Beyond the well-known and colourful markets of Sapa, Bac Ha and Can Cau, is the bewitching northwest mountainous area of Vietnam with the remote town and market of Sin Ho, the roof of Lai Chau province.
Situated imposingly on the Sin Ho plateau of Lai Chai province, Sin Ho town is located on the highest peak, over 2,000m above sea level, and surrounded by verdant mountain ranges and clouds. Locals call it: The Roof of Lai Chau. The small town is also known as the “second Sapa” of the northwest. But the climate in Sin Ho is even more dour and fickle than that of Sapa. One minute, you can be standing in a sea of white clouds, then several minutes later, the rain will pour down like a waterfall. But as soon as the last raindrop falls, the sun will rise again brilliantly and a cool breeze will blow over the small town.

It takes four hours to drive up the zigzagging road from Phong Tho, at the junction between national Road No.4D from Sapa and National Road No.12 towards Muong Lay. The mountain road has been smoothly paved, but it’s still a slow and winding drive.

In the late afternoon, Sin Ho looks small, deserted and gloomy, with sparse simple wooden houses roofed with dark grey cement tiles and only a few shops and restaurants. Fortunately there are several modern guesthouses and mini hotels at a reasonable price, only VND250,000 per twin room.   

On Sunday morning, the sleepy town comes alive. Waves of ethnic people walk or ride horses and motorbikes on all the roads and paths leading to the town centre, loaded up with many kinds of farm products, heading towards the market. These ethnic minority people come from many distant villages up and down the mountains. They are members of the Flower Hmong, Blue Hmong, Black Hmong, Lu, Black Dao and Red Dao minorities and others.
Pha Xo Lin II village, just three kilometers from the town centre, is home to the Dao Khau tribe, also known as the Sewing Dao or Black Dao, who wear black trousers richly embroidered with the signature flower, tree and star patterns that can be seen on many Dao costumes. They also wear a black apron in front, with a wide, plain blue border and a plain black turban.

The village is very beautiful and poetic, with dark wooden houses roofed with black stone tiles and fenced in with stone walls. This is the season the peach and mango orchards are ripening in a riot of red and yellow. It’s delicious to walk in the village, where you can take a seat  under the fruit trees to enjoy lovely lanterns swinging in the cool breezes, as well as their fresh and sweet tastes.

Pha Xo Lin is very famous for its special golden red mangoes, with their sweet, jackfruit-like flavour.

Besides its delicious fruit, Pha Xo Lin is a shopping paradise for brocades and embroidered products. It’s common to see Dao women sitting on their thresholds in their front yards or under the fruit trees sewing passionately. Their products are very sophisticated and beautiful, as befitting of their name- the Sewing Dao tribe.

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