Lo Lo Chai - The best tourist village in the world

Out of more than 270 entries from 65 member countries, 52 villages were selected based on rigorous criteria, including the preservation of cultural and natural resources, environmental sustainability, local economic development, infrastructure, governance, and contributions to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

A stunning landscape on the rocky plateau.

Located at an altitude of nearly 1,470 meters above sea level, Lo Lo Chai enjoys a cool climate year-round. This high-altitude mountain village is surrounded by towering jagged limestone mountains and winding terraced rice fields, along with ancient rammed-earth houses and traditional stone fences.

Girls and women of all ages here always have smiles on their faces, wearing colorful brocade dresses that tourists can find everywhere in the village, creating a beautiful picture of harmony between nature and the local people.

Lô Lô Chải - Làng du lịch tốt nhất thế giới - Ảnh 1. — The people of Lo Lo Chai go to the fields in the early morning.

Lo Lo Chai is home to over 100 households, of which about 10% are Hmong, and the rest are Lo Lo people belonging to 7 clans: Vang (the most numerous), Sinh, Diu, La, Mung, Lu, and Sinh. The people have settled here, established villages, lived, nurtured, and preserved the traditional culture of their ancestors for nearly 8 centuries.

Lô Lô Chải - Làng du lịch tốt nhất thế giới - Ảnh 2. — Children wear brightly colored brocade dresses.

The most striking feature of Lo Lo Chai village is its ancient rammed earth houses, a familiar traditional type of house in the rocky plateau. The houses are built from earth and pebbles. A wooden frame is used as a formwork, then earth is poured in and compacted, creating walls 50-60 cm thick. The building materials are both readily available and suitable for the highland climate – keeping the house warm in winter and cool in summer. The roofs are covered with characteristic yin-yang tiles. On the ridge tiles, the Lo Lo people skillfully arrange the tiles into unique and aesthetically pleasing patterns. Many of these rammed earth houses have existed for hundreds of years, imbued with the soul of Lo Lo culture.

Each house is surrounded by meticulously crafted stone walls, almost shoulder-high. These stone walls serve both as boundary markers and as a protective barrier against wild animals and harsh mountain winds. Inside the walls is a small garden where vegetables are grown to meet the family's needs. The locals primarily cultivate rice and corn, combined with raising livestock and poultry to supplement their income.

Stretching out before the village of Lo Lo Chay is the Dragon Mountain range (Lung Cu), with the sacred national flag pole at its summit in the far north. In the early mornings or late afternoons, white mist rolls in, enveloping the village in a veil of fog, shimmering like a silk painting amidst the majestic natural landscape.

Unique community tourism village

Since 2011, Lo Lo Chai has begun developing a community-based tourism model. Local people have received training in hospitality, food safety, tourism etiquette, and fire prevention and control. Many households have started opening homestays, restaurants, and providing other tourism services, helping to increase income and improve family life.

At the beginning of tourism development, out of 37 ancient houses, 28 were used as homestays. As of October 2025, the entire village now has 56 households engaged in tourism. Each homestay is decorated in a traditional style, with spacious common areas and clean restrooms. Many ancient artifacts of the Lo Lo people are also displayed inside the houses.

The traditional earthen houses have been converted into homestays.

Photo: LE HONG KHANH

The preservation of traditional cultural identity, the retention of traditional houses with their original architecture, the continued wearing of traditional clothing by the locals, and the celebration of seasonal and life-cycle festivals are outstanding features of Lo Lo Chai Tourist Village. Visitors can experience the local way of life, enjoy traditional cuisine , and participate in cultural activities and daily life.

Lo Lo Chai has been and continues to be an attractive tourist destination. Tuyen Quang province has a policy of replicating the village's tourism model, maintaining the core principles: the community is at the center, environmental resources are protected, and tourism is a tool to improve livelihoods without replacing or altering the good lifestyle and customs of the Lo Lo people, which have been nurtured over many generations.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/lo-lo-chai-lang-du-lich-tot-nhat-the-gioi-185251025201113666.htm