Na Tong Village, Tuyen Quang

Introduction to Na Tong village

The cultural village of Na Tong in Thuong Lam commune, Lam Binh district, Tuyen Quang province is about 130km from Tuyen Quang city and about 290 km from Hanoi. This is a village of the Tay ethnic group located in Thuong Lam valley with beautiful natural scenery and fresh air.

In recent years, people have been known to promote the advantages given by nature to develop community tourism with many homestays designed in the style of traditional stilt houses of the Tay ethnic group to best serve the needs of guests for travel purposes. Coming to Na Tong, visitors have the opportunity to enjoy the majestic natural landscape and discover the traditional cultural features of the Tay ethnic people such as the architecture of the house. accommodation, food, culture,  art, traditional legends and rituals.

The name "Na Tong" in the language of the Tay people here means field because this place has the largest field in the region. Na Tong village has been around for hundreds of years - up to now, the village has more than 100 households. In the past, the villagers lived by farming, and weaving brocade. Later, the hidden beauty of Na Tong and the traditional culture of the people here were gradually discovered by tourists. In 2017, Na Tong started welcoming and letting tourists stay overnight in the village. Since then, the name Na Tong has been known by many tourists near and far.

Transport to Na Tong village

Visitors will travel by car or motorbike to the village with a time of 3 hours from Tuyen Quang city and 5 hours from Hanoi city.

[expander_maker id="1" ]

Getting around the area

Visitors can use bicycles, carts or trams to tour around the village and neighbouring villages. Visitors will see sights of children playing with buffaloes in the field, hear the murmur of the cool streams and the sound of cicadas chirping through the whole forest every afternoon. A common sight is to see the smoke rising from each home’s roof, coming from the kitchen a rural feeling, very typical of the area with private mountains and forests here.

Best things to do in Na Tong Village

Phuc Lam Pagoda, also known as Phuc Lam Tu, which means blessing for the mountains and forests, is a temple with a long history. With architectural and sculptural styles from the Tran Dynasty XIII-XIV centuries, it hides the vestiges of a proud ancient culture and religious activities of Vietnam’s upland residents. The pagoda is located on a high, wide, airy and flat land at the foot of the mountain, the pagoda is built in the southwest direction, the facade overlooks the fields of Na Tong village. Beyond are the mountain ranges with year-round white cloud coverage associated with the legend of 99 mountains and "the phoenix flock to find land to make the capital". Next to it is Co Tien Mountain with a mysterious and fanciful appearance. Phuc Lam Pagoda, in addition to worshipping Buddha, also worships indigenous gods, directly attached to the daily life of the people here; this is also a unique and characteristic religious activity of a highland temple.

Cultural information

Na Tong has a harmony between tradition and modern culture, it is a  place where security is guaranteed and the local people are kind, they show solidarity and a strong community spirit.

Visitors to Na Tong cultural village on the first days of the new year (from January 10 to 15 of the lunar calendar), will experience the cultural space of the Long Tong Festival, one of the key cultural festivals of ethnic groups. At that time, visitors will be immersed in the unique festival venue of the ethnic minorities here. In the daily program, visitors can enjoy the cultural program at the homestay performed by the village arts club with performances displaying national identity.

What’s good to eat in Na Tong village?

Unique cuisine creates an attraction for tourists, the main dishes such as five-colour sticky rice, dishes made from free-range pigs, hill chicken, stream fish combined with some wild vegetables such as beef, vegetables, Hoi, Jiaogulan and bamboo shoots. Most of the dishes are prepared by the local people here from natural products available with many dishes both for food and as a remedy for diseases. 

Entertainment in Na Tong village 

Na Tong has dances, flute, zither to accompany the singing of tunes that have been recognised by UNESCO as the Representative Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity; Visitors can also enjoy a cup of corn wine with aromatic leaves, immerse themselves in stall jumping, make campfires, participate in cultural and artistic programs of the great mountains and forests, which are extremely interesting.

Information about accommodation in Na Tong village 

The landscape here is famous for its limestone mountains and beautiful stilt houses. Na Tong village has more than 60% of the Tay people living, so the homestay houses still keep the traditional identity of the Tay people. Houses on wooden stilts, roofed with tile or palm leafs have their  interior space decorated and rearranged by residents to be suitable for guests to rest and relax. Each homestay on stilts can accommodate from 20 to 30 people. Experience Na Tong homestay, visitors not only enjoy the fresh air of the highland, enjoy the unique Tay folk songs but also weave brocade squares with their relatives to create their own identity. 

[/expander_maker]