At the top of the Tay Con Linh mountain range is Xa Phin Hamlet, approximately 20 kilometres northwest of Ha Giang Province in Vi Xuyen District.
Moss growing on palm leaf roofs, giving the houses a distinctive appearance. — VNA/VNS Photos Nam Thai
Xa Phin enjoys a chilly climate all year due to its elevation, sitting almost 1,000 metres above sea level.
This hilly terrain is characterised by fog all year and persistent rainfall with high humidity.
It is an ideal environment for plants to flourish and thrive, including thick green moss, which ethnic people use to cover the palm-leaf roofs of their homes.
In Xa Phin hamlet, moss grows year-round on the palm-leaf roofs of the locals' homes.
Residents say a roof must be at least five years old before moss starts to grow on it.
The palm leaf roof has soaked up enough moisture to become pliable, and mould has begun to spread. The thickness of the moss on the roof can be used to determine the age of the home.
Green moss flourishes in the cold, foggy, and humid conditions found here.
Xa Phin's thatched-roof homes are between 20 and 50 years old.
Most of the local population still maintain their traditional palm leaf-thatched-roof homes and way of life today. The mossy layers on the roof act as insulation, preventing the interior from being too hot in summer or too cold in winter.
The dense carpet of moss acts as insulation, keeping the indigenous people's house comfortable in hot summers and cold winters.
The bold and rustic beauty of the mossy green roofs, along with the indigenous culture of the ethnic minority, makes Xa Phin Hamlet an appealing location for those who love exploring.
