Little more than a road with a bunch of houses and shops on each side, it's all about the tea, here in Moc Chau, which thrives on the mountainous hillsides, and has put the town well and truly on the map — for tea fans at least.
The other reason it's on the map is that it's a possible place to break up a trip from Hanoi to Son La or Dien Bien Phu, and there are certainly worse places to be stuck for the night. Not that there's anything of interest here, but there are a couple of decent guesthouses, a restaurant or two and some very friendly locals.
If you have an honest reason to head here specifically, take a through bus to Dien Bien or Son La from My Dinh or Luong Yen bus stations in Hanoi and jump off in town.
Cyclists in particular should take comfort in the knowledge there is accommodation available.
Orientation
There's a BIDV and an Agribank in town, along the main road, both of which have ATMs, and Western Union is available at BIDV.
Agribank: Tieu Khu 7 (Highway 6), Moc Chau. T: (022) 386 6236, F: (022) 386 6133. Hours: 07:30 to 11:30 and 13:30 to 15:30.
BIDV Bank: Tieu Khu 4 (Highway 6), Moc Chau. T: (022) 386 6591, 117, F:
Post Office: Tieu Khu 4 (Highway 6), Moc Chau. T: (022) 386 7667, F: (022) 386 7000. Hours: 07:00 to 20:00.
How to Get there :
There's a small bus station in Moc Chau but the best bet if you are heading towards Hanoi or Dien Bien Phu is to wait on the main road outside town and pick up a through bus.
Moc Chau is on the main through-route so transport will be passing through on a pretty regular basis during daylight hours.
If all else fails, stand around looking lost for a while and someone hanging around the bus station will point you in the right direction.