From Vietnam to Cambodia

North West Discovery - Part 1
Vietnam’s North West
Road Trip to Ba Be Lakes

26th November – 1st December 2008
Hanoi - Mai Chau - Son La - Lai Chau - Sa Pa – Hanoi

Part 1:

The day started in the centre of Hanoi when Vinh (Vietnam Travel Guide where I work) and I met up with Mr. Chinh our driver of the short wheelbase Toyota Landcruiser at 8am. Chinh is around 55 years old and had been a tank commander in the Vietnamese army during the war in Cambodia against Pol Pot. I just hoped he didn’t think he was indestructible. Any worries I had were misplaced as he was the best and safest driver I had come across since being in Vietnam, and that’s saying something.

The first 90 minute leg of our journey was to Hoa Binh, a large town west of Hanoi which boasts the second largest hydro power station in the country.

We did not stay around too long and soon headed of to Mai Chau via a mountain pass which gave great views of the surrounding country. We arrived there at around 11.30am and went straight to the White H’Mong village set in the middle of the rice fields. These ethnic people live in stilt houses and offer great home stay accommodation.

We met Ms Mach and her family from homestay house No.19. She gave us a warm welcome and showed us around the facilities available to guests. We checked out the accommodation and made note of the very cheap overnight accommodation rates for our future clients. We then enjoyed one of her lunches which was well above my expectations.

These homestay houses are exceptionally clean and the top floor offers mattress on the floor style beds with areas partitioned off by cloth screens. The toilet and shower block below was very clean and presentable.

After lunch we continued the long drive west to Son La where we had yet to organise overnight accommodation. The mountain scenery along the way was spectacular. We passed through tea plantations, hillside farming of small fruit, apiaries, corn and other vegetable crops. Villages were predominantly ethnic. Every now and then was a larger town inhabited by Vietnamese (Kinh people) along with White H’Mong, Black H’Mong, White Thai, Black Thai and Tay peoples.

Arriving in Son La we inspected two hotels, obtained prices and judged their hospitality and facilities and made our decision. It was the Union Hotel. The Directors made us most welcome and invited us to join them for dinner and drinks which included the inevitable tossing back of shooters of local rice wine accompanied by many “cheers”. The rooms were very clean and comfortable. The staff provided evening entertainment with traditional dancing and singing.

Breakfast was buffet style and provided a good selection of local dishes plus the usual western offerings. Leaving Son La we headed north to the new Lai Chau. The old Lai Chau used to be north of Dien Bien Phu but the provincial government has decided to move it further north and develop a more suitable location for their capital. A new more direct road was being constructed and parts necessitated slow travelling. Nonetheless we made good average speed through beautiful mountain scenery interspersed with ethnic villages and markets.

We stopped for lunch at a small town, Than Nyen, where we were treated to a delicious hot pot meal in the kitchen behind the motorbike shop owned by Vinh’s relations. It was also a new experience to taste the wild apple wine made by the H’Mong people living in the mountains. Probably the best Vietnamese wine I have tasted, somewhat like a fortified cider.

The chicken was certainly free range. The meat was quite dark. It had done a few kilometres but it definitely had tasteful chicken flavour. After lunch we pressed on to Lai Chau. The beautiful mountain and rural scenery mixed with fascinating village life made a long journey very short.

We arrived at a very impressive hotel in Lai Chau and again given a warm welcome by management. The hotel has many facilities including tennis courts, indoor game facilities and a swimming pool. The rooms were extremely comfortable and well priced. For the second night we enjoyed dinner with hotel management.

For North West discovery, North West tours, homestay experience in the North West Vietnam, please contact: Vietnam Homestay Specialist at sales@vietnamhomestay.net

Written by Jane Dannock
An inspection trip on 17 November 2007
www.Vietnamhomestay.net