There have been many new experiences in A Nôr Community-based tourism village since the beginning of 2020; especially, washing hair and fumigating teeth with different kinds of leaves and fruits picked from the forest by the local people would be the experiences not to be missed.
Washing hair by A Nor Waterfall
A Nor is definitely not a strange name to those who have known A Luoi, as there is a saying of A Luoi local people: "Not visiting A Nor is like haven't been to A Luoi." This place is only about 3km away from the center of A Luoi district and belongs to Hong Kim commune. From a pristine location, A Nor waterfall has become a splendid destination when tourists visit this mountainous region.
It is strange that, despite having been to A Nôr Community-based tourism village, not only me but also other people, when coming back here from the beginning of 2020 to now, would feel like we were experiencing a new destination. In addition to the new concrete road leading straight to the waterfall, the experience with the new service is preferred by most visitors: “waterfall bathing - hair washing - teeth fumigating”, a rustic way to easily imagine it.
Originated from the folk experience and old custom of the Pa Co ethnics, people in the tourism sector in A Nor has applied these to develop the tourism business. Since the old days, some Pa Co people have had the habit of washing their hair with a liquid boiled from the hammered rind of forest locust fruits picked from the distant hills.
Using the forest locust fruits to wash hair helps us to have fragrant, silky and black hair. And when they have a toothache, they will "visit" the wood to pick K-Cher leaves (a hairy leaf) and boil these with water for fumigating teeth, helping to "kill" tooth decay and clean their mouth.
These days, not many local people use these old remedies as they take too much work, while everything (shampoo, medicine) is available at hand, but when it comes to tourism, both Westerners and Vietnamese are entranced by these new experiences.
Recently, there was a tourist with a dental problem; after using the teeth fumigation for 2 or 3 times, this person's dental problem was considerably reduced. So, they believe that folk remedies of the mountainous people are effective; since then, more people have been trying this kind of remedy .
Experiencing "waterfall bathing – hair washing - teeth fumigating" in A Nor as an optional combo that guests can choose to experiment with.
Below the majestic waterfall with three cascades at three different heights, tourists can easily feel the pure "breath" of the jungle when immersed themselves in the waterfall, then laying their head by the stream and enjoying their hair washed with forest locust fruits by the mountain girls working in the local community-based tourism. Or if people have dental problems, they can try a folk remedy passed on by the village elders.
The good thing about the community-based tourism workers in A Luoi is that they "keep the price" to keep guests. Although they have to go across the forest to look for and pick leaves and fruits from remote hills as ingredients for washing hair and fumigating teeth, their service price is not too costly.
Mr. Dang Ngoc, a member of the tour service team in A Nor, shared, "If you do not go on a tour of travel agency companies, you can try the teeth fumigating service for only 20,000 VND / person, and hair washing for 30,000 VND / person".
A Luoi is promoting its tourism development with A Nôr Community-based tourism village as a top investment destination. It is awe-inspiring that the tourism development direction is based on the community by preserving and promoting the cultural identity of ethnic minorities and sustainable environmental protection, which is similar to the way they pick leaves and fruits to make community tourism products - all are based on traditions and folk experience concluded by the ancients.
Recently, the Vietnam Tourism Association has directly inspected A Nôr Community-based tourism village. With the achievement in the community-based tourism development, A Nôr village is selected as a typical community-based tourism village of Vietnam by the Emulation Council of the Vietnam Tourism Association.
The above achievement is thanks to the district's efforts in recent years to invest in an effective form of community tourism. With this information, hopefully, you will have more options for your upcoming moves during the peaceful days.
Story and photo: Minh Tam