Near the northernmost mountain peak of Vietnam, lies a small, peaceful village, where the Lo Lo ethnic people have been living for generations. Two weeks ago, this Lo Lo Chai village was recognized by UN Tourism as the “Best Tourism Village in the World 2025.”
Lo Lo Chai village in Tuyen Quang province is recognized by UN Tourism as the “Best Tourism Village in the World 2025.” (Photo: Do Tuan Anh)
Nestled at the foot of Dragon Mountain, in the Dong Van Karst Plateau, Tuyen Quang province, just about two kilometers from the Lung Cu Flag Tower, Lo Lo Chai is accessed by winding paths that curve along jagged rocky ridges. The deeper tourists venture into the village, the more traditional Lo Lo culture appears – sturdy earthen houses with yin-yang tiled roofs, and the scent of roasted corn mingle with wood smoke.
Dr. Tran Thi Huong Giang, Vice Rector and Head of the Tourism Faculty at the College of International Industry and Trade, has been working with Lo Lo Chai villagers since they began developing community-based tourism. She said: “From 2007 to 2012, I often brought students here for field studies. We had stayed in local houses long before the residents learned how to run homestays. The value of a village lies in its preserved heritage, such as the ancient houses."
Lo Lo Chai village has about 50 households, most of whom have retained their original architecture. In this serene setting, visitors can meet Lo Lo women dressed in brightly colored garb, patiently hand-embroidering intricate patterns on indigo fabric. They are silently preserving their indigenous culture through their craft.
Lo Lo Chai women don their traditional clothes. (Photo: Do Tuan Anh)
Over time, the Lo Lo Chai villagers have learned how to turn their cultural values into tourism attractions. Sinh Di Gai, head of Lo Lo Chai village, shared his pride in his village’s recognition as one of the “Best Tourism Villages in the World 2025.” “Upon receiving the news that our village had been recognized as one of the world’s best tourism villages, we all felt very proud, happy, and overjoyed,” said Gai.
Beyond its natural beauty, Lo Lo Chai captivates visitors with its sense of community. Tourists are not outsiders, but warmly treated as part of the village. They can join locals in picking corn, brewing rice wine, playing the panpipe, weaving cloth, or making buckwheat cakes.
In recent years, community-based tourism has been systematically developed. Infrastructure such as roads, electricity, sanitation, and clean water have been improved. Residents have also been trained in environmental hygiene, hospitality skills, and cultural preservation.
Most of the houses in Lo Lo Chai village have retained their original architecture. (Photo: Do Tuan Anh)
Dang Quoc Su, Director of the Tuyen Quang Provincial Tourism Promotion Center, said: “With many honors, including the award ‘Best Tourism Village in the World 2025,’, I hope that all stakeholders, especially the authorities, tourism promoters, and the business community, will work together to help other villages achieve recognition like Lo Lo Chai.”
Lo Lo Chai was selected from over 270 nominations across 65 countries. The criteria went beyond scenic beauty to include sustainability, community engagement, and the preservation of traditional culture. This great honor also sets a challenge for local residents to develop tourism without losing the village’s soul, and to protect tranquility amid commercialization.
As the sun sets behind Dragon Mountain, locals and visitors gather in the old earthen houses. Cooking smoke rises gently into the twilight sky, while the panpipe melody echoes through the misty air, filling the highland evening with a sense of peace and connection.
The Hung