Son La Travel Guide

Son La province has its administrative center in Son La city, located approximately 310 km from Hanoi , and borders the provinces of Yen Bai, Lai Chau, Phu Tho, Hoa Binh, Dien Bien, and Thanh Hoa. The province also shares a 250 km border with Huaphanh province of Laos, with three international border crossings: Chieng Khuong, Long Sap, and Na Cai.

Located at an average altitude of 600-700m above sea level, bordered by the Moc Chau and Son La plateaus, the Ma and Da rivers, Son La has the typical climate of Northern Vietnam, with cold, dry winters and hot, humid summers. The dry season lasts from October to April of the following year, and the rainy season from May to September. Son La is situated in an area less affected by typhoons, but it is adjacent to medium-high mountain ranges running along the Vietnam-Laos border. Therefore, in March and April, Son La is affected by the Foehn effect, bringing dry, hot Lao winds and relatively harsh weather. The average annual temperature is around 22°C, with a maximum of about 35°C and a minimum of about 3°C.

Move

From Hanoi and other northern provinces, travel to Son La by road via National Highway 6, National Highway 37, or CT05 (Noi Bai - Lao Cai Expressway) and then onto National Highway 37. The travel time is approximately 6 hours and 30 minutes. Besides private cars, tourists can also take sleeper buses or limousine buses, departing from My Dinh or Yen Nghia bus stations, with ticket prices ranging from 150,000 VND to 350,000 VND. Son La does not have an airport. The nearest airport is Dien Bien , located approximately 170 km from the center of Son La city. The travel time from Dien Bien airport to Son La is about 3 hours.

Hawthorn blossoms are in full bloom in Son La. Photo: Old Cat.

Accommodation

Besides the large number of accommodations in Ta Xua and Moc Chau, hotels in Son La are mainly located in the city center. Tourists can consider high-end hotels such as Muong Thanh and Hoa Ban Trang, priced from 700,000 VND to 1,200,000 VND per night. 2-3 star hotels include Galaxy Grand, Hoang Gia Hotel, Hoang Son, and Hoa Hong, with prices ranging from 300,000 VND to 500,000 VND per night. There are also guesthouses and homestays with prices around 200,000 VND per room.

Sightseeing

Moc Chau Plateau

Moc Chau is one of the most famous tourist destinations in Northern Vietnam, boasting pristine natural beauty, with each season having its own unique characteristics. Visiting Moc Chau at the beginning of the year is when the apricot, plum, and peach blossoms are in full bloom. This highland region is also a destination for picking fruits such as persimmons, strawberries, apricots, plums, and peaches. Wild sunflowers will bloom brightly yellow around October, before the mustard flower season. In addition, Moc Chau has vast tea hills, Ban Ang pine forest, Dai Yem waterfall, Chieng Khoa waterfall, and Nang Tien waterfall. For tourists who enjoy outdoor activities, trekking to Nguyen Thuy village and Pha Luong peak would be a suitable choice. The Son La Prison historical site is also a must-see.

Son La Prison historical site. Photo: Son La Newspaper

Son La Prison, located on Khau Ca Hill in To Hieu Ward, Son La City, was classified as a Special National Historical Monument on December 31, 2014. Adults and children taller than 1 meter pay 30,000 VND for entry. The prison was built by the French colonialists in 1908 with an initial area of ​​500 m2. After three expansions, the area increased to 2,170 m2, comprising a row of underground cells 3 meters deep, 5 individual cells, and 2 collective cells. The structure was solidly built, with stone beds for prisoners, smooth cement surfaces, and leg shackles along the length of the floor. This place was likened to "an open coffin, just waiting for the prisoner to breathe their last before being buried." From 1930 to 1945, the French colonialists exiled 14 groups of political prisoners here, totaling 1,013 prisoners, including famous figures such as Tô Hiệu, Lê Duẩn, Trường Chinh, Nguyễn Lương Bằng, Văn Tiến Dũng, Lê Đức Thọ, Lê Thanh Nghị, and Trần Quốc Hoàn. Bản Mòng hot spring is one of the eco-tourism, cultural, and resort destinations, located about 5km from the center of Sơn La city. The road to Bản Mòng winds around the hills, is wide and paved, making it convenient to travel. Tourists can admire the beautiful natural scenery and enjoy the fresh, airy atmosphere. The water temperature remains stable between 36 and 38 degrees Celsius and is odorless, so visitors can bathe at any time of year. The hot spring is open from 8 am to 6 pm daily. Tickets for herbal and hot mineral baths cost 120,000 VND per person per visit. (Sơn La Hydroelectric Reservoir)

The reservoir of the Son La hydroelectric power plant. Photo: Son La Newspaper

The Son La hydroelectric power plant, built on the Da River, was inaugurated in 2012. After its completion, the plant created a large reservoir over 150km long and covering approximately 16,000 hectares, making it a popular tourist destination. Boat trips on the reservoir offer a relaxing experience, allowing visitors to admire the pristine and mysterious beauty of the riverine landscape. Along the lake are stilt houses of the resettled people. Visitors can also explore the riverside market, admire the Pa Uon bridge, participate in the traditional boat race on the 10th day of the first lunar month, and enjoy local river fish dishes prepared in the unique style of the Thai people. In Muong La district, near the Son La hydroelectric power plant, visitors can also visit Ngoc Chien commune, home to three ethnic groups – Thai, Mong, and La Ha – with their diverse and hospitable cultures. The Ta Xua cloud paradise is another highlight.

Ta Xua, situated at an altitude of over 2,800 meters above sea level, is one of the highest mountain peaks in Vietnam, located in Bac Yen district, bordering Tram Tau district (Yen Bai province). Ta Xua is 240km from Hanoi, enjoys a cool climate year-round, and is famous for its beautiful cloud-watching spots from October to April. The terrain of Ta Xua consists of narrow, steep roads with deep ravines on both sides. Besides traveling by motorbike or car, you can trek to the summit of Ta Xua, with routes of varying lengths from both Son La and Yen Bai provinces. The hawthorn forest in Ngoc Chien commune, Muong La district, located at an average altitude of 1,800 meters above sea level, holds the record for "The commune with the largest hawthorn forest in Vietnam". According to the Vietnam Record Organization, by the end of 2023, Ngoc Chien commune had more than 2,500 hectares of hawthorn trees, of which more than 1,400 hectares were already flowering and bearing fruit. Every March, the hawthorn flowers bloom white, creating a romantic scene that attracts tourists. Ngoc Chien also has a system of hot springs with an average temperature of 37 to 40 degrees Celsius, a unique tourism product.

Phu Yen District is a mountainous district in eastern Son La province, centered around the Muong Tac plain, considered the third largest plain in the Northwest region. In Phu Yen, there are several places tourists should visit, such as the Vo Nguyen Giap Forest, a historical site of the resistance against the French, now designated by the local government as a protected forest covering nearly 197 hectares. Additionally, the area boasts the 1,300-hectare Noong Cop pine forest with thousands of pine trees over 30 years old, serving as a green lung and attracting tourists who enjoy reconnecting with nature.

Cuisine

Pa Pỉnh Tộp

Pa Pỉnh Tộp (grilled fish) is a specialty of the Northwest region in general and Son La in particular. The main ingredient is fresh carp, catfish, or tilapia, cleaned and gutted along the back. The fish is then stuffed with spices including ginger, lemongrass, herbs, nutmeg, and especially mắc khén (a type of spice) and the sprouts of the sa nhân plant. The outside is coated with galangal powder and roasted rice flour. Pa Pỉnh Tộp must be grilled over charcoal, using bamboo skewers to hold the fish in place and allow the spices to penetrate deeply and release their aroma. This dish was mentioned by American chef Robert Danhi in his culinary program "Discover Vietnam". Dried buffalo meat from Son La is considered a specialty of the Northwest mountainous region in general and Son La in particular. The main ingredients for this dish are buffalo or pork raised on the mountain slopes. When preparing the meat, locals cut it into pieces, marinate it with spices including salt, ginger, chili, mắc khén (a type of spice), and other additives, then smoke each piece of meat over charcoal smoke from forest trees. The simplest way to eat smoked buffalo meat is to steam it until tender and shred it, dipping it in chẩm chéo (a type of dipping sauce) or preparing it into salads, stir-fries, or braised dishes. Chiềng Mai Duck : Ducks from Chiềng Mai commune, Mai Sơn district, are famous for their weight of 1.5 to 1.7 kg. The ducks have small bones, yellow skin, fragrant, sweet meat, and are tender but not mushy. Most Chiềng Mai ducks are raised in a semi-free-range system. Popular ways to prepare Chiềng Mai duck include boiled, steamed, grilled over charcoal, braised with sour fruits, or cooked with bamboo shoots. In addition, many restaurants also prepare dishes suitable for children and the elderly such as sticky rice, duck porridge, or duck stir-fried with lemongrass and chili, or roasted with galangal. Buffalo skin salad .

Buffalo skin salad. Photo: MIA

Buffalo skin salad is prepared according to the traditional recipe of the Thai people, the most elaborate part being the preparation. Buffalo skin is roasted over a fire to remove the thick layer of hair and kill bacteria, then the hard outer layer is scraped off, leaving only the transparent part, which is then boiled until cooked and soaked in cold water to make it crispy. The buffalo skin is cut into large, thin pieces and soaked in hot water with a little lemon juice to soften and add aroma. After preparation, the buffalo skin is marinated with spices characteristic of the Northwest mountains such as persimmon, garlic, sour bamboo shoot juice, and mắc khén (a type of spice), then mixed with roasted peanuts, various herbs, banana blossoms, and wild greens, and arranged on a plate. Mắc nhung porridge: Mắc nhung fruit (bitter eggplant) is a green fruit belonging to the tomato family. The mắc nhung tree grows naturally in fields or on cliffs along the edges of forests, common in Son La. Mắc nhung fruit has a slightly bitter and spicy taste with a sweet aftertaste. To cook velvet antler porridge, first sauté some minced meat, then cook it with glutinous rice and bone broth for several hours, adding spices, seasoning powder, fish sauce, ginger, pepper, and finally adding velvet antler at the end. (Mackerel)

Hawthorn berries (Crataegus) are a popular fruit not only because of their low price but also because they are a medicinal ingredient in traditional Eastern medicine with many health benefits. Hawthorn berries can be consumed fresh, made into tea, steeped in alcohol, or made into vinegar, helping to improve heart circulation, reduce pain, and promote relaxation. Additionally, according to the Trade Promotion Center of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, hawthorn berries are effective in treating stomach aches and diarrhea, and are good for digestion.

Tam Anh

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