If you ever find yourself in Da Lat, it would be a true pity not to venture just 20 kilometers further along Route 722 to reach Cu Lan Village. This is an ideal stop for nature lovers, offering endless opportunities to explore thousands of hectares of untouched forest, where human hands have merely brushed the surface to create paths, allowing you to immerse yourself in the fresh, wild air.
The village has existed since the 1960s. The K'Ho people here, beyond farming, hunting, and gathering, sustain themselves through two main crafts: harvesting the Cu Lan tree to craft abstract Cu Lan figurines, which they sell to tourists at Ho Xuan Huong Lake (often called "CuLi" or "Cu Lan," with its yellow fur believed to have medicinal properties for stopping bleeding). At the same time, the K'Ho would venture into the forest to "pick up" the adorable Cu Lan creature—said to have the most beautiful eyes in the world—raising them or selling them to faraway travelers. The Cu Lan is a gentle, nocturnal animal. (Today, the Cu Lan is listed as a rare species in the Red Book.) Renowned for its meekness, when faced with any danger, the Cu Lan curls into a ball and covers its precious eyes with its hands. People simply "pick it up" and place it in their baskets to bring home. The villagers here are gentle, rustic, and playfully Cu Lan-like themselves, joking that when danger arises, the Cu Lan covers its eyes to avoid seeing it—because to the Cu Lan, if it doesn't see the danger, there is no danger at all. Whatever happens, happens. Today, Cu Lan Village has been restored and developed for tourism by GBQ Company. The village offers five main services: sightseeing, team-building playgrounds, camping, retreats, a restaurant, and many wonderful nature-connected activities.
Cu Lan Village officially welcomed visitors in mid-2011 and immediately became a highlight in its first year, helping to transform Lam Dong's tourism landscape and enriching domestic and international tours to Da Lat and Lam Dong. Notably, over the past two years, Cu Lan Village has delighted more than 1.5 million tourists with its unique, Cu Lan-inspired charm. The Cu Lan Creature
The Cu Lan, also known as the slow loris, primarily inhabits tropical forests, mangrove forests, and dense canopy areas in South and Southeast Asia. They are found in countries such as Indonesia, Myanmar, Singapore, Vietnam, and Cambodia. There are two types of Cu Lan. The smaller variety has distinct features: its eyes are wide, bulging, and reddish-yellow, with a mottled grayish-brown stripe along its back. Cu Lan typically forage for food in tall trees, feeding on wild fruits, young leaves, and insects. Their breeding season falls between October and December, with females giving birth to one or two offspring per litter, and they have a lifespan of 12 to 16 years. The larger Cu Lan can thrive in all types of forests, including old-growth forests, bamboo groves, hillsides, and shrublands. They usually live alone or in small groups of three to four individuals, such as parents and siblings. Nocturnal by nature, they sleep during the day—often curling up high in trees with their faces tucked into their bodies, a telltale sign of this mammal species.