Nestled amid a nest of karst peaks, Lang Son is the capital of mountainous Lang Son province.

Nestled amid a nest of karst peaks, Lang Son is the capital of mountainous Lang Sonprovince. The town of Lang Son is in an area populated largely by Tho, Nung, Man and Dzao Montagnards. You’ll seem that many of these people continue living their traditional way of life.

Lang Son was partially destroyed in February 1979 by invading Chinese forces; the ruins of the town and the devastated frontier village of Dong Dang were frequently shown to foreign journalists as evidence of Chinese aggression. Although the border is still heavily fortified, both towns have been rebuilt and Sino–Vietnamese trade is in full swing again.

Close to Lang Son, there are a couple of impressive caves in the surrounding limestone hills, and remnants of the ruined 16th-century Mac dynasty Citadel. Most travellers come to Lang Son when crossing between Vietnam and China: the border is actually just outside Dong Dang, a village 18km to the north. It’s not a town to linger in, but if you find yourself with a few hours to spare there’s enough to explore.

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