A Destination to Captivate Every Travel Enthusiast

12/09/2026
Huoi Luong means “large headwater stream” in the Thai language. The simple name was given following the merger of Kho and Ngheo villages in Hoi Xuan Commune. No longer carrying the concerns associated with its former village names, Huoi Luong today emerges like a fairytale land awakening amid the high mountains. It is home to a majestic valley of terraced rice fields, vast tracts of pristine forest and a rich cultural heritage shaped by generations of Thai people in the former Ca Da Muong.

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Visitors capture beautiful moments amid the terraced rice fields of Huoi Luong.

Huoi Luong is home to 225 households with a population of more than 1,010. Amid the changes of modern life, more than 50% of local households still preserve their traditional stilt houses intact – spaces that embody the character and way of life passed down from their ancestors for hundreds of years.

We arrived in Huoi Luong when the valley was lush with the vibrant green of rice in its growing season. At the heart of the settlement lie more than 26.4 hectares of terraced rice fields, which have sustained and nurtured the local community for some 400 years since the village was established.

Agriculture here follows a rhythm of its own. Local farmers grow two rice crops a year, but usually about a month later than neighboring areas. Water flowing from the limestone streams is bitterly cold in winter, and farmers have to wait until the warm winds of early spring arrive before there is enough water to irrigate the young rice seedlings. As a result, they usually wait until after Tet to begin planting.

For this reason, Huoi Luong’s golden season also arrives later. Visitors hoping to admire the dazzling scenery of ripe rice should plan their trip for late May to early June or late October to early November each year.

Điểm đến làm say lòng dân mê dịch chuyển

The winding road cuts through Huoi Luong’s terraced fields, which stretch across dozens of hectares.

Amid the gently swaying rice fields, a winding road leads into the village. During harvest season, taking a leisurely walk or cycling through the fields while breathing in the rich fragrance of ripe rice carried by the cool breeze from the headwater stream offers an extraordinary sense of tranquility. Natural rock outcrops scattered across the terraces make picturesque stopping points, with golden rice fields winding through the foreground and vast green mountains filling the horizon.

Huoi Luong is also surrounded by more than 1,400 hectares of natural forest stretching along the high mountain range. Particularly remarkable is a rare natural guava forest deep in the mountains, covering around 40 hectares. To reach it, visitors must travel more than 10 kilometers along winding forest trails by motorbike. The rugged journey is well worth the effort for adventurous travelers, rewarding them with spectacular views and striking images of pristine nature.

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A place to stay in Huoi Luong.

After a long journey through streams and forests, the warm and welcoming traditional stilt houses of local families provide a peaceful place to rest. The village currently has two homestay models welcoming visitors: “Bo Pho Len Ban” at the far end of the village and “Pieng Pheo Tourism.” The spacious wooden houses are furnished with just the right level of comfort while retaining their distinctive ethnic character. Spending a night beside the fire, listening to the sound of the stream and experiencing the genuine warmth and hospitality of the hosts leaves visitors with unforgettable memories.

A trip to Huoi Luong would not be complete without sampling its local cuisine. Meals served to guests by the Thai community are thoughtfully prepared from simple ingredients gathered from the surrounding mountains and forests: fragrant grilled ca doc fish, flavorful black local pork, soft and nutty khoai man tubers, bamboo-tube rice and colorful sticky rice naturally dyed with forest leaves, fresh turmeric and gac fruit, accompanied by freshly picked vegetables and herbs from the upland fields.

Local cuisine, rich in layers of flavor and color, served at a welcoming meal for visitors in Huoi Luong.

As one of the long-established settlement areas of the Thai people, Huoi Luong is home to a rich collection of tangible and intangible cultural heritage. Traditional stilt houses here strictly follow established rules governing their structure and functions, in accordance with customary laws passed down through generations.

Under the roofs of these houses, the Pieng Pheo weaving group continues to work diligently at its looms, creating colorful brocade patterns that are turned into souvenirs for visitors from near and far.

When night falls, the village’s cultural performance group comes together to perform traditional xoe dances and sing sweet khap folk songs, bringing people together through shared cultural experiences.

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Thai women in Huoi Luong continue to work diligently at their looms, weaving traditional brocade fabrics.

Despite its enormous potential, the journey for visitors to discover Huoi Luong remains challenging. The 6-kilometer mountain road leading into the village – although previously paved with concrete and asphalt – has suffered landslides and severe deterioration after storms and floods, leaving it riddled with potholes and deep ruts and making travel extremely difficult.

Looking toward the mountain slope scarred by landslides after the recent storms and floods, Village Head Cao Van Khanh shared his concerns: “The villagers’ greatest wish is for the authorities to soon support the repair of this vital road. A smooth road would not only ease the hardships faced by local people and make trading more convenient, but also provide easier access for visitors coming to Huoi Luong.”

Điểm đến làm say lòng dân mê dịch chuyển

The modest wish expressed by the village head also reflects a shared hope for the near future: once the transportation bottleneck is removed, Huoi Luong – the “large headwater stream” – will be able to fully unleash its potential and emerge as a promising destination on the community-based tourism map of western Thanh Hoa.

Source: vhds.baothanhhoa.vn

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