Located along Thac Ba lake, Dong Tam village in Phuc An commune is well known for making shrimp traps for decades.

Local people used to make shrimp traps as part-time job when they were not busy with farm work. It gradually becomes a main job for people as their products are sold well in the neighbouring provinces of Son La, Hoa Binh, and Tuyen Quang.

Villager Tran Thi Chinh said that in the past, they usually made shrimp traps from June to the end of December. However, over the past few years, many tourists often visit the craft village to experience and buy products, so villagers make the traps all year round.

In 2017, Dong Tam was recognised as a craft village by the Yen Bai provincial People's Committee.

Up to now, 80% of the households in Phuc An commune have engaged in the job.

Moreover, the commune also promotes the development of homestays for tourists and offers them opportunities to experience how to make shrimp traps, how to catch fish/shrimp traditionally on Thac Ba lake, work with farmers and learn folk dances of the Dao ethnic group.

In the Yen Thanh commune, Dao women still keep the embroidering of traditional costumes.  

Le Thi Thuong from Trung village said that Dao women all embroider their wedding dresses.

Having earned her living from embroidering for more than 30 years, Thuong said that she wants to preserve the traditional embroidery and pass it on to her children and grandchildren.

In Yen Thanh district, 95% of the district population is from Dao ethnic group who are easily recognised for their traditional white pans. They are still preserving many unique cultural features very well.

Vi Thi Tham, Deputy Secretary of the commune Party Committee, said that to preserve and promote the cultural values of ethnic groups associated with tourism development, the commune has conducted such activities as establishing teams to perform traditional folk songs and dances, and calling for elders, village chiefs and folk artisans to actively restore and preserve folk songs and dances.

Vu Tuan Manh, head of the district’s Culture and Information Office, said over the past time, Yen Binh has developed community-based tourism/eco-tourism at some craft villages. Every year, the craft villages welcome thousands of visitors.