Go Co Village in Sa Huynh Ward, Quang Ngai Province, sits along a rugged coastline lined with rocky outcrops and is known for its historic stone architecture. In recent years, local residents have transformed the village into a popular community-based tourism destination.
In addition to its unspoilt scenery and ancient relics, Go Co has drawn visitors with its traditional houses featuring thatched roofs and earthen walls. Rather than using concrete, villagers have constructed small guest lodgings from straw, clay, bamboo and thatching grass.
Residents use clay mixed with straw to plaster the walls of the houses (Photo: Quoc Trieu).
Pham Tinh, 70, of Sa Huynh Ward, has built a 50-square-metre traditional house to accommodate tourists. He said the design allows visitors to experience the simple lifestyle of a Vietnamese coastal village.
Nestled among flowers and greenery, the houses contribute to the peaceful atmosphere that has become one of the village's main attractions.
"These houses are not only for tourism businesses. They are also a way of preserving the traditional homes of our ancestors," Tinh said. "The space allows visitors to experience the calm and simplicity of rural life."
According to Tinh, the houses are built with bamboo frames, while walls are coated with a mixture of clay and straw. Roofs are covered with thatching grass, helping to keep interiors cool during hot weather and warm during the rainy season.
Visitors learn how the thatched, earthen-walled houses are built (Photo: Quoc Trieu).
Another resident, Bui Thi Sen, has built a similar house within a garden filled with trees and plants. The property is regularly booked by visitors, providing a stable source of income.
Like many residents of Go Co, Sen also makes use of natural products from the Sa Huynh coastal area to create food and drinks for tourists.
"People here collect seaweed, dry it or boil it to make drinks for visitors," she said. "Others produce sea salt on rocks to earn additional income."
The village's community-based tourism model has proved successful. More than 10,000 visitors have travelled to Go Co since the beginning of the year, including over 2,000 overnight guests.
A completed house stands ready to welcome overnight guests (Photo: Quoc Trieu).
Tran Thi Thu Thuy, deputy director of the Go Co Community Cooperative, said residents had so far built 14 traditional thatched houses and were continuing to expand the project.
She said the restoration of traditional homes, landscaping improvements and the planting of flowers had created a tranquil green environment by the sea that has become a key attraction for visitors.
"Local people have revived the traditional architecture of the village while creating a peaceful coastal setting," Thuy said. "That has helped attract a growing number of tourists to Go Co Village."