When visiting Ba Be National Park, staying with a local family in a homestay is practically a must if you want to have the most authentic and enriching experience possible. While there are many options around the various villages, we directly manage and support two homestays that have received excellent feedback from locals and foreigners alike.
Mr Linh’s Homestay
Located in Coc Toc Village,
Mr Linh’s Homestay is run by a local Tay family, and the building itself is a more than 50 years old traditional Tay dwelling. This means the house is on stilts and features several open spaces, one of which, on the first floor, has been divided into separate rooms.
These rooms are all equipped with comfortable beds, fresh linens and towels, mosquito nets and air conditioning. There is also a balcony on the same floor with stunning views of rice paddies, the lake and the surrounding mountains. Guests are welcome to take their meals here, enjoying their traditional home cooked meal in serene surroundings. The bathrooms are also modern, western and kept sparkling clean with hot water always available.
The homestay is owned and managed by Mr Linh’s family, so you can be secure in the knowledge that the money you spend goes into local hands, directly benefiting the community you are visiting.
Hai Dang Lodge
Hai Dang Lodge is located in the village of Bo Lu. The village is one of the favourite destinations for travellers who need to find a place to stay during their trip to discover Ba Be National Park.
Visitors can enjoy the fullest service, including around 20 large stilt houses, each of which can hold a group of 30 people thanks to many small rooms divided by wood walls.
The Hai Dang Lodge Complex includes two houses in the valley. It is operated by a local family from the Tay ethnic minority.
View from the house up in the mountain
At the head of the family sits Quoc. He just retired in 2018 after a rich fulfilling career as a ranger in Ba Be National Park. He knows his way around the park like no one, and is now dedicated to share his knowledge and tips about the park with passing tourists.
He runs the homestays with his wife Zung, who was the leader of the Agriculture Department for the local community, before retiring as well in 2018. The couple knows perfectly the surroundings and are the best advisers you could find.
They also both share a passion for the country historical political party, both are active members of the communist party.
View from the second house located lower in the valley, above the rice fields
They have a son together, named Hoai, who used to live in the city. He was working for the government, in the Department of Buildings, until he realised how much he missed his family and aspired to return to the tranquillity of the countryside. Therefore he decided to bring his wife and child to Bo Lu to help his father taking care of the two houses and the guests.
His lovely wife Thao is a school teacher in the local village. She is fully dedicated in the education of the children, including her own son, Hai Dang, a very active boy.
The two houses are located in different areas of the village. The first homestay is in the heights of the village, higher in the mountain. It dominates the entire valley which offers amazing views on the lake and the surrounding woods. The house has been entirely made of wood 50 years ago, even the fixings are in wood, no metallic nails have been used anywhere. After its renovation in 2018, it includes 7 comfortable beds and privates rooms. A luxurious package in such a down-to-earth village.
The second house is lower in the valley, the views are also stunning from its windows and it offers a surprisingly modern comfort due to its more recent construction in 2014. Private rooms are available as well as a large dorm with 10 beds for smaller budget. There is a lovely garden very quiet, and the major asset of the house is a private balcony facing the lake, where you can enjoy a relaxing time with a beverage.
Their home is open to you, come share and enjoy a human experience rich in memories.