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Northwest Vietnam

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Cascading rice terraces near Sapa.

Matt Munro

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Overview

Northwest Vietnam, with its rocky, cone-like mountains, high vistas and deep valleys, encompasses some of the most extreme geography in the country – if not all of Southeast Asia. Travelling to the more remote parts of the region takes time and effort, but those short on either can stick around Sapa, the surrounding hills of which are a microcosm of the region as a whole.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

  • Bac Ha Market in Vietnam.

    Bac Ha Market

    Bac Ha

    This Sunday market is Bac Ha’s big draw. There's an increasing range of handicrafts for sale, but it’s still pretty much a local affair. Bac Ha Market is…

  • Vietnam, near Bac Ha, Flower Hmong brightly coloured fabrics for sale at Can Cau market

    Can Cau Market

    Bac Ha

    This small market, 20km north of Bac Ha, attracts a growing number of visitors. Some tours from Sapa now visit Can Cau on Saturday before moving on to Bac…

  • Vua Meo, French colonial villa. Bac Ha, Vietnam

    Vua Meo

    Bac Ha

    The outlandish Vua Meo, built in 1921 by the French to keep the Tay chief Hoang A Tuong happily ensconced in style, is a bizarre palace constructed in a…

  • Woman selling green vegetables at Sapa market.

    Sapa Market

    Sapa

    Turfed out of central Sapa and now in a purpose-built modern building near the bus station, Sapa Market is still interesting, and hill-tribe people from…

  • Flower Hmong women shopping Coc Ly market

    Coc Ly Market

    Bac Ha

    The Coc Ly Market attracts Dzao, Flower Hmong, Tay and Nung people from the surrounding hills. It’s about 35km southwest of Bac Ha. Operators in Bac Ha…

  • Fansipan Cable Car

    Fansipan Cable Car

    Sapa

    Towering above Sapa are the Hoang Lien Mountains, once known to the French as the Tonkinese Alps and now a national park. These mountains include the…

  • Tram Ton Pass

    Tram Ton Pass

    Sapa

    The road between Sapa and Lai Chau crosses the Tram Ton Pass on the northern side of Mt Fansipan, 15km from Sapa. At 1900m it's Vietnam’s highest mountain…

  • Muong Cultural Museum

    Muong Cultural Museum

    Northwest Vietnam

    One potential stopover between Hanoi and Mai Chau is this centre founded by Hanoi artist Vu Duc Hieu to showcase the culture of the local Muong ethnic…

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