The Enchanted Stone Village: Unveiling the Magic of Community Tourism in Cao Bang

A bird’s-eye view of the stunning Khuoi Ky stone village. (Photo: Duc Yen)

Khuoi Ky village is a sight to behold, with its stone stilt houses spread across an area of ​​approximately 10,000 square meters. These houses lean against a majestic limestone mountain and are situated by the clear and refreshing Khuoi Ky stream. In recent years, the ancient village of the Tay people has become a tourist attraction due to its unique architecture and rich traditional culture. The locals have transformed centuries-old stilt houses, constructed entirely from stone and topped with yin and yang tiles, into welcoming homestays for visitors.

Trieu Ich Sy and Ly Thi Diep are the trailblazers of community tourism in Khuoi Ky.

“Back in 2016, I visited Hoang Su Phi in Ha Giang and witnessed the successful community tourism initiatives there,” Sy recounted. “Inspired, my wife and I decided to establish our own homestay, Yen Nhi. We utilize a 5-room house in the village to host guests. The initial investment was modest, with only VND 50 million spent on additional bedding and linens. In 2021, we expanded with Yen Nhi 2, featuring 17 rooms and a shared bedroom stilt house that can accommodate 25 to 30 guests.”

Yen Nhi homestay’s cave room offers a unique and memorable experience for tourists. (Photo: Yen Nhi homestay)

Yen Nhi Homestay boasts a unique location nestled against the mountain and overlooking the stream. We’ve constructed two rooms close to the rocky cliff, offering a one-of-a-kind experience. One side of the room is framed by the natural limestone cliff, while the other sides are built with stone and feature windows overlooking the yard. These rooms are fully equipped with closed toilets, air conditioning, wardrobes, and free wifi. The rental fee ranges from VND 800,000 to 1,000,000 per night. Tourists are drawn to these rooms for their novelty and the opportunity to sleep in a cave-like setting.

As Sy’s family gradually improved their services, they also promoted their homestays on social media platforms like Facebook, Zalo, and TikTok. Additionally, they partnered with major travel sites such as Booking and Agoda to reach a wider audience, including domestic and international tourists.

In the initial days, when a foreign customer contacted them, Sy and his wife relied on Google Translate to communicate due to their limited language skills. However, over time, with training and the help of their university-enrolled child, they improved their ability to interact with international guests. As a result, their homestay often reaches full occupancy.

“In the past two years, awareness of homestays has grown, and we now attract 20-30 customers per day during weekends,” Sy explained. “Previously, my family relied solely on subsistence farming, but now our primary income comes from operating the homestay.”

Nguyen Thi Phuong, owner of Tay’s Homestay, poses for a portrait. (Photo: Nhat Anh)

Nguyen Thi Phuong, who joined the homestay business in 2022, operates her establishment in Ban Gioc village, Dam Thuy district, Cao Bang province. She has learned from the experiences of earlier homestay operators in her village and beyond.

Phuong has meticulously preserved the traditional stone stilt house architecture of the Tay people, including the distinctive yin-yang tiled roofs, wooden pillars, railings, and stone stairs. However, she has also modernized the amenities to enhance the comfort and convenience of her guests. She raised the height of the house, installed a double-layer corrugated iron ceiling to prevent leaks, and laid concrete floors with wood-effect tiles to ensure a quiet and comfortable stay. Additionally, Phuong offers cultural experiences such as then singing, dan tinh music, and bamboo dancing. Visitors to Khuoi Ky are invited to participate in local activities like rice harvesting, stream fishing, and adventurous trekking and mountain climbing.

“We balance work and study,” Phuong explained. “On days without visitors, we tend to the fields and maintain our daily routines. When we have guests, the women of the village lend their support. Our staff earns an average monthly income of around VND 6.1 million. During peak seasons, we hire locals on an hourly basis or for specific events.”

The women of Khuoi Ky proudly carry on the tradition of “then” singing and “tinh” instrument playing. (Photo: Tay’s homestay)

Community tourism has positively impacted the lives of women in Khuoi Ky village. It has provided them with stable jobs and additional income opportunities, such as performing traditional “then” singing and playing the “tinh” instrument. This has not only improved their quality of life but also contributed to the preservation of the Tay people’s traditional culture in Ban Gioc village.

According to Luong Van La, Head of the Culture and Information Department in Trung Khanh district, Khuoi Ky currently has 17 homestays, and their popularity among tourists is growing. In 2023, the district welcomed nearly 1 million visitors, with 5,000 of them choosing to explore Khuoi Ky stone village. Over 20% of these visitors were international travelers. The success of the community tourism model in Khuoi Ky has significantly contributed to tourism development and poverty reduction in Dam Thuy commune. By the end of 2020, the commune’s poor households rate had dropped to only 8.9%.

To further develop sustainable tourism rooted in indigenous cultural values, La shared that Trung Khanh district will organize training sessions on reception, cooking, and short-term English classes for locals. Additionally, they will collaborate with the Non Nuoc Cao Bang UNESCO Global Geopark to establish a community tourism management board, a performance team, and implement a waste classification model for effective waste management.