Dien Bien is a province in the Northwestern mountainous region of Vietnam. When talking about Dien Bien, people often remember a heroic land with glorious victories, a beloved land with the proud aerial victory of Dien Bien Phu.
In addition to the golden pages of history, this place also impresses visitors with the magnificence of the mountains and forests, the danger of the legendary Pha Din pass, or the Muong Thanh fields with beautiful colors every year. summer comes.
The beauty of the majestic land of Dien Bien. (Source: Tran Minh Quan)
Let’s explore this once glorious land with MoMo through the full set of Dien Bien travel experiences below.
- Overview of Dien Bien.
- How to get to Dien Bien.
- Attractive Dien Bien tourist destinations that you cannot miss.
- What is Dien Bien cuisine?
- Notes when traveling to Dien Bien.
1. Overview of Dien Bien tourism
Dien Bien is a border province bordering Lai Chau and Son La, to the North it borders Yunnan of China, and to the West it borders Phongsaly of Laos. Therefore, Dien Bien is loved by backpackers for its dangerous roads and challenging journeys.
You can visit here at any time of the year, because each season, Dien Bien puts on a different color.
Each season, Dien Bien wears a different color. (Source: Dang Thuy Duong)
2. Which season is best to travel to Dien Bien?
2.1 Dry season
The dry season in Dien Bien lasts from October to the end of April. The weather is a bit dry, sometimes cold or warm depending on the year.
Traveling to Dien Bien at the end of the year, you will admire the romantic scenery of buckwheat fields in November, or be immersed in the bright yellow of the hillsides blooming with wild sunflowers in December.
In early March, spring will be the time when banyan flowers – a typical flower of the Northwest mountains and forests – bloom white in a corner of the sky.
Each season, each type of Dien Bien flower. (Source: Ha Demi)
2.2 Rainy season
The rainy season lasts from May to the end of September, which is the time when Dien Bien is immersed in the yellow color of ripe rice fields.
In addition, May is also an exciting month for Dien Bien tourism, when tourists from everywhere join in the jubilant atmosphere celebrating the victory of Dien Bien Phu on May 7.
Kayaking on the river is an interesting activity in Dien Bien. (Source: Tran Minh Quan)
3. How to get to Dien Bien
Dien Bien is more than 500 km northwest of Hanoi with the popular means of transportation being passenger cars. The bus companies operating the Hanoi – Dien Bien route are Chinh Le bus company, Duc Quyen bus company or Hanh Hong bus company.
With ticket prices starting from only 380,000 VND/way. Online ticket issuance, extremely fast payment, and information security are outstanding advantages of MoMo, helping you easily plan your trip to Dien Bien.
The beauty of Dien Bien every ripe rice season. (Source: Dang Thuy Duong)
4. Attractive tourist destinations in Dien Bien
4.1 A1 Hill Relic Area and Historical Victory Museum
Hill A1 is located in Muong Thanh ward, Dien Bien Phu city, Dien Bien province. This is the most important stronghold in the group of French colonial strongholds in Dien Bien Phu.
Hill A1 is located in the Northwest – Southeast direction, including 2 peaks: Northwest is higher than 490m, Southeast is higher than 493m. Different from the current peaceful scene, on May 7, 1954, this is where a heroic battle of the Vietnam People’s Army took place, forcing the French colonialists to surrender.
Next to hill A1 is the Victory Museum with a unique helmet-shaped design, adapted from the indispensable items of revolutionary soldiers. The museum is a space displaying artifacts and images recounting the events of the historic battle of Dien Bien Phu.
A1 Hill Relic Area. (Source: Dang Thuy Duong)
4.2 Pha Din Pass
Travelers who love the Northwest region and are passionate about conquering it probably all want to visit Pha Din Pass once. The majestic beauty of the mountains and forests, mixed with the poetic features of the villages imbued with highland cultural identity, are experiences that are difficult to describe in words when traveling to Dien Bien.
With a height of more than 1000m above sea level, Pha Din Pass is located on National Highway 6, in the two provinces of Son La and Dien Bien. This pass with its dangerous terrain and deadly turns is one of the “Four great passes” of Northwest tourism, alongside Ma Pi Leng, Khau Pha and O Quy Ho passes.
Legendary Pha Din Pass. (Source: Thu Thao)
4.3 The westernmost point of A Pa Chai
Located in Sin Thau commune, Muong Nhe district, Dien Bien province, the westernmost point of A Pa Chai is milestone number 0, located at the border junction between Vietnam – China – Laos. This place is known as the destination where “A rooster crows that all three countries can hear.”
The road to conquer A Pa Chai is extremely arduous because of the steep and winding terrain, the journey through sun and wind is more than 10km and there are also swampy areas if you go on rainy days. But the more difficult it is, the more it brings a feeling of conquest and joy when touching the westernmost point of the Fatherland.
Enjoy the Northwest weather. (Source: Hung Ngo)
4.4 Pa Khoang Lake
The jade gem in the heart of the Northwest is the next destination that MoMo wants to introduce in the Dien Bien travel itinerary. Located at an altitude of nearly 900m above sea level, the lake has an area of up to 2,400 hectares and is an important highlight in eco-tourism of Dien Bien province.
Possessing a charming beauty with rolling mountains and rich vegetation, Pa Khoang is likened to “Ha Long Bay on land” between heaven and earth in the Northwest.
Ha Long Bay on land. (Source: Nguyen Bang)
4.5 Muong Thanh Field
“Nhat Thanh, second Lo, third Than, fourth Tac” is the oral saying of Northwest people when talking about the endless rice granaries in the land of Dien Bien. Located entirely in the Dien Bien basin, viewed from above, Muong Thanh rice fields look like a carpet woven from the green color of rice, and will turn bright yellow when entering the summer days of August.
Admiring the sky and earth of Dien Bien under the golden sunshine and inhaling the scent of new rice will give you a fluttering feeling that you will remember forever when you have to return to the city.
Muong Thanh fields are woven from the green color of rice. (Source: Nguyen Hong Nhung)
4.6 Ta Sin Thang market
42km from Tua Chua town, Ta Sin Thang market is held every 6 days, on Ngo (horse) day and Ty (mouse) day. This is a destination that fully converges the identity of a highland market, giving you the opportunity to immerse yourself in the life of mountain town people.
Walking along the market, take the time to explore the brocade stalls woven by the skillful hands of the Mong people, try sipping a cup of Mong Pe wine with a strong smell of corn, and sing along with the sounds of Khen da. kill you.
Ta Sin Thang market. (Source: Dang Thuy Duong)
There are also some interesting check-in points in Dien Bien that you can visit such as:
- Noong U Lake: Dien Bien Dong District. Dien Bien province.
- Pe Luong reservoir: Thanh Luong commune, Dien Bien district, Dien Bien province.
- Ta Leng Peak: Ta Leng Commune, City. Dien Bien Phu, Dien Bien province.
- Hoang Cong Chat Temple: Thanh Yen, Dien Bien district, Dien Bien province.
- General De Castries Tunnel: Thanh Truong Ward, City. Dien Bien Phu, Dien Bien province.
- Rose Valley: Thanh Hung, Dien Bien district, Dien Bien province.
Each location in Dien Bien has its own beauty. (Source: Tran Minh Quan)
5. What to eat when traveling to Dien Bien?
Grilled fish
Thai people often call the grilled fish specialty the name Pa Pinh Top. With typical spices of the mountains and forests and a unique grilling method, the Pa Pinh Top dish impresses with its crispy outer shell, the aroma of Mac Khen and the spicy taste of Amomum bamboo shoots while still remaining intact. The sweet, fresh taste of each fish fiber.
Grilled fish is a Northwest specialty. (Source: Collector)
Dien Bien upland sticky rice
When talking about Dien Bien specialties, no one remembers the upland sticky rice dish cooked from fragrant rice grains grown in Muong Thanh fields. Hot sticky rice is always a must-try gift for tourists when visiting the westernmost land of the country, bringing both a rustic flavor and a unique feature of Thai cuisine that cannot be found anywhere else.
Dien Bien upland sticky rice. (Source: Dang Thuy Duong)
Green cabbage rolls
Did you know that the dish of green cabbage rolls dipped in cham cham that stirs up the culinary world in Hanoi every February originates from Dien Bien and other provinces in the Northwest region?
The sweetness of fresh cabbage combined with the sour taste of kale. Adding a bit of the pungent smell of fresh garlic leaves, served with the spicy taste of Cham diagonal creates an extremely unique dish and makes everyone’s mouth water every time they think about it.
Green cabbage rolls. (Source: Mai Huong)
6. Notes when traveling to Dien Bien
Dien Bien is a border area and is still quite wild. Therefore, when traveling to Dien Bien, you need to pay attention to the following things to have the most complete trip:
- Avoid going in July, because this time it rains a lot and can cause dangerous landslides.
- Rent a motorbike instead of a taxi to move more easily and proactively.
- Prepare a medical box containing basic medicines such as fever, cold, stomach ache, digestive enzymes, etc.
The scene matches every outfit color. (Source: Linh Blue)
Through the detailed Dien Bien travel experience article mentioned above, MoMo believes that you are very excited to start your Dien Bien travel journey, exploring the heroic westernmost land.