The story
In Ta Van, a Giay and Hmong village in the Muong Hoa valley, homestay meals are built from what households grow and raise: garden vegetables, pond fish, and home-raised chicken and pork. A traditional Giay meal might bring roasted hill chicken, bamboo-tube rice dipped in sesame salt and forest vegetables, simple food that leaves a deep impression on many visitors.
A family-style meal in Ta Van with rice, mountain vegetables and meat cooked the local way. Homestays should be chosen after talking with the owners.
What to order
Roasted hill chicken
Part of a traditional Giay meal.
Bamboo-tube rice with sesame salt
Rice cooked in bamboo, dipped in sesame salt.
Stream fish
Common local dish alongside forest chicken.
Forest vegetables
Seasonal greens from the hills.
Local tips
Don't over-order: highland food is filling.
Combine with the 2–3 hour trek through Lao Chai, or a Dao herbal bath in Ta Van.
A local trekking guide costs about 200,000–300,000₫ per person (2025).
Book ahead.
Say it in Vietnamese
“Cho em một phần giống mọi người hay gọi, ít cay nhé.”
One portion of what everyone usually orders, not too spicy, please.Plan your visit
Opening hours
Meal times arranged with the household
When to go
Green-rice season or the golden harvest season are recommended for a Ta Van stay; trekking is best at harvest time.
Green-rice and harvest seasons are the most scenic times to stay.
Getting there
About 12 km from Sa Pa center, roughly 30 minutes by motorbike via Provincial Road 152. Motorbike rental runs about 120,000–150,000₫ (2025). A 5–6 km trek through Ta Van and Lao Chai takes 2–3 hours.
Open in Google Maps →Good to know
Depends on kids’ ages or terrain
Where this comes from
Listed from local research and not yet checked in person. Share what you find in the VietnamGo app so we can confirm it.
- VnExpress – Một ngày ở Tả Van · Press · 2025 · vnexpress.net
- Du lịch TEDViet – Bản Tả Van Giáy · Operator · 2026 · dulichtedviet.com.vn
- Báo Lào Cai – Homestay ở bản Tả Van Giáy · Press · 2013 · baolaocai.vn
- Local travel guide (research report) · Research