Ethnic woman's homestay, village go national in Vietnam after reality TV spotlight

"For the first time since I started this six years ago, my homestay was fully booked for three straight months," the owner of Ban Lien Pine Homestay situated 20 kilometers from Bac Ha Town in Lao Cai Province, 300 kilometers northwest of Hanoi, says.

"We couldn't keep up with the booking messages."

In April her homestay was chosen as the filming location for a Vietnamese reality TV show.

When the show aired in July, the 36-year-old became a sensation: Her daily life videos drew millions of views.

Thong (front) guides artists through village life as part of a reality TV show. Photo courtesy of Gia Dinh Ha Ha

She says: "I didn't think much of it during filming. I didn't even know how well-known the guests were."

The sudden spotlight brought joy, and a flood of bookings. Her homestay was booked from July to September, even on weekdays. But Thong's family sticks to a sustainable pace: three days hosting, two days rest.

Pham Hoang Long, a visitor from Hanoi, stayed at the homestay in June.

After seeing the show, he was glad the place got recognition, calling it a healing escape with fresh air, great views and tea.

"What made it special was the host, she cooks well, knows how to play the leaf flute, and runs unique tours involving hat weaving, fishing and tea-making."

He said he would return if he could get a room.

Thong and her husband launched the homestay in 2019 as part of a sustainable rural tourism program in which four other families also took part.

It provided training in guest services, safe cooking and homestay management, and provided loans of VND50 million ($1,911) to participants.

In a 100-square-meter stilt house, Thong set aside seven dorm rooms and one private room to accommodate 20 guests.

Her rates start at VND150,000 ($5.70) per person per night.

Though tourism offers a more comfortable life than farming, Thong's family still tends to its rice fields and even weave farm chores into the guest experience so that visitors can better understand local life.

She said hospitality is also hard work, but meeting people from all over makes it enjoyable.

Thong (R) shows a visitor how to carry a traditional basket. Photo courtesy of Ban Lien Pine Homestay

The tours are flexible and built around the family's daily schedule. If they pick tea in the morning or transplanting rice in the fields in the afternoon, guests are welcome to join.

For other activities like visiting waterfalls, Thong and her husband take turns managing the home while guiding guests for a fee.

Thong says: "Eighty percent of our guests prefer to follow our daily routine. Whatever we eat, they eat, whatever we do, they join."

Some guests find the farm work tough and stop midway, and so the family bring in extra help when needed.

Riskier tasks are skipped, and all guests are briefed and asked to sign a waiver beforehand.

Activities like picking vegetables or transplanting rice usually take half a day or more.

For four to five different experiences, the cost is VND400,000-500,000 per group ($15 - $19).

Visitors try catching fish. Photo courtesy of Ban Lien Pine Homestay

While tourism adds new responsibilities to their farming life, Thong sees it as a way to preserve cultural traditions and earn a steady income.

Her day starts at 4 or 5 a.m. and ends well past midnight.

Before sunrise she heads out to the field while her guests are still asleep.

By 7 a.m. she is back in the kitchen, making breakfast. Her husband takes over cooking, their daughter helps when she can, and when big groups arrive, neighbors pitch in, though Thong insists on guiding the guests herself.

A group of foreign travelers share a meal with Thong’s family. Photo courtesy of Ban Lien Pine Homestay

Even with her growing popularity, she remains committed to sustainable tourism.

She avoids overbooking, maintaining a pace her family can manage. When demand exceeds capacity, she refers guests to other families in the village, ensuring the benefits of tourism are shared across the community.

At 39, Thong continues farming, hosting and learning new skills to improve her tourism offerings. She believes in building a tourism model that sustains her highland culture.

"Tourism will only last if the whole village shares in it, and stays true to who we are."