Bao Lac is mainly visited by tourists traveling from Ha Giang to Cao Bang. If you have the time, make sure to spend here a full day or two to discover some of the most authentic villages of ethnic minorities, impressive mountains and mountain passes, stunning rice fields and unique cultures.
What to see in and around Bao Lac
Villages & local life
In the area of Bao Lac you will find a lot of people from the Lolo ethnic minority. These minorities originally came from Yunnan in China and have migrated south to Vietnam and Thailand during the 15th and 18th centuries. Their houses are made from wood and built on stilts and can be found all over the area. Woman of this minority wear their traditional costume, often a black tunic and colorful patterns embroidered on the sleeves and front and gold or silver necklaces and earrings.
A great way to learn more about their culture is visiting a local Lolo village, such as Khuoi Khon Village. This village is located high up in the mountains, around 5 km from the main road. The village itself is beautiful and authentic and the views from here over the mountains and rice fields are stunning.
Apart from the Lo Lo people you can also find other ethnic minorities in the area such as the Dao, Hmong, San Chi and the Tay. You will see them often and with their colorful clothes their are not hard to spot when driving through the area.
Bao Lac Market
Another great place to spot minorities and indulge in local life is at the Bao Lac market. It is a very authentic and unique place, where locals bargain and you can see all the different colors of clothes that the minorities are wearing. They are selling all kinds of clothes, fabrics, food, drinks, farm equipment and household utilities. There is a daily market though the real big market is held every 5 days according to to lunar calendar.
Me Pja Pass
The Me Pja Pass is located in Bao Lac district and just 14 km or 30 minutes driving from Bao Lac town. This mountain pass is one of the highlights in the area. The pass has 14 turns and can be best viewed from a stunning viewpoint takes takes around 40 minutes trekking. You can park your car or motorbike on top of the pass at a local restaurant where the hiking trail to the viewpoint starts. You will also driver over this pass when you visit Xuan Truong.
Xuan Truong
Xuan Truong is a commune within the district of Bao Lac, where you can find several small villages. It is located 25 km from Bao Lac town, just after the Me Pja pass. It is here where you can find the real authentic north Vietnam rural life. Don’t expect any tourist spots to visit, but just life as it is, where little to nothing has been changed over the years. Villages consist of a few wooden houses on stilts, surrounded by rice fields. Villages often have weekly markets where the sell what they grow, like rice, vegetables and animals, but also farm equipment and goods from China. Discover the rural countryside, the local culture and villages and, if time permits, it is also a nice area to do a bit of hiking.
Phja Da Mountain
Phja Da mountain is with a height of 2000 meter also called the roof of Cao Bang. The top of the mountain is often covered in clouds and on lower parts there are some small caves.
Where to stay in Bao Lac
There are plenty of accommodations in Bao Lac town, mostly typical cheap Vietnamese hotels, guesthouses, homestays and even hostels. One of the better hotels is Hotel Duc Tai, close to the market square. Prices for accommodation are around $10 for a private double room with bathroom. Not all accommodations can be found online and there should be plenty of room available on arrival, so no need to book in advanced.
In town itself there are some shops where you can buy clothes, food and drinks. There are also enough restaurant options to stay for a day.
We highly recommend staying in Khuoi Khon homestay in Khuoi Khon Village. It feels like a true local experience staying in a local village. The homestay itself is a beautiful stilt house with amazing views overlooking the mountains and rice fields. The beds are comfortable and bathroom facilities are very modern.
How to get there
From Hanoi
If you are coming from Hanoi it is best to first either take a bus/mini bus to Ha Giang City or Cao Bang City.
From Ha Giang to Bao Lac
If you want to travel from Ha Giang City, it is best to first go to either Bao Lam or Meo Vac. From Meo Vac it is around 70 km and from Bao Lam just 40 km. You can easily combine a visiting to Bao Lac with the epic Ha Giang loop. It is best to travel either by private car or motorbike.
From Cao Bang City to Bao Lac
The distance between the cities Cao Bang and Bao Lac is 130 km. it is not recommended to take any local bus – choose either by motorbike (or on the back of a motorbike) or by private car with driver. The road on the way to this town is stunning, with several mountain passes and great views over rice fields. You can also make a small detour and visit Phia Oac National Park.
Tip: Excited to go to Bao Lac? Check our our unique custom designed tour: Off the beaten Cao Bang loop. It includes a visit to Me Pja Pass, a small part of Xuan Truong and visiting the ethnic Lo Lo minority village of Khuoi Khon.
Best time to visit Bao Lac
You can visit this area all year round, though it might be more pleasant in dry season, from November/December until May. Though keep in mind that in December and January the temperatures can be chilly. In the summer months some roads can be less passable and there is a risk of landslides.
if you want to see the rice fields at their best time, you just visit around September and October. As in many places in northern Vietnam, this is the time that the rice fields are turning yellow and it is time for the harvest.
