Lang Son travel guide (P2)

Lang Son has many scenic spots, charming mountains, historical relics and customs imbued with national identity, such as Bac Son's archaeological and Mai Pha cultures. The province's tourist attractions are Lang Son City, Bac Son District, Huu Lung District, Binh Gia, and Loc Binh. The province also has hundreds of folk culture festivals.

Related post: Lang Son travel guide (P1)

Citadel of the Mac Dynasty

Next to Nang To Thi mountain is a valley with two stone walls blocking it: the Mac Dynasty Citadel relics. The fortress, a 16th-century military construction, was used to barricade the only route running from North to south. The 300 m long and 1 m thick walls of the Mac Dynasty citadel still stand today. Visitors can take a broad view of Lang Son City at the entrance. As you climb the slope from the bottom to the top, you will see infinite mountains and breathe fresh air.

Markets

One of Lang Son's tourist destinations that many tourists love is the market. Dong Kinh, Ky Lua, Dong Dang, and Tan Thanh border gate marketplaces are well known in Lang Son. This shopping centre is a supermarket with hundreds of vendor booths selling various goods. A wide variety of high-quality, reasonably priced products of various kinds are available. You will spend all the money you bring just walking around the market. One thing to note: be bold in bidding; you will buy your favourite item at a bargain price. These markets were once more vibrant than ten years ago but are still tourists' must-see destinations.
Bac Son Flower Valley

Bac Son Flower Valley is located in Lan Khoang village, Tran Yen commune, with an area of more than 20 hectares. This Lang Son tourist destination suits young people because of its ideal location and "charming landscape". Not only can visitors enjoy the fresh air, but they can also admire and inhale the scent of flowers. The valley has several picturesque photo opportunities, seasonal flowers, and unending rice fields.

Trekking on Phia Po peak

Cha mountain peak (Phia Po) in Mau Son commune, Loc Binh district, 1,541 m above sea level, is considered the "Roof of Lang". From Lang Son City, tourists follow Highway 4B to Loc Binh district, which continues about 6 km, and there will be an inter-village road leading to the foot of the mountain. Cha Mountain is characterized by wide, green grass slopes in the summer. In winter, the grass gradually turns yellow. This place has fresh air, beautiful natural scenery, rich and pristine flora, and the most diverse ancient forests in the North.

Also read: Go find Phia Po mountain and check-in ‘dinosaur spine’ in Lang Son

Conquering ‘mountain Everest of Lang’

The journey to conquer Phia Po is usually divided into 2 stages. On the first day, we trekked 3.5 km from the foot of the mountain to the campsite, setting up a tent to eat and rest overnight. Moving toward the longest peak's highest point on the second day. The two-day trip covers a total distance of 14 kilometres.

Huu Lung steppe

Dong Lam steppe in Huu Lien commune, Huu Lung district, has an area of 100 hectares, famous for its lush green grass and clear lake, located between majestic cliffs. The steppe is most picturesque before the rainy season, typically lasting from March to May, when the water has yet to rise to reveal the green peninsulas. This season, the trees also sprout and have lots of vitality, and the weather is cool and suitable for camping, outdoor activities, and horseback riding. Visitors do not drive into the valley to protect the area's ecosystem. Instead, they walk about 500 meters or hire people to drive them there.

Cuisine

Roast pig - roast duck

Roasted pig and duck with mac mat leaves are specialties bearing the mark of Lang Son. The dish's taste and the delicious meat also lie in the flavour of mac mol leaves. This tree produces fragrant leaves and fruits with a strange flavour, often used in dishes of the Tay and Nung ethnic groups.

After being soaked in spices, mac mat leaves are stuffed into the cleaned pork and duck belly, sewn closed, left to absorb the spices and roasted. Satisfactory roasted meat depends on the chef while roasting and evenly spreading honey mixed with warm water on the pig. Honey helps keep pigs and ducks from cracking and gives the skin a shiny and crispy yellow colour. The dish meets the requirements when the meat is not crumbly and is chewy and soft.
Local people mix their yellow, cockroach-wing-coloured dipping sauce for roast pigs and ducks. From roast duck, visitors to Lang Son can enjoy duck pho.

Sour pho

Lang Son sour pho is usually served on a large plate; underneath is pho noodles, followed by char siu meat, cucumbers, roasted peanuts, fried sweet potatoes, and dried onions. Sour pho has sour enough, spicy, salty, and sweet flavours. The most important ingredient in the sauce is sugar vinegar mixed with fried onions, garlic, fish sauce, and ginger.

Lang Son sour pho is cooling and suitable for enjoying hot days. But you can still eat sour pho in winter when the sauce and noodles are warmed. Depending on your preference, when eating sour pho, add a few slices of fresh chilli, squeeze a slice of lemon, or sprinkle a little pepper for a light, not overpowering flavour.

Egg rolls

Egg rolls are made from delicious rice and pureed with water so the dough is not too dry or thin. A thin layer of stretched fabric covers the cake in a steamer, allowing heated steam to rise and cook the cake from the inside out. Unlike conventional banh cuon, those from Lang Son fill theirs with eggs. A special Lang Son vinegar created from a particular variety of ripe bananas is required to eat authentic banh cuon and a dipping sauce.

Khau Nhuc

Khau Nhuc, also known as Ly Khau, originated in China and was introduced to Vietnam thanks to the Tay and Nung ethnic people. This is a dish used during holidays, weddings, and elaborate preparations. The main ingredients of the dish include pork belly, taro, and a mixture of spices, including onions, garlic, ginger, minced basil, sugar, pepper, oyster sauce, five spices, a little white wine, and Tau soi leaves- a type of salty vegetable of the Tay and Nung people, chopped, through many stages such as boiling, roasting (frying), and steaming. Cauliflower is eaten with rice, bread and vegetables for breakfast or main meal. The meat is tender, absorbing the taste of taro and spices; the skin is slightly sweet, and the fat is greasy but does not feel greasy.