Lam Dong community tourism village in Ha Giang province (Photo: baohagiang.vn)

Lam Dong community tourism village is located near National Road 2 from Ha Giang city to the Thanh Thuy border gate. The village presents a peaceful landscape, with lush rice fields and vegetable gardens surrounding traditional stilt houses.

In 2014, the community began developing a cultural tourism village. Since then, the three-kilometer road to the village has been upgraded, and many smaller lanes leading to households have been broadened. The Tay ethnic community has worked to restore their stilt houses and revive their folk festivals and then, luon, and cọi singing.

According to Mai Thanh Nam, Secretary of Lam Dong village’s Party cell, the village’s rustic charm, natural beauty, and rich ethnic culture make it an appealing destination for tourists. “Customs and traditions here have always been well preserved. At our homestays, guests can enjoy folk art performances and participate in daily activities with the locals, such as cooking, sharing meals, and working on the farm,” Nam said.

15 of 200 households are now doing community tourism, the head of Lam Dong village, Dam Quoc Hoi, told us. “The village is constructing water wheels and installing traditional rice mortars in stilt houses. Foreign visitors especially enjoy experiencing seedling planting, plowing the fields, and harvesting the rice.”

A homestay in Thanh Son village (photo: baohagiang.vn)

Not far from Lam Dong village and also reached by National Road 2 is Thanh Son village in Vi Xuyen district. Tran Quynh Trang, a tour guide from Ha Giang city, said, “Thanh Son cultural tourism village is 15 kilometers from Ha Giang city. It’s a Tay village with 76 households. Every year many tourists come to enjoy the fresh air and authentic Tay cuisine and folk arts.”

In the village, traditional Tay stilt houses stand between lush rice and corn fields. Many have a large fish pond in front. Visitors love the tranquil beauty of the landscape – majestic mountains, verdant forest canopies, babbling streams, and fertile fields. As they stroll along the village pathways, the tourists see the locals going about their daily activities—working in the fields, herding buffalo, and cutting grass.

Nguyen Van Lien, the head of Thanh Son village, said, “Foreign visitors appreciate the cool, fresh air here. They eat with us and learn about our customs.”

Tourists can taste a variety of dishes made from local fish and vegetables. To ensure a supply of fresh fish, villagers catch Bong fish from the Gam River in Bac Me district and keep them in ponds for family consumption and to serve to visitors.

Hoang Van Day, a local restaurant owner, told us Bong fish are fed natural food, and it takes three to four years for a fish to reach two kilograms in weight.

“Bong fish eat weed, cassava leaves, and banana leaves. Their meat is delicious and firm. Grilled Bong fish is very tasty. When we have guests, we catch a fish from the pond and cook it for them. All the ingredients are fresh. A three-kilogram fish can be turned into six dishes.”

In the evening, local art troupes entertain the tourists with folk singing and dancing performances.