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When I first heard the name "Male," I asked the homestay manager, "Does this place only welcome male guests?" (because the word "Male" means male). Then we both laughed.
Actually, "Male" is a portmantein of the name of Ma Lé commune, Đồng Văn district, Hà Giang province – where the house is located. Remarkably, the house is over 200 years old but still retains its original architecture, reflecting the rich cultural identity of the Giáy people.
Ma Lé is not noisy or bustling.
Ma Lé is a variant of the word "Mia," referring to the land of the Lo Lo people, but after the Giay people came to live there, they mispronounced it as Ma Lé. For those whose souls belong to the world of travel, the name Ma Lé evokes even more curiosity. It is as mysterious as the remoteness and wildness of this land itself.
Ma Lé is located about 12 km north of Đồng Văn town center. Due to its isolated location, it's not overly crowded with tourists. Few people stop in Ma Lé on their way from Hà Giang city to Lũng Cú flagpole, as it's not on any suggested "must-visit" lists when traveling to this northernmost region of Vietnam. Most visitors to Ma Lé are photographers or those seeking to experience the authentic local way of life.
Buckwheat fields on the hillsides in Ma Lé in early winter.
The road to Ma Lé in late autumn and early winter is lined with hills covered in vibrant pink buckwheat blossoms bathed in sunlight, and valleys shrouded in clouds, dotted with the colorful clothes of children accompanying their mothers to the fields. After hours of traveling, stopping in the ancient village of Ma Lé and spending the night at Male Homestay allows you to experience the rich cultural identity of the Giáy ethnic group.
Giay culture in an old house
Male Homestay is located in the ancient village of Ma Lé, surrounded by rocky mountains, enjoying a cool climate year-round. The village is home to many ancient houses, some over 100 years old, built by the Giáy people themselves. More than 50 households live here, mostly Giáy ethnic people. Male Homestay is not just a place to stay, but also a place where you can experience the local way of life in the most authentic way.
Front view of Male Homestay.
The architecture of the house is still more or less influenced by the H'Mông people. The two-story stilt house has a first floor with walls made of golden yellow earth and a roof covered with characteristic yin-yang tiles.
Even as the footprints of time have left their mark on the old walls and roof tiles, the culture of the Giáy people, as reflected in their architecture, remains undiminished. The Giáy people use stone to build the entire foundation and base of their houses, and construct incredibly sturdy houses using ironwood, pine, and red pine. They carve dragon heads, bats, and elephants to support the rafters. On the stone slabs, intricate carvings showcase the exquisite skill and artistry of the Giáy people. The motifs mainly depict animals, flowers, and leaves, reflecting the lives of the people.
The distinctive yin-yang tile roof.
Wood carvings in the architecture of ancient Giáy houses.
The house's pillars are made of stone.
The stones are carved with patterns reflecting the life of the Giáy people.
A haven for wandering hearts.
In recent years, the house has been used as a homestay to develop community tourism in the area.
Upon arriving at Male's house, guests are often surprised to see a sign that reads "House with fierce dogs." Immediately, two dogs trot out, wagging their tails. They are Ly and Sữa, who have been living with Male for over a year. Ly and Sữa are hospitable hosts, cherishing their time with everyone who visits and leaving with fond memories.
The upper floor of Male Homestay has a balcony with a small corner for a guitar and a few books. There, guests can read, drink tea, and chat about old times, or just random things; sometimes the conversation is lively, other times there are moments of quiet, enough to hear the wind whistling outside and the sounds of life in the mountain village.
From Male's balcony, one can see the serene yin-yang tiled roofs, facing the mountains perpetually shrouded in clouds. Because the weather in Ha Giang changes constantly, enjoying that view from morning to night with a hot cup of tea is never boring. Sometimes it's shrouded in mist, other times the sunset paints everything red. Sitting here, in just one spot, one can discover so many new things in what seems like the same old routine.
Imagine the transitional days between seasons, amidst tranquil mountains and hills, in the early winter chill, the sound of a guitar blending with the gentle patter of rain—what would that feel like? That atmosphere is enough to make one want to indulge themselves a little, lazily leaning back on a cushion, sipping tea, and flipping through a few pages of a book.
And on a beautiful afternoon, the balcony suddenly becomes a "stage" for the sunlight to "perform." Sunlight filters through the railings, casting golden streaks and shadows on the floor. This kind of sunlight has become addictive to many visitors.
The sun-drenched balcony of Male Homestay.
Male's house always has flowers on the table. Just by looking at the vase, you can tell what kind of flowers are blooming in Ha Giang that season. In spring, it's white plum blossoms and pink peach blossoms; in late autumn, October brings gentle orange chrysanthemums; in November, when the weather starts to get cold, it's buckwheat; and sometimes, in seasons without flowers, the vase even contains a whole cluster of ripe plums.
Night after night, the fire in the hearth blazes brightly. In the dim light, the fragrant aroma of corn wine wafts through the air, and smiles sparkle. The cups of wine—the drink offered to guests in Ha Giang—are filled with the warmth and hospitality of the people. This hearth is very special. It's a place to warm oneself, a place where strangers can gather; a place where they invite each other to grill chicken and drink corn wine by the pot of thang co (a traditional stew) in the cold of the highlands. There aren't many restaurants in the village, so guests can also use this hearth if they want to cook their own meals. And it's also where stories often continue late into the night.
During the winter months, guests can also rent tents and camp overnight on the hill in front of the house, enjoying the starry sky and the pure mountain air—a luxury in the city.
A new day in Ma Lé begins with the clanging of buffaloes plowing the fields, the chirping of birds, the crowing of roosters, and the barking of dogs, just like in many other mountain villages. Despite the development of tourism, the lives of the people and their customs remain largely unchanged. In front of Male's house, there are still buffalo sheds and haystacks. The sounds and colors are very familiar to the highlanders, but they are quite strange to those who come from the city.
How long does it take to truly understand and love a place? No one knows the exact answer. Visiting Ma Lé, strolling through the villages, chatting with the locals, going to the market… you can, to some extent, feel the simple lifestyle of the people here.
Life "Leaving the city for the countryside" - lessons from the simplest things.
Male Homestay is currently managed and cared for by Nguyen Sy Duc (1995), who left the city for the countryside more than two years ago because of his love for Ha Giang. For this 27-year-old, the land of jagged rocks is beautiful from every angle and at every time of year. Each season has its own unique charm.
Guests arrive at Male Homestay.
The first few days in Ma Lé were a huge challenge for Đức as life took a complete 360-degree turn, everything was strangely unfamiliar.
“There were days spent trudging through the forest repairing water pipes, muttering to myself, ‘Maybe I should just give up and go back to the lowlands right now, find a light office job, work 8 hours a day, and then go to Ta Hien on weekends.’ There were days I traveled hundreds of kilometers over mountain passes, imagining it as half the globe, just to buy a few simple things like nails and screws. There were days when it rained and the power went out; even though I was a big guy, I was still afraid to be alone in those situations,” Duc recalled. “Ha Giang lacked so many things: clean water filters, convenience stores, and even movie theaters for young people who liked to watch horror movies at 2-3 pm to buy tickets and have the whole theater to themselves.”
Nguyen Sy Duc has a particular passion for photography.
Then things gradually became familiar. Life in Ma Lé helped Đức learn to wake up at 6 am to brew a pot of hot tea, learn how to grow flowers, raise dogs; and most importantly, have more time for his books. “Cutting flowers seems easy but it’s difficult. Because I always want to admire the flowers swaying in the wind, not just sit still in that ceramic pot. But I still have to cut them so the plant can produce new buds and new shoots,” Đức learned many things from seemingly simple tasks.
During the pandemic, when Ha Giang stopped receiving tourists, it was a time when Duc lived at a slower pace. Life in Ma Le seemed to add many colors to Duc's youthful picture, whether gloomy or vibrant, it was something he cherished.
In the small notebook left by those who happened to stop at Male's house, there is a passage that reads: "Come to Ma Lé on a rainy day, light a fire in the fireplace of the large room, lie down on the floor, feel the coolness of the wood seep through your skin, listen to the rain falling on the yin-yang tiled roof, the crackling of the firewood, watch the plumes of smoke rising from the wooden beams, and wafting into the yellowish lamp inside the cobweb-covered birdcage for no reason at all."
Perhaps what people remember about a place is sometimes just the feeling of having belonged there, because of things that don't need to be elaborate or grand, even if it's just for a few fleeting moments.
Contact MALE Homestay
Phone number: +84982951190
Fanpage: https://www.facebook.com/MALEhomestay
