Pao’s House: Visit Charming Ethnic House In Ha Giang
Pao’s house is a famous H’Mong residence used in the film set of “Story of Pao.” We love that the building retains its ancient and charming beauty in the vast and magnificent space of Dong Van’s rocky plateau. With its significant cultural and architectural value, Pao’s House should be on your bucket list in Ha Giang, Vietnam.
About Pao’s House
Pao’s house is in Lung Cam cultural village in Sung La valley, Dong Van, Ha Giang.
This house belongs to Mr. Mua Sua Pao, a platoon leader of the H’Mong King army.
It was chosen as the setting in the movie “Story of Pao,” adapted from the work “The sound of lips behind the stone fence” by Do Bich Thuy.
Tips: After visiting Pao’s House, it’s best to visit H’Mong King Palace to learn more about H’Mong culture.
Who is Pao?
Pao is the protagonist of the film “Pao’s Story.” She is a young Hmong woman who resides in a small community in the northern mountains.
The movie tells the journey to find Pao’s mother, family mysteries, and the secrets of her mother and herself.
The cultural and spiritual life of the Mong ethnic group in Ha Giang is displayed vividly and clearly through the character Pao.
How to get to Pao’s House
There are daily buses from Hanoi to Ha Giang, taking about 6 hours.
From Ha Giang city, you can follow Highway 4C to the northeast in the direction of Dong Van. The residence is about 20 km from Dong Van district and 123 km from Ha Giang city.
The estimated travel time is about 3 hours 35 minutes for cars and motorbikes. Please note that there may be landslides or slippery roads in the rainy season. Please check my Ha Giang best time travel for more info.
After arriving at Sung La, you will see an asphalt road and a sign saying Lung Cam Cultural Village, then turn in. Walk a few more minutes, and you will see Pao’s house on the left.
Ticket prices
The entrance fee to Pao’s House is 10,000 VND. The ticket office is on the left of the community gate.
Things to see at Pao’s House
Sung La is a community of 36 households of H’Mong, Lo Lo, and Han ethnic groups. And Pao’s house is one of those unique ethnic houses.
It was built about 100 years ago, being the property of the ancient aristocracy of the H’Mong ethnic group.
The gate
The wooden gate leading to Pao’s house was tinged with time. There are stone walls on two sides of the gate, jagged but skillfully made by artisans. Above the entrance is a yin and yang tiled roof.
If you visit the community in the spring, you will be amazed by the beautiful blooming peach trees.
The architecture
The house has a U-shape with two stories, divided into different rooms such as a living room, a kitchen, a warehouse, and a barn for poultry and livestock.
In the middle of the house is a lovely courtyard. Surrounding are little stands with souvenirs with local products.
The rooms
While the rooms are pretty dark, you can still see daily products and items of H’Mong ethnic people, such as rice mills, wells, and cloth weaving.
Tips: If you like photography, you can rent a basket of mustard flowers on the porch for photos.
Tips for visiting
Here are some tips to make the trip perfect:
- Dress: Avoid wearing white when visiting villages because many believe white fabric represents bad luck and mourning. Opt for brightly colored attire instead.
- Be considerate when visiting the area, and try not to talk too loudly. Don’t pat children’s heads either, since people believe doing so will make them sick. Additionally, whistling is forbidden because it may summon evil spirits to disturb the inhabitants.
- You should refrain from entering a house when a ritual to drive out evil spirits is being performed inside.
- Before entering the property, obtain permission from the landlord. Do not enter the property without authorization or touch any of the furniture.
