Lai Chau province has long been the poorest and least industrialized
area in
northwestern Vietnam. Lai Chau city is 450 km from the
Hanoi and 70 km
from Sapa. However, even here the times are changing and the industry and
the economy is growing gradually. Industrial production has almost tripled
between 2000-2007, and agriculture and forestry grew by 50%.
Road infrastructure in Lai Chau is still lagging behind. But even that is slowly changing and plenty of roads are repaired or build the new ones. The most advanced products are liquor, bricks, cement and electricity. In the center of Lai Chau town you will see a big statue of Ho Chi Minh.
Lai Chau is a place where it is good to stop if you are driving from Sapa to Dien Bien Phu or Muong Lay. You can rent a motorcycle and make a surroundings trip, there are the beautiful sceneries of hills, mountains and villages. The roads are here in good condition and there’s not so dense traffic as in another places. However, you may have a problem with rent a motorcycle, try asking at the Karaoke on Tran Phu Street in Lai Chau town.
In Lai Chau town and surrounding area you have to rent a motorbike.
Especially in Lung Then and Can Ho is a wonderful road through the valley, between the hills and large rice field. Another good idea is to visit Nam Long area, there is a large concentration of ethnic minorities. A lot of people from Thai, Hmong, Dao ethnic group live here.
Mang and La Hu – these two ethnic minorities live only in Lai Chau.
You can also make a trip on a motorcycle to the Tien Son cave, which is located about an hour’s drive from the Lai Chau town. If you want a longer trip on a motorcycle, you can go up to 80 km to the Sin Ho town. You will be going between the magnificent hills and panoramas worthwhile. There is a market in Sin Ho on sunday, a lot of women from ethnic minorities are coming to Sin Ho (Flowers, Blue, Black Hmong, Lu Dao) so you can buy a lot of interesting handicrafts and food.
There are many beautiful caves in Lai Chau province suitable for visit.
On the way from Lai Chau town to Sin Ho through the Nam Long district you can also visit a beautiful complex of 10 caves – Pu Sam Cap, it is 1700 m above sea level. It is recommended to visit the first low-laying cave due to its easy accessibility. In the district of Sin Ho it is also located old Deo Van Long historical palace. Deo Van Long was the French leader of the autonomous Tai Federation of northwestern Tonkin, French Indochina.
Road infrastructure in Lai Chau is still lagging behind. But even that is slowly changing and plenty of roads are repaired or build the new ones. The most advanced products are liquor, bricks, cement and electricity. In the center of Lai Chau town you will see a big statue of Ho Chi Minh.
Lai Chau is a place where it is good to stop if you are driving from Sapa to Dien Bien Phu or Muong Lay. You can rent a motorcycle and make a surroundings trip, there are the beautiful sceneries of hills, mountains and villages. The roads are here in good condition and there’s not so dense traffic as in another places. However, you may have a problem with rent a motorcycle, try asking at the Karaoke on Tran Phu Street in Lai Chau town.
In Lai Chau town and surrounding area you have to rent a motorbike.
Especially in Lung Then and Can Ho is a wonderful road through the valley, between the hills and large rice field. Another good idea is to visit Nam Long area, there is a large concentration of ethnic minorities. A lot of people from Thai, Hmong, Dao ethnic group live here.
Mang and La Hu – these two ethnic minorities live only in Lai Chau.
You can also make a trip on a motorcycle to the Tien Son cave, which is located about an hour’s drive from the Lai Chau town. If you want a longer trip on a motorcycle, you can go up to 80 km to the Sin Ho town. You will be going between the magnificent hills and panoramas worthwhile. There is a market in Sin Ho on sunday, a lot of women from ethnic minorities are coming to Sin Ho (Flowers, Blue, Black Hmong, Lu Dao) so you can buy a lot of interesting handicrafts and food.
There are many beautiful caves in Lai Chau province suitable for visit.
On the way from Lai Chau town to Sin Ho through the Nam Long district you can also visit a beautiful complex of 10 caves – Pu Sam Cap, it is 1700 m above sea level. It is recommended to visit the first low-laying cave due to its easy accessibility. In the district of Sin Ho it is also located old Deo Van Long historical palace. Deo Van Long was the French leader of the autonomous Tai Federation of northwestern Tonkin, French Indochina.
Hoang Lien National Park is one of the most beautiful parks in
Vietnam.
Hoang Lien National Park is a large wooded and mountainous area, situated between the towns of Sapa and Muong Lay. It is the perfect place for ecotourism and trekking, exploring ethnic villages and local residents. In some villages it is also possible to also use homestay accommodation. In the area of this park are mainly villages with ethnic group Hmong, Dao and Tay. Hoang Lien park is very rich in flora and fauna, there is a lot of several species of protected animals of Vietnam.
How to get to Lai Chau town:
Lai Chau town is located about 70 km from Sapa. Between the town of Sapa and Lai Chau you can use a local buses, over the Tram Ton Pass (scenic ride). Ask eg. in a hotel or at the information center in Sapa town. It is not problem to come in Lai Chau on a motorbike from Sapa. You can arrive with direct buses from the cities of Dien Bien, Son La, Mu Cang Chai (Yen Bai) to Lai Chau town. There is no train connection in Lai Chau province.
Over the town of Lai Chau and Hanoi operate also a night bus from Hung Thanh travel company. The drive takes about 14 hour. This bus stops also in Mu Cang Chai, this place can be very good stopover on this way.
Places of interest in Lai Chau:
• Can Ho and Nam Long district
• monument of Ho Chi Minh
• Pu Sam Cap cave
• trip on a motorcycle in to the town of Sin Ho
• Deo Van Long historical palace
• Tien Son cave and waterfall in Tam Duong district
• Hoang Lien National Park
• festivals in Lai Chau province
• riding a motorcycle around – beautiful sceneries
• Pu Si Lung (the 2nd highest mountain in Vietnam, 3076 m, inaccessible mountain without a guide and permit )
• Pu Tha Leng (the 3rd highest mountain in Vietnam, 3049 m, inaccessible mountain without a guide).
Hoang Lien National Park is a large wooded and mountainous area, situated between the towns of Sapa and Muong Lay. It is the perfect place for ecotourism and trekking, exploring ethnic villages and local residents. In some villages it is also possible to also use homestay accommodation. In the area of this park are mainly villages with ethnic group Hmong, Dao and Tay. Hoang Lien park is very rich in flora and fauna, there is a lot of several species of protected animals of Vietnam.
How to get to Lai Chau town:
Lai Chau town is located about 70 km from Sapa. Between the town of Sapa and Lai Chau you can use a local buses, over the Tram Ton Pass (scenic ride). Ask eg. in a hotel or at the information center in Sapa town. It is not problem to come in Lai Chau on a motorbike from Sapa. You can arrive with direct buses from the cities of Dien Bien, Son La, Mu Cang Chai (Yen Bai) to Lai Chau town. There is no train connection in Lai Chau province.
Over the town of Lai Chau and Hanoi operate also a night bus from Hung Thanh travel company. The drive takes about 14 hour. This bus stops also in Mu Cang Chai, this place can be very good stopover on this way.
Places of interest in Lai Chau:
• Can Ho and Nam Long district
• monument of Ho Chi Minh
• Pu Sam Cap cave
• trip on a motorcycle in to the town of Sin Ho
• Deo Van Long historical palace
• Tien Son cave and waterfall in Tam Duong district
• Hoang Lien National Park
• festivals in Lai Chau province
• riding a motorcycle around – beautiful sceneries
• Pu Si Lung (the 2nd highest mountain in Vietnam, 3076 m, inaccessible mountain without a guide and permit )
• Pu Tha Leng (the 3rd highest mountain in Vietnam, 3049 m, inaccessible mountain without a guide).
Read More:
