Pha Din Pass
One of the four great northern passes, on the old supply road west, with a name meaning sky and earth.
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Pha Din carries national road 6 over the divide between Son La and Dien Bien at about 1,650 metres, running some thirty kilometres of climb and descent, and it is counted among the four great passes of the north-west along with O Quy Ho, Khau Pha and Ma Pi Leng. The name is Thai and is usually rendered as the place where sky and earth meet. The old road was a single narrow shelf with drops on one side and was notorious; a newer alignment built in the 2000s carries most traffic now, and the old road survives alongside for anyone who wants the original.
What you actually see
- A pass at about 1,650 metres - between Son La and Dien Bien.
- One of the four northern passes - with O Quy Ho, Khau Pha and Ma Pi Leng.
- A name meaning sky and earth - from Thai.
- The old shelf road - still there beside the newer alignment.
When to go
October to April; the wet season brings landslides and fog. Half a day.
Honest expectations
The old road is narrow, unguarded and genuinely dangerous. Fog is frequent and reduces the view to nothing. Lorries dominate the new road. There are few services on the pass itself.
Nearby
Dien Bien Phu is west; Son La and Moc Chau are east.
What to pack for Pha Din Pass
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.