During an inspection campaign from March 7 to March 12, a local task force checked restaurants and homestays in Lo Lo Chai following administrative changes. Three food service businesses were fined a total of nearly VND 27 million (USD 1,030) for violations.
Ma Doan Khanh, Vice Chairman of Lung Cu Commune and head of the inspection team, said six restaurants and eight homestays were warned for failing to fully comply with regulations governing tourism and accommodation services.
Inspectors found shortcomings including inadequate food safety measures, substandard food preparation areas and incomplete fire safety compliance.
At the A May Homestay-Restaurant, inspectors found violations including failure to list menu prices, improper food safety procedures and kitchen staff not wearing protective gear when handling cooked food.
The task force required the establishment to temporarily suspend its food service operations and correct the violations while completing the required documentation.
The inspection followed an online complaint on March 6 by a tourist who said the restaurant charged VND 920,000 for a four-dish meal, including chicken, braised pork, stir-fried vegetables and fish soup.
However, the pork dish served was large enough for several adults, the customer said. When the bill arrived, the chicken was priced at VND 500,000, the soup at VND 150,000, vegetables at VND 50,000 and braised pork at VND 220,000.
Although surprised by the bill, the family paid and later shared the experience on a tourism forum, drawing widespread attention and concern about price transparency at local eateries.
Nestled below Lung Cu Flag Tower at the foot of Dragon Mountain, Lo Lo Chai is often described as a fairy-tale village for its scenic landscape and distinctive stone fences typical of the Dong Van karst plateau.
The village has become a model for community-based tourism, providing sustainable income for residents while preserving its traditional character.
Recognised as a Cultural Tourism Village since 2022, Lo Lo Chai now has 64 homestay households, five to six restaurants and several other tourism service facilities.
