Live Like a Local: Family Culture Day 

(One Day)

Live Like a Local: Family Culture Day in Sapa

“You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.”
— Maya Angelou

Duration: Full day
Departure time: 8.30am for briefing at the ETHOS Community Centre.
Physical activity: Moderate 
Location: Rural Red Dao Villages, woodland and rice terraces.
Travel Style: Immersive culture and family learning.
Connectivity: Wifi - None, Mobile coverage - good.

Maximum: 5 people

Traveller learning traditional craft with local child during Family Culture Day in Sapa, Vietnam.

An Immersive Family Experience in the Heart of Sapa’s Villages

Step into the rhythm of village life with your Hmong or Dao guide and spend a full day immersed in craft, play and culinary tradition. This unique cultural experience is designed especially for families with children aged five to twelve, offering meaningful opportunities to connect, learn and create together.

Your day begins with a short walk through quiet countryside, taking in rice terraces, forest paths or village trails depending on the season. The route is gentle and can be easily adjusted to suit the energy levels of little legs.

Upon arrival at your host family’s home, the day unfolds around a shared meal and a series of hands-on activities. Children and parents alike are invited to try their hand at simple traditional crafts. Together, you’ll learn how to make maize husk dolls, spinning tops, bamboo leaf shooters and more. There will be laughter, friendly guidance and plenty of opportunities to ask questions.

Music and movement are part of the experience too. Try local games played by children in the mountains, learn how to shoot a traditional crossbow or listen as your guide shows you how to make instruments from everyday materials found in the forests and fields. If the season is right, you may also go foraging together for edible greens or wild herbs, which you’ll later help prepare for a home-cooked lunch with your host.

This is a day centred on cultural exchange, shared curiosity and creative learning. It is not a performance or a tour of a village, but a personal and authentic encounter with local ways of life. Guided in English by members of Vietnam’s ethnic minority communities, this experience offers a gentle, joyful and insightful way for families to explore, connect and understand more deeply.

Connect, Create and Share Traditions with the Hmong and Dao Communities

Included:

• All materials, tools and instruction

• Home style lunch and refreshments

• English speaking artisan guide

• Return transportation.

Hands-on weaving activity with flower during Family Culture Day cultural experience in Sapa, Vietnam.

Prices - Live Like a Local: Family Culture Day

Family of two people - $110

Family of three people - $145

Family of four people - $165

Family of five people - $185

Community based tourism (CBT) is a form of tourism where local communities are directly involved in developing, managing, and benefiting from tourism activities within their area. It emphasises community ownership, cultural preservation, and sustainable practices, offering visitors authentic experiences and fostering economic opportunities for residents. 

“Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children, play is serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood”
— Fred Roger
Icons and text promoting values: loving thumbs-up, investing locally, saving energy and water, protecting wildlife, respecting culture, and a group of horses with the words Ethos and Spirit of the Community.
Green terraced rice paddies in a mountainous landscape with clouds in the sky and text overlay reading 'Terms and Conditions'.

Please travel with respect. Dress modestly, support local crafts, protect nature, be patient, and stay safe. Connect, learn, and contribute positively during your ETHOS journey. Please refer to our terms for booking conditions for all ETHOS experiences.

We also offer a one day cultural experience in the village. For more information about our “ Forage and Feast “ experience, please click here.

These images portray moments of everyday life and cultural traditions in the mountains. Children and families are seen playing, learning and working together, while elders share knowledge and skills with younger generations. The photos highlight the
These images portray moments of everyday life and cultural traditions in the mountains. Children and families are seen playing, learning and working together, while elders share knowledge and skills with younger generations. The photos highlight the
These images portray moments of everyday life and cultural traditions in the mountains. Children and families are seen playing, learning and working together, while elders share knowledge and skills with younger generations. The photos highlight the
These images portray moments of everyday life and cultural traditions in the mountains. Children and families are seen playing, learning and working together, while elders share knowledge and skills with younger generations. The photos highlight the
These images portray moments of everyday life and cultural traditions in the mountains. Children and families are seen playing, learning and working together, while elders share knowledge and skills with younger generations. The photos highlight the
These images portray moments of everyday life and cultural traditions in the mountains. Children and families are seen playing, learning and working together, while elders share knowledge and skills with younger generations. The photos highlight the
These images portray moments of everyday life and cultural traditions in the mountains. Children and families are seen playing, learning and working together, while elders share knowledge and skills with younger generations. The photos highlight the
These images portray moments of everyday life and cultural traditions in the mountains. Children and families are seen playing, learning and working together, while elders share knowledge and skills with younger generations. The photos highlight the
These images portray moments of everyday life and cultural traditions in the mountains. Children and families are seen playing, learning and working together, while elders share knowledge and skills with younger generations. The photos highlight the
These images portray moments of everyday life and cultural traditions in the mountains. Children and families are seen playing, learning and working together, while elders share knowledge and skills with younger generations. The photos highlight the
These images portray moments of everyday life and cultural traditions in the mountains. Children and families are seen playing, learning and working together, while elders share knowledge and skills with younger generations. The photos highlight the
These images portray moments of everyday life and cultural traditions in the mountains. Children and families are seen playing, learning and working together, while elders share knowledge and skills with younger generations. The photos highlight the
These images portray moments of everyday life and cultural traditions in the mountains. Children and families are seen playing, learning and working together, while elders share knowledge and skills with younger generations. The photos highlight the
These images portray moments of everyday life and cultural traditions in the mountains. Children and families are seen playing, learning and working together, while elders share knowledge and skills with younger generations. The photos highlight the
These images portray moments of everyday life and cultural traditions in the mountains. Children and families are seen playing, learning and working together, while elders share knowledge and skills with younger generations. The photos highlight the
These images portray moments of everyday life and cultural traditions in the mountains. Children and families are seen playing, learning and working together, while elders share knowledge and skills with younger generations. The photos highlight the
These images portray moments of everyday life and cultural traditions in the mountains. Children and families are seen playing, learning and working together, while elders share knowledge and skills with younger generations. The photos highlight the
These images portray moments of everyday life and cultural traditions in the mountains. Children and families are seen playing, learning and working together, while elders share knowledge and skills with younger generations. The photos highlight the
These images portray moments of everyday life and cultural traditions in the mountains. Children and families are seen playing, learning and working together, while elders share knowledge and skills with younger generations. The photos highlight the
These images portray moments of everyday life and cultural traditions in the mountains. Children and families are seen playing, learning and working together, while elders share knowledge and skills with younger generations. The photos highlight the
These images portray moments of everyday life and cultural traditions in the mountains. Children and families are seen playing, learning and working together, while elders share knowledge and skills with younger generations. The photos highlight the
These images portray moments of everyday life and cultural traditions in the mountains. Children and families are seen playing, learning and working together, while elders share knowledge and skills with younger generations. The photos highlight the
These images portray moments of everyday life and cultural traditions in the mountains. Children and families are seen playing, learning and working together, while elders share knowledge and skills with younger generations. The photos highlight the
These images portray moments of everyday life and cultural traditions in the mountains. Children and families are seen playing, learning and working together, while elders share knowledge and skills with younger generations. The photos highlight the
These images portray moments of everyday life and cultural traditions in the mountains. Children and families are seen playing, learning and working together, while elders share knowledge and skills with younger generations. The photos highlight the
These images portray moments of everyday life and cultural traditions in the mountains. Children and families are seen playing, learning and working together, while elders share knowledge and skills with younger generations. The photos highlight the
These images portray moments of everyday life and cultural traditions in the mountains. Children and families are seen playing, learning and working together, while elders share knowledge and skills with younger generations. The photos highlight the
These images portray moments of everyday life and cultural traditions in the mountains. Children and families are seen playing, learning and working together, while elders share knowledge and skills with younger generations. The photos highlight the
These images portray moments of everyday life and cultural traditions in the mountains. Children and families are seen playing, learning and working together, while elders share knowledge and skills with younger generations. The photos highlight the
These images portray moments of everyday life and cultural traditions in the mountains. Children and families are seen playing, learning and working together, while elders share knowledge and skills with younger generations. The photos highlight the
These images portray moments of everyday life and cultural traditions in the mountains. Children and families are seen playing, learning and working together, while elders share knowledge and skills with younger generations. The photos highlight the
These images portray moments of everyday life and cultural traditions in the mountains. Children and families are seen playing, learning and working together, while elders share knowledge and skills with younger generations. The photos highlight the
These images portray moments of everyday life and cultural traditions in the mountains. Children and families are seen playing, learning and working together, while elders share knowledge and skills with younger generations. The photos highlight the
These images portray moments of everyday life and cultural traditions in the mountains. Children and families are seen playing, learning and working together, while elders share knowledge and skills with younger generations. The photos highlight the