in the district.
As reported by Truong Trung/Tuoi Tre Newspaper
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Reference: Mytour Travel Guide
MytourFebruary 14, 2017
