Mai Ha Commune Ready to welcome Tourists for New Year 2026

Ahead of the New Year 2026 holiday, Mai Ha Commune (Phu Tho Province) is urgently finalizing preparations to welcome a large influx of domestic and international tourists. Lac Village continues to play its role as the “flagship” – a quintessential community-based tourism destination that attracts crowds, especially during holidays and weekends.

Nestled against the mountains in the heart of the valley, Lac Village offers a peaceful scenery overlooking vast fields.

Located about 140km northwest of Hanoi, Lac Village has long been renowned as one of the most attractive community-based tourism spots in the Northwest. Beautiful natural landscapes, fresh air, a peaceful pace of life, and the hospitality of the local people are the key elements that create the unique charm of this land.

Tourists enjoy the joyful scenery and fresh atmosphere.

Ms. Ha Thi Thin, owner of Homestay No. 12 in Lac Village, shared: "My family currently offers two private rooms and one communal room. During holidays, our homestay is always fully booked; sometimes guests have to book a week or even a month in advance. We are currently busy cleaning, laundering linens, and preparing extra bedding to be ready for the New Year crowd."

Lac Village is fully prepared to welcome tourists for the New Year 2026 holiday.

In addition to accommodation, homestay owners prioritize food safety. Even during peak times, they maintain the principle of using fresh, clean, locally sourced ingredients prepared daily. During high season, each household can host 30 to 50 guests, primarily students, families, and foreigners.

Preserving Thai Culture for Sustainable Development

With a history of over 700 years, Lac Village is the ancestral home of the White Thai people. Once reliant on rice farming and hunting, the village has successfully transitioned into a community-based tourism model. It was notably honored as an “ASEAN Homestay Standard (2016-2018)” destination.

In Lac Village, residents preserve the soul of Thai culture to ensure sustainable tourism development.

Visitors to Lac Village are immersed in a traditional living space featuring wooden stilt houses with palm-leaf or tiled roofs, fronted by fish ponds and lush rice fields. The rhythmic sound of looms and the vibrant, handcrafted ethnic costumes create a vivid cultural atmosphere. Guests can also savor regional specialties such as “Cơm Lam” (bamboo-tube rice), grilled meat, hill chicken, and stream fish seasoned with the signature “Mắc Khén” pepper of the Northwest forests.

Upon arriving at Lac Village, tourists can fully enjoy signature dishes like bamboo-tube rice, hill chicken, stream fish, and forest vegetables.

At night, the traditional "Xòe" dances, Thai folk songs, and community campfires leave an unforgettable impression. Mr. Vi Van Bang, Head of Lac Village, stated: "The village has 123 households, 80 of which are registered for community tourism. This model started in the 1990s and has been effectively preserved. Thanks to our cultural identity, Lac Village consistently attracts millions of visitors."

To this day, the people of Lac Village maintain unique cultural traits to captivate visitors.

Recognizing tourism as a spearhead economic sector, Mai Ha Commune is promoting the proactive role of its residents. Mr. Ha Tuan Hai, Vice Chairman of the Mai Ha People’s Committee, noted that the commune has 88 lodging facilities and 3 active hotels. Each year, the locality welcomes nearly 20,000 visitors. By linking tourism with cultural preservation, the poverty rate is expected to drop to approximately 1.5% by the end of 2025.

Now, Mai Ha Commune and Lac Village are ready for New Year 2026, further asserting their position as a premier community-based tourism destination in the Northwest.

Manh Hung