Why should you visit these 5 pristine Vietnam villages?

Looking for Vietnam beyond the crowd? These five special villages, Thai Hai, Lo Lo Chai, Tan Hoa, Tra Que, and Quynh Son, offer nature, culture, and a meaningful journey.

Most travelers come to Vietnam for its vibrant cities and famous landmarks. But those who wander into its villages discover something far more lasting, a slower rhythm of life, strong communal bonds, and a deep connection to nature that quietly reshapes the way you experience travel.

Source: Freepik 

This quiet, grounded way of life isn’t just something travelers feel; it’s also being recognized on a global level. 
In recent years, UNESCO has recognized five Vietnamese villages, including Thai Hai, Lo Lo Chai, Tan Hoa, Tra Que, and Quynh Son, as Best Tourism Villages in the World. These communities stand out not for luxury or spectacle, but for their strong commitment to cultural preservation, environmental sustainability, and community-led tourism. From traditional architecture and living heritage to eco-friendly practices and harmonious landscapes, each village offers an authentic glimpse into rural Vietnam. Together, they represent a sustainable tourism model where local identity is protected, nature is respected, and the village spirit continues to thrive long after visitors leave.

Source:Pixabay 

Thai Hai Conservation Village – Living the Essence of Vietnam Village Life

Location: Cuong Hamlet, Thinh Duc Commune, Thai Nguyen City

 

Source: Vietnam.vn 

Located on the outskirts of Thai Nguyen City, Thai Hai Conservation Village offers a rare chance to step into genuine Vietnamese village life. This village is home to around 200 residents from the Tay, Nung, and Kinh ethnic groups, which thrive on strong family bonds, with three to four generations living together.

Source: Hanoi Times 

Nearly three decades ago, Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Hai, a member of the Tay ethnic group, returned to her homeland and felt a profound sense of shock at what she saw. The culture that had once shaped everyday life was slipping away. Stilt houses were being dismantled, ancient songs went unsung, traditional crafts faded into memory, and young people no longer followed the customs of their ancestors. Faced with this steady loss, her love for her heritage turned into resolve. She made a daring choice, selling her possessions and borrowing money to buy 30 old stilt houses, not to preserve them as museum artifacts, but to bring them back to life and rebuild a living, breathing community.

Source: Vietnamnet

That vision continues to shape Thai Hai Village today, where slowing down simply means joining in the rhythms of everyday village life. It was this spirit that led to global recognition in 2023, when UN Tourism named Thai Hai one of the Best Tourism Villages in the World. Thai Hai welcomes roughly 15,000–20,000 visitors annually, with about 100 overnight guests staying in local homestays at any given time.

Here's what to do if you plan to visit Thai Hai Village:

Stay in a traditional stilt house: Spend the night in a wooden stilt house surrounded by forest and streams. Waking up to birdsong and misty mornings offers a rare sense of peace that’s hard to find elsewhere.
Join a shared village meal: Meals in Thai Hai are communal. Visitors are invited to sit together with locals, sharing simple but flavorful dishes made from home-grown ingredients. It’s not just food,  it’s a window into the village’s strong sense of unity.
Experience Tay cultural performances: In the evenings, villagers often perform traditional “Then” songs, folk music, and dances of the Tay ethnic group. These performances feel intimate and authentic, passed down through generations rather than staged for tourism.
Take part in daily village activities: Depending on the season, visitors can try their hand at farming, gardening, harvesting herbs, or preparing traditional meals. These hands-on moments help you understand how closely life here is tied to nature.
Walk through tea hills and forest paths: Tea plantations and lush greenery surround Thai Hai. Gentle walks through the village and nearby forest trails offer beautiful views and a deeper connection to the land.
Embrace a slower rhythm of life: Perhaps the most meaningful experience is simply doing less, such as sitting by a stream, listening to stories from elders, or enjoying the quiet. Thai Hai teaches visitors that slowing down can be the most rewarding journey of all.

Source: Pexels 

Lo Lo Chai Village – A Mountain Vietnam Village Vibe in Ha Giang

Location: Lung Cu Commune, Dong Van District, Ha Giang Province
 

Source: Tap chi Dien tu thien nhien va moi truong 

Nestled at the foot of Dragon Mountain, Lo Lo Chai is located at almost 1,500 m above sea level under the iconic Lung Cu Flag Tower. Lo Lo Chai Village embodies a distinctive highland Vietnam village vibe. With its earthen houses, stone fences, and yin-yang tiled roofs, the village feels untouched by time. In 2025, Lo Lo Chai was named among the world’s top 52 Best Tourism Villages, standing out from more than 270 nominations across 65 countries to earn recognition from UN Tourism. 

Source: Hai Phong 

Many visitors describe Lo Lo Chai as a scene straight out of a movie. From above, the village reveals rows of warm yellow houses with traditional tiled roofs, nestled against a dramatic mountain backdrop. These are ‘nhà trình tường’, rammed-earth homes unique to the Lo Lo people, built by compacting layers of earth to naturally keep interiors cool in summer and warm in winter while blending seamlessly with the landscape. Today, many of these houses have been thoughtfully adapted into homestays, preserving their original structure while offering comfortable stays rooted in sustainable living. Around 56 of the village’s 120 households now take part in community tourism, with homestays often fully booked on peak weekends.

Source: Origin Vietnam 

Moreover, the village is home to the Lo Lo people, one of Vietnam’s smallest ethnic groups, and stands as a benchmark for sustainable, community-driven tourism. While preserving their rich cultural heritage, the Lo Lo embrace eco-friendly initiatives: Waste is collected and treated, single-use plastics are minimized, and new construction materials come from locally sourced, sustainable resources. Visitors experience traditional Lo Lo architecture, while controlled visitor numbers protect the natural landscape and maintain ecological balance. These efforts enhance community life with clean water and sanitation access, creating a model of tourism that respects both people and the environment. 

Source: wowweekend

Tan Hoa Village – Resilient Village Life in Quang Binh

Location: Yen Tho Hamlet 2, Kim Phu Commune, Quang Binh Province

Source: Vnexpress International 

Surrounded by limestone mountains, Tan Hoa Village faces severe flooding every year, a harsh reality that has long shaped the lives of the local Nguon people and brought countless hardships. Instead of resisting the floods, they have learned to live with them, turning adversity into a distinctive way of life and creating unique travel experiences found nowhere else. Moreover, this village was honoured as the Best Tourism Village in the World by UN Tourism in 2023 to highlight its special features.

Source: Phong Nha Discovery 

One of the most striking examples of this resilience is the village’s floating houses, innovative homes built to rise with the water each season. These houses are not only essential for safety during floods but have also become welcoming homestays, allowing visitors to experience firsthand how life continues even as the water levels rise. 

Source: Government News

During your visit, you can immerse yourself in a variety of activities that bring you closer to the rhythm of Tan Hoa life:

• Staying in a floating home, sleeping above the water, and enjoying local hospitality while listening to stories from villagers about adapting to the seasons.
• Try traditional fishing and gardening, join locals in simple yet authentic activities like river fishing or tending floating vegetable plots.
• Trekking and exploring nearby caves. Tan Hoa is also a gateway to the Tu Lan cave system, with trekking routes that lead through limestone forests, underground rivers, and stunning karst landscapes.
• Enjoying local cuisine and cultural exchange. Sample Nguon specialties and participate in communal dinners where storytelling, songs, and traditional customs bring visitors closer to village life. 
• Exploring the village by boat or kayak.  In flood season, traditional boats and paddleboards become essential transport, turning the flooded landscape into a serene network of waterways.

Source: tanhoavillage.com

Tra Que Vegetable Village – A Green Tourism Village Near Hoi An

Location: Cam Ha Commune, Hoi An Town, Quang Nam Province
 

Source: Vietnam tourism

Just a short bike ride from the bustling streets of Hoi An Ancient Town, there lies a place that feels like a breath of fresh air: Tra Que Vegetable Village. This serene patchwork of green fields and aromatic herbs isn’t just another stop on a tour; it’s a living slice of rural Vietnam where tradition, community, and sustainability grow side by side.

Source: Tripadvisor 

Tra Que has been cultivating vegetables the same way for over 300 years, using organic methods and natural seaweed fertiliser from the nearby rivers. This creates greens with a distinct fragrance and flavour that make their way into iconic Hoi An dishes, from ‘cao lau’ to fresh herb salads. In recognition of its rich heritage and sustainable community‑based tourism model, Tra Que was honoured as the Best Tourism Village in the World by UN Tourism in 2024, a huge achievement for this humble farming community.

Source: Indochina voyages 

Cycling through the lush green fields is an experience in itself, filled with laughter, casual conversations with villagers, and the gentle rhythm of life that makes this place so special. Each year, Tra Que Vegetable Village welcomes around 20,000–30,000 visitors, with thousands arriving daily to cycle through the fields, tend vegetable beds alongside locals, and taste freshly harvested organic produce. Many leave with more than photos, carrying home a deeper appreciation for where food comes from and how community can shape meaningful tourism.

Source: Vietnam.vn

Quynh Son Village – Timeless Vietnam Village Life in Lang Son

Location: Bac Son District, Lang Son Province

Source: Vnexpress 

Just a few hours’ drive from Hanoi, tucked between limestone mountains and golden rice fields, lies Quynh Son Village, one of Vietnam’s most enchanting rural destinations that still feels delightfully undiscovered. Nestled in the  Bac Son Valley of Lang Son Province, this Tay ethnic community has quietly emerged as a model of authentic, sustainable tourism. In 2025, Quynh Son was recognized by UN Tourism as one of the Best Tourism Villages in the World.

Source: Bao Lao Dong Thu Do

What instantly captivates you upon arrival are the over 400 traditional stilt houses, their roofs adorned with yin‑yang tiles, all facing south toward the valley and mountains, a design rooted in local belief and practicality. Walking through the village feels like stepping into a living postcard: quiet dirt paths, friendly smiles from locals, and the gentle rhythm of daily life untouched by hurry. 

Source: Origin Vietnam 

Quynh Son’s beauty is more than just its landscapes; it’s in the warmth of its people and the richness of its culture. As you stay in a community‑run homestay, mornings might begin with the distant call of birds over rice fields, and evenings might close with Then singing, Vi melodies, or Tan Dan dancing around a bonfire, where villagers and visitors mingle under the stars. 

Source: Vietnam.vn

From the stilt houses of Thai Hai to the stone paths of Lo Lo Chai, from flood-shaped Tan Hoa to the fragrant gardens of Tra Que and the calm rhythms of Quynh Son, each place reveals a different shade of Vietnamese village life. These villages don’t try to impress; they simply exist, quietly and honestly, offering a Vietnam village vibe that’s becoming harder to find. If you’re searching for a Vietnam tourism village experience that feels real, unhurried, and deeply human, maybe it’s time to step away from the usual routes and let these villages show you a softer side of Vietnam, one worth lingering in.