Pha Din Pass

ChieuTimViet · CC BY 3.0

One of the northwest's four great passes, 32km of Highway 6 climbing towards Dien Bien.

Pha Din means 'sky and earth' in Thai — the place where the two meet. The pass runs thirty-two kilometres between Son La and Dien Bien, topping out near fifteen hundred metres, rock wall on one side and a long drop on the other. In the Dien Bien Phu campaign this was the lifeline: tens of thousands of porters carried rice and hauled artillery over it under bombing, and those stories entered the songs and poems. The new road has eased the gradient and straightened the bends, but the old pass survives — narrow and winding, and the reason riders still come to see the northwest as it was.

Visitor information

When is the best time to visit Pha Din Pass?

September to November

How long do you need at Pha Din Pass?

Half a day

What are the opening hours of Pha Din Pass?

Year-round

Did you know

The pass runs about 32km on Highway 6, linking Son La and Dien Bien.
Its name means 'sky and earth' in the Thai language.
The summit stands at nearly 1,500m above sea level.
It was a vital supply route in the 1954 Dien Bien Phu campaign.
It counts among the four great passes of the northwest.

Travel tips

Ride the old pass if you are on a motorbike — far better than the straightened new road.
Avoid the pass after 5pm in winter: mist falls fast and thick.

Source: https://www.openstreetmap.org/search?query=%C4%90%C3%A8o%20Pha%20%C4%90in

Updated: 2026-08-06