A Luoi Highlands – Traditions of Hue’s Ethnic Minorities

Leave behind the city streets and venture westward into the cool, misty highlands of A Luoi — a remote, unspoiled region where ethnic communities such as the Ta Oi and Co Tu have lived for centuries. As the road winds through pine-covered hills and verdant valleys, you’ll be greeted by scenes of traditional stilt houses and vibrant textile weavings drying under the sun.

En route to the remote village of A Roang, we’ll stop at A Luoi Central Market, where vibrant stalls brim with seasonal produce, and everyday essentials. It’s the perfect window into the rhythms of local life.

Your destination is A Roang Village, one of the best-preserved ethnic minority settlements in the area. Upon arrival, you’ll be welcomed by local hosts and invited into their homes for a firsthand look at daily life in the highlands. Join a hands-on Zèng weaving demonstration, where skilled artisans will show you how to use traditional looms to craft bold, colorful patterns that tell stories of mountains, rivers, and ancestral legends.

Enjoy a delicious lunch prepared by the villagers, featuring local specialties and ingredients sourced from their own gardens and forests. This is more than just a meal — it’s a cultural exchange shared around a communal table.

In the afternoon, continue your immersion with a palm wine experience, where you’ll learn the traditional method of harvesting and fermenting Đoác — a local palm variety. Watch how villagers scale tall trees to collect the sweet sap, and taste the refreshing wine that has long been a part of highland celebrations.

Then, taking a quiet walk through the village, observing the rhythm of life untouched by modern noise. This enriching journey leaves you with not just memories but a deeper appreciation for Vietnam’s ethnic diversity and resilient spirit.

Return to Hue in the late afternoon, your heart full and your perspective broadened by the stories, smiles, and soul of A Luoi.