Nam Ha Homestay “Khmu Village”

Itinerary
Start at 13:00 O’clock from our office or your hotel by Tuk Tuk driving along the road 3A around 30 minutes to where we start trekking through the jungle forest and mountain to learn about nature, wildlife and technique for hunting animals.You will arrival the village of Nam Ha around 16:30 where you stay overnight at a private home provided by the village. Today you will join & practice some activities provided by small group of community-based tourism such as: husking rice by feet or hand, Khmu traditional Baci-ceremony, Khmu sword dance, meet the local people, talk with owner people about village history & go to bed.

In the morning next day. While waiting for the breakfast visit groups of knives making, participate bamboo basket making “bamboo toys such as: birds, frogs, cup…” after breakfast participate in activities of the family depending on the season watch or take part such as:

• January-March: planting vegetables, sowing corn etc.
• April-May: go and learn how to grow rice on mountain-slopes etc.
• June-August: go and learn how to prepare the fields for wet rice & to plant the seedlings.
• September: plant & care vegetable-gardens etc.
• October-November: go, watch or help to harvest the mountain- and the mountain-rice or corn etc.
• December-January: take part in house building & festivals or in collecting food.

The trip will finish around 10:00 in the morning and the final the Tuk Tuk will pick up you back to Luang Namtha town.

Khmu Ethnic Group & Ban Nam Ha
The Khmu or their ancestors probably settled the area of present-day Laos several thousand years ago and are one of the most populous ethnic groups in Laos. Part of the Mon-Khmer branch of the Austro-Asiatic linguistic family, the Khmu are divided into many sub-groups including the Khmu Lue, Kwaen, Rok and Ou, with the majority of Khmu in Luang Namtha being Kwaen or Rok. Like many of the ethnic groups in northern Laos, the Khmu are not Buddhist, but practice their own form of animism.

The Khmu in Luang Namtha generally practice mixed economies, growing rice, hunting, gathering forest products and producing handicrafts to generate some cash income.   Because the Khmu are highly knowledgeable about medicinal plants and are highly skilled producers of woven rattan and bamboo basketry, many Khmu villages are regularly visited by tourists that purchase handicrafts and hire local guides to lead them on forest treks.

Tourism has become a new and important source of income for a number of Khmu villages in Luang Namtha, especially in the villages located on the Nam Ha Village.

Nam Ha Village located around 29 km along the road 3A from Luang Namtha-Vieng Phoukha & also located at in the center of Nam Ha National Biodiversity Conservation Area that we call the name of the village “Nam Ha” & still keeps their traditional culture and way of life.

Nowadays Nam Ha Village organize Homestay & community based tourism activities, you can stay 1 night or 2 nights get experience the Khmu culture & traditional, taste local meals, learn & practice how to husking rice, black smith, making bamboo basket “bamboo toys such as: birds, frogs, cup…” Khmu traditional Baci-ceremony, sword dance, half day trek through the jungle forest & mountain to learn about nature, wild life, technique for hunting animals & experience local food.

Khmu Homestay
Very basic accommodation with toilet outside, each homestay include mattress, blanket, mosquito net, towel, and pillows.