As part of the “Eco-Tourism Development at Nature Reserves in Vietnam” project between the WWF and Cat Tien National Park, an ethnic communal house in the southern province of Dong Nai opened its doors to tourists Wednesday.
 
Called nha dai, meaning long house, the 125-square meter house was situated near the park in Tan Phu District. It is made from natural materials and people from the ethnic communities of Ma, S’tieng, and Tay themselves joined in the design and even construction of the house itself.
 
The joint project is funded by WWF and has been conceptualized since 2008. Chairman of the Ta Lai Commune people’s committee Dang Vu Hiep stated that aside from its apparent cultural significance, the house also has an economic value especially to the ethnic people residing in the area.
 
Calling it a “community-based tourism,” Hiep stressed that the presence of such construction in the area will now bring in “stable livelihoods for local people, reduce pressure on natural resources, raise people’s awareness of environmental protection, and promote the culture of the ethnic community.”
 
The nha dai house is the first community-based tourism facility in the area.