Had Trang A Chu accepted the offer to smuggle drugs in hopes of getting rich quickly, the now-famous A Chu Homestay near Vietnam’s northern border might never have existed.

After checking the electrical wiring and water pipes, Trang A Chu (born 1982) climbed down from the roof. “The technicians only install new equipment - owners or staff have to handle the maintenance,” he laughed with a VietNamNet reporter.

By the end of last year, A Chu Homestay, located in Hua Tat village, Van Ho commune, Son La province, added four new VIP rooms at a cost of 1.5 billion VND (around 59,000 USD), expanding its capacity to 20 guest rooms.

From a former drug hub to a budding tourist destination

Before his arrest in July 2013, Trang A Tang (also known as Tang Keangnam) was a notorious drug kingpin operating in Long Luong commune, once part of Van Ho district, just 15km from the Laos border. Due to its rugged terrain, Long Luong was considered a drug crime stronghold in Vietnam’s northwest.

Many ethnic Mong people in Long Luong once believed drug trafficking was the fastest path to wealth. In the past, several acquaintances of Chu were part of Trang A Tang’s network and even offered Chu a role in transporting drugs. If he had successfully crossed into Laos and returned with the goods, Chu would have earned 20-30 million VND (around 780–1,170 USD) per trip - an enticing sum for locals in the impoverished highlands.

But Chu resolutely refused. Having witnessed many villagers end up in prison due to drug-related crimes, he chose a lawful and sustainable path: learning to run a homestay and develop community-based tourism.

Initially, Chu and his wife borrowed 30 million VND (about 1,170 USD) as a down payment to buy an old 120-square-meter house for 170 million VND (approximately 6,630 USD). Located on the edge of Long Luong, the house was repaired and transformed into a homestay.

When the homestay opened in August 2015, it welcomed only 30 to 40 guests - mostly travel company staff on survey visits.

Due to its location near what was once a drug hotspot, Vietnamese tourists were hesitant to visit. Meanwhile, locals feared Chu was working with authorities to report them. For safety, Chu had to accompany guests on every walk around the village.

Gradually, he and his wife professionalized their community tourism services, incorporating local culture into the experience.

Staff at the homestay wear traditional Mong attire. Tourists participate in local activities like farming, pounding sticky rice cakes, making traditional Do paper, and using beeswax to decorate indigo fabric.

When cultural performances are held, villagers gather to sing, dance, and play traditional instruments with the guests.

Their perseverance paid off. Just three years after launch, Chu had fully repaid the debt used to purchase the house.

Transforming the highlands through tourism

As drug lords were gradually brought to justice, the region began to change. Hua Tat village has since become a standout destination for community-based tourism in Van Ho, Son La.

Currently, four households in the village operate large-scale tourism services with stable, regular guest flows. The destination is helping preserve and promote traditional Mong crafts like Do paper-making, blacksmithing, and folk games such as Mong-style courtship songs, dancing on stilts, and spinning tops.

In 2024, the total community tourism revenue of the village reached 5 billion VND (about 195,000 USD), a 25% increase from 2023. Hua Tat welcomed over 10,000 visitors, 40% of whom were international tourists.

A Chu Homestay alone received nearly 3,200 guests, accounting for one-third of the total. In 2023, the homestay hosted over 3,400 guests and generated 2.44 billion VND (about 95,000 USD) in revenue.

Ten years since its founding, Chu’s family has invested over 7 billion VND (approximately 273,000 USD) in renovations and new construction. Today, the homestay offers dozens of private and communal rooms.

Chu has also partnered with other households to create a network of lodging providers. Partner families earn an average of 15 million VND (around 585 USD) per month. Households offering tourist experiences - like A Cua’s Do paper-making or those painting with beeswax - earn 350,000 to 500,000 VND (13–20 USD) per day.

Chu continues to improve services. Before the year ends, he plans to upgrade herbal bathing facilities and refurbish guest rooms. He’s also introducing eco-friendly features, such as using leaves for roofing and repurposing discarded plastic buckets lined with handmade Do paper to create lanterns tourists can purchase as souvenirs.

For Chu, retaining guests requires continual improvement in both service and hospitality.

“Even though we’re in a mountain village, guests should experience services that match at least a three-star standard,” he said. His philosophy has earned him a loyal customer base - some families have returned 15 to 20 times.

People from other regions now come to Hua Tat to learn from Chu and replicate his tourism model. He’s open to sharing his knowledge. Currently, A Su from Mu Cang Chai (Lao Cai), A Vang from Muong La (Son La), and one household in Luc Yen (Lao Cai) are adapting their spaces for similar ventures.

“Making more money isn’t my main goal right now,” Chu shared. “I want to help the Mong community build sustainable tourism and escape poverty.”

Tran Chung