The world's three best tourist villages in Vietnam

Tra Que, Tan Hoa, and Thai Hai are three destinations in Vietnam honored by UN Tourism as "The best tourist villages in the world" for the past three years.

Tra Que Vegetable Village, Quang Nam

Tra Que Vegetable Village is the only representative of Vietnam to win the World's Best Tourist Village 2024 award from the United Nations Tourism Organization (UN Tourism), on November 15.

Located 3 km from Hoi An ancient town, Tra Que ancient vegetable village dates back to the 16th century, surrounded by Co Co river and Tra Que lagoon. Due to its geographical location, which is characterized by a river island near the sea, this place has a temperate climate and good soil, creating conditions for people to be creative and develop organic vegetable growing. Photo: Dac Thanh

Tra Que is the latest representative of Vietnam on this list. Before being honored by UN Tourism, this was also a famous destination for international visitors to Hoi An. Photo: Dac Thanh

The UN Tourism "Best Tourism Village" Award 2024 is presented to 55 villages worldwide, aiming to enhance the role of tourism in protecting rural villages, including landscapes, knowledge systems, biodiversity, culture, local activities including agriculture, forestry, livestock, fisheries and cuisine.

Coming to Tra Que vegetable village, visitors can walk or cycle around, work as farmers, prepare and enjoy dishes made from vegetables. The entrance fee is 35,000 VND per person. Photo: Minh Duc

After evaluating more than 260 applications from 60 countries, UN Tourism recognized Tra Que Vegetable Village's rich and outstanding natural and cultural resources, along with the village's commitments and actions in compliance with the three main pillars of sustainable tourism development.

Currently, Tra Que village has 202 households growing vegetables with 326 workers on an area of 18 hectares, bringing a stable source of income.

Tan Hoa Village, Quang Binh

On October 19, 2023, in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, UN Tourism (then UNWTO - World Tourism Organization) announced Tan Hoa is "The best tourist village in the world 2023".

Last year, Vietnam had 4 tourist villages submitting applications from the provinces of Quang Binh, Son La, Lai Chau and Hoa Binh, but Tan Hoa with its "weather-adapted tourist village" model was the only one chosen. Photo: Oxalis

According to the National Tourism Administration, UN Tourism recognized the rich and outstanding cultural and natural resources of Tan Hoa village. In addition, the village's commitments and actions to develop sustainable tourism are also factors that helped Tan Hoa be honored. Photo: Oxalis

The picture shows a floating house in Tan Hoa village. Photo: Ha Huong

Considered the "flood center" of Quang Binh, in 2010, Tan Hoa witnessed a historic flood with water levels rising 12 meters, submerging most houses. Villagers had to evacuate to caves and cliffs to take shelter.

In 2011, Tan Hoa residents built floating houses to live with the flood and improved them into a floating house model in 2012 so that people could live normally during the flood.

Currently, Tan Hoa has more than 600 floating houses built 100% from the support of "generous donors". Tan Hoa also develops a model of experiencing flood season tourism.

Thai Hai Village, Thai Nguyen

On December 29, UNWTO announced the list of 32 best tourist villages in the world in 2022. Thai Hai ethnic ecological stilt house village conservation area in Thai Nguyen is the only representative of Vietnam.

Thai Hai covers an area of 25 hectares, with hills, large lakes, trees and 30 stilt houses hundreds of years old. These stilt houses have been restored to their original state for preservation. Surrounding the stilt houses are hills and mountains, a quiet space. Photo: Thaihai

In the photo, villagers are drying bamboo shoots to serve as food for tourists. Photo: Thaihai

This is a conservation area in the style of stilt houses bearing the cultural characteristics of the Tay ethnic group, specifically the Tay ethnic group in the Dinh Hoa Safe Zone (ATK).

In the photo, a Thai Hai villager is cooking with a traditional wood stove. Photo: Thaihai

To date, UN Tourism has awarded prizes to 130 villages worldwide, including three villages in Vietnam.

The selected village must be outstanding in its natural and cultural resources, and have innovative actions and a commitment to tourism development in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

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