Paul Egan, 58, from Australia, recently completed a nearly 20-day journey across Vietnam with his family.
It was his second visit to the S-shaped country since the early 1990s.
Their itinerary took them from Ho Chi Minh City to the Mekong Delta, then north to Da Lat (Lam Dong), Nha Trang (Khanh Hoa), Hoi An (Da Nang), Hue, Quang Tri, and finally to the northern regions of Lam Thuong (Lao Cai), Hanoi, and Ha Long Bay (Quang Ninh).
“Honestly, I was impressed by almost every place we visited. Vietnam has changed so much in the past three decades, and tourism has grown remarkably. But the place that stole my heart was Lam Thuong Valley, with its untouched beauty and authenticity,” Paul shared with VietNamNet.
Lam Thuong is a highland commune in Lao Cai (formerly part of Luc Yen district, Yen Bai province), located over 250 kilometers from Hanoi.
It lies along the former Sapa - Ha Giang tourist corridor (now part of Tuyen Quang province), surrounded by rolling hills, pristine streams and waterfalls, fertile terraced fields, tranquil stilt houses, and welcoming Tay ethnic locals.
Paul described, “Lam Thuong Valley is hidden deep within untouched mountains, where nature remains intact, and life moves at a gentle pace, as if the modern world has never reached it. The air is so pure here, you just want to breathe it in forever.”
“In the early morning, when the mountains are still veiled in mist, locals lead their buffaloes to the fields, smiling brightly under the rising sun. The stilt houses sit peacefully among green forests and rice paddies that shift colors with the seasons - from soft emerald to honey gold. I wonder, perhaps this is the real Shangri-La?”
Shangri-La, as referenced by Paul, is a mystical, utopian valley described in the novel Lost Horizon. In the book, a pilot crashes and is rescued by monks who take him to a secret Himalayan sanctuary known for eternal peace and beauty.
Over time, “Shangri-La” has become a term for idyllic, untouched destinations. For Paul Egan, Lam Thuong embodies that spirit.
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While in Lam Thuong, Paul stayed at a traditional stilt house farmstay run by Hoang Thi Xoi, a young Tay ethnic woman.
Guests slept in the elevated wooden home, waking each morning to fog rolling into the village and smoke rising from kitchen fires.
The host family served hearty meals made entirely from ingredients grown on their land - fresh meat, fish, vegetables, and herbs.
“They were so hospitable, sincere, and warm in a way that felt uniquely Vietnamese - simple yet deeply meaningful,” Paul said.
During the day, visitors could bike or walk through golden fields, breathe in the crisp mountain air, go trekking through forests, help with farming, transplant rice, or learn to sing traditional Tay songs like Then, and play the Tinh lute.
From Tong Pang or Tong Pinh Cai villages, a short bike or hike would bring them to the Khuoi Luong stream and Nam Chan waterfall.
Paul’s most memorable moment was their second night in Lam Thuong, which coincided with the Mid-Autumn Festival.
“We brought some mooncakes from Hanoi and joined the villagers around lanterns, listening to music, chatting, and enjoying traditional dances. Children’s laughter filled the air.”
“Before long, they pulled us into the dance circle and invited us to perform something ourselves. So, we did the ‘Nutbush’ dance! Trust me, that was a truly ‘international performance’ that had the entire village laughing until they cried,” Paul recounted.
He called it a rare moment of deep peace, as if stepping out of the chaotic world and back into a simpler kind of happiness.
“It made me realize that sometimes, happiness is simply slowing down, breathing clean air, and recognizing the raw beauty of life around you,” he said.
Paul hopes that stunning, culturally rich destinations like Lam Thuong will be preserved forever.
Linh Trang - Trung Nghia
Vietnamnet.vn
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