Son La

Son La is a picturesque Vietnamese town hidden amidst towering mountains. The town has a dark past as it played house to one of the most brutal prisons in the world. Today, all that remains is the ruins and a tiny town with ghosts of its past deceptively hidden behind its natural rivers, trees and flowers. Son La is the perfect hilly retreat, but it also hides a historical secret. A visit to the Son La prison puts on show the brutality of the French colonialists towards the local revolutionaries and communists. The Son La museum houses valuable information about 12 ethnicities that reside in the area and around. Son La also has the largest hydroelectric project in Indochina. Another historical wonder of Son La is the ñQue Lam Ngu Cheî Epitaph erected since 1440 written by King Le Thai Tong. Near the epitaph is a temple built to worship the king. A unique experience you can take part in Son La is living and interacting with ethnic communities. These communities are hospitable and accept tourists with great zeal. Apart from these historical structures, Son La also has an impressive range of pine trees partially covered by the mist that flows around like a white curtain. Son la is indeed a sight for sore eyes!