Dien Bien - a mysterious land for adventure enthusiasts.

Dien Bien is not just about historical landmarks.

Dien Bien is a mountainous province in the Northwest region of Vietnam, bordering Lai Chau and Son La provinces. It is a favorite destination for travel enthusiasts due to its treacherous roads and challenging journeys. Each season, or any time of year, Dien Bien takes on a different color.

Dien Bien Phu is only vaguely mentioned on Vietnam's tourism map, and most people only know about its historical sites associated with the victory that "reverberated across the five continents and shook the world" in 1954. Few people know that, apart from the historical sites or the westernmost point of Vietnam, A Pa Chai, Dien Bien Phu is a truly pristine and unspoiled land.

Here, 19 ethnic groups live together, showcasing the vibrant colors of their traditional costumes, peaceful villages nestled on the mountainside, and the Da River flowing like a beautiful ink painting—both evocative and poetic.

The Da River is not the brick-red color of the Red River, nor does it have the "mussel-green" color of the Lo and Gam rivers. In spring, the Da River is emerald green; in autumn, it "slowly turns a deep red like the bruised face of someone drunk on a night out," and its banks are "dyed wild like prehistoric shores, and innocent like the sentiments of ancient fairy tales" – quoted from "The Ferryman of the Da River" by Nguyen Tuan.

The rivers and waterways are beautiful, while the Tủa Chùa rocky plateau is like a fairytale land, a gift from nature, with tea gardens that truly resemble ancient trees, situated at an altitude of over 1,200 meters above sea level. Mường Chà boasts majestic mountain ranges and the diverse colors of its ethnic minority communities, while Điện Biên Đông is wild and misty, with clouds swirling around the mountains throughout the four seasons.

Speaking to Travellive, Ant Travel – the first travel agency in Dien Bien Phu province, Northwest Vietnam – said: "Dien Bien also has a system of magnificent caves stretching for kilometers, and many pristine forests with numerous waterfalls that even locals are unaware of. But perhaps the most attractive aspect of Dien Bien, besides its history and majestic natural scenery, is the diversity of its ethnic minorities: Black Thai, White Thai, Khmu, Hmong, Ha Nhi, La Hu, Si La, Lao, Xa Phang… Because it is a remote area of ​​the country with limited roads and infrastructure, Dien Bien still retains a very pure and pristine character, unlike the commercialization seen in Ha Giang, Lao Cai, Yen Bai, or Cao Bang today."

Visiting Dien Bien between September and April each year, you'll find not only terraced rice fields, festivals, peach blossoms, apricot blossoms, wild sunflowers, tiger prawns, and bauhinia flowers, but also a sea of ​​clouds. You can find ways to escape the clouds instead of "hunting" for them like in other places. The clouds appear from the night before and only dissipate around 10 am the following day.

Many people often say, "Dien Bien has nothing interesting besides historical sites," and the westernmost point, A Pa Chai, is too far away. But those who are lucky enough to explore the roads and villages in that remote, desolate place, or go kayaking and camping under the moonlight by the Da River, will truly feel fortunate to have chosen Dien Bien.

What experiences can you have when visiting Dien Bien?

In Dien Bien in particular, or Northwest Vietnam in general (where the Thai ethnic group lives), the first thing you can't miss is the traditional Thai cuisine: grilled fish, but the Thai Pa Tinh Top is cut open from the back, then marinated with spices from the mountains and forests (mac khen seeds, local herbs) and then grilled over charcoal... there's no fish dish tastier than that.

"Participate in pounding and enjoying sticky rice cakes during the H'Mong New Year. Even more special, there are dishes only the brave dare to try, such as: Pả cái xơm - a salad made from jumping fish, nặm pịa - a dipping sauce made from animal intestines, mọ ổn - a dish of boiled tadpoles, or dishes made from insects… You also can't miss the experience of staying in homestays in ethnic minority villages (H'Mong, Xa Phang, Dao, Thai, Ha Nhi…). Don't miss a night of Xoe dance with the mountain girls around a bonfire and drinking 'giao boi' wine until dawn," Ant Travel stated.

If you're an adventurous traveler, then the Da River – a paradise for kayaking and SUP in the narrowest sections where even tigers and deer have jumped across – and camping amidst that majestic natural scenery on moonlit nights, is perhaps the most wonderful experience.

When is the ideal time to visit Dien Bien?

Although also located in the Northwest region, Dien Bien has an extremely mild climate with many high mountains, so summers are always cool (in Dien Bien Phu city, the hottest day can reach 38 degrees Celsius). In most mountain villages at altitudes of 1,000 meters and above, the temperature is only around 30-32 degrees Celsius, so you still need to wear warm clothes when going out at night. Winter is drier and more pleasant; the Northeast region and Sapa are protected by the Hoang Lien Son and Ta Lien Son mountain ranges in the northeast, making Dien Bien quite warm. Spring here is full of festivals and vast fields of flowers, without the dampness of the lowlands. Autumn in the Northwest is like paradise.

The ideal time to visit Dien Bien is from September to the end of March: the autumn scenery with ripening rice fields is beautiful from the end of September to the beginning of October. Festivals with customs and traditions of ethnic minorities usually take place from January to February (Hmong New Year from the 30th of November according to the lunar calendar).

What should you keep in mind when traveling and exploring Dien Bien province?

As a pioneering tour operator in Dien Bien, Ant Travel also highlights important things to keep in mind when traveling to this region.

With a 455 km long border (414.712 km with Laos and the rest with China), Dien Bien inevitably faces the risk of illegal drug trafficking. However, what's surprising is the exceptionally good security in Dien Bien; people can leave their motorbikes and cars parked outside for months and still find them there. Therefore, you can rest assured when participating in exploration and experiential activities in this remote area.

However, it's important to learn about the customs and taboos of the local people to avoid being "punished." For example, when a woman enters a Xa Phang household, she "absolutely" must not enter through the main door, but instead through one of the two side doors or the adjacent kitchen door. They believe that if she does, she will cause the buffaloes and pigs to become blind or crippled, or the corn and rice plants in the fields to become diseased and die. In that case, she will have to buy pigs and chickens and invite a shaman to perform a ritual to appease the evil spirits and ward off misfortune for the villagers.

Dien Bien and Lai Chau are two of the most remote provinces in the far west of Vietnam, but now that Dien Bien Phu airport is being upgraded to accommodate large jet aircraft and connect to many other destinations, getting to Dien Bien/Lai Chau is extremely easy.

"Dien Bien is not as remote as people often say, and there are many destinations to explore and experience besides historical sites or the westernmost point of A Pa Chai. Traveling to Dien Bien by bus from Hanoi is also more convenient and comfortable than going to Ha Giang or Cao Bang (because Hanoi – Dien Bien now has bus companies that are like private jets on the ground with 20 beds/bus. The buses usually depart between 7 PM and 9 PM, and after a night's sleep, you will wake up in the middle of the Northwest mountains at 6:30 - 7 AM the next morning)," Ant Travel said.

Dien Bien is still underdeveloped in terms of infrastructure, and its economy has limited trade (mostly self-sufficient), so prices in Dien Bien seem higher than other destinations because products are still largely sourced locally (for example, chickens and pigs are raised for 8 months to a year before they are ready to eat, so they cannot be compared to industrially raised chickens and pigs).

"Dien Bien is a destination for exploration and experiences, but not a place for relaxation. Therefore, if you are a fan of relaxing holidays, please consider carefully before deciding to visit this mysterious land," Ant Travel added.

Phuong Thao is an editor at Travellive magazine. She is passionate about traveling and enjoys capturing moments with her camera in every place she visits. Travel, art, and lifestyle are Phuong Thao's favorite writing topics.

Phuong Thao - Photo: Ant Travel