Nestled by Son La Hydropower Plant, Muong Lay in Dien Bien province is the smallest town in Vietnam. Most of the traditional stilt houses of the Thai ethnic minority group in the town have stone roofs. (Photo: VNA)
People often refer to it as black stone, but it actually comes in many colours, such as black, grey, yellow, and red, depending on the age of the stone and where it was mined. (Photo: VNA)
This is a special stone taken from mountains or rivers and streams, composed of many layers. When it is first mined, the stone is quite soft and flexible and can be easily split into thin layers or cut into other shapes. (Photo: VNA)
As stone is widely available and relatively inexpensive, most local stilt houses use it for roofing. (Photo: VNA)
Therefore, when Muong Lay town was re-planned under the resettlement project for the Son La Hydroelectricity Plant, rows of stilt houses with stone roofs were built. (Photo: VNA)
Stone-roofed stilt houses in Dien Bien province
Muong Lay town was originally the economic, cultural and political centre of the former Lai Chau province (which included modern-day Dien Bien and Lai Chau provinces). It is now famous as an attractive tourist destination because of a street of stilt houses with stone roofs by the Da Giang River, creating a unique and poetic beauty.
