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Hoang Thuy Duong (born 1991, Bac Giang), owner of the Duong Duong Blog channel, recently took a 2-day, 2-night trip to Hekou, departing from Hanoi. Notable places she visited included: the Light Park (dubbed a mini Phoenix Ancient Town), Beishan Administrative Square, the underground supermarket, Kunming Train Station, the Lantern Street, and Hekou Town Batiaoban…
Hekou Light Park is as beautiful as Fenghuang Ancient Town.
Hekou town, located in Hekou Autonomous County, Yunnan Province, is separated from Lao Cai city by the Nam Thi River. It's a small town, suitable for a day trip or combined with a trip to Sa Pa.
Two places that impressed Thuy Duong the most on the trip were the light park and Hekou Town Batiaoban, both boasting beautiful and romantic natural scenery. The lake in Batiaoban was a dreamy turquoise color, offering a peaceful and relaxing atmosphere.
Electric vehicles are the primary mode of transportation used by the locals here.
Traveling to Hekou on weekends means queuing for immigration for 3-4 hours, and applying for overnight accommodation before exiting takes another two hours. Thuy Duong's most memorable experience was losing her microphone while jostling in the immigration queue. Therefore, she recommends traveling on weekdays. Even without knowing Chinese, tourists can still travel because Vietnamese is widely spoken among the residents here.
Thuy Duong advises against visiting Hekou on weekends and holidays because the long queues can disrupt short trips.
Move:
Ha Khau is separated from the Vietnamese border of Lao Cai province by only a bridge called Ha Kieu. Therefore, many tourists visiting Sapa (Lao Cai) often choose to visit this place. There are two ways to travel from Hanoi to Lao Cai: by car or motorbike. However, traveling by car is recommended because the highway is very fast. Upon arriving in Lao Cai city, there are shuttle buses that take you directly to the border crossing. In Ha Khau, tourists can travel by bus/taxi and electric motorbike (10 yuan/hour, approximately 34,000 VND).
Lantern street next to the border gate
Required documents:
Currently, China does not issue tourist visas to Vietnam, so to travel to Hekou, you need a travel permit. This tourist permit is valid for a single entry, a one-day stay, and is valid for one month. To obtain one, you need to submit your ID card/citizen identification card and a white-background portrait photo to the Immigration Management Office in Lao Cai (avoid excessive photo editing, otherwise it will be confiscated for inspection at customs). It's best to apply at least three days in advance (excluding weekends) to ensure you receive the permit.
Currently, China does not issue tourist visas to Vietnamese citizens, so to travel to Hekou, you need a travel permit.
Additionally, you will need your ID card or citizen identification card attached to your travel document. Alternatively, you can present your overnight stay confirmation slip in Hekou; you will be instructed to obtain this slip upon arrival at the hotel. You must obtain this yourself and it is mandatory to have it for exiting the country. Depending on the number of travelers at that time, the queue for obtaining the slip may take 1-2 hours.
According to Thuy Duong, experiences worth trying when visiting Hekou include: renting an electric motorbike to cruise through the streets winding through the towering skyscrapers, setting off firecrackers along the Red River, and enjoying grilled food at night.
“Buying firecrackers and experiencing setting them off by the river, with each firecracker roll costing from 30 yuan to several hundred yuan (approximately 100,000 to 600,000 VND). I also bought a roll to try what it feels like to publicly light firecrackers. The firecrackers exploded loudly and continuously, it was a feast for the eyes because everyone was setting off firecrackers, both fireworks and firecrackers filling the sky. After setting them off, each person paid 10 yuan to the sanitation workers to clean up the trash,” Thuy Duong recounted.
The cuisine in Hekou is very diverse and has its own distinctive flavors.
Hekou boasts a diverse and rich culinary scene, featuring dishes such as street-side grilled food, grilled milk tea, Zhejiang-style baked goods, Peking duck, pork, spicy fish soup, and hand-crushed lime juice in the lantern-lit streets…
"Tourists should visit the lantern street and the railway near the border crossing. Because it's a snack paradise, you absolutely must try the amazing combo of sausage and handmade lime juice at the shop run by the most handsome guy in Hekou," she laughed.
If you have time to stay an extra afternoon, you can visit check-in spots a little further from the city center, such as Hekou Town Batiaoban.
Staying overnight in Hekou is also a memorable experience that tourists should try. You'll have more time to relax, enjoy the local cuisine, explore the narrow alleyways, and feel the rhythm of life there. If you have time to stay an extra afternoon, you can visit photo spots a little further from the city center, such as Hekou Town Batiaoban.
The park is illuminated at night.
Thuy Duong also offered some tips for tourists visiting Hekou. China is one hour ahead of Vietnam. Tourists should note that they must exit the country before 9 PM Vietnam time or 10 PM Chinese time if traveling to Hekou for the day. It's advisable to exchange money before crossing the border and to bring your passport to buy a SIM card in China.
Tourists can travel to Hekou independently, but it's advisable to hire a tour guide if they don't speak Chinese. Group day tours to Hekou cost around 550,000 VND or more; two-day, one-night tours start from around 1.5 million VND.
Tourists should note that they must depart before 9 PM Vietnam time or 10 PM Chinese time if traveling to Hekou for the day.
