List of main hill tribes in North of Vietnam

Sapa is not only famous for stunning beauty of the landscape but also for the most typical ethnic destination in Vietnam. In Motorbike Tours Vietnam to Sapa, especially on the market day, you will visit many different ethnic groups. Besides the Kinh group which is very popular in big cities in Vietnam, people in Sapa belong to 5 different groups as below:

1. The Black H’mong:

The Black H’mong community makes up 54% of the total population in Sapa. They live mostly in the surrounding villages such as Cat Cat, Lao Chai, Ta Van…and only come to the main town to purchase goods and sell hand-made things. Black H’mong wear clothes dyed with natural (black-blue) indigo. Red, green and white highlighting colours are also used in the embroidery of the collar, belt and sleeves.

2. The Red Dao

The Red Dao makes up 23.04% of the total population in Sapa. To our customers of Vietnam Motorcycle Tours, the Red Dao is very easy to recognize through their custom because they usually wear red headdresses or red pieces of clothing. Both men and women have a square piece of fabric on the back of their shirts which represents that they are children of God.

3. The Tay people

The Tay occupies 4.74% of the total population in Sapa. The Tay lives in wooden or bamboo stilt houses near a stream or river. They are settled in valleys in the north west part of Sapa. The Tay women wear dresses made from cotton and dyed with indigo colour. The dresses are usually plain, with little embroidery.

4. The Giay

The Giay people, 1.36% of total population, live in a stilt house which built on ground. The upper level of the house is used as a drying place. Giay costume is often woven of bright colors such as pinks, greens and blues. Giay women normally wear at the side button blouse and indigo trousers. Their hair is worn in a bun or braids wound around the back of the head. They often wear a turban also.

5. The Xa Pho

The Xa Pho lives mainly in Nam Sai commune, quite far from Sapa town. So, if you take Vietnam Motorbike Tours to Sapa, you will be hardly to see Xa Pho people in the town. They live in houses built half on stilts and half on the ground with wooden or rattan furniture.  The traditional costume of the Xa Pho women is so different from the other groups because it consists of the crop-top and the skirt embroidered with butterfly, shelter and zigzag patterns. They use a bright red thread to embroider decorations all over their clothes.

Come to Sapa, you will learn more about the different ethnic groups via their daily activities.

Source: Vietnam Dirtbike Travel