Bac Ha - Kingdom of H'mong Flowers

Upon arrival, his daughter was seriously ill. Her father managed by all means to save her daughter but failed. Too sorrow and disappointed, he was forced to use rocks to bury his daughter and then went to a nearby village to ask for some incense sticks to burn and warm up his daughter. Sympathizing for the man, the local people had contributed money and climbed up themountain to held burial rites for his daughter. When the incense stick was half burned, the girl woke up as though she was had just experienced a sleep. She told that she had met Bodhisattva who recommended her to worshipping work in the land of the living and then took her back to life. Everyone was surprised, raised their eyes to the sky and saw a five color cloud above. Found that it was a good omen and to express his gratitude towards the Bodhisattva for saving his daughter life, the man and local villagers had hired some people to build a small temple on cliff at a height of two ranges of tree over the earth's surface and sculpt a statue of the Bodhisattva to worship. Annually, on the 19th day of September, the local villagers went there to pray the Bodhisattva for good omens.

Scenery of Tien cave
Tien cave is closely connected with a legend about 3 fairies who were permitted to visit the dusty land by the King. Because the fairies did not want to leave this world, the Jade Emperor had sent the God of thunder to the land to punish the fairies. At first, three fairies hidden in a cave on the cliff at a height of about 200m. But when the God of thunder treaded on and destroyed a part of mountain where the three fairies were hiding in. Understanding that there was no way of escape from their father's punishment, they had thrown themselves to death. Their dead bodies were drifted down steam to the lower section of river where is now Bao Nhai communal centre. The local people had fished them out of the river built a temple that was name Ba Co (Thee Girls). People said that it was a very sacred temple.

In Fairly cave. There is Fairy stream where smaller streams are falling into. It looks loke a silk strip vaporous and sprinkling as drizzle. Current of water like a well skilled sculptor is chiseling cliff to make up

In other place, an eagle is flying up ... All create a particularly interesting natural bathtub.About 200m passing over Fairy stream, you will see a big cave like a gigantic gifted by the creator, rocks are assorted into rows of natural ramparts. Some 500m up stream, there are stalactites in shape of small and big ancient towers. Whenever it is shining these towers twinkle. After a visit inside the cave, you will reach Hoa island, a small island with fragrant flowers and herbs. You will reach a summit of hopes as coming to visit Fairy cave, swim in Fairy stream and pray for beauty, good health and prosperity.

Old palace on white plateau
Over 80 years of existence, the old palace still stands imposing and outstanding in the centre of Bac Ha township. The owner of Hoang A Tuong old palace is hereditary chief Hoang Yen Chao who is father of Hoang A Tuong and belonging to Tay minority.The old palace has a very nice view. It is constructed according the science of winds and waters. The palace is located on a vast hill in the southeast, surrounded by mountains in the back and two sides, and stream and "mother carrying child" mountain in the front.A harmoniuos combination between styles of Asian and Europe has created a self- contained rectangle lay- out for the Hoang A Tuong old palace. Both left and right sides of the palace are used as stone houses and for coolies to stay. The front is a screen and the back is the main house. There are 3 rooms on each floor and an open ground in the centre. To get into the palace, you have to go in the waiting room at first, then to a big ground that is used to celebrate a ceremony and xoe dancing. The main house has two floors with an area of 420 sq.m, a very well- proportioned arch door and a balcony outside the corridor. Two rooms on the right and two rooms on the left of the house are for family life. The middle room is for meeting. The palace is well decorated in modern architecture. The main side of the house is decorated with a lot of sophisticated vignettes and two parallel sentences with a content of wishing family prosperity. Total area of the house is up to 4,000 sq.m and strictly protected by two teams of guards at the main gate and two supporting gate.

At present, Hoang A Tuong palace is still being preserved, maintained and upgraded. It is a very good place for travelers to visit and understand history, society and people in the Bac Ha mountainous regions in the past.

Lao Cai City
Thuong temple vestiges - Lao Cai city
Strolling around a system of temples and pagodas in Lao Cai city, visitors seem to feel the past alive of which, the Thuong temple worshiping Grand Duke Tran Hung Dao is the most interested one. Despite restoration. This temple is characterized by an old architecture with a system of "exterior three door temple gate", "interior three door", "harem" and "the right and left houses'. The harem is located on the hilltop with 8 dragons under the Tran dynasty attending around and an out standing stele engraved with a legend of the Duc Thanh Tran temple. "The temple was built under the Le dynasty, in the Chinh Hoa years (1680 - 1750).....It stands quietly on the Mai Linh hilltop, looking down to the Nam Thi river...'. Also in he Thuong temple complex, there is an old banyan tree standing majestically over years. Together with Mau temple, Thuong temple is a traditional cultural evidence of Viet people in the country's border area.

According to the old people, Thuong temple is a very sacred one and attracting more and more youth couples and the elderly to make a pilgrimage, to pray for good fortune and visit pagodas. It is especially crowed in the 15th day festival or lunar January.

Lao Cai international border
Lao Cai border gate is only 1 km far from the railway station. You can get there by Taxi or motorbike (Xe om) Here you'll see China clearly, take pictures, have some drinks right at the Thuy Hoa park next to Red river, you can also go shopping at Bitis's building where many kinds of goods are shown to sell.

Coc Leu market
Coc Leu market is the biggest market in Lao Cai province; it has two parts of Coc Leu One and Coc Leu Two. In this market you can see and buy plenty of Vietnamese and Chinese goods. In Coc Leu One you can buy clothes, souvenirs, house hold applicants such as TV, VCD player, Cell phone...In Coc Leu Two you can buy food, house hold applicants, herbal medicine, sandals, shoes...
 
Nhac Son Park
Nhac Son park is situated right at the centre of Lao Cai city, once you come you'll be attracted by its fresh air while walking around the lake, when you're tired you can have a seat around the lake and get some drinks, if you are hungry and want to try Lao Cai food, please come to Viet Plaza Restaurant or Asian Restaurant where the cooks serve you fresh and delicious dishes as you want.

Hoang Lien National Park
They said that 600 million years ago, the northwest region of Vietnam was still deeply sunk in the sea. After three movements of land formation, over one hundred millions of years, Hoang Lien Mountain urgently rose up as an endless mountain range with three peaks of Bach Moc Luong Tu, Fansipan and Pu Luong.

Fansipan is the highest peak of the Hoang Lien mountain range. According to the Lao Cai provincial map of geography published in 2000, Fansipan is 3,143m high over the sea level. To reach the peak, travelers have to climb up very high and down on the abrupt cliff to go ahead. Out of the main route to Fansipan peak, there are many others shortcuts often called crossing "cat road" that the Mong people used to go.

Compared with the roof of the fatherland, even adventurous people also have to admit that Fansipan peak was full of obstacles and difficult of access but very interesting. Fansipan climate is cool year round and suitable for all kinds of valuable and rare flora and fauna. Besides the gold mine like Pomu trees, Fansipan has many other kinds of famous timbers such as lanh sam, thiet sam, and lieu sam. Intermixed with Kim leaf forest are of various flowers such as water-rail, orchid and hoang anh. On Fansipan peak, water-rail flower has 4 families of 20 different species while orchid has 330 of the total 643 species in Vietnam.

Fansipan is also home for crops of temperate fruits such as plum, pear and peach... lasting till August of the year. Early temperate fruits are very big and sweet-smelling. In the end of crops, they are smaller but charming colour and fragrance.

From the height of 2,400m, you will enjoy a feeling of harmony in nature. At the height of 2,800m, the sky seems to be strangely clear and blue. 25 - 30 cm high bushes of ivory bamboo cover all the ground. There are some kinds of plants belonging to families of sedge, rose, chrysanthemum and hoang lien growing on rocks in frozen climate.

At the height of 2,963m, there is a milestone marking the year 1905 when French people conquered this peak. Continuing to climb up, you will see i a giant rock block lifted by smaller rocks like a table. Coming here, you will have a chance to have a panorama view. Fansipan, in dialect called hua-si-pan that means a giant rock lying tottery, some time they call Phan Xi Pang. The roof of the fatherland is so imposing under sky and created by giant rocks.