We arrived in Thanh Lam Commune, located in the core zone of Pu Luong, in early June. Morning mist still lingered on the mountainside, but the hum of motorbikes carrying tourists could already be heard along the slope linking Kho Muong to Route 15C. Ha Van Thuoc, owner of Puluong Home, was welcoming a newly arrived group. His family operates 16 bungalows and two stilt houses. This season, weekends are fully booked.

From Puluong Home, the valley resembles a seasonal painting in transition. The rice fields shimmer with patches of green and gold, layers of grain bending in the early light. Laughter of a few tourists echoes from the fields below. Émilie, a French visitor, shared: “I’ve been to Sa Pa, Ninh Binh, and now Pu Luong. The landscape here is beautiful, intimate, and not overly crowded.”

Tanaka, a tourist from Japan, was preparing to begin a trekking route through the forest with two friends. “The evenings are very peaceful, we slept well, and now we feel energised. It’s so exciting,” he told us while packing water for the journey.

Homestays in Pu Luong nestled among terraced fields.

Ha Nam Khanh, Head of the Culture and Information Office of Ba Thuoc District, Thanh Hoa Province, stated: “We are focused on developing Pu Luong into a safe destination rich in identity and green values. In 2025, we’ll accelerate digital transformation, upgrade infrastructure, create new tourism products linked to local culture and rural life, and train local human resources to improve service quality.”

According to Khanh, number of tourists to Pu Luong have surged in recent years. In 2020, the area welcomed over 40,000 visitors. By 2024, the district received approximately 320,000 visitors, including 50,000 international arrivals. In 2025, the target is 360,000 visitors, with 60,000 expected from abroad.

A trekking trail in the morning sun.

To date, Ba Thuoc District has 116 accommodation facilities, 95 of which are in the Pu Luong tourism area, with a capacity of 4,120 guests per day and night. The remaining 22 facilities, spread across communes and towns, can accommodate 510 guests daily. The district’s tourism sector employs around 920 people, including 420 permanent and more than 500 seasonal workers.

In Don Village, Ha Thi Sam, owner of Pu Luong Happy Home, was preparing meals for her guests. She and her husband began their tourism business in 2020. Starting with no capital, they gradually expanded. They now operate six bungalows and a stilt house for rent. Sam doesn’t speak English - she only knows a few greetings. “Just keep smiling,” she said, “what guests need is a warm welcome and a firm handshake.”

International visitors are deeply impressed by Pu Luong’s scenery and people.

According to Nguyen Co Thach, Chairman of the Thanh Lam Communal People’s Committee, the number of returning domestic tourists to Pu Luong is steadily rising. “The commune encourages residents to invest in accommodation, improve hospitality skills, but still preserve traditional culture. We’re also guiding locals to grow sticky rice varieties to prolong the ripening season and better serve tourists.”

For many domestic travellers, Pu Luong is becoming a quiet retreat from crowded tourist hubs. Pham Thu Huong’s family, from Nam Dinh, chose to spend four days and three nights in Pu Luong. Her husband, a civil engineer, prefers peaceful locations.

In Pu Luong, people take photos and check in frequently, but what keeps them coming back lies beyond the snapshots. It’s the unhurried pace, the opportunity to slow down and reconnect with oneself amid nature.

“I thought nights here would be boring,” said Hoang Van Loi, the visitor from Ha Noi. “But sitting by the fire, sipping corn wine, listening to people chat, watching children play by the veranda - I felt like I was home again, back to a time before smartphones, before all the rush.”

Nguyen Phuong Thao, a tourist from Hai Phong, remarked: “I’ve travelled a lot, but Pu Luong nights left a deep impression. No traffic, no harsh lights. I could hear crickets, smell the lingering scent of woodsmoke, and feel the cold seeping into my blanket. My heart felt lighter, as though it had never known burden.”

Experiencing the peace of a boat ride in Pu Luong.

What makes Pu Luong special isn’t just its landscape, but the rare essence of the mountains amid a tourism wave sweeping across the country. The people of Pu Luong have learned how to be hospitable without losing themselves. They have chosen a path of tourism that is gentle, genuine, and in harmony with nature - not because they have no other option, but perhaps because they understand that to keep visitors coming, they must first protect the soul of this land.

Bui Thai Binh - Translated by NDO