Things are not to do when visiting the villages in Sapa

Each region has its own culture and customs. Sometimes, that things are ridiculous or make you uncomfortable. However, to be favorable for the trip, you should find out in advance and follow the culture, the customs of the local people.

Sapa is located in northwest Vietnam, a mountainous district of Lao Cai Province. Recently, visitors, especially young people are very interested in this kind of trekking, go cart track, crept over the hills and fields, streams slots, on the terraces to the remoteness of the minority ethnic groups .


If you are going to a village of the Hmong people or the Red Dao people and they are busy praying or evil spirits, you shouldn't come to that event because they don't want strangers to attend. At the gate of the village, there is usually a bunch of green leaves hanging high up on a pole solemn place to everyone can see to avoid.
Walking in the village, you mustn't laugh too loud as in the garden, park, you have to respect for the inherent landscape of the village. With kids, how much you love them, do not touch their head, because villagers think: touch the head that makes their soul scare and sick.

In the village, there is a common area to worship: a forbidden forest, an ancient tree with luxuriant foliage, a magnificent stone to worship god. It is a clean, beautiful and cool place but you mustn't come to there to rest, eat, talk, lie and throw garbage. Especially, you mustn't whistling while walking scenic villages. the villagers think that the whistling sound can make the devil come.

The house of the villagers, between the places of worship, visitors are not allowed to sit there. When visiting, you must follow the instructions of the owner. Custom of Hmong people, the first chair for parents, whether the parents died, visitors aren't also sit on the chair.

The house of Hmong people has a big pillar that is buried deep into the ground, touching as high as the roof, the other columns are smaller. The highest column called the main column - where ghosts reside, visitors do not hang clothes and sit leaning against that "soul" pillar. When you drink alcohol, talk with homeowners, you mustn't both say and fingers pointing forward. The Hmong believe that behavior is expressed dissatisfaction or contempt for people to speak.

Besides, when the owner invites drinks, if you intent to reject, you should have the words for the owner to understand and sympathy, do not bowl upside down on the table, only shaman can do to evil spirits.

When visiting the village, you mustn't wear white cloth because it is the color of funeral. Visitors come to Sapa, don't forget mineral water bath mixed many leaves of the Red Dao people will make the skin firmer, healthier and enjoy "Thang Co" , corn wine with wild meat.