About 30km west from the centre of Da Nang, the pretty village of the Co tu ethnic minority group, nestled in Hoa Phu mountainous commune in Hoa Vang District, has lured both locals and visitors with its amazing beauty.

Let’s explore the real life of the local Co Tu small ethnic group through stunning photos captured by our reporter Xuan Son. 

Toom Sara is the name of the ancient land of the local Co Tu ethnic group. In Co Tu language, ‘Toom’ means stream whilst ‘sara’ is the name of a flower.

The Toom Sara traditional village has been restored by Co Tu artisans. It features a Guol house and many surrounding Moong houses.

The Guol house is a spiritual and cultural symbol of the Co Tu ethnic minority group. Village patriarch A Lang Doi said that a group of the Co Tu arrived from the mountainous Tay Giang District in Quang Nam Province to build new villages in Da Nang’s Hoa Vang District.

Moong houses in the village are built from such locally-available materials as bamboo, rattan and thatch. These houses are used as accommodation places, or places for cooking and food storage.

A house built on large rocks is an ideal place for drinking tea and wine with friends, and relaxing.

A tree house model

A ‘Neu’ tree is set up in the front of the Guol House. This is a sacred object of the Co Tu ethnic minority people which helps them connect with ancestors and the gods, as well as pray for peace and prosperity through the year.

Many carved wooden statues reflecting Co Tu people's life can be seen in the Toom Sara traditional village

Space inside the Guol House

Visitors to the village will have the opportunity to experience the distinctive culture of the Co Tu ethnic group, including enjoying the ‘tung tung da da’dance and trying rustic specialities of Co Tu people

Visitors taking a souvenir photo at the Toom Sara traditional village

 By XUAN SON - Translated by MAI DUNG