Over the last one year, Action on CBT has been working on a pilot project in Sung village, Da Bac district to diversify local accommodation options. For more than seven years, the village has welcomed guests through three traditional communal stilt houses. However, traveler demand is changing. More visitors now seek privacy and modern comfort while staying connected to authentic local culture.

To meet this need, the project introduces new private guest rooms that complement the existing shared homestays. These rooms offer a different style of stay—more personal, yet still rooted in cultural experience.

In addition to expanding lodging choices, the project empowers local families to participate more actively. Working closely with experienced architects who respect ethnic traditions, participating households learned how to turn unused spaces into clean, functional, and inviting guest rooms. Importantly, these changes preserve key elements of Dao Tien architecture—such as wood detailing, traditional layouts, and spiritually significant corners.

The project also invites more households to join the tourism effort. This approach moves beyond the three original homestay hosts and aims to spread tourism income more fairly across the village. It’s not just about upgrading infrastructure—it’s about building wider participation and stronger community ownership.

Finally, the newly developed guest rooms serve as real-life case studies. Other communities can visit Sung village, see the models firsthand, and gather ideas for sustainable tourism development tailored to their own cultural context.

Ms Hang’s homestay (2-bedroom accomdation – best for family, group of friends or couples)

Ms. Tien’s homestay (best for family with small kids, couples)

Ms. Lan’s homestay (best for family, group of friends)

👉 If your community or organization is interested in visiting Sưng to learn from this model and explore how to adapt it to your own context, please don’t hesitate to contact us at info@actiononcbt.com