Some twenty kilometers from Dalat, on the heights of the central highlands, Chicken Village owes its nickname to a monumental statue of a rooster standing at its center. Inhabited by the Koho people, it preserves a tragic love legend that makes it one of the most distinctive ethnographic stops around the City of Eternal Spring.

Why visit Chicken Village

• Discover a Koho community, one of the main minority ethnic groups of the Lâm Đồng highlands.
• Observe the giant chicken statue, a symbolic monument erected in tribute to peasant farmers.
• Hear the legend of the nine-fingered chicken, rooted in local matrimonial traditions.
• Complete a half-day excursion from Dalat, combining ethnic villages and pine forest landscapes.

The legend of the nine-fingered chicken

Among the Koho, custom dictates that the bride's family provides the wedding feast and a gift to the groom's family. Legend tells that once, the groom's family demanded a singular gift: a nine-fingered chicken. No farmyard in the village harbored one, but rumors spoke of such animals living on the neighboring mountain. The young girl set out alone to find it in the high-altitude forests. She never returned.

Heartbroken, the villagers made the missing girl a heroine. The gigantic chicken statue, erected much later at the center of the hamlet, pays homage to her memory and, more broadly, to the merits of the hardworking peasants of the highlands. Whether the legend is fanciful or rooted in truth, it continues to shape the identity of this place.

What to see on site

The chicken statue

Presiding over the heart of the village, the concrete sculpture represents an imposing rooster. Its size makes it visible from the village entrance and it serves as visitors' main landmark.

The Koho village

Around the statue stand traditional dwellings, kitchen gardens, and weaving workshops. The Koho cultivate coffee and rice while maintaining a textile craft tradition with distinctive patterns. A respectful visit allows you to exchange a few words with the locals, who are often open to meeting visitors.

Ngoan Pass

Nearby, Ngoan Pass rises to 980 meters above sea level, about 5 km from Dan Nhim Lake, surrounded by pine forests. It offers a sweeping perspective over the coastal plain extending to the South China Sea—a rare landscape in the highlands region.

How to get there

The village is situated some twenty kilometers southeast of Dalat, on the road leading toward Don Duong and Dan Nhim Lake. Several options are available:

• Private car with driver: the most convenient option; expect 30 to 45 minutes of travel depending on road conditions.
• Motorcycle: the road is in good condition overall and winds through beautiful pine forest landscapes, suitable for experienced riders.
• Organized excursion: many local agencies in Dalat offer half-day tours combining Chicken Village, Ngoan Pass, and Dan Nhim Lake.

Practical information

• Visit duration: plan 1 to 1.5 hours on site, or a half-day including the pass and lake.
• Best season: the dry season from November to April offers clear skies ideal for panoramic views from Ngoan Pass.
• Access: free entry to the village; respect the daily life of residents.
• Clothing: bring an extra layer; the altitude means mornings and evenings are cool.
• Photography: ask permission before photographing residents or the interiors of homes.

Nearby attractions to combine

Chicken Village naturally fits into a loop excursion southeast of Dalat. Dan Nhim Lake, just a few kilometers away, and Ngoan Pass round out the outing. To extend your exploration of ethnic minorities and Vietnamese landscapes, several sites deserve a visit:

• Buu Long and Long An mountains, another stop for discovering natural landscapes.
• Ba Den mountain, a sacred peak in southern Vietnam.
• Cham sculpture museum, to deepen your understanding of Vietnamese cultural diversity.

Planning your trip

Chicken Village exemplifies the ethnographic richness of the Lâm Đồng highlands, best paired with Dalat's distinctive atmosphere. To integrate this stop into a tailor-made itinerary, explore our Vietnam tours designed with our English-speaking local experts.