Son La Province

Son La, the fifth largest province in the country, is located to the northwestern region of Vietnam. Eighty percent of the province’s natural area is covered with mountains. The province is populated by various ethnic groups, including the Ma, H’mong, Dao, Muong, Kinh, Khmer, Tay, Thai, and so on.
Son La has a temperate climate throughout the year.Tham Tet Tong is a complex of marvelous grottoes located only 1.5 km from Son La. Excursions to Tay Bac Mountains and bathing at Ban Mong Hot Springs are available. Visits to ethnic minorities hamlets are also popular trips. Son La connects Hoa Binh by National Highway No. 6, Yen Bai by Highway No.37, Lao Cai by Higway No.279. Son La Town is 328km from Hanoi. In Na San Airport, Vietnam Airlines has daily flight from Hanoi to Son La. Annual average temperature is about 21ºC.

Son la Highlights:

Son La Provincial Museum

Location: Son La Provincial Museum is located in the centre of Son La Town, 328km from Hanoi.
Characteristics: The Son La Provincial Museum was originally a penitentiary built by the French in 1908; thousands of Vietnamese patriots were imprisoned here.

At first, it was only a small provincial prison. But between 1930 and 1945, thousands of Vietnamese patriots were imprisoned here. Key individuals who later became main leaders of the Revolution for National Liberation were incarcerated in the Son La Prison. In 1962, it was classified by the Ministry of Culture as one of the numerous revolutionary heritage sites in the Vietnam.

The penitentiary was partially rebuilt after 1952 bombings and visitors can visit the subterraneous tiny cells with food-serving hatches and leg irons. The museum also exhibits precious objects introducing the historical and cultural traditions of 12 ethnic groups living in Son La Province. Son La Provincial Museum welcomes tens of thousands of visitors every year.

Moc Chau Plateau

Location: Moc Chau Plateau is 199km from Hanoi along National Highway 6.
Characteristics: The plateau is about 1,000m above sea level and around 80km long and 25km wide.

The area of the grass-field accounts for more than 14,000ha and is suitable for animal husbandry, tea planting and other agriculture. Moc Chau tea factory was set up here to produce black tea for export and for domestic consumption.
Thousands of pure-bred and crossbred cows from the Netherlands are raised on the Moc Chau state-run farm, established in 1958. They provide fresh milk to Hanoi and to other provinces for producing tinned milk, yoghurt and other milk products.
Moc Chau Plateau is an attractive place for visitors with its cool temperature in the summer and an average temperature of 20oC (68oF) 

Related tours:

- The Northwest loop essensial
- Vietnam Ethnic Diversity