Homestay in Vietnam
Do you want to experience real moments of conviviality and sharing during your stay in Vietnam? Cheap and authentic, homestay is suitable for those who want to discover the local life and enjoy the nature. Here are our suggestions for your trip in the North of Vietnam.
Hà Giang
Located in the extreme north of the country, 300 kilometers north of Hanoi, the mountainous province of Hà Giang is home to breathtaking landscapes and numerous ethnic minorities such as the Mông (or H’Mông), the Tày, the Nùng, the Dao, Lô Lô, Cao Lan, etc. The natives offer to welcome you in their wooden houses nestled in the valleys or scattered on steep slopes. They will also be delighted to share their meals with you and make you discover their culinary specialties. At home, rice or corn alcohol flows freely and every moment is a reason to celebrate.
Cao Bang
Further north, the Cao Bang region is close to China and shares with it the minority ethnic groups, the beautiful landscapes like the surprising Ban Gioc waterfall. Here the accommodation in the inhabitant’s house is even more rare and confidential.
You will be able, in immersion, to live unique moments, to discover traditional trades such as that of the Nung forge.
Lào Cai
Spoiled by Mother Nature, this province of the North-Western mountainous region will seduce the lovers of rice terraces, mountains and small wild trails. From the Vietnamese capital, it takes 300 km by train and 340 km by road. Today, many traditional houses on stilts offer accommodation with local people. The hospitality of the owners, the beauty of the rice terraces, the singing of the birds and the last light of the sun at dusk will leave unforgettable memories to the visitors.
Hoà Binh
Many homestays are located in Mai Châu district (Hoà Binh province), about 140 kilometers southwest of Hanoi, about three hours by car or motorcycle. In Mai Châu, the villages have kept their authenticity and the accommodations are basic. You will have to make do with a mattress and a mosquito net and share a room with the whole household.
The inhabitants live mainly from rice growing, breeding and weaving and recently from tourism. Choosing this destination, they are always ready to offer you a real immersion in the countryside. The gustative adventure, the dances and the songs, the visit of the villages, the walks or bicycle rides and the activities in the field and on the farm are an invitation to absolute relaxation.
Son La
Among the localities of this northern province, the district of Môc Châu is a first choice destination. The locals offer visitors modest dormitories separated by wooden partitions. Mosquito nets and comfortable mattresses will guarantee a good night’s sleep. The rooms have been built on the side of tea hills or in the middle of lush greenery. The location is ideal for those who want to taste the excellent local tea or participate in its plucking and production. The friendly atmosphere, local products and nature are the three major attractions of the province.
Lai Chau
The landscapes are varied, from the banks of the water to the superb norias of the Thai, passing through the traditional Lu villages, one of the last ethnic groups of Vietnam with lacquered teeth, you climb the mountain to arrive in the villages of the H’mong orchid growers. The shows are there, the beautiful meetings are assured and the conviviality is there. The accommodation is done in all simplicity, with the families, in wooden houses on stilts in the plain and in the mountains.
Pu Luong
It is a diamond in the rough, everything is authentic! This nature reserve, 3 hours drive from Hanoi, is only recently opened to tourism, your steps will lead you from rice fields to waterfalls, through mountain forests, bamboo woods, via small suspension bridges in small remote villages. You will be received simply but with a lot of attention by the White Thais or the Muongs, the moments which are dedicated to you are unique in this sanctuary of the biodiversity.
Ba Bé
The natives also say Ha Long in the mountains, imagine a lake, three lakes to be exact, that stretch out in the hollow of a valley surrounded by karst peaks, it’s paradise! One of the last sanctuary of the Langur monkeys and butterflies. The flora is not in rest there either.
At the Black Tays you will be received according to tradition, in their beautiful wooden houses on stilts overlooking the lakes, near the caves. They will share with you their traditional songs, their dances, their legends and of course their refined food.
Homestay in Central Vietnam, Hoi An – Hue
Small, traditional and peaceful addresses not far from the historical centers, it’s like a trip back in time. The family houses in the center have an undeniable charm. The sharing proposed by the families to discover their daily life will remain an enriching and rare human experience.
Hoi An
Hoi An, the city of lanterns, an ancient Asian trading port from the 15th to the 19th century is exceptionally well preserved. The city is a reflection of the mixture of Chinese, Japanese and later European cultures that gave birth to this unique relic.
In Hoi An, you can walk between the old houses of Chinese and Japanese merchants, rice fields, shops, villages and beaches, only that!
The homestay accommodations are located in the old town, along the Thu Bon River or on the waterfront.
The families will welcome you in their homes in private rooms with all the modern comforts, they will take care of you and will propose you a bike ride, a boat trip or a cooking class.
Hue
Ville chargée d’histoire, reliée à la dynastie impériale des Nguyen c’est le lieu par excellence de la culture avec en point d’orgue la citadelle des empereurs.
Les homestays sont en générale de belles maisons familiales avec parfois un jardin de pamplemousses. Elles sont en ville et à la campagne, souvent en bord de la belle rivière des parfums. You will have an independent room, the service will be of quality. The many historical sites of this city and its beautiful region offer the opportunity of a cultural and bucolic stay that should not be missed.
Homestay in the Highlands of Vietnam
Cradle of ancient peoples this region straddles 5 provinces, Kon Tum, Gia Lai, Đắk Lắk, Đắk Nông, Lâm Đồng.
Between Da Lat, a romantic city, the little Paris, from the time of the French, Danang and the eastern coast of Vietnam.
Along the way, you will go from the coffee capital of Buon Ma Thuot to the elephant capital of Dak LaK and to the Yokdon National Park, crossing forests with superb waterfalls, coffee, cocoa, pepper or mulberry plantations…
Among the ethnic groups, you will be able to attend traditional festivals, dances with a gong show, visit markets…
Villages are often named after a nearby river, stream or tribal chief and at the center of each is a large house on stilts, which serves as a sort of community center where the council of elders and their elected chief meet.
The houses are traditionally built on stilts with the exception of those of Mnongs, elephant breeders.
The costumes, traditions and cults are very rich.
The ethnic minorities will receive you in their traditional houses dedicated to foreigners in all simplicity and will initiate you to their cultures.
Homestay in South Vietnam, the Delta
Bordered by one of the many canals that wind between the arms of the river, the charming southern guesthouses await you. The long veranda opens onto a large tropical garden where bonsais and tropical fruits grow. An ideal address to immerse yourself in the daily life of farmers and fishermen.
Mekong Delta
The Mekong River crosses 5 countries, China, Burma, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia to finish its course in the south of Vietnam in the arms of a magnificent delta: The rice granary of Vietnam is said!
The delta extends in an immense fertile plain crossed by the 9 new arms of the river.
The Mekong homestays are often small houses, even mini hotels. Some of them have a lot of charm, on the banks of arroyos or in the fruit gardens, they are made of wood and bamboo. Here you will often have your own room, meals are taken either with the family for the small structures or served in a common room and in the garden for the larger ones. The services of these accommodations are numerous and diverse, ranging from boat rides to bicycle tours and visits to floating markets. The delta has various faces whether you are in the cities or in the countryside, in the rice plains, in the parks and reserves, in the north of the delta or on the side of the mangroves in the south and in the east in the Khmer region. Its proximity to Cambodia allows you to join the latter in a nice cruise on the Mekong River.
