Giang Mo is an adorable little village in Binh Thanh Commune, Cao Phong District, Hoa Binh Province.
The village’s scenic mountain and traditional stilt houses of the Muong ethnic minority group make it a popular destination for tourists.
Giang Mo village is located at the foot of Mo Mountain, surrounded by green valleys and terraced rice fields.
More than 100 Muong ethnic minority families live there. Visitors come to explore the customs and the daily life of the local people.
The village is attractive because of its authentic culture and peacefulness: "Giang Mo village has 120 families, 46 of them offer tourism services."
Tourists can explore the traditional Muong culture and enjoy Muong specialties like colorful glutinous rice, buffalo meat with bamboo leaves, chicken, bamboo shoots, stream fish, and the local rice wine. Meals are usually served on huge green banana leaves, a typical feature of the Muong culture.
Tourists love spring rolls and minced meat wrapped in the lolot leaves. We also offer traditional dance and song performances and 12-gong concerts.
The tall stilt houses of the Muong are quite rudimentary. Built of wood and bamboo without windows, the consist of three parts: the attic is used to store food and family utensils, the middle floor accommodates the family and the ground floor is for production tools and cattle.
Many of the Muong’s production tools, arch, and farming tools are made of bamboo such as weaving frames.
They still practice slash and burn agriculture and grow maize and cassava.
Muong women excel at weaving rattan and brocade products. Jaelle, a French tourist, said: "This is the first time we have visited Viet Nam. We are delighted with the hospitable and warm reception of the Vietnamese people. Giang Mo village is very different from anywhere else. I’m very impressed."
Muong locals are famous for their hospitality. Visitors are always welcomed into their homes and invited to drink a cup of tea or sip of some alcohol with the hosts.
Far from the hustle and bustle in the city, Giang Mo village offers tourists an experience of simplicity of an endearing Viet Nam.
The Muong Culture Museum, the Hoa Binh Lake Tourist Complex and the orange gardens in Cao Phong township should be included in the tour itinerary.