Son La, the fifth largest province in the country, is located in the northwestern region of Vietnam. Eighty percent of the province’s natural area is covered with mountains. The province is populated by various ethnic groups, including the Ma, H’mong, Dao, Muong, Kinh, Khmer, Tay, Thai, and so on. Son La has a temperate climate throughout the year.

Tham Tet Tong is a complex of marvelous grottoes located only 1.5 km from Son La. Excursions to Tay Bac Mountains and bathing at Ban Mong Hot Springs are available. Visits to ethnic minorities hamlets are also popular.

From Hanoi, driving along National Highway 6 for more than 300km, you reach the provincial town of the same name, Son La, on a plateau some 600m above sea level.

Son La province is a northwestern mountainous province. It has two large plateaus also named Son La and Moc Chau, and an immense area of crop fields. The rest consists of valleys, high hills and mountains, Son La province borders Laos to the south.  The province is co-inhabited by various ethnic groups: the Xa, H'Mong, Dao, Muong, Kinh, Kh'Mu, Tay, Thai and so on. The Thai is the largest single ethnic group.  Eighty percent of the province's natural area is covered with mountains. On the Moc Chau plateau there is a dairy farm and a State-run factory producing black tea for export.  Son La has a temperate climate for the whole year, suitable for convalescence. Pine forests and hot springs on high plateaus are favorites of local and foreign tourists.