(TITC) – With its “floating houses” and colorful fish rafts, Chau Doc floating village is becoming a highlight, attracting a large number of tourists to An Giang Province. Coming to the floating village, visitors will have the opportunity to enjoy the fresh air, experience the life of the local fishing village and enjoy the specialties of the river region.

Chau Doc Floating Village is located in An Phu District, about 3km from Chau Doc City center. Floating houses and adjacent fish rafts, located close together with bright colors, create a very special village in the middle of a rich river region. These fish raft villages have existed since the 60s of the last century.

The houses here have similar designs, creating a very harmonious unity. Although simple, they have a new beauty that cannot be found anywhere else. The houses in the village are mostly built of wood, painted in many colors. Although the house is somewhat rustic and simple, it is fully equipped with amenities to serve daily living needs. The fish raft is made about 5m deep of star wood and surrounded by stainless steel mesh at the bottom of the house. Coming to the raft, visitors will be introduced to the fish farming process by the locals. In addition, they will also experience feeding fish directly from the raft and can buy fish right on the raft of the locals.

At the floating village, visitors would like to participate in interesting activities such as sightseeing, taking pictures and enjoying fresh fish raised here. In addition, the fresh air and peaceful space of the river will also bring visitors wonderful moments of relaxation. Coming to the floating village, visitors certainly cannot miss the specialties made from fish such as fish noodles, fried basa fish cakes, catfish hotpot, Chau Doc fish sauce…

Chau Doc floating village attracts tourists by its living space in harmony with nature, the culture of the local community and tourist activities. This is an ideal destination for those who love to explore river culture, enjoy the quiet space and learn about the life of the local people. Chau Doc floating village is also a place for tourists to enjoy delicious dishes, explore the richness of the river ecosystem and immerse themselves in the life of the countryside.

If you come to Chau Doc floating village early in the morning, you will see the bustling scene of people here trading. Boats selling breakfast, food, groceries, and daily necessities stop right below the houses of the people. If you come here in the late afternoon, you will see the poetic and romantic scene when the sunset gradually falls, the Hau River and Tien River branches are dyed yellow, looking extremely beautiful.

After spending time exploring Chau Doc Floating Village, visitors should not forget to visit Chau Giang and Chau Phong Cham Villages. Not far from Chau Doc Floating Village, these are the two most famous Muslim Cham villages in An Giang. Coming here, you will have the opportunity to learn about the customs and practices of the Cham people. In addition, this is also an opportunity for you to admire brocade items such as scarves; indigo shirts, handbags, … made by the skillful hands of Cham women.

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(TITC) – Located right at the foot of Lung Cu National Flagpole (Lung Cu Commune, Dong Van District, Ha Giang Province), Then Pa Village has become an ideal destination for tourists when coming to Ha Giang. With the history of hundreds of years old, the village still retains many traditional features of the Mong people such as lifestyle, Trinh tuong houses with yin-yang tiled roofs…

From the center of Ha Giang city, passing a 150km long road, visitors will set foot on Dong Van Stone Plateau. Passing the winding roads like silk strips drawn on rocks, with canola flowers blooming on both sides of the road, Then Pa village appears in the amazement of many people.

The village has been quietly located next to Dragon Eye Lake for hundreds of years, becoming an ideal destination for tourists who love leaving behind all the hustle and bustle and worries of life.

Looking down from Lung Cu National Flagpole, Then Pa village appears poetic, peaceful, nestled among sharp cat-ear rocks. Then Pa village is a small group, with 11 households of the Vang family, all of whom are brothers in a large family that have lived together for a long time, in Then Pa hamlet, Lung Cu commune. Then Pa in the local language means “big field”. Therefore, Then Pa is a vast, flat field rarely found on the Stone Plateau.

At the entrance to the village, there are two rows of ancient sa moc trees. Sa moc is a woody tree with coniferous leaves and straight, conical trunks and horizontal branches growing in layers. They are also symbolic trees of the Dong Van stone plateau because of their strong vitality.

At the foot of Dragon Mountain, there are two freshwater lakes called Dragon’s eyes by the locals. The water in the lakes never dries up all year round. If visitors are very familiar with Lo Lo Chai village with the typical features of the Lo Lo ethnic group, Then Pa village has the typical mark of the Mong people. The two villages, two cultures of the two ethnic groups located next to the two Dragon’s eyes lakes create a very special mark. The most special thing here is the peace, people are awakened by the sunlight, the crowing of roosters signaling a new day.

Then Pa possesses its own beauty in every season of the year. In spring, the pink of peach blossoms, the white of pear blossoms cover the mountain slopes, village roads, and gardens. Summer is the season of lush green corn fields, watching the clear water of Mat Rong Lake. In autumn, the terraced fields of ripe rice create a poetic golden scene. Entering winter, the village is immersed in fog in the early morning.

The entire Then Pa village is located in the Lung Cu National Flagpole area, so the houses are all renovated to ensure that traditional cultural values ​​are preserved. Since 2021, many families have renovated their houses and combined them into homestays to serve tourists. In particular, many households have built bungalows in the Mong ethnic architecture. Of the 11 households in the village, 5 households have currently participated in community tourism. Of these, 3 households directly brew wine, make linen, and cook Men Men. Visitors here will experience the activities of making corn wine, Dong Gieng wine and making Men Men. In particular, the village has established a Management Board to control the quality of the products made by the people, and help distribute and consume the products.

Although it has just started tourism activities, Then Pa village has always preserved and promoted the traditional cultural values ​​of the Mong ethnic group to serve tourists. This is the premise to bring economic value, at the same time develop sustainable tourism, and improve the quality of life for the people.

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Cuisine and lanterns are two distinctive cultural symbols of Hoi An tourism. Experiential tours boost their value and enhance the city’s tourism brand.

Taste to remember

Hoi An’s diverse cuisine is a major draw, with global accolades emphasising its signature flavours. More than just tasting, visitors can cook like locals. Lonely Planet ranked Hoi An’s cooking classes among Vietnam’s top 13 experiences in 2024.

Traditional food tours take visitors through local markets and farming villages, offering an authentic glimpse into rural life and culture in Quang Nam.

Joining cooking classes, visitors select fresh ingredients and then enjoy their own dishes.

In early 2025, Hoi An welcomed international guests for rural cultural and culinary experiences, with expanding suburban classes drawing more tourists.

In 2023, Quang Nam’s food sector earned 1,200 billion VND (up 40% compared to 2019), with many households embracing culinary tourism. Le Hoang Ha, Director of Duy Nhat Hoi An Travel, sees it as a growing trend, enhancing cultural understanding and promoting Hoi An worldwide.

Touching heritage with lanterns

Another popular tour in Hoi An is the lantern-making experience, recognised by Tripadvisor as one of Vietnam’s top 10 travel experiences in 2023 (Travellers’ Choice Best of the Best Awards).

Visitors, especially foreigners, are attracted to crafting their own lanterns and learning bamboo and silk’s journey. There are now 40 artisan families in Hoi An, producing hundreds of lanterns daily, especially during Lunar New Year.

Many workshops now integrate tour experiences. With Hoi An joining UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network in crafts and folk arts, innovation in lantern-making is gaining momentum.

Tran Ha, owner of Ha Linh Lanterns, sees lantern-making as a bridge between past and present, preserving heritage for future generations.

Source: QNO – en.baoquangnam.vn – Feb 18, 2025