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Vietnam fans out above Hanoi like the head of a giant pin, the majority of it a mountainous buffer zone wrapped around the Red River Delta. Two arteries carry road and rail links north from the capital towards the Chinese border crossings of Lao Cai and Dong Dang (Lang Son), and the rest of the region is mostly wild and inaccessible, sparsely populated by a fascinating mosaic of ethnic minorities , whose presence is the chief tourist attraction around here. The former hill station of Sa Pa has become famous for its weekend market when minority villagers trek in to buy, sell and gossip, and is also the main departure point for treks to their settlements. Mai Chau and Bac Ha are less touristy centres for walks to minority villages. Note that changing travellers' cheques north of Hanoi is problematic and cash exchanges garner poor rates, so make sure you have all the cash you need before you leave the capital.
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