Along this waterfront, the Dao Quần Chẹt people have for generations relied on the mountains and the river to earn a living, preserving their customs while quietly transforming their lives. Amidst the slow pace of this mountainous region, Huổi Só 2 is today awakening its unique potential, ranging from its scenic landscapes and culture to the livelihoods provided by the reservoir.

As a boat glides across the crystal-clear water of the Đà River on a calm, windless morning, the Huổi Só 2 wharf appears in a somber yet graceful light. The river, once fierce with rapids and falls, has become a gentle, azure surface acting as a great mirror reflecting the forest and mountains. Rolling mountain ranges meet the sky, clouds wrap around the peaks, and small houses nestle against the slopes at the foot of the mountains. Within this space, the village is a rustic and charming focal point. Phan A Pong, Head of Huổi Só 2, notes that the village is currently home to 99 households, primarily belonging to the Dao Quần Chẹt ethnic group. From above, the small hamlet is half-hidden in greenery, with thin smoke rising from kitchens in the late afternoon while clouds drift lazily across the hillsides, making the entire space feel like an untouched landscape painting.

People often compare Huổi Só 2 to a “graceful yet shy highland girl” because its beauty is not loud or showy but silent and charming, leaving a lasting impression on those who stay. In this small village by the reservoir, life seems to drift slowly with the waves. For generations, residents have lived in harmony with the forest, planting rice and cassava on the slopes while raising livestock. Beyond their field work, women diligently embroider and sew, weaving the vibrant colors of Dao culture into every stitch. Perhaps for this reason, Huổi Só 2 captivates visitors not just with its scenery, but with its authentic atmosphere, the communal meals around the fire, children playing by the water, and afternoons spent listening to the elders recount stories of the Dao Quần Chẹt crossing the Đà River in the past to find a new life and establish the village.

If one stays for several days, they can enjoy the highland cuisine or try a night of camping on a small island in the middle of the lake, building a fire and fishing while waiting for the sunrise over the water. These seemingly simple experiences form the unique appeal of the village. Since the water rose to fill the reservoir, the lives of the people have changed with the flow. While livelihoods were once tied exclusively to the hillsides, many have now shifted to river-based trades such as fishing, boating, and aquaculture. While the men work on the water, the women grow corn and cassava on the slopes. The mountain provides their granary and the water provides their lifeblood as they industriously pursue their livelihoods between the peaks and the river.

Despite its beauty, Huổi Só 2 still faces a high poverty rate as the steep, dissected terrain makes transportation and trade difficult. To address this, the locality is seeking new directions by combining reforestation and crop conversion with the development of cage fish farming on the Đà River. This path is opening up a promising livelihood, as exemplified by Vàng A Sơn. Starting with just a few cages, his family has expanded to 16 cages for grass carp, common carp, and tilapia. Each year, after expenses, his income exceeds VND 170 million. He believes that escaping poverty requires a change in mindset, moving away from a sole dependence on the hillsides toward aquaculture and business planning.

From crop conversion and reforestation to expanding wet rice fields and encouraging fish farming, Huổi Só 2 is gradually solving its livelihood puzzle. While these efforts may not create an overnight transformation, they are opening a path forward for this riverside village. As evening falls and the boats return, kitchen smoke begins to rise from the houses at the foot of the mountain; within that peace lies the persistent movement of a people quietly rising toward a better life.