The Mạ Community is one of the long-standing residents of the Southern Central Highlands in Vietnam. They are an integral part of Chôm Chôm Travel because we have collaborated with numerous local guides from the Mạ community. Moreover, they excel in providing expert assistance for family adventures within their home region. So, if you're interested in embarking on adventures in the South Central Highlands of Vietnam, let's delve into family adventures with our Mạ guides in this article!
Mạ Community resident mostly in Lâm Đồng and Đồng Nai
On the way to Đà Lạt, just a 3-hour drive from Sài Gòn, your family can easily encounter members of the Mạ Community, known as long-standing residents of this area. This community resides in several provinces and cities, stretching from Bình Phước to Đà Lạt, with their primary concentrations in Lâm Đồng (including Bảo Lâm, Bảo Lộc, Đạ Huoai, Đức Trọng, and Di Linh) and Đồng Nai. Their culture, particularly their language, closely aligns with that of the K’Ho people. While their ancestors were experts in shifting cultivation, today, the community primarily sustains itself through commercial fishing and farming.
The Mạ people are good at protecting nature and wildlife, and have established longstanding partnerships with Cát Tiên National Park and E.A.S.T (Endangered Asian Species Trust) for a long time to protect wild animals, rescue animals (especially gibbons) and train them to return to natural life! Another signature of the Mạ Community is their traditional weaving technique in which they use their back and legs to hold the loom! Through a fun weaving workshop hosted by our local Mạ guides, your family will see how amazing this technique is. Visiting the areas where the Mạ Community resides offers you and your kids a unique and unforgettable experience of Vietnam, allowing you to delve into the beautiful traditions, culture, and untamed wilderness that surrounds them.
Who keep the mysteries of the plateau in South-Eastern Vietnam
Going on adventures with our Mạ guides, you will have a chance to learn about the secrets of the old rainforests, biodiversity, as well as their spiritual traditions.
According to the beliefs of the Mạ community, they hold that in their daily lives, everything they undertake is supported and blessed by Gods. Within the Mạ faith, there are five Gods, including the Rice God (Yàng Còi), the Jungle God (Yàng Bri), the Mountain God (Yàng BơNơm), and the Fire God (Yàng Us). Consequently, they exercise great care in their daily routines to adhere to certain mysterious rules, in order to avoid displeasing their Gods. One of our Mạ guides in Bảo Lộc stated that his ancestor once told the villagers not to admit they were hungry or thirsty in the woods if they wanted to return safely to the village. This was because, in the jungle, various edible and drinkable resources could be found, and expressing hunger or thirst was seen as a sign of disrespect to the Jungle God.
It’s our pleasure to work with Mạ people!
Chôm Chôm Travel is delighted to meet and work with people from the Mạ Community. We are proud that we have met and worked with the best local guides from the Ma Community who are kid-friendly, knowledgeable, and adventurous. They are experts in exploring nature, and sharing their precious traditions, especially the secrets of the plateau in Southeast Vietnam.
Unique accommodations with Mạ Community!
The longhouse
Whenever people discuss the Mạ Community, they frequently highlight the longhouse as its most remarkable feature. Historically, the Mạ people resided in a longhouse, which served as a shelter for approximately 20 to 30 family members. Interestingly, each time a new family was established, they would expand the longhouse on either side of the main house, considering it the family's core, devoid of any partitions.
Have you ever stayed in a Mạ longhouse? Contact us to reserve some dates for a one-of-a-kind experience at the Tà Lài Longhouse!
The bamboo house
Besides the traditional longhouse in Tà Lài, one of our Mạ guides also built a bamboo house by himself that keeps the spirit of the Mạ Community but also delivers sustainable tourism practices well in Bảo Lộc!
Family adventures with our Mạ guides!
We have met and worked with some Mạ guides in the Cát Tiên National Park area and Bảo Lộc.
What to do with your kids in the Cát Tiên area?
Our guides from ethnic communities can assist you and your kids on several trekking routes into the rainforest. If you are lucky, you can witness the footprints of wild elephants. Furthermore, you will have an interesting and dynamic trek supported by the stories and the forest's biodiversity explanations from our Mạ guides. Not only can you enjoy trekking, but you and your kids can also have a blast with kayaking, cycling, and visiting the animal rescue centre in this area! It's a fantastic opportunity for your children to gain knowledge and observe the animals in the rescue centre as they are released back into their natural habitat.
The best time to visit the Cát Tiên Area is during the dry season, which lasts from December until late May.
Furthermore, after the enjoyable family adventures in Tà Lài (Cát Tiên area), you can extend your journey or add to your bucket list by venturing a bit further to the North to reach Bảo Lộc, another area of the Mạ Community offering additional excellent activities.
Kid-friendly activities in Bảo Lộc and Đà Lạt
In Bảo Lộc: Our family-friendly guide - K’Viện will help you to enjoy your journey every minute from trekking through the coffee, cocoa, and pineapple farms to having fun on a picnic among nature.
In Đà Lạt: A very closely related to the Mạ Community is the K’Ho Community which shares some common language and weaving techniques. Chôm Chôm Travel is happy that we are also working with people from the K’Ho Community to offer our travellers the coffee experience in one of the most famous areas to farm and produce coffee in Vietnam - Đà Lạt!
The most excellent time to visit Bảo Lộc and Đà Lạt is, not too different from the Cát Tiên National Park, from December to April.
People from the Mạ Community always know how to keep your energy up for adventures and explore their living area thoroughly. Contact Chôm Chôm Travel to discover the mysteries of Southern Central Highlands in Vietnam:
Email: dorothee@chomchomtravel.com
Address: No. 11, Street 44, Thảo Điền Ward, District 2, HCMC, Vietnam.