Son La

Son La is a mountainous province on the northwest of Vietnam, this province shares the border with Yen Bai and Lao Cai in the north, Hoa Binh and Phu Tho in the east, Dien Bien and Lai Chau in the west, Thanh Hoa in the south and Laos in the southwest. The name of Son La province has original from Sinosphere culture, whereas, “Son” means mountain and “La” means stream, the name of Son La means the land derived from a stream in a mountain.

The total area of Son La province is about 14,055 square meters, whereas most of it is mountain and plateau. There are two plateaus in the province including Moc Chau and Na San. Moc Chau plateau is located at the height of 1,050 above the sea level, so it owns all the characteristics of sub-temperate climate. It is very suitable for the development of tea tree, fruit trees and dairy farming. Na San plateau has the average height of 800 meters above the sea level. This plateau used to be one of the biggest farms in Vietnam, nowadays it is investigated to grow sugarcane, coffee, mulberry, mango and so on.

Son La is home to 12 ethnic groups living scatteredly in the province, so this province is not only a land of majestic landscapes but also has the distinct cultural diversity. Son La is a rich traditional historical and cultural province with over 100 cultural historical relics and archaeological relics. In Son La museum, there are thousand artifacts displayed to represent for the unique culture of 12 ethnic groups living in the province in many periods.