Lu Than Commune, Lao Cai

Cultural information 

Ethnic groups here have many festivals showing their own identity, such as Gau Tao, going down to the fields, and worshiping the forest. In particular, forest worshiping is a festival expressing spiritual consciousness and respecting and protecting nature. Forest worshiping ceremony in early spring is one of the very important rituals, so the people prepare carefully and thoughtfully. People here believe that the forest god will bless and protect those who know how to protect nature. 

When it comes to the ancient architecture, the house still retains the cultural value of the Mong people because it is suitable for the climate and topographic characteristics here. The house of the Mong Si Ma Cai is made very elaborately. According to tradition, from October to November of the lunar calendar, after the harvest is complete, the Mong people begin to build houses. The house has a unique architecture, the columns are made of wood, the roof is tiled, the walls are made of earth, so the summer is cool and the winter is warm. When the housework starts, the whole village comes to help or change the work, this is a sign of solidarity and high community cohesion. Thanks to the very elaborate process, the house is very durable

Entertainment in Lu Than Commune

Coming to Lu Than on these days, visitors can not only immerse themselves in admiring the beauty of buckwheat flowers, but also enjoy a delicious wine, distilled from the seeds of this flower. Interestingly, buckwheat flowers in Lu Than commune, Lao Cai are also grown out of season. That is, if you travel to Lao Cai in the summer, you still have the opportunity to see the beauty of this flower. Just take the effort to go a little further, and you will be welcomed by the vast buckwheat fields. Here, people also grow flowers mainly to serve tourists. Instead of having to wait until late autumn and early winter to go to Ha Giang, tourists who go out in the summer can also go to Lu Than to see flowers. When first blooming, the flowers are pure white, and gradually as the weeks go by, the flowers will turn pale pink, purple, and crimson, which creates a very romantic beauty.

After coming here to see buckwheat flowers and enjoy the pristine scenery of this highland commune, visitors can combine with other communes in the district. In this district, there is also the Can Cau market - where many typical products of Lao Cai province are sold. Not as crowded as Sa Pa, nor as crowded as Bac Ha market, Can Cau market is rustic and pristine, bearing the unique characteristics of the customs and habits of the ethnic minorities here. People hold a market every Saturday and on New Year's holidays, selling a lot of specialties. In addition to admiring the diverse cultural space, coming to Can Cau market, you will enjoy a lot of Si Ma Cai's specialty dishes.

The characteristic of the Northwest in general and the Si Ma Cai valley is the winding golden terraced fields. Standing from above, looking down, the image of sparse houses halfway up the hill interspersed in large fields creates a panorama of a peaceful countryside.