The Northwest is the
site of the famous battle of Dien Bien Phu, where the garrison was
overrun by Viet Minh soldiers in 1954 ending nearly a century of
French occupation of Viet Nam. With the exception of Sa Pa, there
are few hotels in the northwest as it is relatively undeveloped.
However, homestays are possible for adventurous visitors. Sa Pa has
several reasonable hotels, including one of international standard.
Those in Bac Ha are very basic.
Dien Bien Phu became
famous the world over as the place the Vietnamese defeated the
French army and ended colonial rule. 500km (310 miles) from Hanoi,
it is a beautiful valley bisected by the Nam Youm river and
surrounded by high mountain peaks. The area is 18km (11 miles) long
and 4km (2.5 miles) wide.
Hoa Binh Province:
It is 75km south west
of Hanoi and the place for so many different hill tribe people
including Muong and Thai. These groups live in villages that are
unchanged for generations. The people still practise aspects of
their tradition lifestyles but exposure to the outside world and
Government sponsored education is helping the people make the
adjustment to the modern age.
Mai Chau:
It has long been a
destination for travelers in search of beauty. The French soldiers,
or so the story goes, would make special trips from their outpost at
DienBienPhu in the far northwest reaches of Vietnam to the village
ome 200 miles away. They didn't come to take advantage of the
breathtaking scenery of the surrounding mountains, but rather the
beautiful women of the Tai hill tribe who inhabited the serene
valley.
Son La:
This is a good stop
over point if you are travelling from Hanoi to Dien Bien Phu since
it is approximately half way (time-wise) between the two. In the
centre of the town is the old French Prison and Museum. In the
prison grounds is a peach tree that was planted by To Hieu, a former
inmate, some time in the 1940's.
