Pao’s house is not only one of the famous settings of the movie “Pao’s Story” but also a unique cultural destination that attracts tourists from all over. Located amidst the pristine mountains and forests of Ha Giang, the ancient house of the H’Mong people provides a peaceful space where visitors can learn about the culture and customs of one of the ethnic minorities. The most unique in Vietnam. With beautiful natural landscapes, Pao’s House is not only beautiful in its architecture but also profound in the stories of the people who live in it. In this article, let Karst Plateau explore the unique cultural experiences this place has to offer.
Who is Pao?
This is the setting in Pao’s story film
Pao is the main character in the movie “Chuyện của Pao“, a famous film reflecting the life and culture of the Hmong ethnic people in Vietnam. The film was directed by Nguyen Huu Muoi and released in 2006, quickly causing a fever with the audience thanks to its attractive content and beautiful images of the Ha Giang Karst plateau. The story revolves around Pao’s journey to find her mother, a H’Mong girl living in difficult circumstances. This journey is not just a simple search but also a discovery of oneself, one’s family, and one’s culture.
Besides, the appeal of the film also comes from the enchanting images of the mountains and forests bordering the border. The film not only sketches Pao’s inner life but also opens up a lively space with wonderful surrounding nature. This has made many tourists wish to once set foot in the place where Pao’s story takes place – Pao’s house in Ha Giang.
Where is Pao’s House
Peaceful scene at Pao’s house
Pao’s house is located in Lung Cam village, Sung La commune, Dong Van district, Ha Giang province. This is not only a simple geographical location but also a place to preserve the unique cultural values of the H’Mong ethnic people.
Located right in the campus area of Lung Cam cultural and tourist village, nestled among the majestic natural beauty of the Ha Giang Karst plateau mountain region, Pao’s house is considered a masterpiece of nature’s mountains and forests. Nature is extremely attractive to tourists with its ancient beauty and extremely impressive appeal to anyone who wants to stop here.
How to get there
Moving to Ha Giang
To move to Pao’s house, you must first move to the Ha Giang area. Normally, tourists will choose to travel by bus. From the Hanoi area, visitors can choose to move to the My Dinh bus station area and take sleeper buses with prices ranging from 300,000 – 350,000 VND ($11.8 to $13.7)/person/trip. Normally, tourists often choose these routes. The car goes at night so that when it reaches Ha Giang it will be early the next morning.
Travel from Ha Giang city center to Pao’s House
From Ha Giang city center, you can get to Pao’s house by the fastest route, which is to follow Highway 4C in the Northeast direction. Then you just need to go straight to Sung La Valley. This road is 123km long, estimated travel time is about 3 hours 35 minutes by car. A small note for you is that the road here is mountainous, with many passes and winding slopes that are quite dangerous, especially in the rainy season, landslides can occur, so you need to be very attentive and control the steering wheel. throughout the moving process.
What’s interesting about Pao’s house?
Once arriving at Pao’s House, visitors will be overwhelmed by the ancient beauty and surrounding natural landscape. The house is not only a place to visit but also a space to explore interesting things about H’Mong culture.
Unique architecture with a long history
Pao’s house retains the ancient features of the Mong people
Pao’s house was built nearly 100 years ago with moss-covered yin-yang tile roofs and the familiar architectural style of Mong people’s houses. These elements not only create unique features but also reflect harmony with the surrounding nature. The house has a log wall, a fence surrounding it, and plum trees planted on the house’s grounds.
Entering the house, you will see with your own eyes a cozy house with 3 U-shaped rows. In the middle of the house is a small yard paved with carved bricks and stones. The house has a main room divided into many rooms, including the living room, warehouse, kitchen, and a barn to raise livestock and poultry.
Coming here, you will see images of dirt walls along with stone walls, each mangrove stone arranged into extremely sturdy walls, in addition to peach trees and plum trees every year. When Tet comes, spring often seems like the image of peach trees and plum trees blooming brightly, adding freshness to Pao’s house.
Explore people’s lives
The space of Pao’s House is rustic and ancient
Sung La Valley is inhabited by many ethnic groups such as Mong, Lo Lo, and Han. Pao’s house is currently the residence of a Mong family, they still retain almost the same ancient, charming beauty in harmony with the vast, majestic space of the karst plateau. So visitors coming here will receive a warm welcome from the people.
When coming to Pao’s House, visitors have the opportunity to not only visit but also participate in the daily life of the H’Mong ethnic people. What is unique here is the way people still preserve and promote traditional cultural values in modern life. From taking care of crops, and raising livestock to weaving, all are activities that deeply reflect the lives of the people here. Not only that but here visitors will have the opportunity to see images of people working or children playing and laughing, creating an eye-catching scene.
In addition to daily activities, people here also organize many unique festivals such as fabric dyeing festivals and harvest festivals, creating opportunities for visitors to experience the unique culture of the H’Mong people. Each festival has its own nuance and meaning, helping visitors better feel the cultural beauty and spirit of the community here.
Admire the Buckwheat Flower Field
Buckwheat flower season is at its peak from early October to late November
One of the most attractive spots at Pao’s House is the buckwheat flower field. The flowers usually bloom from early October to the end of November, creating a space filled with extremely attractive pink, white, and purple colors. Buckwheat flower fields are not only an ideal photo spot but also a place to organize flower festivals, where visitors can participate in traditional cultural activities and enjoy prepared specialties. from buckwheat flowers.
Yellow mustard flowers
The fields of yellow mustard flowers compete with each other to show off their beauty
When spring comes, the yellow mustard flower field at Pao’s House becomes bright, attracting all eyes. Mustard flowers usually bloom from late January to early February, creating a picturesque scene, with bright yellow spreading across the fields and along the road leading to Pao’s House. Here visitors can take photos or walk along the two sides of the road to see yellow mustard flowers, which bring you an extremely peaceful and attractive scene.
Some experiences when traveling to Pao’s House
Some notes you need to know to ensure a safe and smooth trip
When visiting Pao’s House, visitors should note some useful experiences to have the safest and most complete trip. In particular, understanding the distance and travel time from Ha Giang to Pao’s House will help visitors plan their trip more appropriately.
- Appropriate clothing: The climate in the mountains is often colder, so prepare a warm jacket and comfortable walking shoes.
- Entrance fee: There is no need to buy an admission ticket, but be prepared to buy local products or cuisine here.
- The Ideal time to go: The spring and fall months are the best times to visit, especially when the flowers are in bloom.
- Greeting and communicating: Speak gently and friendlyly, do not discriminate against ethnic people or say rude words to the people here.
- When you want to enter the house, ask the homeowner’s permission first. Do not enter the house arbitrarily or touch the furniture in the house.
A trip to Pao’s House will be a great opportunity for you to discover the unique cultural values of the Hmong people while creating memorable memories in your life.
Pao’s house is not only an attractive tourist destination but also an important part of the culture and history of the Hmong people. With unique architecture, beautiful natural space, and profound cultural experiences, this is a destination that anyone who loves exploring culture and nature should not miss. From the daily life of the people to the colorful festivals, Pao’s House is truly a peaceful place in the heart of the karst plateau, where cultural treasures and human love are always present. For more information and tips on traveling to Ha Giang, please visit the Karst Plateau website.