Dien Bien

Dien Bien is a very famous name relating to Vietnam history. Especially when people remind the time war in Vietnam, it is right that the name of Dien Bien absolutely mentioned. Attached to Dien Bien Phu Victory in the past, Dien Bien becomes one of the value destination where people now have chance to look back a hard period of the country. Of course, Dien Bien nowadays does not bother you about the past memory with the sorrow but this is the bright land with impressive destinations that are beautiful and colorful from the rich nature, people and culture.

How to get in

Dien Bien is the province located in the Northwest of the country. It is far from Ha Noi Capital about 500km. This is a long road for tourists who love to come but it is worthy because the nice things along the road and in the province as well.

From Ha Noi to Dien Bien Province, you can get the buses or coaches like Hai Van Coach ( Tel: 04 3722 3588), Khanh Le Coach (Tel: 0913 099 278), Le Dung Coach (Tel: 0915 055 694), Tien Hue Coach ( Tel: 0912 3811 791), Nam Oanh Coach (Tel: 0912 027 179), Cuong Tam Coach (Tel: 0912 075 669), Hung Thanh Coach (Tel: 0974 888 555), etc. The coaches above have their departure from My Dinh Bus Station. The bus station is located at 20 Pham Hung Str., My Dinh Ward, Tu Liem Dictrict. Its telephone number is 04 37685549, you should contact to be guided before booking a bus ticket to Dien Bien. 

In the case that you love to save your time for transfer, you can take a flight from Ha Noi to Dien Bien with its duration of an hour. You can book the flight tickets at Noi Bai Airport directly or get booking online at Vietnam Airlines website or some agents in Ha Noi Center.

Go around

For going around Dien Bien Province, you can take a trip around by car that hire from the travel agencies located in the center of Dien Bien Phu City. This is one of the potential cities of tourism development, so it is not so difficult for you to find out a local agency or companies that care your trip here. A name of rental car in Dien Bien Phu City you may concern as Hanoitrans with mobile 0906 267454.  

There are some tourists like to discover Dien Bien by moto-taxi or motorbike. If you do like, you can ask the local people to be helped about the transfer as you wish.

For visiting Dien Bien Province, there are some important places that you do not miss. They are included the historical relics of Dien Bien Phu Battle and then Muong Thanh Valley with the endless rice fields. Beside there are impressive destinations where you will love to discovering like Pa Khoang lake – Muong Phang, Pha Din Pass, Pa Thom Cave, A Pa Chai border marker.  And then you should visit other places such as bat cave called Na Tau, Da River, Dien Bien Phu Museum, Tham Bang Cave, U Va Village, Xa Nhe Cave, Muong Lay Town, Ta Sin Thang Fair, etc.

The weather

There are two seasons in Dien Bien. They are rain season and dry season. The rain time is strongly from June to August. The highest dry time is from December to March. The average temperature in the province is more than 20C degree.

The best time for travelling in Dien Bien is in September, the end of December to February and the beginning of March. Especially the time of September is called the gold time for visiting this area because that is the best time of endless rice fields in the province.

Food and drink

It is considered that Dien Bien is one of the tourism centers of the Northwest. The land is rich not only historical feature, or landscapes but also the local cuisine.

For food: There are many famous dishes and specialties for you to enjoy in Dien Bien. The most famous thing is Shan Tuyet Tea ( or called snow tea from hundred years tea), chéo – the local special spices, sticky rice, smoked pork, dishes of Thai ethnic group, cơm lam – the rice cooked in a bamboo and bánh dày – round sticky rice cake.

For drink: in some towns in the Northwest, local people drink the corn liquid or some local fruit wines but in Dien Bien, there is a special drink that is sau chit liquid. It is the liquid made from butterfly larvae. And it is considered one of the special drinks in the area.

Staying

There are nearly 40 hotels, hostels in Dien Bien. Although they are not all luxury or deluxe staying but with this system of accommodation, it is sure that you have a nice place for you to stay in the trip in this area. Of course you should pay your attention to ask the room before coming if not it is hard for you to find out a good room in the peak time of the local tourism.

Some addresses name of hotels and hostel that you may concern:

Him Lam Hotel: 3*, Him Lam Ward, Dien Bien Phu City; Tel: 0230 3811999

Dien Bien Phu-Ha Noi Hotel: 3*, Muong Thanh Ward, Dien Bien Phu City; Tel: 0230 3825103

Cong Doan Hotel: 3*, Tan Thanh Ward, Dien Bien Phu City; Tel: 0230 3824841

Muong Thanh Hotel: 4*, 514 Road 7/5, Dien Bien Phu City; Tel: 0230 3812556

Asean Hotel: 2*, Thanh Binh Ward, Dien Bien Phu City; Tel: 0230 3735204

Dien Bien Airport Hotel: Thanh Binh Ward, Dien Bien Phu City; Tel: 0230 3825052

Ho Pa Khoang Hostel: Muong Phang Commune, Dien Bien District; Tel: 0230 3926552

Hue Pe Hot Spring Hostel: Thanh Luong Commune, Dien Bien District; Tel: 0230 3829763

Shopping

Dien Bien is a destination for discovering the nature and culture of local people so the shopping activities are focused on the local products as sau chit liquid, local plums, Yen Chau mango, Dien Bien rice, San tuyet tea, smoked pork, fresh bamboo shoots, etc. And there are the addresses that are useful for you to go shopping as below:

Center Market No 1:Tan Thanh Ward, Dien Bien Phu City

Ban Phu Market: Noong Het Commune,  Dien Bien District

Dien Bien Market: located nearly the airport in Dien Bien Phu City

Ta Sin Thang Fair : Ta Sing Sang Village, Tua Chua District, Dien Bien.

Xa Nhe fair: Tua Chua District, Dien Bien

Muong Thanh Market: Muong Thanh Ward, Dien Bien Phu City.

Culture, Holiday and People

One of the special things that made Dien Bien to become the fascinated destination to tourists to the Northwest is the culture of ethnic groups. There are more than 20 ethnic groups in the province, so it owns the rich culture. The most population belongs to Thai ethnic group and then Mong, Kinh, Dao, Kho Mu, Ha Nhi, Giay, Tay, Lo Lo, Nung, Phu La ethnic groups, etc.

The typical feature relating to culture of the people in Dien Bien is expressed by the colorful life with activities in the normal life, the holidays and the housing architecture of Thai and Mong people first of all. And if you have chance to visit this land, you can realize it clearly.

Dien Bien now has 8 cultural villages like Ten Village in Thanh Xuong Commune, Pe Luong Village in Thanh Luong Commune, and Him Lam Village in Him Lam Ward etc. For more than 20 ethnic groups, there are so much the holidays and characteristics to know. So the typical culture villages like above where have all the most unique features that bring to the tourists the best overview of this province.