Sin Ho Highland The Roof of Lai Chau Province

About Sin Ho district

Sin Ho is a district located in the center of Lai Chau Province. It is bordered by Yunnan (China) to the north and Tua Chua District to the south. The district is only about 60 km driving from Lai Chau Town if moving along the Highway 4D. This is where many ethnic groups are inhabiting and organizing colorful markets on every Sunday.

Several famous tourist spots in Sin Ho include Pu Sam Cap Cave, Le King Temple, Pu Dao Village, and especially, the Sunday Market with the diverse culture of ethnic people in Sin Ho. Thisis also the perfect destination for my limited budget.

Riding Motorbike to Sin Ho

From Lai Chau Town, the road leading to Sin Ho cut across many dense forests with valleys, streams, and plenty of caves.

If traveling from Dien Bien, you can ride to Sin Ho by following the Highway 12 to Muong Lay, then make theturn at Chan Nua junction, drive along Highway 128 in order to conquer Ma Thu Lay and Chan Nua (Sin Ho) passes covered by lingering clouds all year round.

No matter the route you follow, you can enjoy both the wild beauty and adventurous feeling when driving on winding trails up and down. The lush terraced fields are strangely familiar with smooth curves; Highland markets appear with a wide range of distinctive cultural traditions; Scattered villages of the Mong and Dao ethnic minority nestled on the cliff are still a mystery. 

Vivid and Bustling the Market

Luckily, the Vietnam Motorcycle Tours designed a perfect schedule for me, and I arrived here in time to join in the ethnic market.

Sin Ho market can be easily recognized by cheerful and delighted traders without competitions or cheatings like in other markets. Innocent and simple nature without trickingare always shown in trading habits of the highland people here. The buyers often focus on the quality of goods as well as their hobbies. When seeing a favorite item, they watch carefully before asking the price. If the price is slightly higher, they will bargain for a little lower price. Or else, if the quality of the items satisfies them, then even won’t bargain. This may be considered as a nice custom that cannotbe found everywhere.

Products and goods brought to market are sometimes just bundles of vegetables, a few plums, wild banana blossoms, several liters of wine or a bottle of honey, hand-carried piglets or chickens. Besides, there are also stone crabs, orchids, leaves, herbs and typical vegetables in Sin Ho. Selling goods is not an important matter to local people. Some of them walked all the way just to buy a pair of sandals, salts or some other essentials. Others just come to the market to sell a chicken or eat a bowl of Pho (noodle). Of course, there are also some people would like to go out, meet friends or relatives, and exchange.

Thanks to Vietnam Motorbike Tours, I had the chance to talk with charming girls and vigorous boys that look clever in the colorful clothes with detailed cultural features, bright faces, and friendly smiles. I am also happy as I immersed in the charming ethnic songs and tasted the savory wine made by ethnic people.

Riding further to Pu Dao, Ta Ghenh, Ta Phin villages, etc. nestled in the sheer cliffs, I felt like losing in a fairy world with tiny houses standing out against the lush green forest. In the distance, ethnic women carrying baskets on their back are climbing the slope and finding food at the edge of the forest.