Signature Experience · 1 Day
Cook the Hmong Way with May's Family
A full day shopping a local market, cooking a traditional Hmong meal over a wood fire, and sharing it with May's family in Lao Chai Village.
Duration
1 Day (~8 hours)
Group size
2–8 Guests
Price from
$40 / person
Overview
Discover the authentic flavours of Hmong cuisine during a full-day cultural experience with May's Hmong family in Lao Chai Village. This is more than a cooking class — it's an authentic day of sharing food, culture, and friendship with a Hmong family.
Meet Your Hosts
May
For nearly 20 years, May has welcomed travelers into her home, sharing the everyday life of a Hmong family with warmth and authenticity. Rather than performing for visitors, she simply invites them to experience life as it is — through stories, traditions, cooking, and genuine human connection. Her journey is a testament to resilience, dignity, and hope.
Your Journey
Your journey begins with a visit to a local market, where you'll shop for fresh seasonal ingredients alongside your host, just as Hmong families do every day. You'll learn about mountain herbs, local vegetables, traditional spices, and the ingredients that define Hmong cuisine.
After the market, you continue to May's family home in Lao Chai Village. Together, you'll prepare a traditional Hmong meal using recipes passed down through generations — learning how to cook over a traditional fire, discovering local cooking techniques, and hearing stories about Hmong family life and food culture along the way.
You'll sit down together to enjoy the meal you've created, before spending the afternoon experiencing daily village life with your hosts — a visit to nearby rice terraces and time to take in local traditions before the return to Sapa Town.
Experience Highlights
- Visit a traditional local market
- Shop for fresh mountain ingredients
- Learn about Hmong food culture
- Cook alongside May's Hmong family
- Prepare authentic Hmong dishes
- Enjoy a homemade lunch together
- Experience everyday village life
- Small private groups
Sample Itinerary
- 09:00
Meet your local Hmong guide in Sapa
- 09:30
Visit the local market and shop for fresh ingredients
- 10:30
Walk to May's Hmong Home in Lao Chai Village
- 11:00
Introduction to traditional Hmong cooking
- 11:30
Prepare a traditional Hmong meal together
- 13:00
Enjoy lunch with May's family
- 14:30
Experience daily life in the village, visit nearby rice terraces and learn about local traditions
- 16:30
Return to Sapa Town
What's Included
Included
- English-speaking Hmong guide
- Local market visit
- All cooking ingredients
- Traditional cooking class
- Homemade Hmong lunch
- Drinking water
Not Included
- Personal expenses
- Alcoholic beverages
- Travel insurance
Practical Info
Meeting Point
In Sapa Town — your guide will confirm the exact meeting point with you before the day.
What to Bring
Comfortable walking shoes and a camera. Daily departures are available, this experience is suitable for all ages, and vegetarian meals can be arranged on request.
Group Prices
| Number of Guests | Price per Person |
|---|---|
| 2 Guests | $55 |
| 3 Guests | $50 |
| 4 Guests | $48 |
| 5 Guests | $45 |
| 6 Guests | $43 |
| 7–8 Guests | $40 |
Guest Reviews
Guest reviews arriving soon
Cook Together. Eat Together. Live Like a Hmong Family.
Why You'll Love This Experience
Food is at the heart of every culture. Spend a full day with May's family, shopping at the local market, cooking traditional Hmong recipes, sharing a meal together, and experiencing the warmth and hospitality of village life.
Ready to cook with May's family?
Groups are kept small and private. Tell us your dates and group size, and we'll confirm availability directly with your Hmong hosts — no payment required to enquire.
- Cook alongside May's Hmong family, not a demonstration
- Small private groups
- Suitable for all ages
This is a detail we're still finalizing directly with our hosts, rather than publishing a policy before it's properly agreed. We'd rather leave this honestly incomplete for now than state something inaccurate — it will be added as soon as it's confirmed.