Lao Cai is a mountainous border-sharing province in the north of Vietnam. This is a famous tourist destination of Vietnam where there are many beautiful stretches of road. The recently opened Noi Bai – Lao Cai Highway, the largest expressway in Vietnam stretching a total length of 245 km, is an opportunity for the province to attract visitors to discover its famous landscapes.Vietnam Business Forum has an interview with Mr Nguyen Hong Thang, Director of Laocai Sunrie Travel Company, on opportunities for visitors to enjoy spectacular experiences. Thu Huyen reports.The operation of Hanoi – Lao Cai Highway will create more favourable conditions for visitors to experience the famous cultural landmarks and tourism attractions in northern Vietnam. Could you please tell us more about this?
Shortening the drive time from 7 hours to 3.5 hours from Hanoi to Sa Pa is a good condition for families, organisations and travel companies to organise tours to the northern region. Sa Pa is the heart of the northern mountainous region, which is constituted by 12 northeast and northwest provinces. In Sa Pa, tourists can choose to tours around Sa Pa. Sa Pa is also the connecting centre of relatively high districts with very pleasant climate like Bat Xat, Muong Khuong, Bac Ha and Si Ma Cai.
In addition, Lao Cai is also a multi-ethnic province, with 26 ethnic groups. Ha Nhi Den, an ethnic group in Bat Xat district, is the most unique in Southeast Asia. Their homes are built with earthen walls and 40-50-cm thick straw roofs. They have very simple and primitive culture. In addition, visitors can visit and explore villages of Dao people or climb Fansipan Mount at an altitude of 3,143 metres. Muoi Mountain in Lao Cai province shapes many marvellous stretches of roads heading to Truong Son Mountain Range. To go to Lai Chau province or return to Sa Pa, tourists can choose different roads, like the way to Thac Ba, Heaven Gate, Ham Rong tourist site, Cat Cat village of H’mong Den people, Dao Do village of Ta Phin people or Lao Chai village of H’mong Den people or Ta Van village of Giay peole.
So, is it true that visiting Lao Cai province is also an opportunity for tourists to explore beautiful stretches of road?
Lao Cai province has relatively good tourism plans and cooperation programmes with eight northwest provinces. Tourism businesses in the province and neighbouring localities can open tour routes in different paths. Trans-Asia Road conveniently connects with National Road 32 to reach two districts of Lai Chau province and then pass Yen Bai province to return to Hanoi. Or tourists can follow National Road 4D to go to Lai Chau and Dien Bien provinces and return to Son La, Hoa Binh and Hanoi or head northeast to reach National Road 279 to go to National Road 70 to return to Ha Giang, Tuyen Quang and Hanoi or go on the journey to Cao Bang and Bac Kan provinces. It can be said that those streets facilitate the development of northern provinces. And, there is another option to reach Lao Cai province from Hanoi: Going by train. It takes 8-9 hours to travel between the two localities by train and night trips will help save time for discovery.
What are typical products and services for tourists when they go to Sa Pa, Lao Cai province?
Sa Pa is very impressive at night. Night markets sell brocades and local foods. Tourists can taste a lot of special dishes cooked by northwest mountainous ethnic peoples and purchase bags, hats and clothes made by local people. They can also watch cultural repertoires, love songs, pan-pipe dances and folk music performances by ethnic minorities. Love market in Sa Pa is also very special because it depicts cultural life, spirit and emotion of local people. This is also considered a food for thought of tourists when they come here.
In addition to food and brocade, Sa Pa has many other things for tourists to buy like herbal medicines, fungi or fruits. Bathing medicines of Dao Do people have been diversified into six products and eight service models. Bathing services are also very special. Tourists will dip in round or rectangular barrels full of medicinal water. This is a tourist magnet and a source of income for Dao Do people.
Đăng ký: VietNam News