Na Tong tourism village thrives on community-based tourism

Na Tong village, Thuong Lam commune, in the chilly days of November, nestles beneath misty clouds drifting around 99 mountains shaped like Phoenix wings, giving visitors a sense that time slows down. The local Tay people have preserved their unique cultural heritage, from language, beliefs, clothing, and music to cuisine. Na Tong Cultural Tourism Village is also one of 130 villages featured on the APEC website.

Tourists experience tourism in Na Tong village.

Community-based tourism in Na Tong began in 2014 when Ms. Trieu Thi Xuong’s family opened Hoang Tuan Homestay, welcoming an average of over 500 visitors per month and generating tens of millions of VND in revenue. In 2019, the group “Tai Ngao Fairy Tale of Thuong Lam” opened Tai Ngao Homestay on a nearly 2,500 m² plot, supported by the National Employment Fund and members’ contributions, attracting 250–300 visitors monthly. Homestays also use Facebook and Zalo groups to promote services and coordinate local households in serving tourists.

Visitors to Na Tong can stay in centuries-old stilt houses, enjoy traditional folk songs and local specialties, and experience traditional crafts such as weaving, embroidery, silver jewelry making, sticky rice, and rice cakes. The village has 12 performing arts teams serving tourists. Local households are organized into specialized groups handling food supply, cooking, guiding experiences, and producing souvenirs to improve service quality.

Tourism has improved residents’ awareness of environmental hygiene, with local food and agricultural products self-produced and safe for consumption. Homestay households collaborate, creating stable jobs and higher incomes. Ms. Hoa Thi Hien’s family maintains 30 goats, 6 cows, 20 pigs, and over 100 chickens, ducks, and geese, supplying homestays and earning nearly 200 million VND annually. Thanks to community-based tourism, Na Tong no longer has poor households and has become a model for economic development and the preservation of local cultural heritage.

Le Duy