Pu Tong: The Sacred Fire Dancing Festival of the Red Dao in Sapa

High in the misty mountains of northern Vietnam, the Red Dao people welcome the Lunar New Year with a ritual that is both mesmerising and deeply spiritual.  Known as Pu Tong, or the fire dancing festival, this ceremony is a sacred act of devotion, protection and cultural continuity.

Taking place in villages around Sapa, the ritual features men throwing and dancing barefoot over burning embers, seemingly unharmed by the intense heat.  To outsiders, it can feel mysterious and even supernatural.  To the Red Dao, it is a powerful expression of faith, ancestral connection and community identity.

What Is the Pu Tong Festival?

Pu Tong is a traditional spiritual ceremony performed by the Red Dao people during the Lunar New Year period, typically between the first and fifteenth day of the new year.  It is organised to invite blessings, ward off misfortune and protect the village from illness and harmful spirits.

The ceremony centres around the alter and fire, which is seen as a sacred and purifying force.  Through ritual chanting, trance and physical endurance, participants demonstrate their spiritual strength and their connection to protective deities.

Pu Tong is a ritual believed to strengthen the entire community’s wellbeing for the year ahead.

The Meaning Behind Fire in Red Dao Belief

For the Red Dao, fire symbolises life, purification and protection.  It is thought to have the power to cleanse negative energy and keep evil spirits at bay.

Walking across the burning embers is not considered an act of bravery alone.  Instead, it is a sacred test of spiritual readiness.  Those who perform the dance believe they are protected by ancestral spirits and divine forces.  The ability to step onto fire without injury is seen as proof of this protection.

The ritual represents:

• Renewal at the start of a new year

• Spiritual strength and resilience

• Protection for families and the village

• Gratitude to ancestors and deities

Who Participates in Pu Tong?

Participation in the fire dance is not open to everyone.  It is reserved for selected men in the community who have undergone spiritual preparation or have a connection to ritual practice.

Key participants include:

Shamans and Ritual Leaders

A respected spiritual leader, often a shaman, presides over the ceremony.  He performs chants, prayers and invocations to call ancestral spirits and protective deities.  His role is to guide participants into a trance-like state believed to shield them from harm.

Male Dancers

The dancers are typically young men chosen for their spiritual sensitivity or lineage.  Some may have trained for years.  When the ceremony begins, they enter a trance induced by rhythmic drumming, chanting and incense smoke.

In this state, they step onto and kick glowing coals, throw embers and move energetically through the fire.  Despite the danger, burns are rare.  The community attributes this to spiritual protection.

The Community

Villagers gather to witness, pray and celebrate.  Women, elders and children participate through preparation of offerings and communal feasting.  The ceremony belongs to the whole village, not just the dancers.

The Ritual Process

The Pu Tong ceremony follows a structured spiritual sequence:

1. Preparation of the fire.  A large fire is built and allowed to burn down into a bed of glowing coals.

2. Invocation.  The shaman calls on ancestors and spirits through chanting and ritual offerings.

3. Trance induction.  Drumming, movement and prayer help participants enter a spiritual state.

4. Fire dancing.  Men step barefoot onto the coals, dancing and kicking embers in symbolic acts of strength and purification.

5. Sacrifice and offering. After the dancing and the throwing of embers, six cockerels are sacrificed as offerings of gratitude and protection. This act symbolises respect to the spirits and marks the successful completion of the ritual. 

6. Blessing.  The ritual concludes with prayers for prosperity, health and protection in the coming year.

Each stage holds deep symbolic meaning, reinforcing the relationship between the human world and the spirit realm.

Why Pu Tong Is So Significant

The Pu Tong festival remains one of the most important cultural and spiritual traditions of the Red Dao for several reasons.

A Link to Ancestors

The ritual is believed to honour and invite the presence of ancestors, who are central to Red Dao spiritual life.  Through Pu Tong, the living show respect and seek guidance for the year ahead.

Protection for the Community

At the start of a new year, villagers ask for protection from illness, bad luck and natural hardship.  The fire ritual acts as a spiritual safeguard.

Cultural Identity and Continuity

In a rapidly changing world, Pu Tong helps preserve Red Dao traditions.  It strengthens identity, passes knowledge between generations and reaffirms shared beliefs.

A Test of Spiritual Power

The ability to walk across fire is seen as a visible sign of spiritual connection.  It reinforces faith and trust in traditional practices.

Pu Tong in the Modern Era

Today, the fire dancing festival sometimes attracts visitors to Sapa who come to witness its intensity and beauty.  While tourism has brought attention to the ceremony, many villages maintain its sacred nature and perform it primarily for spiritual reasons rather than for display.

For the Red Dao, Pu Tong is not a spectacle.  It is a living ritual.  It is a moment when the boundaries between the human and spirit worlds feel closest.

A Ceremony of Renewal and Strength

At its heart, Pu Tong is about beginning the new year with courage, unity and spiritual protection.  The sight of dancers moving confidently across fire symbolises resilience in the face of hardship and trust in ancestral guidance.

For the Red Dao people, the ritual is a powerful reminder.  The community stands strong, protected by its traditions, its spirits and its shared belief in renewal.

Black Hmong New Year in Sapa: Ritual, Renewal and Indigo Identity

In the highlands surrounding Sapa, the Black Hmong New Year is a period when daily life pauses and the relationship between people, spirits, animals and land is renewed. Following the harvest, tools are put away and attention turns first to the household, then outward to the village through festival, music and play. This is a spiritual reset expressed through ritual, food, clothing, music and social life. While many families today align celebrations with Vietnam’s national Tết for practical reasons, the Black Hmong observances remain deeply rooted in their own cosmology.

The Rhythm of the Celebration

Traditionally, the New Year begins once agricultural work is complete. Homes are cleaned. Clothing is finished. Food is prepared. Rice wine is distilled in advance for ritual and visiting. For days afterwards, families visit relatives, exchange blessings and attend communal gatherings filled with games, music and courtship. Normal labour is suspended so that attention can be given to relationships, spirit and renewal. These days, Hmong New Year is more aligned with the Vietnamese Tet celebrations, but Hmong rituals remain unique.

The Household as Sacred Space

The earliest moments of the New Year are domestic and spiritual. The ancestral altar is carefully prepared. Incense is lit. Offerings are made to ancestors and household spirits. A pig is often central to these rites, first presented in prayer before becoming part of the shared meal. The fire symbolises continuity and protection. The house becomes the place where the old year is formally closed and the new one welcomed through ritual order.

Shamanism and Spiritual Renewal

At the centre of Black Hmong spirituality stands the txiv neeb, the master of spirits. Hmong religion is traditionally animist, grounded in belief in the spirit world and in the interconnectedness of all living things. The human body is believed to host multiple souls. When one or more become separated, illness, depression or misfortune can follow. Healing rites are therefore known as soul-calling rituals, because the lost soul must return.

New Year is a powerful moment for this work.

Soul-calling and the journey to the spirit world

During a séance, the shaman is transported to the spirit world by means of a ‘flying horse’, a narrow wooden bench that serves as spiritual transport. Wearing a paper mask, which blocks out the real world and disguises the shaman from hostile spirits, the shaman enters trance.

Assistants steady the shaman as he mounts the bench. It is believed that if the shaman falls before his soul returns, he will die. In this state, the shaman’s soul leaves the body and enters the spirit realm where he can see, speak to, touch and capture spirits in order to liberate lost human souls.

Shamanic language is used throughout, blending everyday Hmong with the ritual dialect Lus Suav or Mon Draa. The chanting invites the too Xeeb spirit to manifest, accept offerings and grant blessings.

Divination, gong and sacrifice

As the shaman chants, he throws the Kuaj Neeb, two halves of a buffalo horn used for divination. Their landing position reveals whether spirits accept the offerings. He also strikes the Nruag Neeb, a small metal gong whose reverberation is believed to amplify spiritual strength and protect him. Villagers may pool money to buy a large sacrificial pig as a collective offering for the entire community. In Hmong belief, the soul of the animal can support or protect human souls. The sacrifice is understood as life given to restore life. Young men prepare and cook the meat while women cook rice. Rhythmic dances take place in same sex groups, each dancer holding a gong and moving barefoot before the altar.

Bamboo papers are laid in a line before participants. The shaman chants over each person, uses the buffalo horns for divination, then the papers are burned and their ashes read to assess spiritual health and predict future séances.

Fire, trance and communal feast

A pyre is built from old ritual papers. As chanting intensifies and gongs grow louder, the shaman rolls through the embers, sending sparks into the air. Others follow, dancing through smoke with stamping feet. Bowls of meat and rice are placed on the altar with cups of distilled rice wine. Food and drink are offered to the spirits before the communal feast begins. The ceremony ends in shared eating, storytelling and laughter long into the night.

New Year Food and Hospitality

Food during New Year signals abundance and generosity. Pork dominate festive meals, often from animals first used in ritual offering. Sticky rice cakes known in Hmong as pav tuav are made by pounding glutinous rice into smooth rounds, sometimes in friendly competitions.

Distilled rice wine is essential. It is used in ritual, offered to spirits and shared with guests. Accepting a cup is part of accepting the relationship and blessing.

Clothing: Hemp, Indigo and Identity

New Year is visually striking because everyone wears new or newly finished clothing. This symbolises renewal and showcases months of labour in hemp weaving, indigo dyeing, batik and embroidery.

Hemp at the heart of Black Hmong textile life

Hemp has long been central to Black Hmong textile traditions in Sapa. It is valued not only as a fibre but for its cultural and spiritual meaning. Hemp grows well in the cool, humid highlands and is cultivated in family plots. After harvesting, stalks are retted in water, fibres stripped, dried and beaten, then hand-spun into thread. The thread is woven on backstrap looms into sturdy, breathable cloth. This process can take many months and knowledge is passed primarily through women. The cloth is dyed repeatedly in natural indigo baths to achieve the deep blue-black colour associated with Black Hmong clothing. Patterns are created using beeswax batik or intricate silk embroidery, often taking many more months. Motifs represent daily life, nature and important milestones.

Spiritual meaning of hemp

Hemp is not only worn in life but is central in death. In Hmong funerals, a hemp shroud traditionally wraps the deceased. This is a spiritual necessity. It is believed that only hemp can guide the soul safely back to the ancestral realm. Without hemp, the soul may become lost. This belief ties hemp directly to cosmology and the journey between worlds. For the Black Hmong, hemp symbolises resilience, continuity and identity. It connects people to land, ancestors and tradition even as modern fabrics become available.

Indigo clothing at New Year

Women’s indigo garments, decorated with batik and embroidery, are paired with silver jewellery. Men’s clothing is simpler but still formal. Children wear miniature versions. New Year becomes a community exhibition of textile skill and cultural pride.

Festivals, Games and Courtship

After household rites, attention turns to communal gatherings such as the Gau Tao festival. A tall decorated bamboo pole is erected, prayers are made, and the area becomes a place of games, music and social life.

Bamboo wrestling, stilt walking, spinning tops, crossbow contests and tug-of-war take place alongside ném pao, the ball-toss game where young men and women meet, talk and flirt.

Taboos and Beginning the Year Well

Before the New Year, the Hmong cut three bamboo sticks and wrap them with red cloth. These are then used to sweep away spider webs and black soot from the house. This act symbolises clearing away the old year and preparing for a fresh beginning.

During the first days of the New Year, certain actions are avoided. People avoid washing clothes, blowing on the fire, eating rice with water, or holding a needle. Each of these actions carries meaning. Washing clothes is believed to wash away the blessings of the ancestors. Eating rice with water suggests a life of rain and hardship. Blowing on the fire may bring strong winds throughout the year. Sewing or using a needle symbolises damage to the crops, especially the maize harvest.

On the 19th day of the twelfth lunar month, which marks the Hmong New Year, families prepare sticky rice cakes and offer them to their ancestors. The cakes must not be eaten before the prayers are completed. It is believed that if someone eats before the ritual is finished, they may suffer burns from fire or hot charcoal during the coming year. This teaches patience and respect, reminding everyone that the ancestors must be honoured first.

These practices show how deeply the New Year is connected to spiritual protection, family unity and the guidance of those who came before.

A Living Tradition in Modern Sapa

Modern life has influenced the timing and visibility of the celebration, yet the core remains intact. Ancestors are honoured. Shamans chant. New clothes are made. Rice wine is poured. Young people meet in games and song. Each year, when winter turns to spring in the mountains around Sapa, the Black Hmong step into a new cycle with rituals that bind body, soul, family and village into one shared renewal.

The Serene Power of Northern Vietnam’s Man Made Hydro Lakes

Northern Vietnam is known for its dramatic mountains, lush forests and winding rivers, but it is also home to some of Southeast Asia’s most impressive hydro lakes. These vast bodies of water are the result of major engineering projects, yet they look entirely at home within the landscape. Their sheer scale and calm beauty make them destinations that feel both awe inspiring and deeply peaceful.

A Landscape Transformed by Vision and Engineering

The region’s hydro lakes were created through large scale dam projects that harness the power of fast flowing mountain rivers. When the valleys were flooded, the geography changed forever. What once were river channels and terraced slopes became expansive lakes that stretch for kilometres, curving and branching like inland fjords.

Although these lakes are artificial, they do not feel industrial. The mountains remain untouched and thick with vegetation. Clouds drift low across the water, and the air carries a fresh, earthy scent. The result is a landscape shaped by humans but fully embraced by nature.

Endless Horizons of Still Water and Mist

Visitors are often struck by the way the lakes reflect the surrounding scenery. On a quiet morning the water can appear perfectly still, like polished glass. Forested ridges, limestone cliffs and tiny floating houses are mirrored with astonishing clarity. The atmosphere is often enhanced by gentle mist that rolls across the surface, giving the entire scene a dreamlike quality.

In some areas small islands rise from the water, covered with bamboo and wild plants. These islands create beautiful compositions that feel almost cinematic. In the late afternoon when the sun sinks behind the hills, the lakes glow with soft light that feels peaceful and ancient.

Local Life Along the Water

Despite their remote appearance, the hydro lakes are living landscapes. Local communities fish, farm and travel across the water daily. Long wooden boats glide between floating homes, fish farms and forested peninsulas. Markets gather along the shores and visitors can often share meals of freshly caught fish cooked with fragrant herbs.

Tourism here remains understated. Instead of busy resorts, travellers can find homestays, small eco lodges and guided boat trips that encourage quiet appreciation rather than fast paced sightseeing.

Power, Progress and Preservation

These hydro lakes are vital for Vietnam’s energy supply. They produce electricity for millions while reducing reliance on fossil fuels. Yet what stands out is how gracefully the environment has adapted. Wildlife remains abundant, forests stay green and the lakes have become a source of both sustainability and scenic value.

They show that development does not always have to diminish natural beauty. With careful planning and respect for the land, it can even create new spaces for reflection, adventure and cultural life.

A Destination Worth Exploring

Northern Vietnam’s hydro lakes are functional reservoirs and places where nature and human design exist in harmony. Whether you explore by boat, hike the surrounding hills or simply sit at the shoreline, the stillness and scale will leave a lasting impression.

If you are drawn to landscapes that feel wild yet welcoming, this is a journey worth taking. It is not only about seeing something extraordinary. It is about feeling connected to a place where power and peace flow together.

Ready to Explore on Two Wheels

For those seeking a deeper connection with these waterways, remote mountain communities and the hidden paths in between, our guided motorbike adventures offer a truly immersive way to travel. We ride through highland passes, along lake shores, into caves and across cultural landscapes that many visitors never reach. If you want to combine the freedom of the open road with meaningful, slow travel, explore our routes:

Ride Caves and Waterways
https://www.ethosspirit.com/ride-caves-waterways-5-days

Ride the Great North
https://www.ethosspirit.com/ride-the-great-north

Join us, breathe the mountain air and experience the spirit of Vietnam with every mile.

Tet in Northern Vietnam: What to Expect, When to Travel, and How to Prepare

Each year, as winter softens its hold on the Hoàng Liên mountains and the first plum blossoms open along stone walls and village paths, Vietnam moves into its most meaningful season. Tết Nguyên Đán, the Lunar New Year, marks a time of renewal, homecoming, and intention.

In the northern highlands of Sapa, Ha Giang, and the wider border regions, Tet shapes the rhythm of daily life, travel, and community celebration. For visitors, understanding this period allows journeys to unfold with greater care, respect, and connection.

When Is Tet in 2026?

In 2026, Tet begins on Tuesday 17th February, marking the start of the Lunar New Year.

Although the official holiday lasts several days, preparations begin weeks in advance and the effects continue well beyond the celebration itself. Travel patterns, accommodation availability, and village life are influenced for up to three weeks around Tet.

What Is Tet and How Is It Celebrated?

Tet marks the beginning of the lunar calendar and a turning point in family, agricultural, and spiritual life. Across Vietnam, people return to their ancestral homes, clean and repair houses, and prepare food that carries memory, care, and meaning.

Altars are refreshed with kumquat trees, peach blossom branches, incense, and offerings. Kitchens fill with the slow scent of simmering broths and sticky rice wrapped in banana leaves. The first days of the new year are spent visiting relatives, offering good wishes, and resting after a year of work.

One of the most visible customs during Tet is the giving of lì xì, red envelopes containing small amounts of money. These are given primarily to children, but also to elders and unmarried adults, as a symbol of good fortune, health, and prosperity for the year ahead. The red envelope itself carries meaning, representing luck and protection, rather than the monetary value inside. For children, receiving lì xì is a moment of excitement and joy, often accompanied by blessings for growth, strength, and happiness.

In the mountains, Tet aligns with a pause between farming cycles. Fields rest, tools are set aside, and time is made for family gatherings, storytelling, and preparation for the celebrations that follow.

What Tet Means for Travel in Vietnam

Travelling during Tet requires thoughtful planning and realistic expectations.

In the days leading up to and following the New Year, transport networks become extremely busy as families return home. Buses, trains, and flights often sell out far in advance. Many small, family-run businesses close for several days so that owners and staff can spend time with their families.

For travellers, preparation makes a significant difference. Booking accommodation early, allowing extra time for journeys, and accepting a slower pace can turn disruption into an opportunity to witness daily life at a meaningful moment in the year.

The Ha Giang Loop After Tet

The Ha Giang Loop is one of northern Vietnam’s most iconic journeys, and Tet brings a sharp rise in visitor numbers.

From around two days after Tet, the Loop becomes extremely busy. Homestays and hotels fill quickly and often reach full capacity. Roads see heavy traffic from tour groups, motorbikes, and domestic travellers returning from holiday.

For approximately ten days after Tet, riding conditions can feel congested, and accommodation options are limited. Those planning to travel during this period should book well in advance. Travellers seeking quieter roads and a more spacious experience may prefer to arrive before Tet or wait until later in the season.

Sapa During and After Tet

Sapa follows a similar rhythm.

From the second day after Tet, the town and surrounding valleys experience a significant increase in visitors. Hotels fill, trekking routes become busier, and transport costs may rise.

This period of heightened activity usually lasts around ten days, after which the region gradually returns to a calmer pace. Travellers hoping for quieter trails and deeper village engagement may wish to plan their visit outside this window.

Village Festivals After Tet in Hmong and Dao Communities

After the main Tet celebrations each spring, villages around Sapa begin to host their own cultural festivals. These gatherings are deeply rooted in local tradition and follow village-specific calendars rather than national schedules.

Festivals typically begin early in the morning and continue through the day. Larger villages host especially lively celebrations, drawing neighbouring communities together. Events include a wide range of cultural activities and folk games that emphasise health, strength, and skill. Physical ability is highly valued, as agriculture remains central to daily life in the highlands.

Music, dancing, shared meals, and rice wine are all part of the day. Perhaps the most anticipated moment comes with the unveiling of newly handmade traditional clothing. Months of winter are spent preparing these garments, using indigo-dyed organic hemp and intricate silk embroidery. Each piece reflects patience, identity, and pride in craftsmanship passed down through generations.

Alongside these traditional garments, some young women choose modern fabrics and bolder styles, often affectionately referred to as the “glitter girls”. Their presence adds humour, creativity, and a living sense of fashion to the celebrations.

Hmong New Year festivals mark the end of the harvest and the beginning of a new year in the Hmong calendar. They are a time for honouring ancestors, strengthening community bonds, exchanging small gifts, and reflecting on the year that has passed while setting intentions for the one ahead.

For visitors, these festivals offer a rare opportunity to witness culture as it is lived, not staged. Respectful behaviour, local guidance, and patience are essential, as these gatherings remain first and foremost for the communities themselves.

Planning Your Journey Around Tet

Tet can be a rewarding time to travel in northern Vietnam when approached with awareness and care.

Accommodation should be booked early, particularly in Ha Giang and Sapa. Flexible itineraries allow room for transport delays and business closures. Travellers who align their journeys with local rhythms often find deeper connection than those moving too quickly.

At ETHOS, our experiences are shaped in close collaboration with Hmong and Dao partners, following the seasonal cycles of land and village life. Some travellers arrive before Tet to experience quiet mountain days. Others choose to come later, when village festivals bring colour, movement, and shared celebration back to the valleys.

Listening to the people who live here remains the foundation of meaningful travel, whatever the season.

Last Chance to See: A Century of Hmong Clothing in Northern Vietnam

Last Chance to See: Clothing, Change, and Continuity

As part of a photo series titled Last Chance to See, ETHOS explores how clothing has changed over more than a century while still holding deep cultural meaning. This series looks closely at what has endured, what has adapted, and why traditional dress continues to matter today.

Today’s focus is on the Hmong people living in four distinct regions of Northern Vietnam: Mu Cang Chai, Sapa, Ha Giang, and Bac Ha. Each region tells its own story through colour, texture, and design.

The Hmong People and Cultural Identity

Throughout recorded history, the Hmong have remained identifiable as Hmong. This continuity comes from maintaining their language, customs, and ways of life, even while adopting elements from the countries in which they live.

Clothing plays a central role in this identity. It is not simply something to wear, but a visible expression of belonging, heritage, and pride.

Regional Differences in Hmong Dress

Many Hmong groups are distinguished by the colour and details of their clothing. Black Hmong traditionally wear deep indigo dyed hemp garments, including a jacket with embroidered sleeves, a sash, an apron, and leg wraps. Their clothing is practical, durable, and rich in subtle detail.

Flower Hmong are known for their brightly coloured traditional costumes. These outfits feature intricate embroidery, bold patterns, and decorative beaded fringe, making them immediately recognisable.

Paj Ntaub: The Language of Cloth

An essential element of Hmong clothing and culture is paj ntaub, pronounced pun dow. This is a complex form of traditional textile art created through stitching, reverse stitching, and reverse appliqué.

Meaning, Skill, and Tradition

Traditionally, paj ntaub designs are ornamental and geometric. They are mostly non representational and do not depict real world objects, with the occasional exception of flower like forms. The making of paj ntaub is done almost exclusively by women.

These textiles are sewn onto clothing and act as a portable expression of cultural wealth and identity. Paj ntaub play an important role in funerary garments, where the designs are believed to offer spiritual protection and guide the deceased towards their ancestors in the afterlife. They are also central to Hmong New Year celebrations.

Before each New Year, women and girls create new paj ntaub and new clothing. Wearing clothes from the previous year is considered bad luck. These new garments reflect creativity, skill, and even a woman’s suitability as a successful wife.

Why Hmong Clothing Endures

Despite major cultural and social change over the past century, Hmong clothing has endured. Its survival lies in its deep connection to identity, belief, skill, and community. Each stitch carries meaning, and each garment tells a story that continues to be passed from one generation to the next.

Why We Built ETHOS in Sapa: For Community, Culture and Connection

1. Understanding the Context

When you travel into the highlands around Sapa, you enter a world of steep valleys, rice-terraced slopes, hillside farmers, and the daily rhythms of ethnic minority communities such as the Hmong and Dao. Yet alongside that beauty lie complex realities. Many of the communities here have long been marginalised socially, economically and culturally.

During his early work here, the company’s founding partner, Phil Hoolihan, describes meeting young Hmong girls who, barefoot and curious, appeared at a camp in the mountains asking to practise English. Their hunger for more than the limited opportunities they saw planted the seed of what ETHOS would eventually become.

In that moment, one realisation took hold: tourism need not be a one-way street. Instead of simply entering a landscape, we could enter a conversation. Instead of only visiting homes, we could build relationships. Instead of extracting experiences, we could help sustain livelihoods, heritage and hope.

2. What Led Us to Act

Phil, together with his partner Hoa Thanh Mai, recognised that many conventional tourist operations in the region follow predictable routes and visitor numbers, yet seldom invest in the people, language, culture or environment of the area.

In their reflections, they asked: could we create something different? A venture that is locally rooted, values-led, and community-first, not just profitable? As Phil writes: “We didn’t want to build another tour company or a feel-good charity. We wanted to create something rooted, regenerative and real.”

By 2012, the decision was made. They moved back to Sapa, started small, with only a few guides, two basic trek options, one laptop and a shared desk. That humble beginning marked the birth of ETHOS: Spirit of the Community.

3. Our Mission and Model

From the outset, our guiding principle has been that travel can uplift, connect and sustain. We believe that every journey should be more than a photograph. It should be relationship-building, culture-sharing, and landscape-respecting.

We operate with four interlinked priorities:

Fair employment and empowerment of guides: Our guides are local women and men from the villages, and they lead the experiences. Their intimate knowledge, language and heritage bring authenticity.

Support for local families, craftswomen and farmers: Whether it is staying overnight in a village homestay, sharing a home-cooked meal, or taking a textile workshop with a skilled artisan, the idea is to work with rather than on the community.

Reinvestment into community development: A portion of every booking supports education for ethnic minority youth, health and hygiene programmes, conservation work and our community centre in Sapa.

Slow, respectful, off-the-beaten-track travel: We do not offer large group tours or queue at the viewpoints. Instead, we walk through rice terraces, stay in farmhouses, join in batik or embroidery workshops, and ride quiet roads by motorbike. It is about time, immersion and connection.

4. How the People Tell the Story

To understand why ETHOS exists, it helps to hear from those whose lives are intertwined with its creation.

Phil Hoolihan recalls the camp by the ridgeline where Hmong girls sat listening, learning English and dreaming. That moment triggered the question: what if tourism could lift culture rather than erode it?

Hoa Thanh Mai grew up in an agricultural town near Hanoi, the daughter of a ceramics-factory worker and a mother involved in textile trading. She studied tourism because she believed travel could be a tool of connection, not merely business.

Ly Thi Cha, a Hmong youth leader and videographer with ETHOS, embodies the spirit of bridge-building: interpreter, guide, cultural storyteller. Her presence shows the model in practice: local leadership, local voice, local vision.

Through their journeys, you can see how ETHOS is not an addition to community life but an extension of it. The guides are voices, the homes are real, the musk of smoke from the hearth, the murmur of family conversations, the weight of a needle in the hand of a craftswoman.

5. Why It Matters

You might ask: why is this so important? Because, when done thoughtfully, community-based tourism can be transformational.

It shifts power: from a few tour operators deciding where to lead visitors, to communities co-creating what they show and how they show it.

It safeguards culture: traditional crafts, stories and landscapes become living and evolving, not museum pieces or commodified clichés.

It generates dignity: when local guides share their own lives, and when income goes directly to extended families, the ripple effect strengthens livelihoods.

It deepens travel: for you, the traveller, this is not about ticking boxes; it is about altering perspective, slowing down, listening and noticing. “The most memorable journeys are not always the most comfortable or convenient,” as our website puts it.

It anchors sustainability: by linking tourism to education, healthcare and the environment, travel becomes support rather than strain.

6. How You Can Walk With Us

If you decide to join our journey, here is what you will experience:

• Trekking through hidden ridges, paddies and hamlets with a local guide who has grown up here.

• Homestays in village homes: food cooked over the fire, slow evenings, stories shared in the morning mist.

• Textile or herb-foraging workshops led by craftswomen and keepers of herbal knowledge, not by outsiders.

• Motorbike loops that avoid tourist hotspots and instead meander through remote valleys, tea plantations and lesser-seen paths.

• A guiding ethos: come with curiosity, leave with muddy boots, full hearts, and friendships that linger.

7. In Summary

We built ETHOS in Sapa because the mountains here hold scenery, culture, craft, community and heritage that deserve partnership, not performance. We chose to centre women guides, local artisans, storytellers and farmers. We chose small groups, slow rhythms and mindful travel. We chose to measure success not just in tours sold but in lives enriched, traditions honoured and landscapes respected.

If you travel with ETHOS, you are choosing more than a route through rice terraces. You are choosing a journey that shifts the focus of tourism from convenience to connection, of visitor from spectator to participant, of region from “destination to consume” to “community to share with”.

Welcome. We are glad you are here, and we look forward to walking the path together.

Experience This With ETHOS

• Join our ethical trekking tours in Sapa

• Stay in authentic Hmong homestays

• Discover Sapa’s culture with our workshops

Snow in Sapa. Truth, myth and the quiet magic of a rare winter

Winter in the Highlands. Mist, Frost and Quiet Days

Winter in the northern mountains of Vietnam arrives gently. It drifts into the terraced valleys on slow banks of mist, settles in the hollows of bamboo forests and chills the ridge lines of the Hoang Lien range with a sharp, crystalline breath. At this time of year, life for Hmong, Dao and Tay families becomes more reflective. Fires burn low in earthen hearths, animals are sheltered, and preparations begin for the new agricultural cycle that follows the Lunar New Year.

In this subdued season the highlands reveal a quieter beauty. Frost rims the grasses at daybreak and thin ice patterns appear on still water. Yet none of these common winter signs can prepare you for the rare and gentle arrival of real snow.

Sorting truth from trend. Snow, frost and the digital mirage

Over the last decade, social media has woven a complicated tale around Sapa and the prospect of a winter snowfall. Photographs of icy railings on Fansipan or frozen bamboo at O Quy Ho Pass are often shared under bold claims that the town itself has been blanketed in white. Visitors arrive with high hopes, sometimes shaped more by digital imagery than by the lived realities of the local climate.

These icy scenes have their own beauty, but they are usually frost or rime. Frost forms when moisture freezes onto cold surfaces. It can create a sparkling, sculptural landscape that feels almost otherworldly, especially on Fansipan where temperatures regularly dip below freezing. These frost events occur several times every winter above about 2,800 metres and they are a natural part of life on the mountain.

Snow is different. Snowflakes form in the cloud itself. They fall, gathering on rooftops, footpaths and terraces. Snow transforms the world with softness rather than sharpness. It also happens infrequently in Sapa town, which is why many frost events are mistakenly promoted as snowfall. At ETHOS we believe that honesty honours both the mountains and the people who call them home. When snow truly arrives, it deserves to be understood in the context of how rare and precious it is.

Genuine snow in Sapa town. Four real events since 1990

Once we strip away frost events, sleet, cold mist and the noise of tourism marketing, the list becomes far more modest. Only four snowfalls have been verified in Sapa town since 1990. These are supported by the Vietnam National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, by climate logs and by the memories of families who live and farm here.

What follows is a clear record of those events, along with detail on how long the snow fell and how long it lasted.

1. March 16, 2011. A brief and gentle snowfall at around 1,600 metres

This was a short, late-season event that surprised many residents. Snow fell for about an hour in the late morning and lightly dusted the roofs and shaded corners of Sapa town. With the sun still strong in mid March, the snow melted entirely before the afternoon had passed. Although delicate and short lived, this was a genuine snowfall, confirmed by official observers.

2. December 15, 2013. A moderate and memorable night of snow

On this cold winter night, snow formed in the early hours and continued until sunrise. Between three and five centimetres settled across the town centre, while the road towards Thac Bac at around 1,900 metres received seven to ten centimetres. Children woke to a world softened by white. Most of the snow faded away by early afternoon, although hollows and forest edges held onto their pale covering for a little longer. This was the longest lasting town snowfall since 1990.

3. February 19, 2014. A short lived but authentic winter moment

This was another verified snowfall, although very light. Between half a centimetre and one centimetre gathered on cars and rooftops before melting almost immediately. The snow fell for less than forty minutes. It is sometimes confused with the frost and residual ice that appeared on nearby passes that same week, but the snowfall in town was real, if fleeting.

4. January 24 to 25, 2016. The largest modern snowfall in Sapa town

This was a remarkable winter event driven by a strong cold surge from the north. Snow fell for many hours through the night and into the morning. In the town centre eight to twelve centimetres settled. Higher regions above 1,900 metres saw more than twenty centimetres. Sapa town kept its winter coat for around thirty six to forty eight hours. North facing areas held snow until the morning of 27 January. This is one of the very few moments in living memory when Sapa experienced genuine snow cover that lasted more than a single day.

These are the only four events in over three decades that meet all the conditions of genuine snow. Tested against community knowledge, confirmed by meteorologists and visible in photographs that show clear snowfall and accumulation within Sapa town itself, they form a quiet and honest history.

Fansipan. A mountain that keeps its own winter story

The story changes dramatically as you climb. Fansipan rises to 3,143 metres, which places its summit in a climate zone entirely different from that of Sapa town. Here, temperatures fall below freezing much more often. Clouds wrap themselves around the ridge lines with icy intensity. Proper snow, not just frost, falls several times a decade.

When we remove frost events and retain only verified snowfall, the historical pattern becomes clearer.

Confirmed Fansipan snowfall years since 1990

Meteorological logs, summit staff reports and independent observations show genuine snowfall in the following years.

2013 to 2014 winter

Fansipan experienced several snowfalls between December and February. Accumulation typically ranged from five to fifteen centimetres and the snow often lingered for one to three days.

January 2016

This was the same cold surge that brought heavy snow to Sapa town. Fansipan recorded more than twenty to thirty centimetres of snow at the summit. Because daytime temperatures remained below freezing, the snow lasted several days.

December 2017

A genuine and heavy snowfall of around ten centimetres settled on the summit and remained for one to two days.

December 2020 to February 2021

This period brought multiple snowfalls. One early February event reached around sixty centimetres, thought to be one of the deepest recorded layers on Fansipan. Snow remained in shaded areas for two to four days.

December 2022 to January 2023

Two separate cold surges created light to moderate snowfall at the summit, with layers lasting between twelve and forty eight hours.

January 2025

A clear snowfall was recorded at the summit with a light to moderate layer lasting less than twenty four hours.

Although snow on Fansipan is not a daily winter occurrence, it is markedly more frequent than in Sapa town. The upper mountain sits in a cooler band where genuine snowfall happens often enough to form part of the mountain’s seasonal rhythm.

How long does snow really last

Even in strong winters, snow in Sapa town is a brief visitor. Most events melt within a few hours. Only the 2016 snowfall created a lasting layer that held for around two days. Fansipan is more resilient. Here, snow can remain for one to three days in most genuine events and longer in the heavier winters of 2016 and 2021. Frost, by contrast, can linger for many days, but frost is not snow and has a different feel entirely.

Why Sapa becomes so special when real snow falls

Snow and the Rhythm of Mountain Life

When snow does arrive in Sapa, the mountains take on a rare and delicate quiet. Terraces that for most of the year glow green or gold are softened with a pale blanket. The scent of woodsmoke drifts further in the cold air. Hmong and Dao families step outside to watch the sky, sometimes amused, sometimes reflective. Children gather snow into cupped hands and carry it indoors for a moment of delight. Daily tasks continue, yet with a lightness that comes from witnessing something so unexpected.

A More Reflective Way of Travelling

Snow softens the familiar and invites us to look again at the world we think we know. It encourages slower travel. Fireside meals become comforting rituals. Walks through the valleys feel more contemplative. A simple cup of warm herbal tea becomes a moment to savour. These are the things we hold close at ETHOS, because they reflect the lived wisdom of our community partners.

When is snow most likely to fall

Snow is always rare in Sapa town and should never be the sole reason to plan a journey. Travellers who arrive with that expectation risk disappointment because snowfall cannot be predicted reliably more than a day or two in advance. Still, some months hold more potential than others.

The Best Months for Snowfall

Snow in Sapa and on Fansipan is most likely between mid December and early February. These months mark the heart of the northeast monsoon, when cold air masses travel southwards and occasionally collide with moist air over the Hoang Lien range. If snow falls in the town at all, it almost always happens within this window. On Fansipan the same period brings the best chance of genuine snowfall, although frost appears regularly from November through February.

Travelling with the Right Expectations

The right approach is to travel for the culture, the landscapes and the generosity of the communities who welcome you. If the mountains choose to offer snow, consider it a gift rather than a guarantee.

Honest weather, honest storytelling

At ETHOS we believe that clarity helps deepen respect for the land and its people. Snow in Sapa is rare, beautiful and short lived. Frost and rime are part of the highland character and deserve their own appreciation without being mistaken for something else. Fansipan holds a wilder winter, but even there the whiteness arrives and fades on the mountain’s own terms.

These mountains do not need embellishment. Their truth is richer than any advertisement. Whether the terraces lie green, gold or white, the winter season in northern Vietnam invites travellers to slow down, look closely and connect with the communities who shape their stories among these hills.

If you walk with us, we will help you experience the mountains in their fullest honesty. Snow may fall, or it may not, but the warmth of a village hearth, the rhythm of a highland path and the spirit of the people who live here will always be waiting.

The Heart of the Highlands: The Hmong and Their Water Buffalo

Strength in the Fields

In the mist-covered highlands of northern Vietnam, water buffalo have long stood as steady companions to the Hmong people. They are not merely animals of burden; they are the pulse of rural life. Their strength and endurance make the cultivation of rice and corn possible on steep, uneven slopes where machinery cannot reach. When the plough cuts through the damp earth, it is guided not just by human hands but by a rhythm shared between farmer and buffalo, a quiet understanding built over generations.

For many Hmong families, the buffalo ensures survival. It provides the muscle for planting and the means to feed entire communities. In return, it receives careful attention, shade in the summer heat, clean water from mountain streams, and the steady hand of a child who guides it home at dusk.

A Living Symbol of Wealth and Honour

To own a water buffalo in Sapa is to hold both pride and security. Only about one in ten families in the district have the means to keep them, and for most, they are the most valuable possession they will ever own. Beyond their labour, buffalo represent wealth, stability, and prestige. Their presence at cultural rituals, particularly funerals, underscores their deep spiritual importance.

For the Hmong, the animal embodies prosperity and endurance. Its image appears in folk tales, songs, and embroidery patterns that tell stories of strength and loyalty. It stands as a quiet symbol of the patience required to live in harmony with the mountains.

Guardians of the Land

Between September and April, when the fields lie fallow, buffalo roam semi-wild across the forests and valleys of Sapa. As planting season approaches, they are brought back to graze under watchful eyes. Children often take on this role, herding the animals with laughter and care, ensuring they stay clear of the tender new shoots of rice and corn.

Families work together to protect them, repairing fences, building shelters, and collecting forage. It is a labour of respect, an act of reciprocity. The health of the buffalo is tied to the well-being of the family itself.

A Bond Beyond Work

It might sound strange to those who have never lived alongside them, but water buffalo are often treated as part of the family. They are spoken to softly, their moods understood, their habits anticipated. Farmers know the sound of their calls as well as their own children’s voices. When a buffalo falls ill, the worry is genuine, almost personal.

This bond is rooted in necessity, yes, but also in affection. Over time, work shared under sun and rain builds something deeper than utility. It becomes companionship, one that bridges the fragile line between human and animal.

The Spirit of the Mountains

In Hmong culture, the water buffalo stands as a reminder that strength is not loud or boastful; it is steady, enduring, and gentle when it needs to be. These animals carry the land’s memory in every step, shaping terraces, feeding families, and quietly weaving themselves into the rhythm of mountain life.

They are, in the truest sense, the heart of the highlands.

The La Chí People of Northern Vietnam: Guardians of Ancient Traditions

The La Chí People: A Living Heritage of Northern Vietnam

Nestled among the misty mountains of Hà Giang and Lào Cai, the La Chí people are one of Vietnam’s most fascinating ethnic communities. With a population of just over 15,000, they live peaceful, sedentary lives in close-knit villages. Their world revolves around cotton cultivation, community traditions and a deep respect for their ancestors.

Family and Belief: The Heart of La Chí Life

La Chí families follow a patriarchal structure where the father, or later the eldest son, guides all aspects of daily life from production and marriage to relationships within the village.

The La Chí believe each person has twelve souls, two of which rest on the shoulders and are considered the most vital. Ancestor worship plays an important role, honouring forebears for three generations, from the father to the great-grandfather. Religious life is well organised, with rituals and customs carefully maintained.

Homes in the Hills: Life in Stilt Houses

Traditional La Chí houses are built on stilts, often surrounded by fields of indigo and rice. The lower level is home to the family kitchen, while the upper living space is divided into three compartments, around six metres wide and seven metres long. A wooden staircase connects the two floors, symbolising the bridge between earth and sky a fitting metaphor for the La Chí connection to both nature and spirit.

Stories Passed Down by Word of Mouth

Knowledge among the La Chí is shared through generations by storytelling. Elders pass on wisdom through legends and fairy tales that teach children about the mysteries of the natural world and the values of their culture. These oral traditions help preserve their history and identity.

A Unique Custom: Exchanging Children

One of the La Chí’s most distinctive traditions involves child exchange between families. When a family wishes for a boy but has a girl, they may offer the child to another household seeking a daughter. The new parents visit, suggest a name and observe the baby’s reaction. A crying infant is believed to refuse, while a calm one accepts the name and joins the new family. This practice, free of taboo, helps maintain population balance and strengthens community bonds.

Masters of the Terraces and the Land

The La Chí are believed to be among the earliest settlers in Hà Giang and Lào Cai. Their ancient tales reference the creation of terraced rice fields; now among Vietnam’s most iconic landscapes. Today, they remain skilled cultivators, tending wet rice fields, growing cotton, indigo and, more recently, cinnamon for trade.

Indigo Elegance: The La Chí Woman’s Dress

La Chí women wear stunning handwoven indigo-dyed clothing. Their outfit includes a four-panel cotton dress with a front split, an embroidered bodice, a cloth belt and a long headdress. The headdress and lapels are decorated with delicate silk embroidery, all in rich shades of indigo.

Creating one complete outfit can take several months, beginning with planting cotton, spinning and weaving the fabric, dyeing it in natural indigo and finishing it with intricate embroidery. Each piece is a testament to patience, skill and pride in their cultural identity.

Preserving a Living Culture

The La Chí people are more than an ancient community they are living storytellers of Vietnam’s northern highlands. Through their textiles, beliefs and traditions, they remind us that culture is not just inherited, it is nurtured with love and lived every day.

The Wisdom Keepers of ETHOS

When people ask what makes ETHOS different, we might talk about routes, homestays and workshops, yet the real answer sits deeper. Many of our experiences begin not with a map, but with a slow conversation beside a kitchen fire, shared with someone who has lived through almost a century of change in the highlands.

We call them our ETHOS elders. They are Hmong, Dao and neighbours from other ethnic groups, aged between 76 and 99. Some move slowly now, some stay close to home, yet their experience shapes almost everything we do.

Before Roads, Hotels and Tour Buses

A Valley With No Engines

If you stand on a ridge at dawn, watching the terraces shift from dark blue to gold, it is tempting to imagine that things have always looked this way. Our elders remind us that they have not. There were no cars in Sapa, no electricity humming through homes, no backpackers comparing trekking apps.

The houses were smaller and darker, lit only by torches or tiny oil lamps. Families grew almost everything themselves. Maize drying above the fire, a plot of rice clinging to a steep bank, simple greens plucked from the forest edge. Children learned not through textbooks, but through listening to stories told softly in Hmong or Dao.

Life was not easy, yet it felt anchored. Days followed farming rhythms. Nights followed the gentle hush of wind, rather than an electric buzz. The elders speak of it plainly, without romanticising or criticising, simply as a memory that still tastes real.

Living Through Change

Hunger, Conflict and Shifting Rules

Most elders have lived through events that younger people only study from a distance. Wars that moved through the border region. Long hungry months when harvests failed. New governments arriving with new expectations for how people should speak, dress and behave.

Some hid in forests during bombardments. Others sold heirloom silver jewellery to buy rice. Families relocated when valleys flooded or when land rights changed. They endured loss, uncertainty and constant adaptation, yet held on to language, ritual and textile knowledge with astonishing strength.

Their stories do not follow perfect timelines. One memory drifts into another. A tale about tending buffalo wanders into a reflection about how the forest once sounded thicker and more alive. History here behaves like fabric; it folds, layers and overlaps.

How Elders Shape Our Work

Guidance Beside the Fire

Before finalising any new route or community activity, we visit elders for advice. Sometimes we sit in courtyards surrounded by maize, other times in smoky kitchens where pots simmer quietly. There is usually tea and sometimes gentle teasing or blunt honesty.

An elder might explain that a beautiful waterfall should not be photographed in certain months, or that a particular forest is part of a clan’s spiritual world, so paths must avoid it. Another might ask us to consider an old settlement that could tell an overlooked story.

Outsiders might see only dramatic scenery, yet elders see boundaries, spirits, ceremonial sites and memories that cannot be found on a map.

Learning Through Presence

The Fire Becomes a Classroom

The most meaningful moments for guests often arrive when the trekking boots are off and daylight fades. An elder may unroll hemp cloth to demonstrate batik, explaining each motif and its link to fertility, weather or clan identity. The room becomes a quiet circle of shared listening, where even relatives pause to learn again.

Sometimes someone sings a courting song that no young person remembers. Other nights a shaman drum is brought out, its symbols fading yet still powerful. Silver jewellery is explained piece by piece, each item tied to marriage, birth or migration.

These are not staged performances. They are real exchanges that happen because trust exists and because elders have chosen to share knowledge that might otherwise fade.

Bridging Generations

Young Guides and Old Knowledge

Many of our guides are in their twenties or thirties. They speak multiple languages, use smartphones and connect with travellers easily. Elders watch this with pride and mild worry. They want progress, yet they fear the loss of language, motifs and ritual.

By inviting travellers to learn, elders see proof that their heritage still matters. After a storytelling session, an elder who began shy may end the evening animated and eager to share more next time. It becomes a small but powerful exchange between generations.

Ethics In Practice

Accountability Rooted in Respect

Elders help us stay grounded. They tell us when a trail must close or when a village needs rest from visitors. We follow their lead even when it disrupts plans, because ethical travel is not a slogan for us. It is a relationship that must remain alive, honest and humble.

Without elders, ETHOS would still exist, but the depth would be gone. We might still trek these mountains, but we would not understand their stories or their silences.

Final Thought

Community elders share history and remind us that culture is a living current, not an archive. It slows, bends and sometimes disappears, yet with attention it can keep flowing.

We walk with them not to preserve the past perfectly, but to let it breathe into the present, step by slow step, fire by fire, voice by voice.

Join our Team

If you would like your journey to be shaped by lived wisdom rather than standard itineraries, reach out and begin a conversation with our team. We will help you travel with intention, curiosity and respect.

A Smile Across the Mountains

The Sisters Who Waited for Time to Catch Up

Though separated by less than five miles of steep terrain, sisters Lý Ca Su and Lý Lỳ Chí had not seen one another for over sixteen years. Their final years unfolded in quiet solitude, filled with longing, memory, and the ache of distance. The eldest sister had long since passed away, lost to hunger during a time of great scarcity; a sorrow that lingered in every conversation that followed.

The sisters belonged to the La Hủ ethnic group, one of Vietnam’s smallest and most secluded communities, numbering fewer than ten thousand. For generations, the La Hủ lived as semi-nomadic hunters, following the forest’s rhythm across the misted highlands of the far northwest. Change came suddenly in 1996, when hydroelectric projects and government reforms encouraged the community to settle permanently. The forest paths gave way to villages and fields. The transition was uneasy, as traditions adapted and some, quietly, faded.

A Life Divided by Mountains

Lý Lỳ Chí left her childhood home at seventeen. She married early and settled in a neighbouring valley. For many years, the two sisters would make the long, arduous trek along a narrow mountain path to visit each other, their journeys a thread of connection between ridges. But time is unrelenting. Age weakened their steps, and the trail grew quiet. Sixteen years passed without reunion.

By ninety-three, Lý Ca Su had gone completely blind. Her younger sister, at one hundred and three, could still see, but her hearing had faded almost entirely. With no literacy, there were no letters. With no electricity, no phones. The silence between them stretched impossibly wide.

Progress Arrives Too Late

In 2019, a new road was completed linking their villages. What had once taken days could now be done in two hours. Yet for the sisters, it changed nothing. Neither could ride a motorcycle, and there were no cars or buses. Even electricity remained a rumour. The distance was only five miles, but it might as well have been a hundred.

And still, life has its small mercies.

The Photograph That Crossed Mountains

Two years earlier, photographer Réhahn had taken a portrait of Lý Ca Su. Her face, deeply lined, seemed to hold entire lifetimes. Her smile was gentle; the kind that hums quietly rather than shouts. When ETHOS visited the La Hủ villages, they carried that photograph with them and showed it to Lý Lỳ Chí.

For a brief, trembling moment, her eyes brightened. Recognition flickered. The years fell away. She saw her sister’s face again, if only in an image. Tears came, soft and sudden. There was reunion — not in person, but in spirit.

What Remains

Now both sisters have passed beyond this world, and that single photograph holds what words cannot. A connection unbroken by mountains or silence. A reminder that love, in its simplest form, can travel further than any road.

Sometimes, the distance between two hearts is measured not in miles, but in memory.

Thank you to Rehahn for the wonderful photo. To see this and many other portraits, please considering visiting the Precious Heritage Museum in Hoi An.

The Gentle Rhythms of Lao Life: A Glimpse into the Northwest Highlands

There is something quietly captivating about the Lao ethnic communities scattered across Vietnam’s northern mountains. Their villages, often cradled by mist and river valleys in Lai Chau or Son La, feel like worlds suspended between seasons; places where time seems to slow, just enough to notice the details; the scent of wet bamboo after rain, the shimmer of embroidered silk in the sunlight, the sound of laughter drifting from stilt houses.

Where Mountains Meet Memory

The Lao people, whose ancestors journeyed from what is now the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, belong to the Tay-Thai linguistic family. Their language carries echoes of Laotian speech, but with gentle variations that root it firmly in these Vietnamese highlands. You hear it most beautifully in song; a soft lilt that rises and falls with the rhythm of work, play, and prayer.

Most Lao families live in wide stilt houses that blend practicality with grace. The ground floor shelters buffalo and tools, while the upper floor is a shared living space filled with warmth and wood smoke. Privacy, such as it exists, is created with woven curtains hung with pom poms that dance when the breeze drifts through. It’s modest, but deeply alive with care and craft.

Threads of Identity

Lao textiles tell stories that words sometimes cannot. Women still weave intricate brocade and embroider bold motifs, even if cotton now replaces hand-spun fibres. Their skirts, long and flowing, are alive with patterns of trees, birds, and leaves. Each one seems to hold a memory; a season, a celebration, a piece of family history.

They pair these with fitted tops fastened by colourful sashes, silver coins that glint softly against black fabric, and plain black headscarves wrapped with an elegance that feels timeless. The overall effect is both restrained and radiant, a blend of simplicity and ornament that feels entirely their own.

The Smile Behind the Betel Nut

Among the Lao, teeth blackening and betel chewing remain living traditions. At first glance, it may seem surprising, even startling, yet within the culture it carries beauty and meaning. Blackened teeth are seen as a sign of maturity, dignity, and humanity; a mark that separates people from the animal world. The practice, mostly kept by older women, gives them a presence both commanding and gentle; smiles inked with wisdom.

A Festival of Water and Renewal

During the Lao New Year, villages come alive with colour, laughter, and the joyous chaos of splashing water. It’s more than play; it’s ritual. The water symbolises cleansing; washing away misfortune and inviting good weather, fertile fields, and healthy families. As drums echo through the valley, people dance and sing, moving in rhythmic patterns that mirror the flow of rivers.

It’s hard to describe without sounding sentimental, but there’s a kind of purity in these moments — a sense that the world, even briefly, finds its balance again.

The Songs that Hold the Hills

Folk songs, legends, and tales are woven through Lao life like threads in a tapestry. Their dances are fluid, open, and expressive, guided by drums but never strictly choreographed. You see freedom in their movement; a joyful refusal to separate art from life.

Perhaps that’s what makes time with the Lao so special. It isn’t performance. It’s participation and being drawn, slowly and sincerely, into the shared rhythm of the mountains.

At ETHOS, we believe that travel should feel like conversation; sometimes quiet, sometimes full of laughter, always rooted in respect. Our journeys with Lao communities are invitations to listen, to walk gently, and to learn how beauty can live in the everyday.

The Evolving Art of Hmong Textiles in Northern Vietnam

The Evolving Art of Hmong Textiles in Northern Vietnam

The Heritage of Hmong Clothing 

The Hmong people of Vietnam have a long history of creating clothing that reflects their identity and traditions. Textiles are more than fabric. They are a visual language that shows who someone is and where they come from.

Each Hmong subgroup has its own recognisable style. White, Black, Flowery, Red, and Blue Hmong communities are known for different colours, patterns, and decorative techniques. Women’s pleated skirts often include detailed embroidery, batik designs, and appliqué. Blouses and aprons are bright and full of symbolic motifs. Men’s clothing is simpler but still carries meaningful tradition.

Crafting Textiles by Hand

For centuries, Hmong families have relied on handwoven hemp and natural indigo dye. Every step was done by hand. Growing and processing hemp took great effort. Embroidery was slow and highly skilled work passed down from mothers to daughters.

These garments were more than clothing. They showed cultural knowledge and community belonging. Each stitch was carefully placed with purpose.

Modern Influences and Adaptations

Change is happening. Many Hmong households now use commercial cotton and some synthetic materials because they are affordable and easy to work with. This allows clothes to be made more quickly and sold in markets or to tourists.

Some subgroups are responding in a different way by adding more embroidery and creativity than ever before. Their designs are more detailed and far more time consuming to make. Clothing has become a canvas for new artistic expression.

Tourism has created economic opportunities but also brought challenges. Traditional hemp skirts are becoming rare in some villages. Yet hemp fabrics and indigo dyeing are still practised and remain a strong part of cultural identity.

What Textiles Tell Us

When you visit Hmong communities in northern Vietnam, take time to notice the details. Clothing can show migration stories, family history, resilience, and pride in heritage. Patterns and colours protect against misfortune and honour ancestors.

Buying directly from local artisans supports families and helps preserve skills that have lasted for generations.

A Question for You

As traditions evolve, what should stay the same?

Should Hmong textile makers embrace new materials and markets, or is there a risk that important cultural knowledge will be lost?

I would love to hear your thoughts.

Hmong Shamanic Rituals and Lunar New Year Traditions in Vietnam

Hmong Shamanic Rituals and Lunar New Year Traditions in Vietnam

Beliefs in Souls and Spirits

The Hmong are traditionally animist with most Hmong believing in the spirit world and in the interconnectedness of all living things. At the center of these beliefs lies the Txiv Neeb, the shaman (literally, “father/master of spirits”). According to Hmong cosmology, the human body is the host for a number of souls. The isolation and separation of one or more of these souls from the body can cause disease, depression and death. Curing rites are therefore referred to as “soul-calling rituals”. Whether the soul became separated from the body because it was frightened away or kidnapped by an evil force, it must return in order to restore the integrity of life.

Entering the Spirit World

A shaman is transported to another world via a “flying horse,” a wooden bench usually no wider than the human body. The bench acts as a form of transportation to the other world. The shaman wears a paper mask while he is reaching a trance state. The mask not only blocks out the real world, so the shaman can concentrate, but also acts as a disguise from evil spirits in the spirit world. During episodes when shamans leap onto the flying horse bench, assistants will often help them to balance. It is believed that if a shaman falls down before his soul returns to his body, he or she will die.

The shaman is considered a master of ecstasy. It is thought that his soul becomes detached from his or her body during a séance in order to leave for the spirit world. The shaman becomes a spirit and put him or herself on an equal standing with the other spirits. The shaman can see them, talk to them, touch them, and if necessary catch them and liberate them so they can return home.

Sacrifice and Healing

In Hmong culture, the souls of sacrificial animals are connected to human souls. Therefore a shaman uses an animal’s soul to support or protect a human soul. Often healing rituals are capped by a communion meal, where everyone attending the ritual partakes of the sacrificed animal who has been prepared into a meal. The event is then ended with the communal sharing of a life that has been sacrificed to mend a lost soul.

A Lunar New Year Shamanic Ceremony

Beginning the Ceremony

Participants at this lunar new year event begin arriving from early morning, each bringing gifts of incense, shamanic paper and an offering of meat in the form of pork or chickens. The shaman in charge of this ritual, Lý A Cha, begins the ceremony with a chant, using a mixture of Hmong and an ancient dialect called Mon Draa. Even to an outsider’s ear, his words sound different from everyday Hmong speech. The literal meaning of each word has become obscure to many present-day Hmong, even sometimes to those who chant it, yet the purpose of the ritual is to invite the too Xeeb spirit to manifest itself during the ceremony, to accept the offerings of those present, and to agree to provide them with blessings.

Divination with Kuaj Neeb

As he chants Lý A Cha throws the Kuaj Neeb on the ground repeatedly. The Kuaj Neeb is a tool for divination made from two halves of a buffalo horn. They are used to determine which way the soul has gone. The two pieces comprise a couple, and are separately referred to as male or female. When both pieces of the Kuaj Neeb land fat side down pointing in opposite directions, it is believed that the spirits have accepted the offerings and are willing to come to the ceremony to fulfil all wishes made by the participants.

Gong, Sacrifice and Protection

Next, the shaman beats the Nruag Neeb (a small black metal gong) three times while a sacrificial pig is placed on a wooden table next to the altar. The gong amplifies the shaman’s power. It represents spiritual strength through its penetrating, reverberating sound. It also serves to protect the shaman from evil spirits, like a shield.

The villagers have pooled their money to buy the large sacrificial pig, an offering to ask for a New Year blessing for the entire community. Its jugular vein is expertly slit, and there is much jubilation as the first drops of blood are caught in ritual bowls. The animal’s death throes are brief with laughter and happiness deriving from anticipation of the food which the pig will provide, and the prospect of future blessings gained from the animal’s sacrifice.

Calling Spirits and Reading Fate

The shaman follows this by throwing the Kuaj Neeb down on the ground several times, while he chants in Mon Draa. He holds the Nruag Neeb in his left hand. With his right, he alternately strikes the gong several times with the beater. He continues this alternation three times, while he chants in Mon Draa, in order to summon and communicate with the spirits to ask for their blessing (pauj thwv rig).

While the shaman conducts various parts of the ceremony, young men prepare and cook the meat while the women supervise and cook rice. Rhythmic dancing takes place through the day, always in same sex quartets dressed fully in Hmong clothing, yet with bare feet. Each dancer has their own gong and moves together in diagonal lines throughout the space in front of the altar.

Fire, Smoke and Spiritual Energy

As the ceremony enters the afternoon, a second shaman arrives. Giàng A Pho has been studying as an apprentice for many years and is well respected and highly regarded in his own right. Decoratively cut bamboo paper is placed in a line across the floor, one in front of each participant. Bamboo paper is used during shamanic rituals, in divination ceremonies and on other occasions. Today, the shaman chants in front of each participant for several minutes, repeatedly using the split buffalo horns before moving on to the next person. Once completed, the line of papers are ignited and left to burn out. The ashes are then read, allowing the shaman to make statements about peoples spiritual health as well as predictions about when each participant should have their own individual séances.

Next, a pyre is constructed made from the shamanic papers collected during ceremonies through the previous years. These are ignited by Giàng A Pho and manipulated using bamboo poles into a smouldering pile of embers. While Lý A Cha chants in Mon Draa, four other men begin beating their individual gongs with increasing ferocity, reaching a deafening crescendo before Lý A Cha rolls through the embers causing a burst of flames to leap into the air. The other men soon follow, before jumping up and beginning a loud and rhythmical dance through the room now drenched in thick smoke. Their bare feet send sparks flying as they pound the ground.

Offering Food to Spirits and Community

As the smoke clears, two bowls of meat and rice are placed on the altar, along with small cups of homemade rice wine. After toasting the spirits and drinking the rice wine, the shaman cuts some small pieces of pork and puts them on top of some rice, which is laid on a banana leaf, to serve to the spirits. He also pours rice wine on top of the spirits’ food and chants an invitation in Mon Draa to the spirits.

The ceremony concludes with a communal feast. The pig has been prepared as a variety of different dishes and placed upon tables in the altar room. Everyone who attended the ceremony is invited to partake and the room becomes a place of laughter and story telling which goes on long into the night.

Watch the Full Video

Full video to go with this photo story can be found here:

https://youtu.be/RcefnyJeNYs

Red Dao Baby Hats A Mother’s Love Stitched into Tradition

A Living Culture of Craft

Red Dao women are known for their incredible skills in hand embroidery. Every stitch is full of patience and pride. Textiles are part of daily life in the mountains, not only for beauty but also for cultural identity and protection. When a child is born, a mother begins one of the most meaningful pieces she will ever make. The baby hat.

Why Babies Need Protection

In Red Dao belief, young children are still growing their spirit. From one month to around five years old, they can fall ill very easily because bad spirits may come close. Mothers believe that a handmade hat with symbols and colour will help protect their children while their spirit becomes stronger.

More Than Decoration

The colourful patterns are full of meaning. A baby girl often has a more embroidered hat with bright colours and special symbols. Boys usually wear hats with three colours such as red, black and purple.

Coins, beads and pom poms decorate the hat so it catches the eye. Inside the embroidery, the mother often places medicinal herbs which are believed to support health and keep away bad spirits. When a hat dances with colour, it looks like a flower. A bad spirit, seeing a flower instead of a baby, will leave the child alone. The hat becomes both a shield and a disguise.

Made by a Mother’s Hands

Most hats are made by the child’s mother. Sometimes a grandmother helps, especially if she has greater experience with symbols. The design is personal to the family and protects the child every day, not only on festival occasions. Children wear their hats while playing, walking, resting and even being carried on their mother’s back.

Childhood to Independence

When children reach about five years old, they stop wearing the baby hat because their spirit is stronger. They begin to learn about their culture in other ways. Clothing remains important but the secret spirit protection of the hat has already done its job.

A Beautiful Tradition to Cherish

These hats are not just decoration. They are a sign of love, a prayer for protection and a reminder that every child is precious. The Red Dao baby hat shows the care of mothers who have protected children in the mountains for generations.

Across the River: A Border Story from Northern Vietnam

A Chance Meeting on the Road

While riding in the hills of northern Vietnam, I met a lovely lady named Ma Thị Dủa. She is 68 years old, full of warmth and quick to smile. I always enjoy stopping to talk with local people, so I asked her about her life and what she used to do.

Her story stayed with me.

A Village Divided by a River

She told me that her village sits right beside the Chinese border. The only thing separating the two lands is a small river. In the past, people would cross it freely. Villagers from both sides, including different ethnic groups, would walk across to visit markets in China and vice versa. Villagers would frequently cross both ways.

She described it with shining eyes. The market was always lively and full of colour. Fabrics hung in long bright rows. Spices and fresh food filled the air with their scent. People spoke different languages yet somehow understood one another. It was not just a place to buy and sell. It was where people met friends, shared news and reconnected with relatives.

A Walk Across the Border

She herself used to walk around 4km to reach her nearest market. Her daughter had married a Hmong man in China, so the market trips were not only for shopping. They were a chance to see family, hold her grandchildren and laugh over tea.

Those journeys were part of her life for many years.

Then the Border Closed

After Covid, everything changed. The Chinese side built a fence along the river. The crossing that was once open became blocked by metal.

Now, if she wants to go to a market on her side, she must walk 9km each way. What used to be a simple stroll has become an 18km round trip, and worse than that, she can no longer visit her daughter or her family across the border.

The river is still there, quiet and unchanged. Yet now it divides rather than connects.

A Quiet Reminder of How Borders Shape Lives

Meeting her was a powerful reminder that borders are not just lines on a map. They are real for the people who live beside them. They can carry joy, connection and freedom. They can also bring distance, silence and longing.

All of this came from one gentle conversation on a mountain road. Stories like hers deserve to be heard.

The Beautiful Mystery of Blonde Hair Among the Hmong

A Rare Sight in the Mountains

The Hmong people live across the highlands of Vietnam, Laos, Thailand and southern China. Their culture is known for its vibrant textiles, farming traditions and deep connection to the mountains they call home. Dark hair is the most common trait within these communities, which makes it even more surprising when a child appears with naturally light brown or even blonde hair.

The photographs above show several Hmong children with strikingly fair hair. Their colouring often catches visitors off guard, as it stands out against the more familiar dark tones seen across the region.

What Causes the Lighter Hair?

The exact reason for lighter hair in some Hmong people is still unclear. Scientists believe it may be linked to unique genetic variations passed through certain family lines. Similar traits have been observed in other isolated communities around the world. However, there has not yet been enough research to determine the precise cause within the Hmong population.

What is certain is that these features occur naturally. The hair often darkens with age, yet in childhood it creates a captivating contrast that draws curiosity and admiration.

More Than Just a Genetic Puzzle

While genetics may offer one part of the answer, the real beauty lies in the way these children carry their heritage with pride. Whether in traditional embroidered clothing or simple school uniforms, their presence is a reminder that culture is not defined by appearance alone.

Each face tells a story of mountain life. Fields, forests and open skies shape their daily world far more than hair colour ever could.

A Living Reminder of Diversity

The Hmong community continues to surprise and inspire. Their traditions remain strong, even as science works to understand the rare traits found among them. Until more studies are done, the blonde hair seen in these villages will remain one of nature’s quiet wonders.

The Water Buffalo of Northern Vietnam: Power, Culture and Family

The Symbol of Strength in Northern Vietnam

When travellers picture Northern Vietnam, the image of a water buffalo often comes to mind. Domesticated over 5,000 years ago, these powerful animals have long been essential partners to the Dao and Hmong communities. They plough fields, transport crops, and provide a steady source of strength that rural life depends on.

A Trusted Partner in Rural Life

For many farming families, a water buffalo is their most valuable possession, often worth between $1,000 and $2,500. In a traditional saying, “The husband ploughs, the wife sows, the water buffalo draws the plough and is a friend of the children.” This captures the animal’s central place not only in agriculture but also in family life.

Essential to Hmong Agriculture

Rice cultivation is at the heart of Hmong culture, and water buffalo make it possible. Their ability to work in wet, muddy fields makes them indispensable in rice production. Beyond farming, they serve as financial security, with families able to sell or trade them if needed. Their meat also provides nutrition and income, adding to their importance.

Cultural Meaning and Respect

Water buffalo are more than farming tools. They symbolise prosperity, hard work, and resilience. They appear in folklore, festivals, and traditional art, reflecting their role in Vietnam’s cultural identity. Many families treat them as members of the household, showing care and affection as their livelihoods depend on the health of these animals.

A Way of Life in Sapa

In the Sapa region, water buffalo are treasured possessions. During the busy summer months, when both rice and corn are cultivated, children often tend the animals, guiding them away from fields where they might damage crops. This daily interaction reinforces the bond between families and their buffalo.

Beyond Vietnam: A Global Role

Across the world, water buffalo are valued for their versatility. They provide milk, meat, and labour, while also proving to be intelligent and loyal. They form strong social bonds and can be trained with ease, making them ideal companions in farming communities worldwide.

More Than Animals

Water buffalo embody the connection between agriculture, culture, and family in Northern Vietnam. They are companions, workers, and symbols of resilience. For generations, they have sustained rural communities and remain at the heart of everyday life.

Heritage Shorts: Documenting Vietnam’s Living Traditions

Introduction

Heritage Shorts is a documentary film series created in collaboration with Heritage Centre Sapa and Open Cinematic, dedicated to capturing the living traditions of Vietnam’s ethnic minority communities. Through intimate short films, the series highlights unique crafts, practices, and rituals that have been passed down through generations. From weaving and crossbow making to traditional farming and shamanic practices, these shorts form a visual archive of resilience, artistry, and cultural heritage in northern Vietnam.

Preserving Intangible Heritage

Each film focuses on a distinct tradition—from the ramie weaving of the Dao Tuyen to the knife-making skills of the Dao Đỏ and the fire dances of the H’mông. These shorts not only showcase craftsmanship but also reveal the stories of individuals and families who keep these practices alive. Together, they highlight the creativity and strength of communities whose cultural identity remains a vital part of Vietnam’s diversity.

A Journey Through Vietnam’s Ethnic Communities

The series includes 13 films, each spotlighting a different community and practice:

• Ramie Weaving (Dao Tuyen) – the art of weaving textiles from the ramie plant.

• The Crossbow (Dao Đỏ) – traditional crafting of rattan and wood into crossbows.

• Cotton Weavers of Bắc Hà (La Chi) – preserving the cotton weaving heritage.

• Women of Bát Xát (Hà Nhì) – culinary and cultural traditions.

• Hmong Batik – intricate wax-resist textile art.

• The Orchards of the Nùng – generational farming practices.

• Hmong Bamboo Foragers – bamboo as food and medicine.

• The Qeej Maker & Son – musical craftsmanship of the qeej instrument.

• Shaman (Dao Đỏ) – rituals of spiritual healing.

• The Papermakers (Dao Đỏ) – artisanal papermaking with wild bamboo.

• The Knifemakers (Dao Đỏ) – traditional blacksmithing.

• Fire Dancers (H’mông) – annual cleansing and blessing rituals.

• Tinh & Tá (Dao Đỏ) – oral traditions and spiritual knowledge.

Why Heritage Shorts Matters

These films do more than document. They safeguard traditions under threat from modernization and create awareness of Vietnam’s diverse cultural heritage. By amplifying the voices of artisans, farmers, shamans, and women leaders, the series builds a bridge between past and future, reminding us of the deep resilience and creativity rooted in community life.

HERITAGE SHORTS: DOCUMENTING VIETNAM’S LIVING TRADITIONS

The Rice Harvest in Sapa: Tradition and Community

The Rhythm of the Terraces

Every year in Sapa, the rhythm of life follows the rice terraces. The harvest is a seasonal anchor for Hmong and Dao families, shaping both work and tradition.

When the Harvest Begins

In the lower valleys, cutting starts as early as August, while the higher terraces wait until September. Altitude and weather shift the calendar, but the pattern remains the same: early mornings, hands on sickles, and sheaves carried to dry in the sun.

Ceremony and Meaning

The harvest is not only practical but also ceremonial.

Offering the First Rice

A small portion of the first grains is always set aside for the ancestors and for the spirits of field and water. At the household altar, incense is lit and quiet words are spoken in thanks. These simple rituals bind the community to the land and to generations past.

Working Together

Labour is shared within and between families, keeping old traditions alive.

The Circle of Support

Neighbours and relatives trade days, helping each other through the long hours in the fields. Threshing is often done with simple wooden frames, the rhythm steady and slow. Machines sometimes appear, but on the steep terraces handwork still rules.

A Living Landscape

For visitors, the harvest is a time when the terraces are alive with colour and movement.

Beauty and Survival

Golden fields ripple in the wind as farmers work side by side, their voices carrying across the valleys. What may look like ordinary labour is in fact the heart of the year, deciding food, family, and community.