Y Ty Clouds Sea Resort Creating Unique Tourism Products in Distant Frontier

Previously, as soon as Lao Cai tourism was mentioned, Sa Pa was known as a nonpareil destination. But, now, tourists have more opportunities to explore Y Ty (Bat Xat district) where there are immense primeval forests, majestic terraces and distinctive cultural identity.

And, to create more unique tourism products for this land, Vuong Dat Co., Ltd. decided to invest in Y Ty Clouds Sea Resort, a promising destination to make a development breakthrough for the locality.

Y Ty - "Second Sa Pa" of Lao Cai

Y Ty mountainous frontier commune is located at an altitude of 2,000m. It is more than 70 km from the center of Bat Xat district and nearly 100 km from Lao Cai City. Once visiting this land, you cannot forget the beauty of the sea of clouds floating in the valley, terraced fields, and unique houses of the Ha Nhi people.

Y Ty is most beautiful at two times of the year. The “golden season” from late August to mid-September is ravishing and charming with the golden color of ripening rice, immense in sight and sweet in scent.

Another time is the "cloud hunting season", from winter to spring. On the slopes of the mountains, in the valleys, the sea of floating clouds makes this place gorgeous. The natural scenery makes everyone fall in love with this land.

Y Ty is also charmed by the peaceful life of Ha Nhi villages, featured by unique earthen-walled houses on the ground. The walls are made of clay, 40-45 cm thick and 4-5 m high with two outer and inner layers. Short sloping roofs, thatched with grass, keep the house warm in winter. Seen from above, Ha Nhi village looms like giant mushrooms, adorning the charming picture.

In recent years, Y Ty has become an attractive destination for tourists far and wide and is known as the second Sa Pa in Lao Cai. Coming here, people seem to let go of all their troubles to immerse themselves in nature and experience the rural and primitive life with simple and friendly people.

Waking the potential

Mr. Do Manh Thang, Director of Vuong Dat Co., Ltd, said, with his experience in construction and machinery installation, he used to roll in many villages in Lao Cai province. But indeed, when I saw natural beauty and cultural identity, there is no place like Y Ty.

“It is also because I am infatuated with that beauty, I decided to build the Y Ty Clouds Sea Resort to attract more tourists to experience. For the time being, as Y Ty lacks essential services, tourists just come to see the scenery and then leave it. Therefore, local people have not benefited much from the values they have preserved for generations," he said.

In 2018, Vuong Dat Co., Ltd proposed investing VND96 billion in 16-ha Y Ty Clouds Sea Resort, which was quickly approved because it matched the tourism development planning of Bat Xat district and Lao Cai province.

With the strong participation of authorities, sectors and investors in site clearance and regulatory procedures, the project was started in the first quarter of 2021. According to Thang, the project is scheduled to be completed and operated in the fourth quarter of 2022.

The first requirement for the project is not compromising the landscape and ecological environment and matching construction heights with the landscape and local culture.

Accordingly, the resort will have 22 leisure villas, 33 separate villas and a 3-storey highlighted hotel with 145 4-star rooms. All buildings are designed to match upland architecture, featured by hill sections for Mong people, Ha Nhi people and Dao people.

The resort landscape is designed to harmonize with Y Ty nature. Native shade trees and flowers are grown. In particular, the fence and embankment are delicately built by stacking stones - a process meticulously carried out by Ha Nhi people.

Determined to pursue sustainable development with the locality, when the resort comes into operation, it will create jobs for many local people. Thang said he will cooperate with households to develop discovery and experience tourism products, creating a new source of income for them and offering a variety of unique tourism products to visitors.

Mr. Nguyen Quang Binh, Chairman of Bat Xat District People's Committee, said, according to the approved plan to 2030, the province will build Y Ty Tourist Urban Area in the overall development plan for Sa Pa National Tourist Area to 2040. In the near term, Y Ty will be upgraded to a fifth-class urban area and established as a town by 2025. Y Ty Clouds Sea Resort is one of the projects that helps realize this target of the locality.

Important traffic projects are currently being constructed, including the route from Ban Vuoc - Ban Xeo - Muong Hum - Den Sang - Y Ty - A Lu - A Mu Sung (expected to be completed in 2023) and Trinh Tuong - Y Ty route (being surveyed for investment, expected to be constructed in 2022 and completed in 2024). When the above routes are completed, they will form a continuous traffic system and make access to Y Ty more convenient.

“Beside traffic connectivity, technical infrastructure such as electricity, water and telecom is also facing numerous difficulties. Therefore, we hope all levels of sectors and authorities of Lao Cai province and Bat Xat district make focused investment in Y Ty for faster development,” said Director Do Manh Thang.

Source: Vietnam Business Forum