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Mountain

Po Ma Lung Mountain

Po Ma Lung is one of Vietnam's highest peaks at about 2,967 m on the Vietnam-China border in Lai Châu - widely rated one of the hardest treks in the country, with its infamous 3-hour slope, primeval forest, bamboo groves and streams, and a border permit required.

The Infamous 3-Hour Slope · One of Vietnam's Highest Peaks · Border Permit Required

Overview

Best time to visit
The dry season, Sep - Apr, is the best window: little rain, firmer trails and lower streams, which makes the many stream crossings safer. Dec - Mar is spring on the mountain - cool, with fresh growth in the primeval forest and rhododendrons and wild orchids in flower; around late March, primroses can bloom along some of the streams. Apr - May is mild, neither hot nor cold, and usually before the dangerous forest rains arrive. Avoid Jun - Aug: rain makes the relentless slopes very slippery, and the air is wet and bitterly cold.
Best time of day
Start before dawn. The climb from the foot of the mountain to the forest camp alone takes 8-9 hours, and groups combining Chung Nhía Vũ often walk from 4:30 AM.
Entry fee
No entrance fee, but a border-area permit and a local fee are required - check the current amount when you register at the Bản Lang commune office. Foreign nationals follow a separate procedure through the immigration authorities (standard fee for entering a border area: 10 USD per person, often with a sponsoring organisation), and approval for border peaks is reportedly not granted in practice. Guided tours cost around 4,600,000-6,700,000 VND per person (2026 price), often combined with Chung Nhía Vũ - see Wild Adventure, Travel Up and Viettrekking. Check current prices before booking.
Opening hours
No fixed hours. Access requires a border permit, registration with the commune and at least one local porter.
Address
Nà Đoong village, Khổng Lào, Lai Châu (formerly Bản Lang commune, Phong Thổ district, Lai Châu)
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Things to Know

Crowds
Very few trekkers
Difficulty
Very hard: about 30-40 km round trip, 8-9 hours to the forest camp, the 3-hour slope at around 70 degrees, and many slippery stream crossings
Safety
Border permit, commune registration and at least one local porter are mandatory. Avoid rainy days and the Jun - Aug rainy season. Leeches are common
Accessibility
Not accessible for visitors with limited mobility. The road from Lai Châu is difficult
Seasonal
Sep - May; Dec - Mar for rhododendrons and orchids. Avoid Jun - Aug

About This Place

What Makes Po Ma Lung Mountain Special

Po Ma Lung rises to about 2,967 m on the Vietnam-China border, above Nà Đoong village in what is now Khổng Lào commune (formerly Bản Lang commune, Phong Thổ district), Lai Châu. It is usually listed eighth among Vietnam's highest peaks, after Fansipan, Pu Si Lung, Pu Ta Leng, Ky Quan San, Khang Su Van, Ta Lien Son and Ta Chi Nhu. The trailhead is about 40-45 km from Lai Châu city.

The first group to climb it named the peak "Bức Tường" (The Wall) in memory of Trần Lập, lead singer of the Vietnamese rock band Bức Tường. Today Po Ma Lung is the official name. Some locals also call it Bạch Long (White Dragon), linked to local legends about a dragon.

One of Vietnam's Hardest Treks

Po Ma Lung is consistently rated among the two or three hardest treks in Vietnam. Its reputation rests on the "3-hour slope", about three hours of relentless climbing at around 70 degrees, but there are plenty of other steep sections too. The reward is a wild, little-visited mountain: primeval forest with moss-covered ancient trees, lichens, ferns, fungi and wild flowers, dark bamboo groves, clear cold streams and waterfalls, and rhododendrons higher up. Because so few people come, wild raspberries and bamboo shoots grow in abundance along the trail.

How to Get There

How to Get to Po Ma Lung Mountain

From Hanoi, take a sleeper bus from Mỹ Đình bus station to Lai Châu city (about 400 km; roughly 300,000-350,000 VND per person one way). If you're coming from central or southern Vietnam, travel to Hanoi first. From Lai Châu it is another 40-45 km, about 1-1.5 hours on a difficult road, to Bản Lang; many trekkers take a car to their porter's house and then ride a motorbike to the trailhead. From Bản Lang there is about 5 km of hill walking before the trail proper begins.

Permits and Porters

Po Ma Lung lies within the Vietnam-China border belt, so a permit is mandatory. You must get permission from the border guard post, register with the Bản Lang commune People's Committee, pay a local fee, and sign a written commitment listing the full names of everyone in the group - bring your ID card. At least one of your group's porters must be a local villager. Almost every young man in the surrounding villages has climbed the mountain, so finding a porter is easy, but booking an experienced one in advance makes the trip safer.

Foreign nationals

Border peaks such as Po Ma Lung, Pu Si Lung and Khang Su Van are reportedly off-limits to foreign nationals in practice. The formal route is an application through the immigration authorities (standard fee for entering a border area: 10 USD per person, often with a sponsoring organisation), which is then coordinated with the provincial and local border guards. Contact an operator and the authorities well before making any plans.

What to Expect

What to Expect on the Po Ma Lung Mountain Trek

The route is long and rugged - commonly quoted as about 30 km round trip, with some itineraries counting up to 40 km. It takes 8-9 hours just to climb from the foot of the mountain to the overnight camp in the forest. The trail is almost all uphill, wet and full of leeches, with many slippery stream crossings; after rain, the descent becomes noticeably harder.

The 3-Hour Slope and the Chung Nhía Vũ Junction

After the 3-hour slope, the trail reaches a junction: one branch leads to the summit of Po Ma Lung, the other to Chung Nhía Vũ, the neighbouring peak at about 2,918 m. Most tours combine both, and trekkers recommend doing Po Ma Lung first and then returning to the junction for Chung Nhía Vũ, which is easier. The path from the junction to Chung Nhía Vũ follows the border line, past old moss-covered stone slabs laid along the way.

Summit and Scenery

The summit itself is small and surrounded by tall trees, so the view is limited - Po Ma Lung is not a good cloud-hunting peak, even if you may glimpse clouds from openings along the way. Opinions on the scenery vary: some trekkers find the forest, bamboo groves and streams magical, while others bluntly say there isn't much to see and that the mountain is for conquering rather than relaxing. On the way back, many groups detour to Bạch Long waterfall.

Know your limits

Doing both Po Ma Lung and Chung Nhía Vũ in 2 days 1 night can mean 18 hours of walking in a single day, partly in the dark. Unless you want to push yourself to the limit, plan at least 3 days 2 nights.

Travel Tips

Travel Tips for Po Ma Lung Mountain

Most operators run Po Ma Lung as a combo with Chung Nhía Vũ, at around 4,600,000-6,700,000 VND per person (2026) - for example Wild Adventure, Travel Up and Viettrekking. Contact your operator or porter shortly before the trip for the latest updates on permits and trail conditions.

  • Train hard beforehand: this is a route of slope after slope
  • Long, closed clothing and leech socks for the wet forest
  • Grippy, waterproof trekking shoes for the many slippery stream crossings
  • Avoid rainy days - continuous uphill slopes become extremely hard in the wet
  • Your ID card for the permit and commune registration
Set the right expectations

Po Ma Lung is for trekkers who want a serious challenge and untouched forest. If you're after big views, cloud seas or a relaxed trip, choose another peak.

Insider Tips

Based on real traveler experiences and commonly mentioned advice from multiple visitors.

  • Book a local porter in advance - at least one local villager is required in every group
  • Do Po Ma Lung before Chung Nhía Vũ if you're combining the two
  • Plan 3 days 2 nights rather than an extreme 2 days 1 night push
  • ⚠️ A border permit is mandatory. Get permission from the border guard post, register with the Bản Lang commune office, pay the local fee, and sign a written commitment listing every member of the group. Bring your ID card
  • ⚠️ At least one porter in your group must be a local villager - this is a condition of access, not optional
  • ⚠️ Foreign nationals: border peaks like Po Ma Lung, Pu Si Lung and Khang Su Van are reportedly off-limits to foreigners in practice. The formal route goes through the immigration authorities and then the provincial and local border guards - slow, with no guarantee. Ask an operator before planning anything
  • Time needed: 3 days 2 nights is the recommended minimum; 2 days 1 night is possible only as an extreme push, and some itineraries take up to 4 days 3 nights
  • Be ready for the "3-hour slope" (dốc 3 giờ): about three hours of continuous climbing at around 70 degrees. It's the route's trademark and a real ordeal for first-time trekkers
  • If you're combining Chung Nhía Vũ, climb Po Ma Lung first from the junction above the 3-hour slope, then come back for Chung Nhía Vũ - it's noticeably easier
  • Wear long, closed clothing and leech socks - leeches are everywhere on the wet trail
  • Don't come for views or cloud hunting: the summit is small and hemmed in by tall trees. Come for the challenge and the primeval forest
  • On the way back, many groups stop at Bạch Long waterfall - a beautiful, well-earned break
  • Train seriously beforehand - this is rated among the two or three hardest treks in Vietnam

FAQ

Common questions from travelers who've visited this place.

Do I need a permit to climb Po Ma Lung?
Yes. Because it lies in the Vietnam-China border belt, you must get permission from the border guard post, register with the Bản Lang commune office, pay a local fee, sign a commitment listing all group members and bring your ID. At least one porter must be a local villager.
Can foreigners climb Po Ma Lung?
In practice, border peaks like Po Ma Lung are reportedly off-limits to foreign nationals. The formal route is an application through the immigration authorities (standard fee for entering a border area: 10 USD per person, often with a sponsoring organisation), coordinated with the border guards, with no guarantee of approval. Ask an operator before planning anything.
How long does it take to climb Po Ma Lung?
Plan at least 3 days 2 nights. A 2 days 1 night trip is possible only as an extreme push, and some itineraries take up to 4 days 3 nights. The climb from the foot of the mountain to the forest camp alone takes 8-9 hours.
Can I combine Po Ma Lung with Chung Nhía Vũ?
Yes, most tours do. The two peaks share a junction above the 3-hour slope. Climb Po Ma Lung first, then return to the junction for Chung Nhía Vũ, which is easier.
Is there a view from the summit?
Not much - the summit is small and surrounded by tall trees, so it isn't a good peak for cloud hunting. Trekkers come for the challenge and the primeval forest.

Nearby Locations

Chung Nhia Vu Mountain2.4 km5 min by motorbikeNhiu Co San Mountain11.1 km22 min by motorbikeY Tý13.4 km27 min by motorbikeKhang Su Van Mountain14.8 km30 min by motorbikeKy Quan San Mountain17.0 km34 min by motorbikeTa Lien Son Mountain19.6 km39 min by motorbike

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