Khau Vai: A land with great tourism potential

BHG - Khau Vai Commune in Meo Vac District is not only famous for its romantic love stories but also as a potential tourist destination with majestic natural scenery and unique cultural identity. The combination of beautiful nature, traditional culture and interesting tourist experiences makes this place increasingly attractive to tourists.

Phong Luu Khau Vai Market Festival, a unique cultural feature that is well preserved and promoted by locals.

Unique and one-of-a-kind market

When mentioning Khau Vai, one cannot miss Phong Luu Khau Vai market (Khau Vai love market) - a unique market in the Karst Plateau region, with a history spanning more than 100 years. The market, originating from the legend of the troubled love story of Ba and Ut, is held once a year on the 27th day of the third lunar month.

This is not a market for trading goods but a meeting place for lovers who cannot be together, even though they have their own families. They come here to recall old memories in a sincere and civilised manner.

In order to preserve cultural values ​​and attract tourists, the market is organised in the form of a festival, including many attractive activities such as incense offering, praying for love, cultural exchange, Mong flute dance performance, and traditional cuisine.

On June 24, 2021, Phong Luu Khau Vai Market was recognised as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage, creating a great opportunity to develop local tourism.

A picturesque landscape

Located in the middle of Dong Van Karst Plateau Global Geopark, Khau Vai possesses a diverse terrain with winding passes and majestic mountain ranges. Especially in spring, visitors can admire the scenery with the "river" of floating clouds embracing the mountains creating a magical image.

Going deep into the end of the commune, visitors will reach the Nho Que 3 Hydropower Reservoir — where the water is clear all year round. Here, visitors can take a boat or kayak to explore the poetic scenery. The lake also has a canyon several hundred meters high, likened to the "second Tu San canyon", providing an impressive experience.

In addition, visitors can explore the villages, conquer the dangerous mountain passes, admire the fields of buckwheat flowers or the bright red Moc Mien flowers along the Nho Que River. The Khau Vai Community-based Cultural Tourism Village is also an ideal destination to learn about the lives and traditional crafts of the local people.

Potential and challenges

Despite its great potential, Khau Vai still faces many difficulties, such as degraded traffic infrastructure, unsynchronised accommodation services, and signs of commercialisation of some festivals.

To effectively exploit the tourism potential, the locality needs to have a sustainable development strategy, balancing between preserving culture, nature and exploiting tourism reasonably.

At the same time, it is necessary to promote the image and attract investment to turn Khau Vai into a more attractive destination in the future.

TRAN KE