Opening his article about Vietnam, Stables recounted his journey with Manh Tan, a local tour guide, exploring the pristine and mysterious forests of Mai Chau, Hoa Binh province.

“About 130km southwest of Hanoi, Mai Chau is a valley that brings an almost unbelievable sense of peace. In its forests, the only sounds are footsteps crunching on carpets of golden leaves, gently stirring the silence.

Occasionally, the trees thin out to reveal a breathtaking scene of the Ma River winding softly between dragon fruit orchards and lush mango groves. There are terraced rice fields and towering limestone cliffs, their jagged peaks like colossal stalagmites.

All of it creates a beauty both majestic and enchanting,” Stables wrote, describing the place he calls the “jewel” of the Northwest mountains.

He visited Pu Bin village, one of the local communities developing a community-based tourism model that preserves the traditional architecture and simple, authentic culture of the White Thai people.

To better understand life here, Stables visited a Thai family’s stilt house in the forest. The home bore all the hallmarks of the highlands: rice fields nearby, a kitchen ceiling blackened by smoke, and bundles of herbs and wild mushrooms hanging on the walls.

The host welcomed him with the sound of a bamboo flute, followed by a few verses sung in Thai to introduce their culture to foreign guests.

Along the way, the sight of people planting rice on terraced fields, catching crabs, or gathering shellfish piqued his curiosity and admiration.

At another stilt house, Stables was invited to weave bamboo baskets, sample homemade liquor, prepare a meal, and join in the traditional múa sạp bamboo dance with villagers.

“Tourism helps people preserve cultural traditions like this dance,” said Ha Thi Hong, 82, leader of the village’s folk dance troupe.