Tay Giang has welcomed thousands of tourists since its reopened after COVID-19. (photo: VOV)

Often compared to Da Lat in the Central Highlands and Sa Pa in the northern mountain province of Lao Cai, Tay Giang is a mountain district on the Truong Son range where fog and cloud blendwith kitchen smoke and human breath to create a wild, fanciful beauty. Large Po Mu and ironwood forests and the unique indigenous culture of Co Tu people attract tourists to Tay Giang. Since tourism reopened, thousands of domestic and foreign tourists have come here to experience green tourism.

A visitor said that “welcoming sunrise and hunting clouds on Tay Giang peak are similar to Sa Pa town.”

This place is rather wild because the infrastructure has not been developed. I think it will become an impressive tourist destination in the central region.

There are a lot of fantastic things to explore in Tay Giang. Visitors may be surprised to see familiar scenes as in the northwestern mountain region while travelling on charming but steep trails. To reach the cloudy Que summit, tourists have to pass high slopes.

Co Tu culture attracts tourists to Tay Giang. (photo: VOV)

The Co Tu in Tay Giang are proud of their forests and view them as an invaluable treasure. Former Director of the Southern Ecological Institute Vu Ngoc Long said Tay Giang has a lot of advantages to develop community tourism by promoting the primitive forests on the Truong Son range as well as the Co Tu culture.  

“We have an idea to establish heritage forests to pave the way for community tourism to attract domestic and foreign visitors. We should invest in local infrastructure to make Po Mu heritage site a place for study and preservation of tropical forests and national conservation,” said Mr. Long.

A fantastic site in Tay Giang is Azut Heaven Gate, which is located near the border with Laos. It’s a giant limestone arch connecting two hilltops to form an arch or gate. Entering the heaven gate, visitors must walk for about 30 minutes to a cave with many small and large crevices formed by water running through thousands of years.

Recently Dong Giang Heaven Gate Ecotourism Complex opened for tourists. Nguyen Van Luom, Chairman of the Tay Giang district’s People’s Committee, said: “We want a convenient transport system because at present it’s difficult to travel. With the opening of Dong Giang Heaven Gate Ecotourism Complex, if there is a convenient road to Tay Giang district, I think local tourism will flourish in the near future.”

During the National Tourism Year 2022, Quang Nam has introduced a range of green tourism products in association with indigenous culture preservation. Le Tri Thanh, Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, said while developing tourism and attracting investment, the province insists on protecting the forest ecology and indigenous culture.

“Investment projects in mountainous region, particularly tourism projects, are carefully assessed for their impacts on the environment and forests. We don’t pursue economic development that harms the environment. We attract investors who have a heart and vision and the same mindset to promote ecological, cultural and historical values. It requires perseverance, vision, and dedication, great responsibility,” Thanh said.

From October to February the air is cold and there is cloud converge on the mountain peaks. It’s the perfect time for tourists to visit Tay Giang to hunt clouds. Co Tu people warmly welcome visitors to their hamlets to camp and homestay with them. They enjoy Co Tu’s traditional liquor, grilled chicken and pork, and sticky rice stuffed in bamboo tubes while the sound of gongs echo through the mountains and forests.