Asia’s Most Beautiful Village: Preserving Tradition, Building Sustainable Livelihoods

Each August, sunlight bathes the mountains of Lao Cai, turning the terraced fields of Ta Van Commune into a vibrant green landscape that attracts visitors from Vietnam and around the world.

 

By combining tourism development with environmental protection and the preservation of traditional culture, Ta Van is emerging, following administrative restructuring, as a destination where rich cultural identity and natural beauty go hand in hand. Tourism and services are playing an increasingly important role in the local economy.

Ta Van commune is home to more than 60 family-run homestays and high-end resorts, as well as pristine forests and trekking routes that continue to enhance its appeal to visitors. Photo: VNA

Recently, Ta Van Village was named by Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post (SCMP) as one of Asia’s six most beautiful “villages in the clouds,” alongside destinations in China, Bhutan, the Philippines, and India. The recognition highlights Ta Van’s distinctive appeal, where spectacular mountain scenery, terraced rice fields, and the traditional lifestyles of local ethnic communities create an authentic cultural landscape.

 

As tourism grows, the commune is focusing on preserving its natural environment and cultural heritage while creating sustainable livelihoods for local residents. This balance is helping Ta Van strengthen its position as a distinctive community-based tourism destination in northern Vietnam.

Nestled in the lush Muong Hoa valley, Ta Van's traditional wooden stilt houses are scattered along the mountainsides, surrounded by terraces that change colour with the seasons - fresh green as the rice grows, brilliant gold at harvest time and shimmering with water during the planting season. Photo: VNA

 By VNA/VNP