Tourist Attractions & Monuments North

Cap Bo offers the opportunity for a break in beautiful and still preserved landscapes. This is where the Fleuves and Mang rivers come from, hence the name Cap Bo (the Source). In 1941, the return of years abroad was where Ho Chi Minh lived in the Coc cave, beginning the long company that would lead to the independence of the nation. In the middle of the mountains clear streams of water. At the foot of Mount Karl-Marx, it is possible to bathe in the Lenin River. A small museum in Ho Chi Minh has some historical memories. The area is not busy.

The memorial is in the form of a white obelisk surrounded by a low wall. It was erected on his own initiative and built by Rolf Rödel (1928-1999), former sergeant of the Foreign Legion, who fought in Diên Biên Phu as commander of the 10th Company Commando of the ^3rd Battalion of the ^3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment (REI). The memorial was inaugurated on 7 May 1994 on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the Battle of Dien Bien Phu. The maintenance of the monument was the subject of an agreement between the authorities of the province of Diên Biên and the French Embassy in Hanoi.

In the colonial era, it was called the China Gate. Chinese border 18 km north of Lang Son. Very watched road in direction of the famous gate formerly guarded by a blockhouse raised by the French in 1895. A 370 m long wall marked the separation between the two countries. In 1979, the war almost completely destroyed it. Nanning, the capital of Guangxi province, is 221 km away, in Chinese territory, and can be reached by train from Hanoi.

It bears witness to the very ancient occupation of the region. More than 200 engraved and sculpted rocks are scattered in the rice fields. They also contain inscriptions that researchers have not yet deciphered. This is the task of P. Le Failler, historian and researcher at the École française d'Extrême-Orient (Efeo), who has been working on this enigma for several years. According to P. Le Failler, "known since 1925, the enigmatic petroglyphs of Sapa, in the province of Lao-Cai, show original models of cartography on stone. Though devoid of writing, the engravers have nevertheless left us a fine description of their world. The networks of rice terraces carved into the rock, the interlacing of hydraulic installations or the representation of villages allow the study of their morphology and provide information on the evolution of human settlements in the high valleys. The Efeo has carried out a census, which was essential due to acts of vandalism that have damaged many of the inscriptions. The coordinates of the stones were recorded by GPS, and each inscription was stamped for digitisation. Local people have always known about the stones, but are unable to explain their origin. Some inscriptions are sinister but unknown; others use an unidentified alphabet. The region has experienced significant migration to such an extent that local memory has lost the memory of those who were there only two hundred years ago.

It was once the chic beach comparable to Le Touquet of the 1930 s. It was in 1886 that Governor General Paul Bert decided to build a seaside resort. It is now a popular beach, frequented by the inhabitants of Haiphong, called Cuu Long Son (the mountain to the Nine Dragons) because of the nine bumps of its headland. The site suffers from pollution and excessive attendance. Water quality does not necessarily invite bathing. Beautiful view at the tip of the tip.

This beautiful cave is located 150 meters from the national road n° 6. The stalagmites rise, the stalactites fall and the bats fly away ... According to legend, a sacred dragon wished to settle in the peaceful valley where the magnificent mountain range changes colours: white in the morning, blue at noon, pink in the afternoon and purple when the sun sets. The mouth of the dragon would be the mouth of the Son Moc Huong cave.

In the southwest of the bay, one of the most beautiful caves, over a hundred meters long. What do we say? Stalagmites climb and stalactites fall. Fortunately, the officials of the Vietnam National Tourist Board have failed to gather the majestic legend linked to the cave, which - paradoxically - the discovery is presented as recent:

" According to legend, a beautiful girl named May ("Cloud") conquered the heart of the Dragon Prince, and their sumptuous marriage took place in the middle of the cave, for seven days and seven nights. A little dragons flew between the stalactites and the stalagmites, the elephants danced, the snakes were enroulaient around the stone trees and, above the island, eagles deployed their wide wings in the vastness of the sky. The lively atmosphere of this wedding, attended by the geniuses of the north and south, seems to have fossilized on the walls of the cave. '»»»»

The cave of Bouts draws its name from an episode of the war of resistance against the Mongolian invaders in the th century. On the eve of a decisive battle, General Tran Hung Dao was ordered to prepare several tapered piles, destined to be planted in the bed of the Bach River. The cave would have been used to store them.

We stop in front of a staircase of 300 steps which allows you to reach three fairly large rooms. Inside, the sun's rays run on the water, irisant the rock walls of silver grey reflections.

The French were named "Cave of wonders".

On Dam Nam Island, the Kim Quy cave (of the Golden Turtle) stretches over a hundred metres. It is associated with the legend of the Turtle (that of Hoan Kiêm Lake in Hanoi) in a mess that raises real questions. According to the legend scrupulously collected from the centenary fisherman who lodges in a rock cranny on the slope under the island's wind, the Turtle, after offering the Act the magic sword, would have returned to the sea by descending the Red River. But, coming to Along Bay, the Turtle was confronted with attacks by a horde of sailors with whom it had to negotiate. Overcome, she found refuge in this cave, which since then bears her name. Conclusion: who is the Hoan Kiêm Lake turtle?

The small village of Lao Chai, 7 km west of Sapa in the Muong Hoa valley, is a wonderful place to walk. Many guides take tourists on a tour of the still-preserved traditional way of life. The walk takes in picturesque bridges spanning the river, rice terraces, traditional Hmông houses, and culminates in a superb waterfall. For a coffee break or a meal, we recommend a stop at the Hà Meo Cau Mây Homestay.

Giang Thi Zao was born in Ta Van, a village near Sapa. Want to discover the breathtaking world of terraced rice fields, the breath of the mountains, the magnificent valleys? Giang invites the traveller to share his adventures in the Sapa Valley during hikes adapted to everyone's level. An experience to be lived and which allows local populations to be involved in the tourist development of the region; indeed, the management is ensured by a British company which accompanies people such as Giang.

Mount Kiêu Liêu Ti is almost completely surrounded by the Chay River (sông). The mountain culminates at 2 402 m and during the colonial period, the French had envisaged the possibility of installing an observation post there. The summit is relatively easy to access for experienced bikers. The route is very interesting from the point of view of natural and cultural landscapes. The area is inhabited by Dao, Nung, La Chi and Hmông people. Rice terraces and forests of Shan Tuyêt tea trees make up an original landscape, often bathed in mist.

A ruin, certainly majestic. The construction of the monastery, begun on October 8, 1942, was in fact never completed. The monastery was supposed to house a community of 12 Cistercian sisters who had been expelled from Japan and who had been given a piece of land on this site. They had the time to develop the production of dairy products as well as know-how in the field of jams (strawberry gardens), which became a speciality of the village of Ta Phin. The nuns had to abandon the place in 1945 because of insecurity.

Very wide choice (mountain biking, trekking, market visits…) in this very professional agency. The site is full of ideas and quality proposals.

A small local agency that organizes visits to the region's historical sites, excursions, hikes and stays with local residents in villages of Thai and Black ethnic groups.

In the downtown area, work on the Opera began in 1904 and it was inaugurated in 1912, during the period of French colonization, with materials imported from the metropolis. The design of the building was inspired by the architecture of the Opéra Garnier. The ceiling is decorated with floral frescoes in the rococo style that highlight the names of famous writers and artists. The room can accommodate 400 spectators. The Opera has been recently renovated, it is no longer used for performances, but rather for meetings.

The agency has Francophone guides and offers trekking and mountain biking.

Tourist agency depending on the People's Committee of the City of Hanoi.

The Diên Biên Phu Tourist Office is a point of reference for travelers wishing to discover this historic Vietnamese city.