The Dao ethnic group, which has many names such as Đông, Trại, Dìu Miền, and Kim Miền, has a total population of nearly 1 million people. They live mainly in the northern mountain provinces of Cao Bang, Ha Giang, Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Lai Chau and Tuyen Quang and the midland provinces of Phu Tho, Vinh Phuc, and Hoa Binh.
The Red Dao prepare a feast after a bumper crop A small number of the Dao group, who traditionally live in the northern mountain provinces, have migrated to the Central Highlands. There are many subgroups differentiated by habits, customs, and costumes, for example, the Red Dao, Dao Quần Chạt, Dao Lo Ga, White Pants Dao, and Dao Thanh Y.
Each Dao group is easily identified by their costumes. Generally, a woman’s costume includes shirt, skirt, headscarf, a pair of leggings, and jewelry. A man wears a short shirt with a line of buttons. Doctor Vo Mai Phuong of the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology says: "The Red Dao people wear red costumes from top to toe. They have red shirts, leggings, pants, headscarves, and belts. The Dao Tien are the only Dao group who wear skirts embroidered with the images of coins. The Dao Quan Chat are also called Sơn Đầu, which means painted head, because the women shave off their hair, paint their heads, and cover their heads with traditional headscarves. The White Pants Dao always wear white pants."