It was great - squat toilet, kids riding water buffalos up the street, ducks and chickens wandering around, local women in their traditional dress, streams, great views and satellite television!?

At Ta Van village, surrounded by the apple green of a bamboo forest, the huts are made of wood. Some are two-storey, with smart concrete patios and television antennae. Ta Van is home to Zay people, who dress in Chinese-style shirts and bright headscarves. They are more affluent than their neighbours. Most Tay go to secondary school; many go to university, move to the cities and send money home.

Zay people is a fairly small minority group of about 38,000 people who live mainly in the mountains in Northwest Vietnam. The development has meant that some of their old customs have been lost but many women still wear traditional shirts with a purple, blue or green colour. The Zay houses are built in wood and bamboo with a clay floor.