Pu Dao

Pu Dao is a small ward of H'mong people, consisting of four mountainous villages: Hong Ngai, Nam Doong, Nam Dac and Hong Ty. Pu Dao belongs to Sin Ho District, staying Muong Lay Township about 13 kilometres. The name Pu Dao, in H'mong language, means "the highest point". It has this name because it is located on a very high mountain. In 2006, this geographical name is voted as one of the five most destinations in South-East Asia by Gecko Travel (geckotravel.com) - a British travel agent specialising in making tours to South-East Asia. In addition, the international tourism websites like gonomad.com and Siobhan McGeady also praise Pu Dau (Pu Dao) as a surprising and hospitable destination.

	Lai Ha Bridge on the way to Pu Dao (Photo: Tran Thanh Binh)

Indeed, reaching this region, tourists will have chances to have a live discovery about the local inhabitants and villages here. The landscape is spectacular with the villages lying on the mountain peak and the way to the villages is tortuous along with dangerous turning sections; one side is an extremely high mountain, and another side is deep abyss. Only motorbikes can enter. The view is really wonderful and your trekking trip will be unforgettable. The best time to take a trip to this place is from the Independence Day of Vietnam (2/9) to the next year's spring, especially Vietnamese Tet holidays because the weather during this time is dry and the path to the villages is easier to go.

	The stove of H'mong people at Nam Doong Village (Photo: Tran Thanh Binh)

Coming to Pu Dao, you should spend nights at Nam Doong Village because this village is located at the most beautiful position. The way to this village is not only charming with wild scenery of forests and mountains but also very beautiful when tourists can have a general look at the beneath valley; the most beautiful valley is at the intersection of Da River and Nam Na River. Nothing could be more interesting than watching the sun with its nimbus at sunrise.

	A part of the edifice of Deo Van Long which is now used to build school (Photo: Got_but_chi)

On the way to Pu Dao, passing Lai Ha Bridge and following Muong Te about 5 kilometres, excursionists will reach the edifice of King Deo Van Long of Thai ethnic group. This is a fairly famous relic of Muong region. It used to be a splendid edifice of which the owner is a puppet king in the war against France. The generation Deo was one of the three aristocratic families (Deo, Bac and Cam) in the former Lai Chau region. Currently this edifice is historical ruins and is where people come to learn about the typical architectural traits carrying the cultural characters of Thai ethnic group. Staying some kilometers far from this edifice is the stele of Le Loi carved on the cliff of Mount Hoi Cho at the left bank of Da River, pertaining to the locality of Sin Ho. The stele was carved after Le Loi quelled a revolt led by the chieftain Deo Cat Han who rebelled at Muong Le in the last Lunar month of the year (in 1431). This stele is ranged as a national historical relic and considered as the only antique stele carved with Nom letters (the old writing of Vietnamese) in Lai Chau. Besides that value, the epitaph of Le Loi also has the meaning of affirming the sovereignty over the area of Vietnam.

	The ancient stele carved with Nom letters by Le Loi