Bac Ha is one district locates in Lao Cai’s Northeast, the north borders with Si Ma Cai district, the South borders with Bao Yen and Bao Thang district, the East borders with Xin Man district (Ha Giang), the West borders with Muong Khuong district.
Bac Ha district locates in the height from 1,000 to 1,500 m in comparison with sea level, has temperate climate. Annual average temperature is 25°C. Bac Ha’s terrain has many clime mountains; average slope is from 24 to 28°.
Bac Ha has width of 682 km², its population is about 56,77 thousand people, the density is 83 people/km2, with 14 enthic groups living here in which Mong enthic group holds upper 47% population of whole district. Other ones are Kinh, Dao Tuyen (Man Den), Tay, Nung, Phu La, Hoa, etc. Bac Ha includes 01 Bac Ha town (district capital) and 20 communes.
It belongs to limestone highland region and consists of many mountain ranges with narrow valleys, agricultural land is very little, mainly land is for forestry, streams with subtropical climate, Bac Ha has convenient conditions to develop planting trees such as plum, apricot, pear and longan.
For the name of Bac Ha, local people (Tay, Nung) call it as Pac Ha (means of hundred alang bunches). In the time under French domination, French translators called it as Pakha. Bac Ha also has historical development process in long time. Since Hung Vuong dynasty, it belonged with Tay Au land of Thuc PHan; in the Chinese dormination, it belonged to Cam Duong ward, since Le dynastry to French domination, it belonged to Ngoc Uyen cave, Thuy Vi ward, Quy Hoa town.
In 1907, Lao Cai found one ward of Lao Cai. In the time of French domination, Bac Ha still was one district of Lao Cai including: Bac Ha, Lung Phinh, Si Ma Cai and Bao Nhai. Since 1967, Bac Ha was separated into two districts which are Bac Ha and Si Ma Cai belonging to Lao Cai up to 1976 and Hoang Lien Son up to 1979. Since 1979 – 1991, Bac Ha and Si Mai Cai integrated and is named as Bac Ha, became one district of Hoang Lien Son province. Since 10/1991 – 10/2000, it was one district of Lao Cai province. On 9/2000, Si Ma Cai was separated away and refound to be Si Ma Cai district. Currently, Bac Ha remains 20 communes and one town.
Bac Ha is one place recording glorious fights against aggressors which are proofed in remaining relics until now such as: Trung Dong ancient fortress (Bao Nhai commune) built by Bau Vu Van Uyen lord with his descendants in 30th decade of 16th century to protect base area of Chay river, it was also the rear against Mac dynastry to protect the border area. The base area of Giang Chuan Min and Giang Chua Hung commanders in Lao Din Phang, Ta Chai, Trung Dong; base area of Tieu Tien Tien in Cai village, Nghia Do towards Truc lau (Luc Yen ward) were locations for French assistance movements in Lao Cai and Yen Bai provinces which had ever been appointed as “ King”
Artifficial and architectural relics of Hoang A Tuong ancient house in the town was built in 1914 and finished in 1921. Despite of passing through many historical years with covered by antique moss layer, ancient house still stands impressively and outstanding in the center of crowded residential area. It is cultural relics contributing for researches on architecture, history and society of mountainous enthic groups in feudal dynastries which was ranked as national cultural and historical relics.
Besides cultural and historical relics, Bac Ha has many fantasic and beautiful landscapes such as Co Tien mountain which is not only beauty on environment attractions but also contains many folk legends. Tien cave in Bao Nhai with many impressive beauties from primary forests, stalactile in plentiful shapes of elephant, eagle, and stone fortress, small and big ancient towers.
Specially, with Tam Hoa plum, Bac Ha also has maize alcohol of Pho village. There are cultural markets where many couples meet each other, food culture with Thang Co dish tasted with intense alcohol or sour noodle tasting with mountainous smell. There is Long Tong festival praying for rain with beautiful dancing of Tay – Ta Chai and Na Hoi people; they are all special cultural resources which contributes to make spiritual life of enthic group to be more plentiful