Tham Hamlet, Lai Chau

Introduction to Tham Hamlet  

Ban Tham tourist area is one of the very attractive places located in Ban Hon commune, Tam Duong district, Lai Chau province. Each beautiful village in the Northwest has a unique mark that is hard to confuse with any other place and so does Tham Hamlet. With a total area of 15 hectares, this place is invested to become a beautiful land, with a pristine nature but also full of meticulous care from human hands.

The first time you come here, you will see the image of the stilt houses with wooden columns, thatched roofs, and the unique architecture of the front roof that is longer than the rear roof. Around every house, there are green gardens, flower gardens, and an atmosphere of peace, lightness and rustic nature.

It can be said that Ban Tham is a destination in Lai Chau that converges many beautiful and extremely charming experiences. Throughout the valley are colorful flower gardens, planted and meticulously cared for. Here, flowers seem to bloom all year round with all kinds of periwinkles, vines, jade, begonias, carnations, etc., which are flexibly planted according to the season.

Tham Hamlet tourist area is a destination that is not only beautiful but also contains many interesting things waiting for visitors to discover. Coming here, you have the opportunity to eat many delicious dishes, see many beautiful sights, and experience many interesting activities to join that each trip is a very worthwhile journey.

Cultural information

The Lu ethnic customs are famous for their colorful clothing, which are all handmade by the Lu women with very sophisticated and unique patterns. The women here wear indigo-colored clothes and split-chest dresses with the left flap on top of the right, decorated with colorful tassels. Lu's favorite necklaces and bracelets are made from silver, aluminum, and copper. In addition, Via bracelets, which are made from indigo threads, are usually worn to avoid evil spirits and bad luck. They also wear earrings that are shaped like tubes with threads to hang colorful cotton buds. The Lu women also wear headscarves that are rolled up and tilted to the left to reveal beautiful embroidered patterns.

The men’s clothing is simpler with dark indigo clothes, which are split blouses with fabric straps, two pockets on the front, and one pocket on the left chest. The shoulder bag is a very valuable item, both aesthetically and in terms of traditional value for Lu’s men. These shoulder bags come in different sizes and are decorated with floral motifs and cotton buds in vibrant colors.

In contrast to the fact that weaving is associated with women, for men, there is carpentry, blacksmithing, and the making of household utensils. These items are well-designed and sophisticated, for instance, baskets, fishing, and tools. Women of the Lu ethnic group often dye their teeth black, with some replaced with golden teeth.

Lu’s folk music is very rich and diverse, reflecting Lu's daily life. They play traditional instruments such as drums, gongs, and double flutes when performing. The Lu ethnic group still preserves their beliefs and rituals in worshipping the forest god. The forest worshipping ceremony is held in the 3rd and 6th lunar months every year to pray to the gods to protect the village, its houses, crops, and livestock.

In addition, the Lu people still preserve and maintain vibrant and unique traditional games such as traditional bowling, badminton, fighting, and spinning tops, as well as performing love songs on the Tet holiday.