5 villages you absolutely must check in at when visiting Ha Giang.

When visiting Ha Giang, besides being captivated by its majestic nature, the pristine villages of this mountainous plateau are also places you must visit to experience the simple, peaceful life of the local people.

1. Lo Lo Chai (Lung Cu)

The Lo Lo Chai Cultural Village is located at the foot of Dragon Mountain (Lung Cu commune, Dong Van district, Ha Giang province), only about 1 km from the Lung Cu flagpole. It has been home to the Mong and Lo Lo people since ancient times and has now become a prominent community-based cultural tourism destination in the Dong Van Karst Plateau region.

Upon arriving here, you will be captivated by the peaceful natural scenery: traditional houses with yin-yang tiled roofs, brown earthen walls, stone fences, terraced rice fields, rice paddies, cornfields… and especially the incredibly warm, enthusiastic, and hospitable nature of the people.

The highlight of tourism in Lo Lo Chai village is exploring its unique cultural colors. With 90% of its population being Lo Lo people, the village still preserves the distinct and unmistakable characteristics of this ethnic group. Lo Lo Chai has almost completely retained its ancient cultural features, from the material and spiritual life of the Lo Lo people in the rocky plateau; the architecture of their houses with rammed earth walls and tiled roofs; traditional crafts such as embroidery and carpentry; to traditional festivals such as the forest god worship ceremony, the new rice harvest festival, the new house celebration, and especially the folk dances.

2. Nam Dam (Quan Ba)

Nam Dam village is located about 50 km from the center of Ha Giang city, along the beautiful, straight National Highway 4C. The roads within Nam Dam village are small, winding paths. On both sides of the road are terraced rice fields and green meadows full of wildflowers. The highlight here is the ancient rammed-earth houses of the Dao ethnic people.

Today, the village is considered a community tourism village, where you can experience the daily life of the locals, such as harvesting corn, picking vegetables, and cooking. Some places to visit include Nai Waterfall, Nam Dam Lake, the village's cultural museum, herbal baths, and watching the coming-of-age ceremony.

3. Lao Xa (Sung La)

Lao Xa is located in Sung La commune, Dong Van district. From National Highway 4C, after traveling about 4km from Lung Cam, you will see a left turn leading to the village. The road to the village is small, winding, and has some steep slopes and sharp turns. If you travel on a rainy day, the road is slippery and the steep slopes can be very dangerous.

You can stroll around the village, exploring many ancient rammed-earth houses that are over 100 years old. Beside the houses, some of varying heights, are stone walls interspersed with stunning, jagged rock formations. Additionally, you can visit a traditional silver casting workshop (a long-standing craft of the Mua family) and stay at Lao Xa Ancient House Hmong Homestay.

4. Thien Huong (Dong Van)

Located about 7km from the center of Dong Van town, the ancient village of Thien Huong, over 100 years old, captivates visitors at first sight with its timeless beauty.

The houses here are built in the traditional architectural style with yin-yang tiled roofs and earthen walls. Inside, the space is divided into two sections: the lower section for cooking and living, and the upper section for storing belongings.

Thien Huong village is home to the Tay ethnic minority. They live by farming and producing rượu (rice wine). Here, women often wear traditional black ao dai (long dress) and headscarves when going to work.

Visiting Thien Huong ancient village, you can not only enjoy the famous delicious corn wine but also participate in many interesting activities and experiences such as wading in streams, catching fish, and enjoying corn wine fermented with leaves...

5. Yoga (Yen Minh)

Du Gia is a highland commune in Yen Minh district, about 70 km from Ha Giang city. On the Ha Giang tourism map, Du Gia appears as a pristine landscape, not yet widely known to Vietnamese tourists. Most visitors to Du Gia are adventure enthusiasts who enjoy conquering challenging mountain passes. On the way to Du Gia, tourists will pass through hills overlooking the valley of Lung Ho commune, Yen Minh district.

This place is very popular with foreign tourists because of its natural scenery and the cultural beauty of the Tay ethnic people. The peaceful village, nestled amidst lush green rice fields, is a rare find in city life.

Besides the vast rice and corn fields and charming stilt houses nestled on the mountainside, visitors also encounter the peaceful daily life of the local people. It could be said that Du Già village is somewhat selective in its clientele, best suited for young people who are passionate about exploration and enjoy discovering cultural beauty.

Phuong Thao is an editor at Travellive magazine. She is passionate about traveling and enjoys capturing moments with her camera in every place she visits. Travel, art, and lifestyle are Phuong Thao's favorite writing topics.

Phuong Thao