Northern Vietnam Lång S£n

Over the last 2000 years, the pass at Lång S£n has seen many uninvited, heavily armed Chinese guests. Most recently, Chinese troops razed Lång S£n in 1979 as part of Deng Xiaoping’s effort to “teach the Vietnamese a lesson” in response to the country’s invasion of Cambodia (see Reunification and Rebuilding). The lesson, however, was ultimately taught to the Chinese instead. Today, Lång S£n boasts neither Thái Nguyˆn’s charm nor Cao B}ng’s beauty; most travelers pass through only briefly en route to China. Those who choose to stay, however, will discover that the city’s warm residents are quite enthusiastic and happy to welcome the rare visitor. The constant price-gouging and hustling of the big cities is almost nonexistent here, and travelers are treated with a level of respect unknown in the bigger tourist cities—which for some travelers compensates for the area’s profound lack of memorable attractions.

Transportation. Buses usually drop people at the Ngÿ Quy]n bus station, left off Tr<n ng Ninh and 1km north of the Lˆ Li intersection. Those that have to transfer buses en route from Hà Nÿi are let off at the Lång S£n bus station, off Lˆ Li on Ngÿ Quy]n, 2km east of the intersection with Tr<n ng Ninh. Buses run from Ngÿ Quy]n bus station to ·ng ng (20-30min.; 30,000); Cao B}ng (5hr.; 5, 8am, 5:30pm; 50,000); Thái Nguyˆn (every 30min.; 40,000); Tiˆn Yˆn (4hr.; 11:30am; 40,000). Buses from Lång Sn bus station leave for Hà Nÿi (3‡-4‡hr.; depart when full 6am-1pm; 45,000). Minibuses run to Hà Nÿi (4hr.; 50,000-80,000) and the border (20min.; up to 50,000). Trains from Lång S£n Station (☎873 452), at the end of Lˆ Li, leave for Hà Nÿi (5-6hr.; 2, 6am; hard seat 35,000, soft seat 42,000).

Orientation And Practical Information. Lång S£n is 130km north of Hà Nÿi on Rte. 1. The town’s main drag, Tr<n ng Ninh, heads north to ·ng ng. In the southern part of town, ™ng Lˆ Li branches east from Tr<n ng Ninh, passing the post office (international telephone and ATM; open daily 6am-10pm) and ending at the train station. Three Internet cafes, all with good connections, cluster near the intersection of Tr<n ng Ninh and Lˆ Li. (All 3000 per hr.) One hundred meters south of the intersection, Tr<n ng Ninh crosses the Ky Cung River and continues to <u T™ Bank, 2 Hoàng Vn Thƒ, which exchanges currency but not traveler’s checks. (☎870 033. Open daily 7am-11:30pm.) For merchandise and delicious fruit (locally grown pears, plums, peaches, and persimmons), try the sprawling market on Bâc S£n, which runs north from Lˆ Li near the major intersection. Ethnic minority groups (especially the Nung) from nearby towns also sell their goods throughout the market. Turn left off Bâc S£n when the stalls thin out, and straight ahead will be Tr<n ng Ninh, with another marketplace selling wares imported from China. There’s a pharmacy, 79 Tam Thanh, on the road that branches left off Tr<n ng Ninh, 20m north of the Lˆ Li intersection. A personable doctor has an office in the back. (☎812 524. Open daily 5:30am-11:30pm.) Tam Thanh continues west through a six-way intersection to the hospital.

Accommodations. Searching for lodgings in Lång S£n can rapidly give travelers a case of déjà vu. Hotels provide virtually indistinguishable setups and ranges of amenities (TV, A/C, fans, and hot water). Nonetheless, rooms vary in quality—ask to see several rooms in each establishment before you decide, as rooms with views over the lake will go for the same price as those with views of construction sites. While bargaining can be difficult, inspecting rooms with visible disappointment will generally result in lower costs. Most hotels are scattered along Tr<n ng Ninh near the center of town. Hotel Khách Sån Mñu S£n 2, 125 Tr<n ng Ninh, has bathtubs and bright rooms, many of which overlook Phai Loan Lake. (☎876 818. Doubles US$9; triples US$11.) Next door is Hoà Bình Hotel 4, 127 Tr<n ng Ninh, with small, well-kept suites and comparable views. The hike to the top floor is worth the sweat, offering great views at a good price. (☎870 807. Rooms 130,000.) A 10min. walk north of the major intersection, Khách Sån Hoàng V´ 2, 240 Tr<n ng Ninh, has airy rooms with a small sitting area and amicable service. (☎873 738. Doubles 130,000; triples 160,000.) Hoàng S£n H=i Hotel 4, 57 Tam Thanh, might just be worth the steeper price. Turn onto Tam Thanh, just north of the intersection of Lˆ Li and Tr<n ng Ninh, and walk 100m. The entrance is up a set of marble stairs, past fish tanks and a colorful mural. A two-star rating is displayed proudly on the door. Rooms are very well kept, with spectacular views overlooking Lång S£n’s red-roofed houses. (☎870 199. Doubles US$20; triples US$25.) Hotel Hoàng Nguy[n 3, 84 Tr<n ng Ninh, has rooms with terraces overlooking a construction site, but the bubbly owners and romantic canopied beds make up for its less attractive features. (☎874 575. Rooms US$10-12.)

Food. There are a few overpriced restaurants in Lång S£n, but your best meals will be from sidewalk vendors and market stalls. Eating your way through the market is a fun experience; regional specialties include suckling pig, roast duck, and bánh bao (steamed dumpling stuffed with vermicelli noodles, diced meat, and an egg). Wash it all down with the local rice wine and bar snacks like cucumber and green mango dipped in salt. Tr<n ng Ninh and Lˆ Li host the usual ph shops (10,000-20,000). Walking south on Tr<n ng Ninh and turning left by the bridge onto Nguy[n Tri Ph™£ng leads to a market. Toward the back of the first aisle a woman sells particularly tender chicken-feet sandwiches (4000)—which is to say, as tender as chicken feet get. Another good street kitchen can be found on B c Són, which intersects with the northern side of Lˆ Li near the main intersection. Under a blue tent across from the neon Bào Vi_t sign, boys and girls cook up hefty portions of fried rice—just point at the ingredients you want included (10,000). Cheaper options line the side streets where you can usually get c£m with tofu, vegetables, and cooked meats for 6000.

Minh Quang Restaurant 2, 44 Ngÿ Quy]n, offers a peaceful refuge from Lång S£n’s noisy streets. Walk east on Lˆ Li and bear right when the road splits. Walk through the alley and turn into the dining room. The grilled beef is topped with sesame seeds served over a bed of pineapple. Also available are snake head, sparrow, and the regional specialty of roasted duck. Most plates are small and cheap, so you can try a little bit of everything. The service is excellent. Most entrees are 15,000-25,000; be sure to check prices before you order. (☎870 417. Open daily 8am-8pm.) Nhà Hàng New Century 1 also provides an English menu. In a large building set off of Tr<n ng Ninh on the lake, New Century restaurant has decent food but great karaoke. The crab and chicken soups (6000) are small but come out steaming hot. Sauteed pumpkin buns with garlic (12,000) are another treat. Also available are various meats, including pig stomach (25,000), camel (chewier and tastier than chicken; 35,000), frog, and carp. (☎898 000. Open daily 6am-10pm.) For your daily dose of fruit, stop by øi Xanh 1, before the bridge on Tr<n ng Ninh. Watch the goldfish in the bowl on your table bump into the glass while slurping a fruit cocktail (10,000) made with máng cñu (mangosteen), xoài (mango), and many other tropical fruits. Even the durian shake (12,000) makes the noxious fruit seem quite appealing. (☎278 188. Open daily 7am-11pm.)

Sights. A motorcycle taxi (10,000) can take travelers to Tam Thanh Cave and Nh¢ Thanh Cave, located in the mountains 3km west of town. For a nice walking tour, start in Nh¢ Thanh Cave’s main entrance and walk along the path, which opens into an enormous, stalagmite-filled chamber. Continue to the opposite entrance of the cave. From there, a 10min. walk straight ahead will bring you to Tam Thanh Cave, home to Buddhist altars and their faithful companions, bats. An opening at the cave’s rear offers a great panoramic view of the surrounding countryside. A slightly different view is accessible via the staircase to the side of the cave’s entrance. Be careful, as some of the stone steps carved out of the cave can get quite slippery. (Both caves open daily 7am-6pm. 5000 each.)

In town, walking around Phai Loan Lake takes about 30min. and provides some nice views of Lång S£n. Another pleasant option is in the southern part of town where there is an attractive temple, set by the bridge on Tr<n ng Ninh, that overlooks the Ky Cung River. The bridge lets out onto a wide avenue full of government buildings and a few plazas in recognition of fallen soldiers. Next to the first plaza is a market; beyond the usual fruit vendors is a row of barbers, for those whose five o’clock shadow has turned into a two-week jungle.

Border Crossing: ·Ng Ng. Just north of Lång S£n, at the northern terminus of Route 1, lies the tiny border town of ·ng ng, one of three legal places in Vietnam to enter China (see Border Crossings). While ·ng ng has little for tourists, the customs procedures there are low-key, quick, and easy. There is an impressive, multi-tiered temple with brightly painted Ddragons on Khu L® Rèn, the town’s main drag. The surrounding countryside, too, is breathtaking, and worth some exploration on a xe ®m.

Minibuses run frequently between ·ng ng and Lång S£n (30,000). On the ride over, large rocks jut out from rice paddies and steep streets twist along rolling hills. Motorcycle taxis wait at the intersection of the main highway and the entrance to ·ng ng. They can take you to the border (7000), which is past two checkpoints, 3km beyond ·ng ng at the Hu Ngh¢ (Friendship) Crossing. To enter China here, your visa must have a ·ng ng exit stamp. Tourist cafes in Hà Nÿi can procure Chinese visas (US$34, plus US$20 extra for American, Canadian, German, and Japanese citizens) and can change the exit stamp on Vietnamese visas (US$35). Trains to Beijing, China leave from ·ng ng train station, just south of town. Tickets should be booked in Hà Nÿi. There is also a daily train from ·ng ng to Hà Nÿi (7hr.; 1:20pm; 40,000). Over the border at Pingxiang, in Guangxi Province, there are rail and bus connections to Nanning, China.