3 Best Sights in Son La, The Northwest

If you feel like soaking your tired bones for awhile, have your driver or a motorbike taxi take you to the hot springs in beautiful Suoi Nuoc Nong village, a few miles south of the main road.

Be warned, the rather murky communal pool is far from idyllic.

For a commanding view of the town and the surrounding area, climb the stone steps behind the Trade Union Hotel to the lookout tower known as Cot V3. The climb is steep and takes about 20 minutes, but the view is quite nice.

Destroyed by American bombers (but partially rebuilt), this former French penal colony, with its tiny underground cells and dank corridors, leaves a strong impression of life in captivity. The ticket includes entry to the Son La Museum, housed in a moldy colonial mansion overlooking the prison. Downstairs, the museum displays pictures of life in Son La, past and present, and upstairs is a model of a Thai village and an exhibition of ethnic minority clothing. The prison and museum are on the hill in the center of town, next to the People's Committee building. You can purchase an information booklet about the prison in the gift shop for 25,000d.