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| Ho Thuong Liu (left) welcomes visitors to A Lin Stream for sightseeing and experiential activities |
Leaving the city to return home
During the recent April 30th - May 1st holiday, a few friends and I travelled to the mountainous district of A Luoi. The road goes along the mountainside, sometimes opening onto expanses of deep green forest and sometimes disappearing into the mist. Upon reaching Ta Ay Ta Village in A Luoi 1 Commune, the gentle murmur of water flowing from A Lin Stream guided us into a tranquil setting, where groups of visitors sat on large rocks, soaking their feet in the cool water.
Greeting us around midday, Ho Thuong Liu appeared in simple attire, busy preparing meals for guests while warmly chatting with them. Few would have guessed that this young Bru-Van Kieu man was once a law graduate working in Hanoi before returning home to build a tourism business around the stream of his childhood.
In 2017, Liu graduated with a law degree from Vietnam National University, Hanoi. After graduation, he remained in the capital for a time, enjoying a stable income. However, during his visits home, he noticed changes that are worth thinking about in his hometown. Young people in the village are leaving one after another - some heading south, others moving to the cities. Those who remained were mostly the elderly and children. “In the city, it's easier to find work. But if everyone leaves, what will become of the village?” he recalled that thinking during many visits home. Eventually, he decided to return permanently and find a way to create jobs locally. The early days were far from easy. With limited capital and no prior experience in tourism, Liu started with what was available. His family's stilt house was cleaned and prepared to receive guests. The area along A Lin Stream was cleared, and a few simple tables and chairs were set up. Everything was developed gradually, adding what was needed over time. “When we were children, we used to come here to swim. The water stays cool all year round. I thought that if we could preserve this place, visitors would enjoy it,” he said.
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| Traditional Bru-Van Kieu dishes served to visitors |
Livelihoods from community-based tourism
After years of development and dedication, A Lin Stream and its tourism services have become increasingly well known. Visitors come for a swim, enjoy traditional Bru-Van Kieu dishes such as bamboo-tube rice, stream fish, wild vegetables, and spend the night in stilt houses. Liu currently employs more than 30 workers from A Luoi 1 Commune and neighboring areas, assigning them tasks ranging from cooking and serving guests to guiding tours. In addition to their monthly wages, employees are provided with meals, helping to reduce their living expenses.
Liu shared: “Gradually, more visitors began coming. At first, they came through personal recommendations, and then word spread on social media. During the dry season, especially around the April 30 - May 1 and September 2 holidays, the stream area is almost fully booked. The three summer months from June to August are the busiest time of the year.”
The A Lin Stream tourism area covers more than 50,000 square meters. It receives over 15,000 visitors annually and generates revenue ranging from 250 million to 350 million VND, depending on weather conditions. On hot days, large numbers of visitors come to swim and dine by the stream. Several households in the village have also begun following his example, renovating their homes to accommodate guests, participating in meal preparation, or supplying food products. As a result, the village becomes noticeably livelier during peak tourism periods.
Mr. Nguyen Van Hai, Chairman of A Luoi 1 Commune People's Committee, said that the locality views community-based tourism as a development path well suited to local conditions, one that both utilizes natural landscapes and promotes the cultural values of ethnic minority communities. He noted that models such as A Lin Stream have demonstrated clear benefits by creating jobs and providing residents with additional income without requiring them to leave their hometowns in search of work.
“We encourage local residents to develop tourism in a way that preserves their cultural identity rather than pursuing superficial or large-scale development. The key is to maintain the landscape, traditional way of life, and cultural heritage of the community. In the coming years, the locality will continue to provide guidance, strengthen promotional connections, and gradually expand suitable models. This will help create jobs, improve living standards, and encourage young people to remain in the area,” Chairman Hai said.