Sa Pa 15th century and represent local cadastres. Then came the highland minorities of the Hmong and Yao. The township is one of the main market ones in the area, where several ethnic minority groups such as Hmong, Dao (Yao), Giáy, Pho Lu, and Tày live. These are the four main minority groups still present in Sa Pa district today. The Kinh (lowland Vietnamese) never originally colonised this highest of Việt Nam’s valleys, which lies in the shadow of Phan-Xi-Pǎng (Fansipan, 3143 m), the highest peak in the country. It was only when the French debarked in highland Tonkin in the late
Phu Kao–Phu Phan Kham National Park Bua Lamphu Province. The park's area is . The park's western section is located in the Phu Kao mountain range and the eastern section in the Phu Phan Kham mountain range of the Phu Phan Mountains. The park's western section is home to numerous caves hosting prehistoric rock paintings such as Tham Palan Hai, Tham Muem and Tham Rakha Khanit. Ancient artifacts of the Ban Chiang era have also been discovered in the area. The rock paintings and artifacts are estimated at more than 3,500 years old. In 1985 the park was established as Thailand's 50th national park. Part of