The rotproof wood Hmong houses To build the walls and roof of their houses, the Hmong and the Dao use one of the most popular woods in the area, peumou (Fokienia Hodginsii) also called « coffin wood » because the Hmong and the Chinese like to bury their dead in it. Insects do not attack peumou and it does not deteriorate when in contact with water. Roofs made of peumou shingle will last up to 70 years. Some can be seen in Cat Cat, Lau Chai and Tavan. Some vestiges of colonial architecture Many French architects living in Indo-China borrowed building techniques and decoration patterns from Vietnamese and Chinese architecture. The few Sa Pa buildings that have survived the wars show how these influences have mingled, with the palace of Hoang A Tuong in Bac Hà as best example. Some of Sa Pa...The rotproof wood Hmong houses To build the walls and roof of their houses, the Hmong and the Dao use one of the most popular woods in the area, peumou (Fokienia Hodginsii) also called « coffin wood » because the Hmong and the Chinese like to bury their dead in it. Insects do not attack peumou and it does not deteriorate when in contact with water. Roofs made of peumou shingle will last up to 70 years. Some can be seen in Cat Cat, Lau Chai and Tavan. Some vestiges of colonial architecture Many French architects living in Indo-China borrowed building techniques and decoration patterns from Vietnamese and Chinese architecture. The few Sa Pa buildings that have survived the wars show how these influences have mingled, with the palace of Hoang A Tuong in Bac Hà as best example. Some of Sa Pa colonial-era villas and the houses along the main road in Muong Khuong testify to this cultural syncretism. Tourist License / Licencia de turismo N °: 5300203419More