Sin Suối Hồ: The Wild Sunflower Season

Discover Sin Suối Hồ village in Lai Châu, widely celebrated as ASEAN's most captivating community-based tourism destination. We've got your essential guide to experiencing the vibrant wild sunflower season, immersing yourself in the lively local market, and even spending a night in a unique 'bird's nest' homestay!
Sin Suối Hồ, Lai Châu – ASEAN's Most Enchanting Community-Based Tourism Village, a Miraculous Transformation Amidst the Clouds
We arrived in Sin Suối Hồ during the wild sunflower season. The golden hues of the flowers lining the roads added a warm glow to the village scenery as the new year approached. Wooden houses dotted the misty landscape, while terraced rice fields gracefully wound their way across the hills. Silver Cloud Peak (Sơn Bạc Mây) emerged majestically against the clear blue sky. At an altitude of 1,500 meters, Sin Suối Hồ felt truly pristine and peaceful as a new day dawned.

Village in the Clouds.
In recent years, Sin Suối Hồ has become a renowned community-based tourism village in Lai Châu, attracting both domestic and international visitors. Its appeal extends beyond beautiful landscapes to include rich cultural activities deeply rooted in the Hmong community's identity, as well as tourism services that are close to nature and friendly to the people of this border highland region.

Terraced rice fields in Sin Suối Hồ.
In early 2023, the International Tourism Fair forum in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, honored Sin Suối Hồ as one of ASEAN's most attractive community-based tourism destinations in 2022. Mr. Chẻo Quẩy Hòa, Chairman of Sin Suối Hồ Commune, and Mr. Hảng A Xà, pastor of the Protestant church there, were present at this special event.

The road back to the village during wild sunflower season.
With nearly 150 families and a population of over 700 people, Sin Suối Hồ now boasts nearly 20 homestays, capable of accommodating hundreds of tourists simultaneously. Households throughout the village participate in various forms of tourism services, alongside their traditional production activities in the region.
During our conversation, Mr. Hoàng Văn Đại, Deputy Secretary of the Sin Suối Hồ Commune Party Committee, shared that thanks to tourism development, the average income of villagers has reached approximately 35 million VND per person, higher than the commune's overall average of 25 million VND per person. Last year, despite lingering effects from the post-pandemic period, Sin Suối Hồ welcomed around 20,000 visitors from various parts of the country. Tourists from several international countries have also visited. In the coming time, the number of visitors is projected to increase.

Over 20 homestays are now available in Sin Suối Hồ.
To achieve its current level of development, Sin Suối Hồ has come a long way. In conversations with locals, Pastor Hảng A Xà and the village elders recall Sin Suối Hồ's most challenging years: widespread drug addiction, families plagued by hunger, outdated customs hindering progress, and a seemingly inescapable cycle of hardship. The desire for change emerged in the 1990s, when government leaders, the Protestant church, and the local people united to undertake essential initial tasks such as organizing addiction rehabilitation for youth, mobilizing residents to contribute labor alongside the authorities to build concrete road systems, and reorganizing production, livelihoods, and village construction.
Sin Suối Hồ has a well-structured tourism development program: restoring ethnic cultural activities, designing various tour programs for visitors, building homestays, training human resources for service industries, and establishing the Sin Suối Hồ market fair, which is rich in Hmong cultural identity. These efforts have been carried out persistently, year after year, bringing about significant changes and creating a ripple effect for this small, remote border village.

Early morning market.
Today, visitors to Sin Suối Hồ can enjoy beautiful natural scenery, fresh air, comfortable homestays, savor unique ethnic dishes, attend cultural market fairs, and participate in folk dances and singing with the local residents.
We visited the Sin Suối Hồ market and chatted with the locals. 54 stalls, symbolizing Vietnam's 54 ethnic groups, were beautifully displayed. Vibrant ethnic clothing, skillfully crafted by the women here, was on offer. Local specialties like dried bamboo shoots, black cardamom, and 'sâm đất' (earth ginseng) were sold alongside pots of ground orchids, a distinctive plant that is becoming a significant source of income for the residents.

Ms. Vàng Thị Dứ: Tourists really enjoy attending the cultural market fairs.
According to Ms. Vàng Thị Dứ, a vendor, visitors to Sin Suối Hồ particularly enjoy attending the market fairs. Families in the village sell their products, earning additional income to improve their livelihoods. A unique aspect of the local culture is that stalls are left overnight without supervision, and there's no concern about theft or loss. Vàng Thị Dứ is twenty years old this year, has two sons, and her husband works as a construction worker. She offered us refreshing slices of 'sâm đất' (earth ginseng) from Sin Suối Hồ, which had a subtly sweet taste.

A service area.
We visited the 'Bird's Nest' homestays owned by Mr. Vàng A Lử and Ms. Hảng Thị Nú. Ms. Hảng Thị Nú is the daughter of Pastor Hảng A Xà, who played a significant role in Sin Suối Hồ's development to its current state. Ms. Hảng Thị Nú showed us around and shared: The homestay complex has a total of 6 'bird's nests.' Each 'bird's nest' is self-contained, fully equipped, and can accommodate a small family. Guests can also watch the village's cultural performance team perform on-site. To build this homestay, she and her husband borrowed 100 million VND from the bank, with the remaining costs covered by the family. Thanks to regular guests, their income is stable. Additionally, her family continues to garden and raise livestock. Other families in the village, if not operating homestays, participate in services such as opening coffee shops, running restaurants, or selling souvenirs. All homestays here are traditional Hmong-style wooden houses, featuring signs that provide information about the hosts, services, and contact numbers for guests' convenience. A very systematic approach to tourism has taken shape in Sin Suối Hồ.

Services for tourists.
In the coming years, Sin Suối Hồ will continue to develop as a community-based tourism destination, preserving and promoting the traditional culture of the Hmong ethnic group, while ensuring ecological environmental protection and agricultural development. The goal is to become a distinctive and exemplary cultural village.
In the Hmong language, Sin Suối Hồ means 'Stream with Gold.' The local people have found this 'gold' in the beautiful natural landscapes, the unique traditional cultural features, and in the spirit of community cohesion, working together to build their homeland. This year's wild sunflower season in Sin Suối Hồ is exceptionally beautiful, signaling a new year filled with good fortune and peace for this northernmost border highland village.
Lai Chau 6341 view
Update day : 17/01/2024
Source : baotintuc.vn Affiliate links
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