The mountain commune of Ta Xua in Vietnam's Son La province is changing its tourist image. Once known as a place for "cloud hunting," it now offers travellers an introduction to the culture of the H'mong people.
New tourism programmes include hiking, tea tastings and taking part in tea processing. Visitors can sample local cuisine and see how residents live day to day. This approach creates new sources of income and jobs for local people, allowing them to earn a living in their home region.
In the first six months of 2026, Ta Xua is estimated to have welcomed 56,000 tourists, who brought the region roughly 54 billion dong in revenue. The same year, the area was named "Asia's Leading New Destination" at the World Travel Awards for the first time.
To keep developing Ta Xua, the area must improve its infrastructure, solve the problem of waste disposal, raise the skills of its workers and diversify its tourist offerings so that visitors stay longer.
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