Puluong - Community-based tourism Paradise of Thanh Hoa province (English version)

The immense terrace fields, the villages still retain the old steel houses, the plains still preserve the traditional markets of the Thai moon people, the place where love songs begin, the promising land for those who love to adventure travel, love to explore new lands and adventurous journeys. Located less than 130 kilometers from the center of Thanh Ha city to the northwest, about 190 kilometers from Hanoi, Phu Luong belongs to the two districts of Quang Hoa and Ba Thuoc of Thanh Hoa province. Phu Luong is bordered to the north and the northeast by Mai Chau, Tan La and Naxon districts of Hoa Binh province, combined to form a close circle for an extremely interesting journey, a discovery and experience. According to Thai language, Phu Luong means the highest mountain in the region. This place not only preserves the soul of the old forage, but also a place to live and preserve the cultural beauties of the Muong Thai community in the west of Thanh Hoa province. Known as one of the first places in the mountainous districts of Thanh Hoa to develop community-based tourism, Phu Luong has long been known as a soft part in the heart of Thanh Hoa or a land of dreams, dialogue of the central highlands, which has a fresh and cool climate with poetic and charming natural scenery. Four seasons of Phu Luong are like a young woman in her twenties, full of energy, pureness and whiteness, but making many tourists entangled and difficult to leave. The best time to explore Phu Luong is probably around June and October, when the rice fields begin to ripen on the high-ceilinged terrace, adorning the green carpet of Phu Luong with a diverse, peaceful and dreaming beauty. Coming to Phu Luong, visitors will have chances to cross dark, mysterious old forests, overcome dangerous and winding roads. From here, visitors can see the high mountains drop their souls into the villages, the unique steelhouses hidden among the green forests, floating in the mountain mist and clouds. Phu Luong is not only an ideal destination for tourists to return to nature, immerse in the pure atmosphere, participate in outdoor sports. Phu Luong is also a destination that attracts many international tourists to experience unique and cheap accommodation services among the wide mountains and forests such as Phu Luong Nature, Phu Luong Eco-Garden, Phu Luong Retreat. Besides, the resort is designed in the architecture of the traditional steelhouses and the bungalows close to nature, bringing a peaceful and rustic feeling. A highlight in the overall architectural space is the infinity pool, a beautiful checking point for visitors. The swimming pool at the resort in Phu Luong is built in the modern architecture, with the main direction overlooking the terrace fields. The bike leaning against the mountain, the pool water is always clear, allowing visitors to comfortably enjoy the cool water at any time of the day. Moreover, the accommodation services are very professional and thoughtful. The resorts in Phu Luong are also distinguished by the style that combines modernity with the liberal features of nature, bringing relaxation and purity to the soul whether you are resting in the room, traveling within the resort premise, or stepping outside to inhale the aroma of the rice and fully enjoy the peaceful atmosphere of the countryside. The restaurants are green, clean with luxurious and high-class equipment, as well as rich and attractive menu. This is the ideal place to organize training classes, campfire, outdoor buffet party, or cultural exchange. An extremely interesting point when coming to Phu Luong is the moment of Paradise in the Jungle, when Phu Luong put on a bright yellow shirt, making many people look forward to the road to see the peaceful beauty in the middle of the white mountains. Visitors can choose any means of transportation, such as riding motorbikes, bicycles, even trekking through traditional villages. To explore poetic roads, admire ripened terraced fields on the hillside, drop the soul into the beautiful natural scenery, breathe in the fresh, cool air mixed with the sweet scent of rice, the fashion smell of straw in the countryside. Visitors can really feel all the precious gifts that nature favors the land and people here. The next stop on the journey to conquer Phu Luong is Hill Waterfall. It is said that Hill Waterfall is merely a kilometer long and gentle like a stream. According to a local resident here, the waterfall flows year-round and never dries up. The water is very cool and the park is not too sleepy. Hill Waterfall has the beauty of the mountains and forests, not outstanding nor spectacular, but it is the highlight of the colorful picture of the mountains and forests of Phu Luong. Phu Luong is not only famous for its pristine and pure natural scenery of terraced fields, rose soil or forests with the soul of the motherland, or wandering around experiencing small villages. The next stop in the journey to discover Phu Luong is Faudon Market, a special market with the imprint of Hanoi Highland. According to people here, Faudon Market appears in the French colonial period. It is a place to trade goods and meet the peoples of Kinh, Nguyen, Thai for neighboring communes about the districts such as Nhung Cao, Lung Niem, Co Lung, Thanh Son, Thanh Long, and Thanh Lap and Nac Son districts of Hoa Binh province. The goods brought to the market are simple and rustic gifts, like the simplicity and kindness of the people here. The market always brings excitement to every visitor when they have the opportunity to return to Ba Thiet Upland district. However, this food market only moves two days a week, usually on Thursday and Sunday morning. Leaving Faudon Market, the trekking journey will take visitors to discover and experience new and mysterious roads in Co Luong Village. Co Luong Village is located about 12 km from Faudon Market. The way down to Co Luong is really a challenge for those who love adventure with steep paths. One side is steep, other is deep abyss. Co Luong Village is one of the ancient villages of the Thai ethnic group, where still retain the traditional houses, with the terrain located deep in the valley, with a cool climate all year round, special natural landscapes. The beauty and wideness of the primeval forest, along with the typical cultural features, imbued with the identity of the Thai people, Co Luong reminds visitors of peaceful, fresh, affectionate land with scenic, rustic, and friendly residents. Coming to Co Luong Village, in addition to the majestic landscape and terrain, visitors will be able to explore the cave with the mysterious stellar toys, the most prominent of which is Bat Cave, a cave that still retains its charming and primitive beauty. The reason it is called Bat Cave is because this place is home to many species of bats, sometimes up to tens of thousands of them. Bat Cave has an attractive beauty with huge limestone blocks, created through a process of 250 million years ago. A destination that cannot be missed on the Co Luong tourist route is Lung Kao Plateau. 12 kilometers from Co Luong, Lung Kao Plateau has an altitude of up to 1,225 meters above sea level. Lung Kao owns a completely different climate compared to the surrounding areas. This place is cool, fresh, with a majestic natural landscape, beyond the imagination of any visitor who has ever set foot in. As a sparsely populated area, the villages in Lung Kao are scattered among valleys sometimes tens of kilometers apart, surrounded by vast prevailing forests. Lung Kao is like a hidden gem among baguette nature, bringing extraordinary experiences. Queensland in Co Luong village is rich and diverse dishes, elaborately prepared for unfamiliar ingredients available from the local mountains and streams. Depending on the time, each season of the year, there are different dishes. Some delicious dishes that Thai people often cook such as grilled fish, lamb rice, steamed pork, grilled chicken, stone snail, herb sticky rice. In particular, this place is famous for dishes made from Co Luong duck, a breed of duck that has become a famous brand and known by many people. Sharp-naked, long-legged ducks are released in streams and fields, so the meat is firm and fragrant, without having much yolks. This is a specialty dish that many tourists have known and wanted to enjoy when traveling in Baguio. Po Luong eco-tourism is a promising direction that not only benefits the local community itself, but also plays an important role in linking the goal of preserving ecologically diverse values, as well as traditional culture. In the form of community eco-tourism, the potential tourism values of Po Luong Nature Reserve are beginning to be exploited. And with what nature offers, surely Po Luong Baguio community-based tourism area has been and will be an ideal start-over for international tourists in the future.