Rural tourism: Kem Stream, where visitors can immerse themselves in nature

Scenic view of the eastern slopes of Tam Dao mountain

Kem Stream community tourism village has inherited all of the most beautiful elements that nature bestows.

Kem Stream is beautiful as a muse in the mountains of Viet Bac as it has the natural forests of Tam Dao mountain range surrounding it, with a mild climate all year round, cool in summer and not too cold in winter.

Kem Stream is the name of the community tourism village and also the name of the stream. Visitors can park near the banks of Kem stream then start their journey of discovery by walking upstream.

People can feel the majestic mountain scenery with clear blue springs and vast forests; people are immersed in nature. Especially in hot summer days, coming to La Bang you will feel the cool air and are truly comfortable without needing to use cooling devices such as air conditioners.

The further you walk up the stream the more you blend in with nature, the lower the temperature will be and the more likely you will be to feel chilly.

The stream flows through rocks of all sizes and shapes. There are large rocks, ball rings for visitors to rest on and take pictures. On both sides of the stream are grass beds interspersed with rocky beaches, colorful wildflowers, and large trees and bamboo family trees hanging down to the water surface, all of which make tourists feel lost in a separate, miracle world.

N.K. Cuong, a tourist from Hung Yen said, “Before coming here I could not imagine the unique and beautiful scenery that is as majestic and poetic as I am seeing right now. The primeval forests on both sides of the stream with thick convolves make me feel as if I am in a scene from a nature discovery movie on Discovery channel.

As for the stream, it's immaculate, the water is cool, I just jumped in to take a bath and completely woke up due to the cold water. I have a friend in Thai Nguyen who has driven me here twice and we have never got bored. I will come back here again to relax if I have time."

For tourists who love to explore, when they come here they do not just stop at taking a cool bath and taking pictures, but they also want to go further up to discover the source of the Kem stream in the green mountain top of Tam Dao. Along the rapids of the stream are cascades of waterfalls gradually appearing with white foam, one after another and pouring down deep holes to form ideal beaches.

At Kem Stream, people feel like they are lost in a completely new space, escaping from the hustle and bustle of the city, breathing in the fresh, cool air and feeling the sounds of the surrounding mountains.

Rural tourism: Experiential tourism and local cuisine attract tourists

In addition to the natural beautiful scenery, the green tea hills that make up the famous La Bang tea brand also attract local tourists, especially young people from the city. They stop to pose for photos in the tea farms, learning the stages of making tea which are still used every day.

Many people enjoy picking tea with local people and farmers, making tea by spinning iron furnaces and packing the finished products.

N.T. Hanh, a tourist from Hanoi, after experiencing the process of making tea said, "I thought that people pick tea leaves with picking machines, then bring it back to their household to dry. I did not expect that in making tea, it must go through the many complicated and careful stages I have experienced.

People have to pick leaves one by one so as not to mix old branches and leaves. When the tea is brewed, it must be done in the oven, then is brought out to be crinkled, then brewed again.

The temperature keeps increasing and decreasing, and the time to perform the steps must be correct to produce delicious batches of tea. I bought a whole box of tea to bring back home as a gift, feeling very happy and secure because I bought it at the place of production."

Coming to Kem Stream community tourism village, visitors are also attracted by the local specialties available, such as sturgeon raised in cool, pure water channelled from Kem stream, and chickens.

In addition to ordering food prepared by restaurants, guests can catch the fish and chicken then cook their own dishes. Although the dishes are not as diverse and eye-catching as those cooked in restaurants in the city, the quality is rated by visitors as "delicious from the meat, sweet from the bones and delicious in the broth."