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Photo: Daniel Berthold, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
A Hmong village very close to the border, known for its Chinese-style houses with yellow bricks.
Sà Phìn is a commune of Tuyên Quang Province, Vietnam.
© OpenStreetMap contributors
Dinh Vua Mèo or Dinh Nhà Vương
This historical landmark of the local Hmong ethnic group was built in the early 20th century in the form of the letter 王 (meaning "king" in English). Vuong King (Vuong Chinh Duc) became rich from dealing goods, especially opium, as Sa Phin is in the middle of the Golden Triangle region. The building imitates ancient Chinese architecture from the Man Thanh dynasty, and features carvings in Hoa Nam style. The 1120 m² grounds were chosen for feng shui, and also sight lines, as it was also a military fortress. Duc set up his own army unit of loyal Hmong people and equipped them with weapons, some of which are on display.
A traditional extended family house, open to visitors.
Chuyện của Pao
This village showcases minority culture. The turnoff to the right is clearly marked by a labeled gate.
A peaceful and calm town that is home of Hoa and Hmong ethnicities. The houses here embrace the traditional architecture of wooden columns and mud walls.
Above Dong Van, the French built a fort in 1925. The remains, partially restored in 2013, overlook the entire town.
Dong Van Old Quarter
The quarter was built in the early 20th century and has a few families of the Hmong, Tay still living in it. The oldest house is the house of Luong family, built in 1860. The common architecture here is the two-story house and yin and yang roofs. Hostels and hotels are common, but may fill up quickly in peak season. Saturday nights, the plaza has a community party. On Sunday mornings there is a regional market—arrive before 9am to see locals shopping, and after for tourist wares.