{"id":4461,"date":"2026-01-03T17:59:11","date_gmt":"2026-01-03T17:59:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/notanordinarytour.it\/10-days-of-vietnam\/days-3-4-sa-pa-and-ethnic-minorities\/"},"modified":"2026-01-25T17:32:46","modified_gmt":"2026-01-25T17:32:46","slug":"days-3-4-sa-pa-and-ethnic-minorities","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/notanordinarytour.it\/en\/10-days-of-vietnam\/days-3-4-sa-pa-and-ethnic-minorities\/","title":{"rendered":"Days 3-4: Sa Pa and ethnic minorities"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"4461\" class=\"elementor elementor-4461 elementor-3819\" data-elementor-post-type=\"page\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2349320 e-flex e-con-boxed wpr-particle-no wpr-jarallax-no wpr-parallax-no wpr-sticky-section-no wpr-equal-height-no e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"2349320\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b5dd155 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"b5dd155\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">days 3-4<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-19688db elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"19688db\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-adbd31b e-con-full animated-slow e-flex wpr-particle-no wpr-jarallax-no wpr-parallax-no wpr-sticky-section-no wpr-equal-height-no elementor-invisible e-con e-child\" data-id=\"adbd31b\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;animation&quot;:&quot;fadeInUp&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d6069dd animated-slow elementor-invisible elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"d6069dd\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_animation&quot;:&quot;fadeInUp&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Sa Pa and ethnic minorities<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7edf84c e-flex e-con-boxed wpr-particle-no wpr-jarallax-no wpr-parallax-no wpr-sticky-section-no wpr-equal-height-no e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"7edf84c\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-77962e3 e-con-full animated-slow e-flex wpr-particle-no wpr-jarallax-no wpr-parallax-no wpr-sticky-section-no wpr-equal-height-no elementor-invisible e-con e-child\" data-id=\"77962e3\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;animation&quot;:&quot;fadeInLeft&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cf70e8b elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"cf70e8b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">legend<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2f110be elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"2f110be\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>\u2734\ufe0f = best choice!<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e8d25e5 e-flex e-con-boxed wpr-particle-no wpr-jarallax-no wpr-parallax-no wpr-sticky-section-no wpr-equal-height-no e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"e8d25e5\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4e9aee9 e-con-full e-flex wpr-particle-no wpr-jarallax-no wpr-parallax-no wpr-sticky-section-no wpr-equal-height-no e-con e-child\" data-id=\"4e9aee9\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0b258e6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"0b258e6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">DAY 3<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c386d9b elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"c386d9b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7026294 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"7026294\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">ARRIVAL IN SA PA<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f1c8359 e-con-full e-flex wpr-particle-no wpr-jarallax-no wpr-parallax-no wpr-sticky-section-no wpr-equal-height-no e-con e-child\" data-id=\"f1c8359\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a251a70 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"a251a70\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">NIGHT IN THE VILLAGE OF TA PHIN, with a Red Dao family<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b869aef elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"b869aef\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The train drops us off at <strong>Lao Cai<\/strong> station in northern Vietnam. From here, we take a taxi to <strong>Sa Pa<\/strong>, the main town in the area, which takes about an hour&#8217;s drive through mountains and hairpin bends. <\/p><p>The center of Sa Pa is very touristy. Near the station where you can buy tickets for the cable car to <strong>Mount Fansipan<\/strong>, Vietnam&#8217;s highest peak, you will meet many women from the<strong> Hmong and Red Dao ethnic groups<\/strong>, who come from the surrounding villages. They sell local handicrafts or offer themselves\u2014sometimes rather insistently\u2014as guides to accompany visitors on foot to the villages.  <\/p><p><strong>Our destination is Ta Phin, a rather distant village<\/strong>. It wasn&#8217;t easy to find an available guide, but in the end <strong>Sa Sa<\/strong> (her real name is Ly Thi Sa, roughly our age) <strong>from the village of Lao Chai <\/strong>offered her services.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-57cae3c e-flex e-con-boxed wpr-particle-no wpr-jarallax-no wpr-parallax-no wpr-sticky-section-no wpr-equal-height-no e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"57cae3c\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0c1980c e-con-full e-flex wpr-particle-no wpr-jarallax-no wpr-parallax-no wpr-sticky-section-no wpr-equal-height-no e-con e-child\" data-id=\"0c1980c\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e553fd7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"e553fd7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">The route:<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d11a0a7 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"d11a0a7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6802180 e-con-full e-flex wpr-particle-no wpr-jarallax-no wpr-parallax-no wpr-sticky-section-no wpr-equal-height-no e-con e-child\" data-id=\"6802180\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-73fb8de elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"73fb8de\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>There are several routes to Ta Phin: the quickest follows the paved road, while the most scenic winds through the rice fields. Needless to say, we choose the latter.  <strong>Together with Sa Sa, we venture into the rice fields.<\/strong> The harvest season runs from September to October, while between July and August the rice fields are at their most beautiful, with their bright green color. We arrive in November, but we still find some shades of green and, rather unusually, a clear day without fog. <\/p><p>The trail is not marked: sometimes there is barely a visible track. Sa Sa comes from another village and has only traveled this route once before, so at every fork in the road she calls her sister to make sure she is on the right path. Cell phones are widely used, but almost exclusively for calls: <strong>many people, even young people, cannot read or write<\/strong>, because only the younger generations attend school from an early age. With Sa Sa, however, we have no difficulty communicating: she learned English \u201con the street,\u201d talking to tourists.   <\/p><p>The path is often muddy and slippery. We cross terraces inhabited by buffaloes, chickens, and dogs, observe different crops\u2014corn, rice, and flowers such as <strong>indigo, used to dye clothes<\/strong>\u2014and pass by isolated houses surrounded by greenery. In one of these, we stop to meet a family: a grandmother in her eighties and two grandchildren.  <\/p><p>We take a lunch break near <strong>Ma Tra<\/strong>, a village about halfway there, at the <a href=\"https:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/uB6ae5D8zrBh5UWy8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Nam Duy\u00ean <\/a>restaurant. It is an ideal stopping point for hikers: very basic, but with excellent food. We order noodles and fried rice.<\/p><p>Along the way, we also meet three women from the village of Ta Phin, some belonging to the Black Hmong minority, others to the Red Dao. They have been working in the fields and insist that we buy some handmade bags. In exchange, they give us small items made on the spot from plants gathered nearby.  <\/p><p>The trail continues with constant ups and downs, lots of mud, and slippery sections. We walk in short sleeves, completely overheated, while they consider the temperature rather cold\u2014in Hanoi, incidentally, they had warned us of \u201cextreme cold.\u201d <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5c230ea e-con-full e-flex wpr-particle-no wpr-jarallax-no wpr-parallax-no wpr-sticky-section-no wpr-equal-height-no e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"5c230ea\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4f5ac4e elementor-arrows-position-inside elementor-pagination-position-outside elementor-widget elementor-widget-image-carousel\" data-id=\"4f5ac4e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" 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dir=\"ltr\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image-carousel swiper-wrapper swiper-image-stretch\" aria-live=\"off\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"swiper-slide\" role=\"group\" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" aria-label=\"1 of 13\"><a data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\" data-elementor-lightbox-slideshow=\"4f5ac4e\" data-e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6MzgzMCwidXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6XC9cL25vdGFub3JkaW5hcnl0b3VyLml0XC93cC1jb250ZW50XC91cGxvYWRzXC8yMDI2XC8wMVwvVmlldG5hbS0yMDI1LUFsdGEtNTgtc2NhbGVkLmpwZyIsInNsaWRlc2hvdyI6IjRmNWFjNGUifQ%3D%3D\" href=\"https:\/\/notanordinarytour.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Vietnam-2025-Alta-58-scaled.jpg\"><figure class=\"swiper-slide-inner\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"swiper-slide-image\" src=\"https:\/\/notanordinarytour.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Vietnam-2025-Alta-58-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Vietnam 2025 - Alta-58\" \/><\/figure><\/a><\/div><div class=\"swiper-slide\" role=\"group\" 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data-e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6Mzg4MiwidXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6XC9cL25vdGFub3JkaW5hcnl0b3VyLml0XC93cC1jb250ZW50XC91cGxvYWRzXC8yMDI2XC8wMVwvVmlldG5hbS0yMDI1LUFsdGEtODQtc2NhbGVkLmpwZyIsInNsaWRlc2hvdyI6IjRmNWFjNGUifQ%3D%3D\" href=\"https:\/\/notanordinarytour.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Vietnam-2025-Alta-84-scaled.jpg\"><figure class=\"swiper-slide-inner\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"swiper-slide-image\" src=\"https:\/\/notanordinarytour.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Vietnam-2025-Alta-84-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Vietnam 2025 - Alta-84\" \/><\/figure><\/a><\/div><div class=\"swiper-slide\" role=\"group\" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" aria-label=\"13 of 13\"><a data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\" data-elementor-lightbox-slideshow=\"4f5ac4e\" data-e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6Mzg4OCwidXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6XC9cL25vdGFub3JkaW5hcnl0b3VyLml0XC93cC1jb250ZW50XC91cGxvYWRzXC8yMDI2XC8wMVwvVmlldG5hbS0yMDI1LUFsdGEtODYtc2NhbGVkLmpwZyIsInNsaWRlc2hvdyI6IjRmNWFjNGUifQ%3D%3D\" href=\"https:\/\/notanordinarytour.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Vietnam-2025-Alta-86-scaled.jpg\"><figure class=\"swiper-slide-inner\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"swiper-slide-image\" src=\"https:\/\/notanordinarytour.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Vietnam-2025-Alta-86-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Vietnam 2025 - Alta-86\" \/><\/figure><\/a><\/div>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-swiper-button elementor-swiper-button-prev\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"eicon-chevron-left\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-swiper-button elementor-swiper-button-next\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"eicon-chevron-right\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"swiper-pagination\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8361039 e-flex e-con-boxed wpr-particle-no wpr-jarallax-no wpr-parallax-no wpr-sticky-section-no wpr-equal-height-no e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"8361039\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-669cd99 e-con-full e-flex wpr-particle-no wpr-jarallax-no wpr-parallax-no wpr-sticky-section-no wpr-equal-height-no e-con e-child\" data-id=\"669cd99\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a98c5a9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"a98c5a9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Ethnic groups:<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6f5db94 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"6f5db94\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a4d072c e-con-full e-flex wpr-particle-no wpr-jarallax-no wpr-parallax-no wpr-sticky-section-no wpr-equal-height-no e-con e-child\" data-id=\"a4d072c\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7ea7d56 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"7ea7d56\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Sa Sa tells us that in her village, Lao Chai, all the inhabitants belong to the Black Hmong ethnic group, while in Ta Phin the population is made up of both the Red Dao\u2014who represent about 70% of the inhabitants\u2014and the Black Hmong.<\/p><p>More generally, <strong>five different ethnic groups<\/strong> coexist in the villages around Sa Pa:<\/p><ul><li><strong>Black Hmong<\/strong>, the largest community, recognizable by their <strong>dark indigo-dyed clothing<\/strong><\/li><li><strong>Red Dao<\/strong>, wearing black clothes decorated with gold details and distinctive <strong>red headdresses<\/strong><\/li><li><strong>Tay<br><\/strong><\/li><li><strong>Giay<br><\/strong><\/li><li><strong>Muong<\/strong>, present in smaller numbers<\/li><\/ul><p><strong><br>Each of these ethnic groups speaks its own dialect and can only communicate with the others through the Vietnamese language.<\/strong> <strong>Customs, traditions, and religious beliefs also vary considerably. <\/strong><\/p><p>The Black Hmong, for example, are mostly <strong>Catholic<\/strong>, while the Red Dao follow spiritual practices linked to shamanism: each village usually has a <strong>shaman<\/strong> who prays for the <strong>ancestors<\/strong> and leads the community&#8217;s rituals.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ba4977a e-flex e-con-boxed wpr-particle-no wpr-jarallax-no wpr-parallax-no wpr-sticky-section-no wpr-equal-height-no e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"ba4977a\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b527f81 e-con-full e-flex wpr-particle-no wpr-jarallax-no wpr-parallax-no wpr-sticky-section-no wpr-equal-height-no e-con e-child\" data-id=\"b527f81\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-85c4851 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"85c4851\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Our guide: <\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c71fb7e elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"c71fb7e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f7c7136 e-con-full e-flex wpr-particle-no wpr-jarallax-no wpr-parallax-no wpr-sticky-section-no wpr-equal-height-no e-con e-child\" data-id=\"f7c7136\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-dd8979d elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"dd8979d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>During the walk, Sa Sa opens up to us and begins to tell us something about herself. She is <strong>28 years old<\/strong>, married, and <strong>has two children<\/strong>, whom she had very young: the first when she was just 17. <\/p><p>Her husband does not work: he stays at home with the children and drinks heavily. When he drinks, he becomes aggressive and she is often forced to leave, seeking refuge in other houses in the village. She tells us this with disarming calm, explaining that, for them, situations like this are considered almost normal. In the villages, they can choose their husbands, but they marry very young, without really understanding what it means. He is only a year older than her.    <\/p><p><strong>Sa Sa never went to school: she cannot read or write, yet she speaks surprisingly good English<\/strong>, as well as a few words of Spanish and French, learned simply by listening and talking to tourists. <strong>She completed the entire trek\u2014over three hours of walking, excluding breaks\u2014wearing simple slippers<\/strong>, saying that it is normal for her to walk up to four hours a day.<\/p><p>She owns a motorbike and lives in a wooden house. With the money she earns accompanying visitors and selling textiles, she supports her family and buys rice. <strong>It is one of those stories that stays with you: as she walks lightly through the mud, you realize how different her daily life is from ours<\/strong>, and yet how incredibly real. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ee2ef9e e-con-full e-flex wpr-particle-no wpr-jarallax-no wpr-parallax-no wpr-sticky-section-no wpr-equal-height-no e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"ee2ef9e\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e42bde2 e-flex e-con-boxed wpr-particle-no wpr-jarallax-no wpr-parallax-no wpr-sticky-section-no wpr-equal-height-no e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"e42bde2\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-12aab33 e-con-full e-flex wpr-particle-no wpr-jarallax-no wpr-parallax-no wpr-sticky-section-no wpr-equal-height-no e-con e-child\" data-id=\"12aab33\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3a7b8a0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"3a7b8a0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\"><a href=\"https:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/Riavy9hL9mdab1537\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">May Kim homestay:<\/a><\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ecb4e76 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"ecb4e76\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-aedfbcf e-con-full e-flex wpr-particle-no wpr-jarallax-no wpr-parallax-no wpr-sticky-section-no wpr-equal-height-no e-con e-child\" data-id=\"aedfbcf\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d5e82f2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"d5e82f2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>We arrive in the village, a small cluster of houses scattered among the fields. As soon as we get out of the car, we are immediately struck by an intense scene: some young men have just slaughtered a buffalo and are cutting it up in the street. It is a powerful sight, but it is part of everyday life here.  <\/p><p>We walk to the homestay we booked on Booking.com, probably through an agency, because the owners can&#8217;t read or write. We are welcomed by the owner&#8217;s mother-in-law, who doesn&#8217;t speak English, but immediately shows us to our room. We wash the mud off our shoes with a hose and are given slippers to wear inside the house. The room is large, with a private bathroom and shower\u2014a small luxury in such a rural setting.   <\/p><p>In the evening, we have dinner by the fire with the family: rice, noodles, spring rolls, vegetables including the typical susu, and smoked pork prepared by them. The owner, who speaks English well, tells us about her family and the <strong>traditions of the Red Dao<\/strong>. Two of the children present are her children, the others are her sister&#8217;s, who is also at dinner. She explains that in their generation, <strong>they can choose their husband, but the final decision is verified by consulting a sacred book of the shaman, who assesses compatibility based on birth dates<\/strong>. Previous generations, on the other hand, married very young: grandparents even at the age of 11, had many children, and often <strong><strong>saw the face of their future spouse only on their wedding day<\/strong><\/strong>.   <\/p><p>The <strong>male members<\/strong> play <strong>ritual instruments<\/strong>\u2014gongs, drums, buffalo horns\u2014and some study to become shamans, a practice that requires years of training. The females, on the other hand, <strong>work in the fields in summer and sew in winter<\/strong>: the owner tells us that it took her a whole year to make her wedding dress and her husband&#8217;s, sewing from morning to night. They all live together in a homestay with her husband&#8217;s family: her father-in-law is a <strong>shaman<\/strong> and her husband is studying to become one himself one day (it takes 30 years of study, and only 3% of the population becomes one). It is a true extended family, with energetic children \u2014 who study from an early age \u2014 and adults with <strong>hands and feet marked by work<\/strong>, but always neat and tidy.   <\/p><p>They prepare special breakfasts for guests, such as cr\u00eapes with bananas and honey, and on request they offer traditional herbal baths from their ethnic group. Although they are close to the Chinese border, they never travel: they only know Sa Pa and have never been further afield. Tourists who come here are mainly from Europe, America, or neighboring countries such as Thailand.  <\/p><p><strong>Pieces of meat are hung above the fire to dry, along with mushrooms and plants used as natural remedies.<\/strong> They let us dry our shoes by the fire and even lend us a hair dryer, a small gesture that immediately makes us feel at home.<\/p><p>The nearest hospital is in Sa Pa, but treatment is very expensive. The village is about a 20\u201330 minute drive away, although the first part of the road is quite rough. <\/p><p><strong>It is a tough place, full of contrasts\u2014modernity and tradition<\/strong> (children play with cell phones), <strong>poverty and comfort <\/strong>(they have big, new cars but wear only slippers and their houses have no real floors)\u2014<strong>but incredibly authentic and human.<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-fa0eb05 e-con-full e-flex wpr-particle-no wpr-jarallax-no wpr-parallax-no wpr-sticky-section-no wpr-equal-height-no e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"fa0eb05\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c97f7d0 elementor-arrows-position-inside elementor-pagination-position-outside elementor-widget elementor-widget-image-carousel\" data-id=\"c97f7d0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;slides_to_show&quot;:&quot;3&quot;,&quot;slides_to_show_tablet&quot;:&quot;2&quot;,&quot;slides_to_show_mobile&quot;:&quot;1&quot;,&quot;slides_to_scroll&quot;:&quot;1&quot;,&quot;slides_to_scroll_tablet&quot;:&quot;2&quot;,&quot;navigation&quot;:&quot;both&quot;,&quot;autoplay&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;pause_on_hover&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;pause_on_interaction&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;autoplay_speed&quot;:5000,&quot;infinite&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;speed&quot;:500,&quot;image_spacing_custom&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:20,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;image_spacing_custom_tablet&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]}}\" data-widget_type=\"image-carousel.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image-carousel-wrapper swiper\" role=\"region\" aria-roledescription=\"carousel\" aria-label=\"Carosello d&#039;immagini\" dir=\"ltr\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image-carousel swiper-wrapper swiper-image-stretch\" aria-live=\"off\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"swiper-slide\" role=\"group\" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" aria-label=\"1 of 14\"><a data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\" data-elementor-lightbox-slideshow=\"c97f7d0\" data-e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6Mzg5MywidXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6XC9cL25vdGFub3JkaW5hcnl0b3VyLml0XC93cC1jb250ZW50XC91cGxvYWRzXC8yMDI2XC8wMVwvVmlldG5hbS0yMDI1LUFsdGEtODctc2NhbGVkLmpwZyIsInNsaWRlc2hvdyI6ImM5N2Y3ZDAifQ%3D%3D\" href=\"https:\/\/notanordinarytour.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Vietnam-2025-Alta-87-scaled.jpg\"><figure class=\"swiper-slide-inner\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"swiper-slide-image\" src=\"https:\/\/notanordinarytour.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Vietnam-2025-Alta-87-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Vietnam 2025 - Alta-87\" \/><\/figure><\/a><\/div><div class=\"swiper-slide\" role=\"group\" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" aria-label=\"2 of 14\"><a data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\" data-elementor-lightbox-slideshow=\"c97f7d0\" data-e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6Mzg5NSwidXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6XC9cL25vdGFub3JkaW5hcnl0b3VyLml0XC93cC1jb250ZW50XC91cGxvYWRzXC8yMDI2XC8wMVwvVmlldG5hbS0yMDI1LUFsdGEtODktc2NhbGVkLmpwZyIsInNsaWRlc2hvdyI6ImM5N2Y3ZDAifQ%3D%3D\" href=\"https:\/\/notanordinarytour.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Vietnam-2025-Alta-89-scaled.jpg\"><figure class=\"swiper-slide-inner\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"swiper-slide-image\" src=\"https:\/\/notanordinarytour.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Vietnam-2025-Alta-89-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Vietnam 2025 - Alta-89\" \/><\/figure><\/a><\/div><div class=\"swiper-slide\" role=\"group\" 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data-e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6MzkwNSwidXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6XC9cL25vdGFub3JkaW5hcnl0b3VyLml0XC93cC1jb250ZW50XC91cGxvYWRzXC8yMDI2XC8wMVwvVmlldG5hbS0yMDI1LUFsdGEtOTQtc2NhbGVkLmpwZyIsInNsaWRlc2hvdyI6ImM5N2Y3ZDAifQ%3D%3D\" href=\"https:\/\/notanordinarytour.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Vietnam-2025-Alta-94-scaled.jpg\"><figure class=\"swiper-slide-inner\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"swiper-slide-image\" src=\"https:\/\/notanordinarytour.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Vietnam-2025-Alta-94-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Vietnam 2025 - Alta-94\" \/><\/figure><\/a><\/div><div class=\"swiper-slide\" role=\"group\" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" aria-label=\"8 of 14\"><a data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\" data-elementor-lightbox-slideshow=\"c97f7d0\" data-e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6MzkwNywidXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6XC9cL25vdGFub3JkaW5hcnl0b3VyLml0XC93cC1jb250ZW50XC91cGxvYWRzXC8yMDI2XC8wMVwvVmlldG5hbS0yMDI1LUFsdGEtOTUtc2NhbGVkLmpwZyIsInNsaWRlc2hvdyI6ImM5N2Y3ZDAifQ%3D%3D\" href=\"https:\/\/notanordinarytour.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Vietnam-2025-Alta-95-scaled.jpg\"><figure class=\"swiper-slide-inner\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"swiper-slide-image\" src=\"https:\/\/notanordinarytour.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Vietnam-2025-Alta-95-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Vietnam 2025 - Alta-95\" \/><\/figure><\/a><\/div><div class=\"swiper-slide\" role=\"group\" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" aria-label=\"9 of 14\"><a data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\" data-elementor-lightbox-slideshow=\"c97f7d0\" 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data-e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6MzkyMCwidXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6XC9cL25vdGFub3JkaW5hcnl0b3VyLml0XC93cC1jb250ZW50XC91cGxvYWRzXC8yMDI2XC8wMVwvVmlldG5hbS0yMDI1LUFsdGEtMTAwLXNjYWxlZC5qcGciLCJzbGlkZXNob3ciOiJjOTdmN2QwIn0%3D\" href=\"https:\/\/notanordinarytour.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Vietnam-2025-Alta-100-scaled.jpg\"><figure class=\"swiper-slide-inner\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"swiper-slide-image\" src=\"https:\/\/notanordinarytour.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Vietnam-2025-Alta-100-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Vietnam 2025 - Alta-100\" \/><\/figure><\/a><\/div>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-swiper-button elementor-swiper-button-prev\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"eicon-chevron-left\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-swiper-button elementor-swiper-button-next\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"eicon-chevron-right\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"swiper-pagination\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d0e22a5 e-flex e-con-boxed wpr-particle-no wpr-jarallax-no wpr-parallax-no wpr-sticky-section-no wpr-equal-height-no e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"d0e22a5\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d0f77b6 e-con-full e-flex wpr-particle-no wpr-jarallax-no wpr-parallax-no wpr-sticky-section-no wpr-equal-height-no e-con e-child\" data-id=\"d0f77b6\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3989b27 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"3989b27\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Day 4<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6b53970 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"6b53970\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-dc3a371 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"dc3a371\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">THE LAO CHAI VILLAGE<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9997ca5 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"9997ca5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">a more touristy view<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-439cc00 e-con-full e-flex wpr-particle-no wpr-jarallax-no wpr-parallax-no wpr-sticky-section-no wpr-equal-height-no e-con e-child\" data-id=\"439cc00\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-dc51400 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"dc51400\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>It&#8217;s raining today, so our hike is canceled \u2014 no big deal, since our shoes aren&#8217;t completely dry yet.<\/p><p>After a hearty breakfast at our homestay\u2014we spent just \u20ac19 for accommodation and meals\u2014we ask if they can call us a taxi to take us <strong>back to Sa Pa<\/strong>.<\/p><p>We spend the morning in a caf\u00e9 in the city center and then have lunch at a <a href=\"https:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/X7Df8qR6nduwcD2a9\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">vegan restaurant<\/a> \u2734\ufe0f nearby: really delicious, with a warm and welcoming atmosphere, kittens wandering between the tables, and a small library that invites you to relax.<\/p><p>In the afternoon, we take another taxi to the village of <strong>Lao Chai<\/strong>, where we have booked our second homestay. <strong>Lao Chai is smaller but also more touristy than Ta Phin, with several shops and restaurants.<\/strong> All around, the rice fields shrouded in mist create a surreal landscape. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8aa4683 e-flex e-con-boxed wpr-particle-no wpr-jarallax-no wpr-parallax-no wpr-sticky-section-no wpr-equal-height-no e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"8aa4683\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6fca059 e-con-full e-flex wpr-particle-no wpr-jarallax-no wpr-parallax-no wpr-sticky-section-no wpr-equal-height-no e-con e-child\" data-id=\"6fca059\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9eb08cf elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"9eb08cf\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\"><a href=\"https:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/yBWUcudoCq7689N58\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ZaaZaa homestay \u2734\ufe0f:<\/a><\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-448abf6 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"448abf6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-dcd2300 e-con-full e-flex wpr-particle-no wpr-jarallax-no wpr-parallax-no wpr-sticky-section-no wpr-equal-height-no e-con e-child\" data-id=\"dcd2300\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8cd93a2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"8cd93a2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Our second homestay is located on a hill and offers a splendid view of the rice fields. Compared to the previous one, it is more modern and clean, and the owners\u2014a couple with four children\u2014are also more \u201cmodern\u201d in style and approach. <\/p><p><strong>Dinner here is truly memorable: the rolls are exceptional, prepared by the chef of the house, her husband<\/strong>, while breakfast with pancakes is equally delicious.<\/p><p>The owner speaks excellent English, even though she did not attend school, and is originally from the larger, more touristy village of <strong>Ta Van<\/strong>, about an hour away. She moved into her husband&#8217;s house. The family is Catholic and of Hmong ethnicity; there is a church just a few steps away.  <\/p><p><strong>They still use natural remedies to treat themselves<\/strong>: cupping for shoulder pain or heated buffalo horns for headaches. They also let us try on their traditional clothes, all hand-sewn by the owner. The elderly wear them every day, while young people reserve them for special occasions.  <\/p><p>Like many families in the area, they never venture beyond Sa Pa: their lives take place in the villages and fields around it. Compared to other ethnic groups, they no longer have the constraints imposed by sacred texts and are <strong>free to choose their own husbands, a freedom they did not have until about fifteen years ago.<\/strong> <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d49f923 e-con-full e-flex wpr-particle-no wpr-jarallax-no wpr-parallax-no wpr-sticky-section-no wpr-equal-height-no e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"d49f923\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-fbb57e0 elementor-pagination-position-outside elementor-widget elementor-widget-image-carousel\" data-id=\"fbb57e0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;slides_to_show&quot;:&quot;3&quot;,&quot;slides_to_show_tablet&quot;:&quot;2&quot;,&quot;slides_to_show_mobile&quot;:&quot;1&quot;,&quot;slides_to_scroll&quot;:&quot;1&quot;,&quot;slides_to_scroll_tablet&quot;:&quot;2&quot;,&quot;navigation&quot;:&quot;dots&quot;,&quot;autoplay&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;pause_on_hover&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;pause_on_interaction&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;autoplay_speed&quot;:5000,&quot;infinite&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;speed&quot;:500,&quot;image_spacing_custom&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:20,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;image_spacing_custom_tablet&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]}}\" data-widget_type=\"image-carousel.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image-carousel-wrapper swiper\" role=\"region\" aria-roledescription=\"carousel\" aria-label=\"Carosello d&#039;immagini\" dir=\"ltr\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image-carousel swiper-wrapper swiper-image-stretch\" aria-live=\"off\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"swiper-slide\" role=\"group\" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" aria-label=\"1 of 11\"><a data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\" data-elementor-lightbox-slideshow=\"fbb57e0\" data-e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6Mzk0MywidXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6XC9cL25vdGFub3JkaW5hcnl0b3VyLml0XC93cC1jb250ZW50XC91cGxvYWRzXC8yMDI2XC8wMVwvVmlldG5hbS0yMDI1LUFsdGEtMTE5LXNjYWxlZC5qcGciLCJzbGlkZXNob3ciOiJmYmI1N2UwIn0%3D\" href=\"https:\/\/notanordinarytour.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Vietnam-2025-Alta-119-scaled.jpg\"><figure class=\"swiper-slide-inner\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"swiper-slide-image\" src=\"https:\/\/notanordinarytour.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Vietnam-2025-Alta-119-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Vietnam 2025 - 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Alta-124\" \/><\/figure><\/a><\/div>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"swiper-pagination\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-70d9a53 e-flex e-con-boxed wpr-particle-no wpr-jarallax-no wpr-parallax-no wpr-sticky-section-no wpr-equal-height-no e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"70d9a53\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-609db42 animated-slow elementor-align-center elementor-widget__width-inherit elementor-invisible elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"609db42\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_animation&quot;:&quot;fadeInUp&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/notanordinarytour.it\/12-giorni-di-giappone\/giorni-5-7-tam-coc-e-dintorni-di-ninh-binh\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">CONTINUE WITH THE ITINERARY<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5e85967 e-flex e-con-boxed wpr-particle-no wpr-jarallax-no wpr-parallax-no wpr-sticky-section-no wpr-equal-height-no e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"5e85967\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>days 3-4 Sa Pa and ethnic minorities legend \u2734\ufe0f = best choice! DAY 3 ARRIVAL IN SA PA NIGHT IN THE VILLAGE OF TA PHIN, with a Red Dao family The train drops us off at Lao Cai station in northern Vietnam. From here, we take a taxi to Sa Pa, the main town in the area, which takes about an hour&#8217;s drive through mountains and hairpin bends. The center of Sa Pa is very touristy. Near the station where you can buy tickets for the cable car to Mount Fansipan, Vietnam&#8217;s highest peak, you will meet many women from the Hmong and Red Dao ethnic groups, who come from the surrounding villages. They sell local handicrafts or offer themselves\u2014sometimes rather insistently\u2014as guides to accompany visitors on foot to the villages. Our destination is Ta Phin, a rather distant village. It wasn&#8217;t easy to find an available guide, but in the end Sa Sa (her real name is Ly Thi Sa, roughly our age) from the village of Lao Chai offered her services. The route: There are several routes to Ta Phin: the quickest follows the paved road, while the most scenic winds through the rice fields. Needless to say, we choose the latter. Together with Sa Sa, we venture into the rice fields. The harvest season runs from September to October, while between July and August the rice fields are at their most beautiful, with their bright green color. We arrive in November, but we still find some shades of green and, rather unusually, a clear day without fog. The trail is not marked: sometimes there is barely a visible track. Sa Sa comes from another village and has only traveled this route once before, so at every fork in the road she calls her sister to make sure she is on the right path. Cell phones are widely used, but almost exclusively for calls: many people, even young people, cannot read or write, because only the younger generations attend school from an early age. With Sa Sa, however, we have no difficulty communicating: she learned English \u201con the street,\u201d talking to tourists. The path is often muddy and slippery. We cross terraces inhabited by buffaloes, chickens, and dogs, observe different crops\u2014corn, rice, and flowers such as indigo, used to dye clothes\u2014and pass by isolated houses surrounded by greenery. In one of these, we stop to meet a family: a grandmother in her eighties and two grandchildren. We take a lunch break near Ma Tra, a village about halfway there, at the Nam Duy\u00ean restaurant. It is an ideal stopping point for hikers: very basic, but with excellent food. We order noodles and fried rice. Along the way, we also meet three women from the village of Ta Phin, some belonging to the Black Hmong minority, others to the Red Dao. They have been working in the fields and insist that we buy some handmade bags. In exchange, they give us small items made on the spot from plants gathered nearby. The trail continues with constant ups and downs, lots of mud, and slippery sections. We walk in short sleeves, completely overheated, while they consider the temperature rather cold\u2014in Hanoi, incidentally, they had warned us of \u201cextreme cold.\u201d Ethnic groups: Sa Sa tells us that in her village, Lao Chai, all the inhabitants belong to the Black Hmong ethnic group, while in Ta Phin the population is made up of both the Red Dao\u2014who represent about 70% of the inhabitants\u2014and the Black Hmong. More generally, five different ethnic groups coexist in the villages around Sa Pa: Black Hmong, the largest community, recognizable by their dark indigo-dyed clothing Red Dao, wearing black clothes decorated with gold details and distinctive red headdresses Tay Giay Muong, present in smaller numbers Each of these ethnic groups speaks its own dialect and can only communicate with the others through the Vietnamese language. Customs, traditions, and religious beliefs also vary considerably. The Black Hmong, for example, are mostly Catholic, while the Red Dao follow spiritual practices linked to shamanism: each village usually has a shaman who prays for the ancestors and leads the community&#8217;s rituals. Our guide: During the walk, Sa Sa opens up to us and begins to tell us something about herself. She is 28 years old, married, and has two children, whom she had very young: the first when she was just 17. Her husband does not work: he stays at home with the children and drinks heavily. When he drinks, he becomes aggressive and she is often forced to leave, seeking refuge in other houses in the village. She tells us this with disarming calm, explaining that, for them, situations like this are considered almost normal. In the villages, they can choose their husbands, but they marry very young, without really understanding what it means. He is only a year older than her. Sa Sa never went to school: she cannot read or write, yet she speaks surprisingly good English, as well as a few words of Spanish and French, learned simply by listening and talking to tourists. She completed the entire trek\u2014over three hours of walking, excluding breaks\u2014wearing simple slippers, saying that it is normal for her to walk up to four hours a day. She owns a motorbike and lives in a wooden house. With the money she earns accompanying visitors and selling textiles, she supports her family and buys rice. It is one of those stories that stays with you: as she walks lightly through the mud, you realize how different her daily life is from ours, and yet how incredibly real. May Kim homestay: We arrive in the village, a small cluster of houses scattered among the fields. As soon as we get out of the car, we are immediately struck by an intense scene: some young men have just slaughtered a buffalo and are cutting it up in the street. It is a powerful sight, but it is part of everyday life here. We walk<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":4453,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"elementor_header_footer","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-4461","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/notanordinarytour.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4461","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/notanordinarytour.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/notanordinarytour.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/notanordinarytour.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/notanordinarytour.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4461"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/notanordinarytour.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4461\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4572,"href":"https:\/\/notanordinarytour.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4461\/revisions\/4572"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/notanordinarytour.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4453"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/notanordinarytour.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4461"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}