A wall built with volcanic rocks is seen in Go Co Village in the central Quang Ngai Province. The community-based tourism village has been selected as one of six villages in Vietnam participating in the UN Tourism's 'Best Tourism Village' awards in 2025.
Go Co Village, also known as the Co fishing village in Quang Ngai Province, has been selected as one of six community-based tourism villages representing Vietnam in the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UN Tourism) Best Tourism Village awards 2025.
A representative of the Go Co community-based tourism cooperative said the village’s nomination dossier was reviewed and approved by the Vietnam National Tourism Administration under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
The five other nominated villages include Thieng Lieng Village in Ho Chi Minh City, Lo Lo Chai Village in Ha Giang Province, Quynh Son Village in Lang Son Province, Sin Suoi Ho Village in Lai Chau Province and My Khanh Village in Can Tho City.
According to the Vietnam National Tourism Administration, the dossiers of all six nominees have been submitted to UN Tourism for review. Final results are expected to be announced in the fourth quarter of 2025.
Go Co Village is located just 2 kilometres from National Highway No 1A in Pho Thanh Ward, Duc Pho Town. It sits along the coastal Sa Huynh Beach, a historically rich area that holds remnants of the ancient Sa Huynh and Cham civilisations.
Archaeological discoveries in the village include Sa Huynh grave jars dating from 1000 BC to AD 200 and Cham stelae. The rocky cliffs lining the sea paths are believed to be remnants of ancient volcanoes. The area was first excavated by French archaeologists 100 years ago and later studied further by Vietnamese researchers in the late 1970s.
Experts check an ancient well from the Champa Kingdom in Go Co Village. Photo courtesy of Go Co Community-based Tourism Cooperative
Today, the village is home to nearly 300 residents, around 80 per cent of whom are elderly. Most villagers maintain a traditional livelihood of farming and fishing, as practiced by generations before them.
The local tourism cooperative has developed community-based services that promote cultural preservation while improving local livelihoods. These efforts include vocational rehabilitation programmes for people with disabilities, who now participate in activities such as craft making, cooking and tourism operations.
Last year, Tra Que Vegetable Village in Hoi An was named one of the Best Tourism Villages 2024 at the UN Tourism summit in Colombia.
To date, UN Tourism has recognised 130 villages worldwide, including three from Vietnam: Thai Hai Village in Thai Nguyen Province in 2022, Tan Hoa Village in Quang Binh Province in 2023 and Tra Que in 2024.
Go Co Village has also been working closely with six other community-based tourism cooperatives in the province to promote sustainable rural tourism, cultural heritage and improved living conditions for rural residents.
