EN
Surpassing thousands of strong candidates from all continents, Cam Thanh Village (in Hoi An City, Quang Nam Province) became the only representative of Vietnam to be honored by the prestigious American Forbes Magazine at the 20th position in the Top 50 most beautiful villages in the world in 2025.
This honor is not only the pride of Vietnam tourism but also a strong affirmation of the special attraction of the green and sustainable tourism model that Cam Thanh has persistently pursued. Located at the end of the river and the beginning of the sea, Cam Thanh is a very different "Hoi An": green, quiet and full of life.
Ink Painting
Cam Thanh village possesses a unique geographical location and ecosystem that cannot be found anywhere else. Located at the intersection of three large rivers, Thu Bon - Truong Giang - Lo Canh Giang, before flowing into the East Sea, this land has formed a rare brackish water ecosystem. With a total area of nearly 937.16 hectares, of which the water surface and canal area accounts for 348.69 hectares, Cam Thanh appears like a vivid ink painting with poetic rivers, green rice fields, bamboo hedges and immense rows of water coconut trees.
The absolute highlight, considered the "green lung" of the whole area, is the Bay Mau Coconut Forest. Although the name Bay Mau (about 7 hectares) evokes the original area about 200 years ago, when migrants from the Southwest brought water coconut varieties to plant, the coconut forest has now expanded to nearly 100 hectares. This forest not only regulates the climate but is also a buffer zone of the Cu Lao Cham - Hoi An World Biosphere Reserve. This coastal estuary mangrove ecosystem is also "home" to many aquatic species, with high biodiversity, especially the seagrass beds unique to the tropics, creating a large livelihood area for the local community.
Cam Thanh is not only famous for its natural beauty but also has special historical values. During the years of resistance against the US to save the country, Bay Mau coconut forest became a safe revolutionary base, witnessing many glorious victories of Hoi An revolutionary forces. From those indelible marks, Bay Mau coconut forest was officially recognized as a provincial historical and cultural relic in 2007.
Over time, the local community has bonded and maintained its life based on the river ecosystem, creating a community rich in cultural identity. This peaceful, prosperous and rustic atmosphere is a solid foundation for a sustainable tourism development model.
The Forbes honor emphasizes Cam Thanh’s sustainable community tourism development model. Instead of following the trend of concretization, Cam Thanh people have cleverly transformed local values into unique tourism products, attracting more than 1 million domestic and foreign visitors each year, creating stable jobs for about 1,500 local workers.
The most unique experience is rowing a basket boat through the canals winding around the green coconut forest. Sitting on a beautiful round basket boat, visitors will hear interesting stories about the coconut forest, enjoy the exciting basket boat performance and boat racing, or admire the rustic and skillful fishing nets of fishermen. Visitors can even receive souvenirs hand-woven from coconut leaves such as watches, rings, or tribal hats.
In addition, Cam Thanh also offers local cooking classes and rustic, friendly homestay services, helping visitors immerse themselves in the beautiful, idyllic space of the vast rice fields. In particular, the production and trading of handicraft products from coconut trees has become a stable source of income, both improving the livelihoods of the people and reducing the pressure on natural exploitation. It is the harmonious combination of heritage conservation, community livelihood development and unique experiential tourism that has helped Cam Thanh surpass thousands of competitors to affirm its position as one of the most beautiful and livable villages in the world.
