Travelling the Hanoi - Sapa - Dien Bien Phu loop
Mist regularly falls over Sapa Lake
The Hanoi – Sapa – Dien Bien Phu loop, more commonly called simply the Dien Bien Phu loop, covering northwest Vietnam, is ideal for adventurous travellers as it passes through areas away from the traditional beaten path.
There are various reasons for this: primarily, the amount of time it takes – whether travelling by motorbike or bus it is likely to take at least a week, time which many travellers don’t have; secondly, it’s not really for the novice tourist – roads are in terrible condition in some places, busses are crowded and uncomfortable, it’s hot and dusty and little English is spoken.
However, those who want to escape the backpacker haven of the coastal trail will find that the loop can be extremely rewarding. In truth, much of the time will be spent riding your motorbike or sitting on a bus, but the scenery is incredible and you will encounter people and cultures which the average tourist will miss out on.
The northwest of the country is home to large numbers of minority groups with people living contrasting traditional lifestyles. For those who have already visited Sapa, the minorities may well have come across as slightly contrived, yet they’re not. Throughout this region of Vietnam you will encounter traditionally dressed H’mong, Thai, Tay and Dao mingling freely in the towns, villages and countryside.
The loop will also be a break from the hustle and bustle of the urban centres, but there will be additional challenges, none more so than the lack of people who have a grasp of the English language so a small phrasebook could well come in handy. A further benefit for the intrepid traveller is that outside Dien Bien Phu, Mai Chau and Sapa there is no real form of tourism infrastructure. More on basic Vietnamese.
Golden statue in Dien Bien Phu
If your starting point is Hanoi and you head anti-clockwise, the first stop for those taking an overnight bus or train is likely to be Lao Cai. Travellers on motorbikes will probably want to stop off in a few places along the way as it is an over 300km journey.
At Lao Cai there is no shortage of sleeping and eating options, and it is a nice little place, but there is no real need to stay any length of time. Nearby Bac Ha has an interesting Sunday market which is just a short journey from Lao Cai. Those on public transport will have to head return to Lao Cai to take the next stage of the journey.
The next stop-off point is Sapa. It is incredibly touristy, but certainly worth checking out. The region has a cool climate, various different ethnic groups and superb trekking opportunities. If you have time, two days would be advised which would include a trek to some of the surrounding villages. More on Sapa.
The Sapa to Dien Bien Phu journey takes approximately nine hours and involves hours of minibus travel along a woefully substandard road. To break the journey up it may be a good idea to stop off somewhere for an evening. Just three hours from Sapa is Lai Chau, which offers reasonable facilities for a night’s stay and is also close to the impressive Dong Thieu Duong Cave.
Other options include Phong To and Sinh Ho, neither of which are truly inspiring although they do have friendly locals and beautiful scenery, with the landscape around Sinh Ho truly magnificent.
The bus terminal at Sinh Ho isn’t on the main route, so travellers looking to visit the town will have to stay overnight at the Thanh Binh, the only accommodation in town which takes tourists. Phuong To is on the main road between Lao Cai and Dien Bien Phu. It does have a few reasonable hotels but there’s not too much to do.
The next leg of the journey will see you arrive in Dien Bien Phu, close to the Tay Trang crossing into Laos. The town also has plenty of historical interest as it was where the Vietnamese defeated the French in 1954. There are several interesting wartime attractions as well as a fairly unique food market. Those who aren’t already on motorbikes may want to hire one here as there are some excellent routes to the surrounding villages – although it is unlikely anyone will be able to tell you in English how to get to them. More on Dien Bien Phu.
The road into Hoa Binh is not the best quality
Three hours from Dien Bien Phu is the slow-paced town of Tuan Giao. There is a superb guest house here, the HongKy, which even dishes up the odd piece of Western cuisine. Those looking for a bit of respite from the hardcore travelling may enjoy a relaxing night here.
A further two hours from Tuan Giao is Son La. Highlights here include the prison and the local park, where visitors can enjoy barbecue food and some alcoholic beverages – or even snails if you’re feeling adventurous.
Continuing on the Highway 6 you will pass two relatively uninteresting towns - Moc Chau and Yen Chau – which do have a limited amount of accommodation and restaurants, but should only really be stopped at if you need a break. If you skip them and keep going, the next town of any significance which you will come across is Mai Chau, an excellent place to spend a bit of time.
In Mai Chau travellers can simply relax for a day or two or rent a bike to explore the attractive surrounding countryside. A popular option is to choose one of the many homestays in the villages around Mai Chau as they offer a truly unique experience. Tourists can unwind ‘local style’ and enjoy the homemade food and rice wine with the hosts. Mattresses and mosquito nets are also provided.
The final stop on this gruelling route is Hoa Binh, just two hours from Hanoi. Unfortunately, the last leg of the journey certainly won’t be the highlight as, although the town is fairly large, the museum is the only thing worth visiting. There is, however, a good choice of hotels and restaurants, and reservoir boat trips can also be arranged. After this you’re back in Hanoi.
Doing the loop by motorbike is very popular, but it is a long ride with difficult-to-negotiate terrain in some areas. However, the benefits of greater flexibility and better photographic opportunities are worth considering. You also have the option of heading off the main road to check out various local villages and valleys.
The bus journey may take more patience and planning as well as being uncomfortable in large parts, but the experience of being crammed into minibuses filled with locals will certainly provide stories for the future. The disadvantage, however, is that you are pretty much stuck on the main route.
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