Dien Bien Phu is located in Muong Thanh Valley, and ethnic Thai and H'mong people account for approximately two-thirds of the valley's 60,000 residents. Pa Khoang Lake is actually a man-made water reservoir, crucial for the irrigation of the valley below. It is also the site of Dien Bien Phu's only tourist resort - a newly built hotel that resembles a Swiss castle. Lang Son is located far north at the 0 km landmark of National Highway 1A, more specifically at Huu Nghi Quan (Friendship Gate). This is an important transportation link between Vietnam and China and if you travel from China to Vietnam, you can get Vietnam visa at the border easily. The main ethnic groups found in that area include the Kinh, Tay, Nung, Dao, and Ngai. Economic potentialities: agriculture. Famous tourist sites include Tien Pagoda, Tien Pond, Nhat Thanh Cave, Nhi Thanh Cave, Tam Thanh Cave, and Mau Son Resort. Hung Yen is located in the North Vietnam Plains and in Midlands surrounded by Bac Ninh in the north, Hai Duong in the east, Thai Binh and Ha Nam in the south, and Ha Tay and Hanoi in the west. The main ethnic groups living in this area are the Kinh, Hoa, San Diu, and Tay. The annual average temperature is about 23°C. Economic potentialities: agriculture (longan and litchi). Famous sites include Con Son-Kiep Bac Historical and Cultural Area, Hien Street, and Da Trach Pond. Fansipan Mountain is located 9km south-west of Sapa Townlet in the Hoang Lien Mountain Range. Fansipan is branded "the Roof of Indochina "at the height of 3,143m; Fansipan is to be approved as one of the very few eco-tourist spots of Vietnam, with about 2,024 floral varieties and 327 faunal species. The topography of Fansipan is varied. Muong Hoa Valley, at the lowest altitude (950-1,000m), is created by a narrow strip of land at the base on the east side of the mountain. Geologists say the Hoang Lien Mountain Range, with Fansipan as its highest peak, did not emerge in the mountainous North West of Vietnam until the neozoic period (circ. 100 million years ago). Fansipan, a rough pronunciation of the local name Hua Xi Pan - means the tottery giant rock. The French came to Vietnam and in 1905 planted a landmark telling Fansipan’s height of 3,143m and branded it the Roof of Indochina. Very few people climbed to the top of Fansipan at the time. Then came the long years of war and Fansipan was left deserted for hunting and savaging. The trail blazed by the French was quickly overgrown by the underbrush. It takes six or seven days to reach the 3,143m summit, the highest peak of the Indochina Peninsula. In 1991, Nguyen Thien Hung, an army man returned to the district town and decided to conquer Fansipan. Only on the 13th attempt did Hung, with a H’Mong boy as his guide, conquer the high peak by following the footsteps of the mountain goats. Scaling the height was meant to satisfy his eager will and aspiration to conquer the mountain without expecting that his name would be put down in the travel guidebook. After that the Sapa Tourism Agency started a new package tour there. It seemed the Fansipan Tour was meant only for those who wished to test their muscular power. The summit of Fansipan is accessible all year round, but the best time to make the ascent is from mid-October to mid-November, and again in March. Foreigners like best to book Fansipan tours between October and December, as this period is more often than not free from the heavy rains that obstruct the jaunt. But the Vietnamese prefer their Vietnam tours to the peak of the mountain from February to April, as it is not so cold then. However, the best time for the trek to the mountain is from the end of February to the start of March, when the flowers all flourish and the climbers may behold the carpets of brilliant blossoms, violets and orchids, rhododendrons and aglaias. Ha Nam is located in the North Vietnam Plains and Midlands. It is bordered by Ha Tay to the northwest, Nam Dinh to the southeast, and Ninh Binh to the south. The annual average temperature is 23°C. The main ethnic group populating this area is the Kinh. Economic potentialities: agriculture. Visitors will enjoy Truc Temple, Ngu Dong Son and Cam Caves, Ba Danh Pagoda, and Kem Trung Site. The festivals are also very popular, including Hai Festival, Thanh Lieu Festival, and Lieu Doi Wrestling Festival. Ha Tinh is located in the North Central Vietnam between Nghe An and Quang Binh Provinces and shares a border with Laos. The main ethnic group to live in this area is the Kinh, along with a small percentage of Chut. Famous sites include Vu Mon Waterfall, Vu Quang Forest in Huong Khe, Ke Go Lake, Son Kim Springs, and Ngang Pass. Several nice beaches are located along the 137 km coast. The annual average temperature is 23.7°C. Villages have erected many temples, pagodas, and shrines such as Huong Tich Pagoda, Tam Lang Temple, and Cua Dieu Stupa. The harmonious combination of the traditional and intellectual cultures creates a sound atmosphere that is appealing to visitors. Hai Duong is located in the North Vietnam Plains and Midlands. It is bordered by Haiphong Province in the east, Hung Yen in the west, Bac Ninh and Bac Giang in the north, and Thai Binh in the south. The main ethnic groups living in the area are the Kinh, Hoa, Tay, and San Diu. The annual average temperature is 23°C. Economic potentialities: agriculture, fruit trees (litchi). Interesting sites in the province include Con Son and Kiep Bac. Hoa Binh is a mountainous province located in the North. It is bordered by Son La in the west, Phu Tho and Ha Tay in the north, Ha Nam and Ninh Binh in the east, and Thanh Hoa in the south. The annual average temperature varies between 22,9 and 25°C. The culture of Hoa Binh combines six minorities with their own languages, traditional literature, and festivals. Tourists especially enjoy the minority specialty dishes including rice cooked in bamboo and grilled meat. They also enjoy watching traditional dancing, music performances (bronze, drums, gongs), and Thai minority singing and dancing. The remote minority villages are attractive sites for tourists. Yen Bai is located in Tay Bac, the northern part of the country. It is surrounded by the provinces of Lao Cai (north), Son La (south), Tuyen Quang (northeast), and Phu Tho (southeast). Several ethnic minorities live in Yen Bai province, including the H’mong, Dao, Tay, Thai, Nung, San Chay, Phu La, and Kinh. The tropical monsoon climate is divided into two seasons; the cold season lasts from November to March and the hot season is from April to October. This province has less solar radiation than the other surrounding provinces and an annual average temperature of 22°C. Thac Ba Hydroelectric Plant is an interesting tourist site. Thac Ba Lake is an artificial lake with an area of 23,400 ha and 1,331 islands and hills with diverse ecological environments. The water in the lake is blue and clear, and thousands of hills and islands feature caves such as the Hum, Cau Cuoi and Bach Xa. The Thac Ba Temple always draws visitors. Thac Ba Lake is not only a beautiful landscape, but it is also a national vestige. In 1285, the Thu Vat Battle took place under the command of Tran Nhat Duat against Mongolian invaders. Source: Đặt khách sạn .