Ha Giang to Dien Bien

By bus the journey from Ha Giang to Dien Bien is scheduled to take 16 hours.

Bus Times from Ha Giang to Dien Bien

There are currently 2 services a day from Ha Giang to Dien Bien available to book online.

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Ha Giang Bus Stop

Bus services from Ha Giang to Dien Bien depart from Ha Giang Bus Station.

Dien Bien Bus Stop

Bus services from Ha Giang to Dien Bien terminate at Dien Phu Bus Station.

About Travel to Dien Bien

With a population of around 100,000, Dien Bien Phu is the only large town or city in Dien Bien Province and the main transport hub for travel to and from the province.

Dien Bien Province

Located in the remote and mountainous north west of Vietnam bordering Laos, the majority of the Dien Bien residents are members of minority ethnic groups, such as the Hmong and Thai, often collectively referred to as ‘hill tribes’. Other than the fantastic scenery, and a small number of historical sites, the main reason leisure travellers come to Dien Bien is to travel overland between Northern Vietnam and popular destinations in Northern Laos such as Luang Prabang and Nong Khiaw.

Staying Overnight in Dien Bien Phu

The facilities for tourists in Dien Bien Phu are limited in terms of choice. The city itself isn’t the main tourist destination in the area, and around half of the 40 hotels, guesthouses, and home stays in the area are located outside of Dien Bien Phu in scenic areas. If you do plan to book a hotel for a short overnight stay in Dien Bien Phu a convenient option is to stay in the most built up part of the city which is Muong Thanh district, close to the airport. The Muong Thanh district of the city has the most restaurants and its close to the bus station.

An overnight stay in Dien Bien Phu costs from the equivalent of $5 USD for a bed in a shared dormitory to around $50 USD a night in the city’s most prestigious hotel, the Đông Thắm Hotel. Expect to pay from the equivalent of $7 to $20 USD a night for one of the popular ‘home stay’ guesthouses located in the rice fields to the south of the city centre.

Dien Bien Phu has 14 formal restaurants, only one of which serves ‘international cuisine’. Everywhere else serves Vietnamese cuisine often with a very small range of foreign dishes, such as french fries and hamburgers, also on the menu. Local specialities include rice cooked inside bamboo and rice cakes with sausage. The best place to buy these local dishes is typically from the food stalls at Him Lam Plaza.

Battle Of Bien Bien Phu

One of the two things that Dien Bien Phu is known for throughout Vietnam is the Battle of Dien Bien Phu in 1954. This less than 2 month long conflict between French military forces and the Viet Minh resulted in the collapse of the French Indo-China Empire bringing independence not only to Northern Vietnam, but also to the people of Laos and Cambodia.

One of the main battlegrounds in the 1954 conflict, referred to as ‘A1 Hill’, is located at the southern edge of the city. It’s a popular visitor attraction, as are the nearby A1 Cemetery, and the Dien Bien Phu Victory Museum.

Muong Thanh Valley

The other thing that Dien Bien Phu is well known for is the Muong Thanh Valley. The Muong Thanh Valley is a 20 km long and 5 km wide flat area to the south of Dien Bien Phu which is used primarily for rice farming. Because of the climate, and the abundant water supply, it is commonly believed that the best rice in Vietnam is grown in the valley. The valley is also an area of immense natural beauty surrounded by hills. Staying at one of the basic ‘home stay’ guesthouses in the valley is becoming an increasingly popular option for leisure visitors.

Pa Khoang Lake

Located about 20 km to the north east of Dien Bien Phu, Pa Khoang Lake is a large man-made lake located around 900 metres above sea level. The lake is in a hilly area, and features hills rising from the surface of the lake in a similar way to the small island in Ha Long Bay. Camping around the lake and hiking are popular activities, as are boat tours and visits to see the large cherry tree plantations that come into bloom in January.