Lai Chau Province is the most sparsely populated in Vietnam. It shares a border with China. The remote small town of Lai Chau, reached after a high mountain pass and a spectacular descent, is nested in a deep verdant valley which has the oddity of being one of the hottest places in Vietnam in the summer. Visit Lai Chau while you can, since recurring floods have prompted a project to transform the valley into a reservoir.
The scenery between Muong Lay and Phong Tho is some of the most spectacular scenery you can see in the Far Northwest of Vietnam. The mountains are striking with abrupt peaks and on a clear day you can see many of the even larger peaks rising from the Chinese side of the border. Around Phong Tho is as close as you will get to the Chinese frontier in this part of the country.
Being so rarely visited this is a corner of Vietnam that has more to offer the adventurous traveller than the regular backpacker. Its local people carry on much as they always have and the region is home to many different ethnic minorities. The region borders on both Laos and China however border crossings are not possible here.
If travelling independently you might want to take notice of name changes. A large dam is being built in this area to power Northern Vietnam ‘s increasing demand for electricity. As a result there has been some name changing amongst the towns. Note that many of the towns in this province are not where they once were. It is almost as though as the waters rise they are heading for higher ground. Towns like Lai Chau have been relocated further up the river and the small townships that they replace have swapped names. This is a continuing process so take note of town names, distances and ask locals before really ascertaining where you are.
Sin Ho market would be a pity if you come to North West but not stop off at the Sin Ho market because this is not only the most colorful market on traditional clothes of North West inhabitants but also the wildest ones. on Saturday afternoon, you can see conveys of horses and people walking from gathering here with many kinds of farm products as they come from distant communities so they have to ride on horse all day to the market. This remote town suddenly turns noisy with laughter and the stampede of footsteps. The market located at the centre of town, surrounded by verdant mountain ranges and clouds. The local people here still use coins of up to hundred years in circulation to purchase or exchange goods as they often play an important role in their daily life like wedding and other festivities. When entering that multicolor world, you will treasure and value of all hardness to come here.
National Road 4 connects Lai Chau to Lao Cai Province, National Road 12 to Dien Bien Province and National Road 32 to Yen Bai Province. There is also a road to Gejiu in China. There is neither an airport nor a railway in the province.
