Unique Community Tourism Village in Khanh Son

In recent years, the community tourism village in Hon Dung hamlet (Son Hiep commune, Khanh Son district) has gradually emerged as an attractive destination, especially for travelers who love exploring culture and pristine nature. This place is being developed to become a special tourist destination for the ethnic minority and mountainous areas of Khanh Son district.

Attractive destination

Heading up to Khanh Son this season, from the top of the pass, amidst the floating morning clouds, we roamed through the green mountain roads, following the To Hap river westward through orchards in full bloom and bearing fruit. Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Hai - Chairman of the People's Committee of Son Hiep commune welcomed us at the suspension bridge of Hon Dung hamlet with a sincere and warm handshake of the highlanders. Taking us to visit the Hon Dung community tourism village, Mr. Hai proudly said: "Hon Dung hamlet is one of the 4 hamlets with a large number of ethnic minorities in Son Hiep commune, still preserving many traditional beauties of the indigenous Raglai people; it is a place with many favorable conditions for developing community tourism... That is why, in early 2025, the Hon Dung community tourism village was recognized by the provincial People's Committee as one of the places with potential for community tourism development in the province, and many tourists from near and far have come to explore Hon Dung."

Visiting the traditional long house in Hon Dung hamlet, we met village elder Mau Hong Thai (owner of a weaving and handicraft facility in the Hon Dung community tourism village) who was teaching the youth in the hamlet how to make and play traditional musical instruments of the Raglai people such as the chapi, gourd flute... Elder Thai introduced to us that in Khanh Son, there is only one traditional long house in Hon Dung hamlet, which regularly organizes traditional cultural activities of the Raglai people; it also preserves a set of lithophones - a unique musical instrument thousands of years old. Tourists coming to the Hon Dung community tourism village can also immerse themselves in the rich traditional culture of the Raglai people with rituals and customs such as: the grave-leaving ceremony, the new rice eating ceremony, the life cycle rituals, the thanksgiving ceremony...; learn about many forms of Raglai folk arts preserved and passed down through epic songs, folk songs, folk dances, popular singing styles like Alơu, Siri, Sa ngơi, Ru tu; immerse in the cultural space of gongs and drums, or watch the making and performance of the chapi - a famous musical instrument that has entered poetry, or enjoy the famous delicious ruou can (rice wine) along with rustic, traditional dishes of the indigenous Raglai people...

On the day we arrived, some tourists from Ho Chi Minh City also came to visit and travel in Hon Dung; many tourists expressed their delight at having interesting experiences here. "The Hon Dung community tourism village has a cool, fresh climate, suitable for resort and exploration tourism. Here, we can immerse ourselves in the cultural space of gongs and drums, explore the traditional long house, enjoy rustic dishes, and learn about the unique customs and practices of the local people. Hon Dung is also connected to other tourist attractions in the district such as: exploring Ta Gu waterfall (Son Hiep commune), Doc Quy waterfall (Son Lam commune), the pine forest in Son Binh commune, trekking on the Ta Giang route... Especially, tourists from afar always love the famous delicious durian gardens in Hon Dung during the fruit season," said Mr. Pham Van Hung - a tourist from Ho Chi Minh City.

Making Hon Dung a typical tourism village

Ms. Nguyen Thi Nguyet - Head of the Culture, Science and Information Department of Khanh Son district shared that although it is a place with many conditions for community tourism development, to make Hon Dung hamlet an attractive tourist destination, there is still much to do, especially the limitations in tourism infrastructure and tourism service personnel; raising awareness of community tourism among local people is also an important issue... Recently, relevant departments and the People's Committee of Son Hiep commune have focused on implementing the project "Building the Hon Dung community tourism village model as a tourist destination for ethnic minority and mountainous areas of Khanh Son district". The purpose is to soon make Hon Dung hamlet a typical community tourism village, prominent with the distinctive culture of the Raglai people, attracting tourists and creating development momentum for the locality; promoting the participation of the resident community, creating jobs, improving livelihoods for local people, contributing to poverty reduction and socio-economic development of the locality. The goal is that by the end of this year, the Hon Dung community tourism village will become a prominent tourist destination of Khanh Son district, with basic synchronous tourism facilities to welcome tourists, with typical tourism products associated with the culture of the Raglai people; attracting at least 5,000 visitors per year; at least 50% of households in Hon Dung hamlet participating directly or indirectly in community tourism activities. Along with that, preserving and promoting the cultural values of the Raglai people in tourism activities such as: traditional long house, musical instruments, costumes, cuisine, traditional rituals; the environmental landscape in the hamlet is built green, clean, and beautiful.

Recently, the provincial People's Committee has approved the content and level of financial support for beneficiaries at the potential community tourism development site of the Hon Dung community tourism village, according to the regulations in Resolution No. 06 of 2022 of the Provincial People's Council on the level of support for community tourism development in the province. Accordingly, the Hon Dung community tourism village is supported with items such as: installation of signboards and directional signs; development of tourism products; support for initial necessary equipment for households engaged in accommodation business; organizing training classes and fostering knowledge and skills for serving tourists for individuals, households, and local people in the community participating in tourism services; promoting the community tourism products of the hamlet.

Mr. Cao Minh Vy - Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Khanh Son district said: "The district is urgently implementing the project and the support contents of the provincial People's Committee to soon build the Hon Dung community tourism village into a prominent tourist destination of the highlands of Khanh Son. On June 18, the district People's Committee will hold a ceremony to announce Hon Dung hamlet as a place with potential for community tourism development to create positive effects and attract tourists to visit and experience here. In addition, we will strengthen communication, promotion, and call for investment in the Hon Dung community tourism village."

HAI LANG