Lai Chau is an out of the way place about 100km north, and 4 hours drive, from Dien Bien Phu. It is also one of the hottest places in Vietnam, during the summer months of June and July when temperatures can climb to 40oC. During the rainy season the town is prone to severe flooding from the Da River. Nevertheless the scenery around Lai Chau is quite breathtaking and worth the effort involved in getting there.

Getting There
Probably the best route is from Dien Bien Phu which should take around 4 hours. You can also arrive from Sa Pa or Lao Cai which will take 6 and 8 hors respectively. The latter route is by far the most spectacular but remember that the road can suffer severe damage during the rainy season and this can increase journey times considerable.

Sin Ho village
Sinho makes an interesting day trip from either Sa Pa or Lai Chau. It is a pretty mountain village with a large percentage of ethnic minorities and a busy Sunday market.

Getting There
You will have to arrange transport in either Sa Pa or Lai Chau. Although the distance is fairly short roads are bad so the journey can take some time.

Where to Stay

Hotels in Lai Chau
Below is a list of hotels in Lai Chau sorted by price range (highest first).

Song Da Hotel
Price Range: Up to $25 per night
Ra Lay - Lai Chau Town, Lai Chau (Tel: 852 527)

Lan Anh Hotel
Price Range: Up to $25 per night
Lai Chau Town (Tel: 852370)

NamLay Hotel
Price Range: Up to $25 per night
Lai Chau Town (Tel: 852346)

This is a good stop over point if you are travelling from Hanoi to Dien Bien Phu since it is approximately half way (time-wise) between the two. In the centre of the town is the old French Prison and Museum. In the prison grounds is a peach tree that was planted by To Hieu, a former inmate, some time in the 1940's.

Getting There
The bus trip from Hanoi is about 320km and takes around 12 hours. Son La to Dien Bien Phu is another 150km and 10 hours drive.

Hotels in Son La
Below is a list of hotels in Son La sorted by price range (highest first).

Phong Lan Hotel
Price Range: Up to $50 per night
Son La (Tel: 853516)

Hoa Ban Hotel
Price Range: Up to $35 per night
Son La (Tel: 854600, Fax: 852712)

Hoa Doa Hotel
Price Range: Up to $25 per night
Son La (Tel: 853823, Fax: 853712)

Ngoc Hoa Guesthouse
Price Range: Up to $25 per night
Son La (Tel: 853993)

Phong Lan II Hotel
Price Range: Up to $25 per night
Son La (Tel: 852318)