Visit Lo Lo Chai, live slowly in the mountains and forests of the far North

VTV.vn - Nestled among the cat-ear rocks at the foot of Lung Cu flagpole, Lo Lo Chai is as beautiful as a fairy-tale village in the border region, with a spirit of solidarity and warm smiles of the people.

If someone asks me about a favorite destination in the North, the answer will be Tuyen Quang - a land of beauty everywhere, from the winding passes through Quan Ba, Yen Minh, Dong Van, Meo Vac, to the small villages looming in the valleys. And there is a name I always mention, as a suggestion not to be missed - Lo Lo Chai village, located right at the foot of the sacred Lung Cu flagpole.

From Lo Lo Chai village looking out to Lung Cu flagpole.

Lo Lo Chai is an ancient village of the Black Lo Lo people, nestled on the slopes of the cat-ear rocks. The village appears rustic and simple as if it came out of a fairy tale on the border. I first came to Lo Lo Chai two years ago, when there were only a few households running homestays. This year, when I returned, the village was different with more spacious homestays, coffee shops, and food services. However, that change did not make the village become crowded. On the contrary, Lo Lo Chai still retains its original, uniform look in the way it does tourism : simple, in harmony with the landscape.

The cafes and homestays still retain their rustic features, in harmony with the general landscape.

The afternoon sun dyed the rammed earth houses golden.

The rooms are beautifully decorated and tasteful.

In particular, the large yard of the village chief’s house in Sin Di Gai has become the “heart” of the village. In the evening, this place is bustling with the sounds of flutes, drums, and traditional dances around the red fire, connecting locals with tourists in a warm, sincere atmosphere.

Mr. Sin Di Gai - the village chief, is also the pioneer leading the villagers to do tourism. Nearly 15 years ago, when the economy was still difficult, he boldly tried the homestay model, opening a new direction. Now, that achievement makes him and the villagers proud. From more than 70 poor households out of a total of 105 households, now the whole village has 120 households, of which only 4 are poor and 4 are near-poor.

Community tourism has opened up a new life for villagers.

Mr. Gai shared: “Solidarity is the most important. We regularly train and remind each other how to welcome and serve guests. Some households specialize in raising chickens, others in growing vegetables, others in making wine, etc. so that the whole village can benefit. Guests can sleep in one house but want to have dinner at another, it is also comfortable, no one is jealous. The important thing is to maintain identity and hospitality.”

Not only the government, but also many architects and artists came to guide the people on how to preserve the soul of the rammed earth house architecture, how to arrange it in harmony with the trend but still have its own identity. It is this consensus that has breathed life into Lo Lo Chai today - a bright spot of community tourism in the northernmost region of the country.

The cultural identity of the highlanders appears in every detail.

Coming to Lo Lo Chai, tourists often combine a visit to Lung Cu flagpole, then leisurely return to the village. No need to go far, just a walk around, sipping a cup of coffee, admiring the ancient architecture of the rammed earth houses, or trying on the colorful costumes of the Lo Lo people, will make you feel full of excitement.

When the night falls and the weather gets chilly, people gather around a hot pot of black chicken hotpot, green vegetables grown by the locals, sip a cup of spicy corn wine or try a glass of strange buckwheat beer. All create a poetic experience, both rustic and memorable.

Dinner with chicken hotpot and clean vegetables.

What touched me the most was the friendliness and hospitality. You could walk into any house, take a few pictures, sit on a chair and rest, without having to order food or drinks. The locals considered the joy and satisfaction of tourists as their most valuable asset - a professional way of doing tourism, even though it came from a remote village with many shortages.

However, there are still a few things that make me worried. Some groups of tourists bring loudspeakers and sing karaoke, disturbing the quiet space of the village. Or the excessive use of disposable plastic cups also partly destroys the spirit of "green tourism". Before saying goodbye, I suggested to the village chief about using glass or ceramic cups instead. He listened attentively and nodded - a signal that made me more confident that Lo Lo Chai will develop sustainably, without losing its peace and identity.

Girls in traditional Lo Lo costumes.

If you have the opportunity to visit Lo Lo Chai on the 25th day of the 7th lunar month, you will witness the July Tet of the Black Lo Lo people. This is the most important festival of the year, when farming work temporarily subsides, the whole community gathers to celebrate the ancestors. The sound of flutes, drums, traditional dances blend with the smoke of incense, creating a sacred and united atmosphere. For visitors, it is a rare opportunity to witness an original, unique, and rich cultural identity of the Lo Lo people in the northernmost part of the country.

Lo Lo Chai is not only a destination, but also a testament to the change from the hands, minds and solidarity of the community. There, visitors find rustic beauty, peace, sincere experiences and belief in a sustainable direction of community tourism development. Between the majestic mountains and the sacred flagpole, Lo Lo Chai shines like a "fairy tale village" - a place that anyone who comes once will want to return.

Source: https://vtv.vn/ghe-lo-lo-chai-song-cham-giua-nui-rung-cuc-bac-100250910085135258.htm