Bac Ha district is located in the northeast of Lao Cai province, in the limestone plateau with many mountain ranges and narrow valleys. This is a favorite destination for domestic and foreign tourists, because this place still retains its pristine, fresh and cool beauty.

The name Bac Ha comes from the Tay phrase "Pac ha" meaning "hundred bundles of alang grass". During the French colonial period, the French recorded the sound Pac ha in Latin as Pakha. Vietnamese people read Pakha as Bac Ha, which has become the official name of this land.

According to the People's Committee of Bac Ha district, the 2023 Bac Ha White Plateau Winter Festival with the theme "Winter Drunk" will take place on December 30-31, 2023, on a district-level scale with two unique cultural and tourist events which promise to be attractive destinations for tourists during the upcoming 2024 New Year holiday.

This is the 4th year Bac Ha has organized the Winter Festival to create unique tourism products, preserve, honor and promote the cultural values of ethnic communities in Bac Ha in particular and Lao Cai province in general.

This year, within the framework of the Bac Ha White Plateau Festival with the theme "Drunken Winter", there will be the following main activities: Bac Ha culinary cultural quintessence contest and announcement of typical culinary dishes certified by the Vietnam Culinary Culture Association (Ban Pho corn wine) from 1:30 p.m., December 30 to 1:30 p.m. December 31, 2023 at Bac Ha Temple square and walking streets in Bac Ha district. This program aims to promoting Bac Ha culinary art and culture while honoring the brand Ban Pho corn wine as one of 121 typical culinary dishes certified by the Vietnam Culinary Culture Association.

The second Khen Mong art performance competition will take place at the Bac Ha night market stage and main roads of Bac Ha Town to preserve and promote traditional cultural values of Hmong Khen in Bac Ha district, serving the needs of enjoying cultural and spiritual values of ethnic people in the district and tourists.

This event is also expected to mobilize ethnic minorities to actively participate in preserving and developing traditional cultural values of the ethnic groups. At the same time, it will create opportunities for artisans to exchange and learn from each other, to promote and preserve traditional cultural values associated with local tourism development, contributing to the development of local tourism, improving the cultural and spiritual life of ethnic minorities, creating a jubilant, excited atmosphere, cheering and encouraging the people to successfully carry out the tasks of 2023.

In recent years, the organization of seasonal festivals has contributed to promoting socio-economic development in the rocky plateau, which have also received great support and enthusiastic response from ethnic minorities, thereby not only arousing, preserving and promoting the traditional cultural features of ethnic minorities, but also raising the level of spiritual and cultural enjoyment for local people, creating a highlight to attract tourists and promote attractive tourism potentials in the district, contributing to sustainable tourism development, making Bac Ha White Plateau an attractive destination in Lao Cai in particular and the Northwest region.

Yen Minh