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The ancient village of the Vang brothers
From Dong Van town in Ha Giang, my companions and I traveled along a winding road like a silk ribbon to reach Lung Cu flagpole – the northernmost point of Vietnam. My friend, Nguyen Sy Duc, manages a homestay in Then Pa village. So I decided to stop by and visit.
Having existed for several hundred years, the ancient Hmong village of Then Pa is nestled at the foot of the Lung Cu flagpole.
It was a small, ancient, and incredibly peaceful village.
The story goes that, a very long time ago, the ancestors of the Hmong people migrated to the Dong Van rocky plateau in Ha Giang province to live. Among them, the majority of the Vang family chose to settle in Then Pa village. The Hmong people in this village originated from Guizhou, China, and were also the first Hmong to set foot on Vietnamese soil.
The Hmong people in Then Pa village and the lineage of Mr. Vuong Chinh Duc (Vang Dung Lung) share a common ancestry. Currently, the village has 33 households, all bearing the surname Vang. They live together peacefully at the foot of the Lung Cu flagpole.
The Hmong people in this village originate from Guizhou, China, and were also the first Hmong to set foot in Vietnam.
Using tourism to preserve traditional houses.
Moving deeper into the village, you'll see traditional houses with yin-yang tiled roofs and earthen walls. The villagers mainly make their living from farming and making rượu (rice wine).
Since the beginning of 2024, tourism has started to permeate the homes of the Hmong people. The villagers have welcomed their first visitors, sharing their work with tourists for them to experience. In the village, you will be guided in weaving and indigo dyeing. Then, you can dye your own beautiful indigo cloth to take home.
Since the beginning of 2024, tourism has started to find its way into the homes of the Hmong people.
The Hmong people here are also masters at brewing liquor. There's a secret cellar nestled underground. If you travel here, you can find this precious cellar with many delicious types of liquor inside: corn liquor, buckwheat liquor, and ginger root liquor are three types of liquor that the locals offer to guests.
From this secret cellar, tourists can also enjoy many rare cocktails. Among them, the Hmong cocktail is considered the most special because it is made using a secret Hmong recipe.
Searching for a treasured wine cellar filled with many delicious wines.
Activities inside the ancient village of Then Pa
Currently, the village has 11 households hosting tourists for overnight stays. Community homestays are available for rent at 180,000 VND per person, including breakfast. Double rooms cost 1,200,000 VND, twin rooms cost 1,500,000 VND, twin wooden houses cost 1,800,000 VND, and entire communal houses for groups cost 2,000,000 VND.
Stopping for a rest at the ancient village of Thèn Pả, visitors can enjoy traditional Hmong cuisine such as smoked meat, wild vegetables, free-range chicken, black chicken hotpot, etc.
Highland baby
People are dyeing fabric.
Besides eating, sleeping, and relaxing, tourists in the ancient village of Then Pa can also experience incredibly impressive cultural performances by the Hmong people in the village, such as playing the Hmong flute, dancing, singing traditional Hmong songs, playing the two-stringed fiddle, leaf flute, and Hmong pipe…
Sitting and enjoying a traditional Hmong cocktail, I looked up at the Lung Cu flagpole. It seemed that everywhere in the village I could see the Vietnamese flag fluttering against the deep blue sky. That was undoubtedly the biggest difference between this ancient village and other villages in the border region.
If you ever visit Lung Cu Flagpole, be sure to spend a night in this beautiful ancient village. You'll be hooked!
The Lung Cu flagpole is in the distance.
