Highland cuisine represents a harmonious blend of indigenous knowledge and abundant natural resources, vividly expressing the unique cultural identities of each ethnic group, the spirit of community, and the resilient adaptation to the harsh conditions of mountainous regions.

Tuyen Quang’s highland cuisine has emerged as a unique form of cultural identity, helping position the province on the tourism map. More than a means of survival, each dish created by the 22 ethnic groups living here embodies indigenous knowledge, natural conditions, lifestyle, and the community’s ability to adapt to a harsh mountain environment.

Amidst the border highlands, the Dong Van ancient quarter emerges as a “living museum” preserving centuries-old cultural imprints of local ethnic communities at the heart of the UNESCO Global Geopark - the Dong Van Karst Plateau.

Soong Co, a national intangible cultural heritage of the San Diu people (2019), is a traditional call-and-response singing style with rich themes ranging from love stories to praises of homeland, labor, and daily life. Despite modern life’s fast pace, this unique melody continues to remind younger generations of their cultural roots.

The 2025 Tuyen Quang Buckwheat Flower Festival, themed “Blooming Highlands,” is set to open at 8:00 PM on November 29, 2025.

From the late artisan Sam Ngoc Van to the Outstanding Artisan and People’s Artisan Sam Van Dun, and to artisans Sam Van Dao, the Sam family of Phu Luong Commune has been devoted to preserving the traditional dance, rituals, and Sinh Ca singing - a National Intangible Cultural Heritage - for four generations.

Cultural heritage, both tangible and intangible, is a spiritual and material product that holds historical, cultural, and scientific significance, passed down from one generation to the next. It is a precious asset that helps educate traditions, shape national identity, foster economic and social development, and strengthen community ties.

In the communes of Quang Binh, Ban May and Xin Man, the Phu La ethnic community, though numbering only just over 600 people, continues to quietly preserve and pass down its unique cultural traditions.

Then singing of the Tay, Nung, and Thai ethnic groups in Vietnam was inscribed by UNESCO in 2019 on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. In Tuyen Quang, Then singing and the Tinh lute are long-standing cultural practices. Since being recognized by UNESCO, these traditions have spread even more widely.

On the Dong Van Karst Plateau, the “backward markets” (cho lui) have long been a distinctive cultural feature, deeply reflecting the identity of Vietnam’s northern highlands. They are called “backward” because each market takes place once a week, but on a different day, moving one day earlier than the previous week. In this way, the rhythm of the market flows naturally with the lives of the local people, connecting winding limestone mountain roads and linking communities across the rugged landscape.

Hamlet 20 (Tan Long commune) is home to 170 households, including 41 of the Dao Thanh Y ethnic group - accounting for nearly 25% of the population. The Dao people here live in harmony, united in their efforts to preserve their native language, traditional costumes, and cultural customs.

Amidst the majestic stone plateau at the northernmost tip of the country, the folk songs of the Lo Lo people continue to echo through time: simple, sincere, and profoundly moving. These melodies embody a cultural heritage shaped by the daily life, labor, and spirit of the Lo Lo ethnic community in the mountains of Tuyen Quang.

Amidst the misty stone plateau, the sounds of the ‘khen’ (bamboo pipe), flute, and ‘dan moi’ (mouth harp) echo across the cat-ear-shaped cliffs. Their music drifts through rocky slopes, blending into the rhythm of daily life - both an art form and a heartbeat of the mountains.

More than just a specialty of Vietnam’s northernmost region, mint honey from the Dong Van Karst Plateau is a crystallization of majestic nature and the diligent labor of local ethnic communities. Bearing a geographical indication, this product is not merely the “sweet nectar” of the mountains but also a distinctive cultural and economic symbol. Therefore, trade promotion activities are essential to honor beekeepers and the traditional craft of making mint honey.