Locating in the Northwest of Lao Cai province, the Northwest and Northeast border with Van Nam province (China). The West borders with Phong Tho district (Lai Chau), the South borders with Sapa district and Lao Cai City, the Southeast is Lao Cai City.
Bat Xat ismountainous district which locates in the Northeast of Lao Cai province. It has relatively important terrain for economy, society and national defence – provincial security. Natural area is 1,062km2, polulation is 73.38 thousand people. The district capital is Bat Xat town, locating about 12 km far from Lao Cai City towards the Northwest, including 14 enthic minorities who hold 82%.
Whole district has 22 communes, 01 town, in which 10 communes and 31 villages border with Ha Khau and Kim Binh district, Self-governing area – Cap Ne, Di Hong Ha enthic minority, Van Nam province, China; there are two sub border gates, 04 important road lines (highway 4D, provincial road 156, 158, 155) to serve production, exploit industries, convenient for economic, social, national defence and security development.
Bat Xat is called by language of Giay people. “Pac scrat” is called correctly and accurate sound with two different meanings. The first meaning is “ one hundred bamboo mats because “ Pac” means one hundred, “scrat” is bamboo mat; the second meaning is “waterfall mouth” or “ waterfall wharf, because “ Pac also has meaning of “Mouth”, “Srat” also expresses as “waterfall” or rolling wave. There is a sentence in Giay language which is “Ram Pan Srat” (bamboo mat rolling water”, then the meaning of Bat Xat following with first one or second one has not been determined)
Bat Xat has Ngu Chi Son mountain range, is the riverhead of “Red river falling into Vietnam”. Bat Xat has rice fields of Quang Kim, Coc San, especially interminable cardamom forests that is valuable medicine and create main income for local people in Bat Xat. There is Sinh Quyen copper mine with relative grate deposit of 51 million tons. The mineral industry in Bat Xat develops and becomes key one to develop industrialization in mountainous area.
Specially, Bat Xat has Muong Vi cave complex which is ranked to be the national lanscapes, has Tien mountain (mountain name is origined from one legend of local people); Pac Cam cave where archaeologists should come to discover the vestiges of ancient people, caves in Na Rin, height must be from 5-10m, width of the bed is little narrow, maybe from 15-20m, width can be from 20-30m, the depth must be from 9-10 hours. The interesting thing is that along the cave depth, we walk along with cool and transparent spring. The cave stays under the mountain foot with water flow running inside the cave bed, and then people call it as Thuy Tien cave. In addition to Thuy Tien cave, there are also Cam Rang cave in which there is five fruit tray, heaven gate is miraculous stalactile. Cam Rung cave also called as Gio cave has shape of tarraced field liking chamber of fairy. Cam Tam cave is storage of agricultural tools and things of petrified fairies.
With the cave complex, particularly interesting mountains, Bat Xat also has Muong Hum which is one village of Giay people with charming landscapes. Passing through Muong Hum, continue to enter Den Sang which is tea area of Dao Do people, and then primary old forests with many valuable wood and medicine. After that, we will come to one separated valley named Y Ty where people living here usually go to market in China closer than go to district’s market. It is cold and dew plateaus, then Ha Nhi people have thick wall and two door layers to proof cold and robbers in the ancient time.
Bat Xat also has Tay waterfall on Red river, where insurgent army of Bat Xat in the past ambushed and shot boats of French enemy sinking when they operated to Trinh Tuong and since there, it is called “Tay waterfall”.
Who comes to Bat Xat without drinking San Lung alcohol, will not be considered as already coming to Bat Xat. San Lung alcohol of Dao Do San Lung cooked it by rice. It is genuine one when this alcohol is very smooth and has tasting smell of rice husk
Bat Xat has 14 enthic groups with 14 very diverse private cultures . The most outstanding one is Giay’s culture with “Roong Poc” festivals of Giay villages, funny wedding ceremony with coming and bringing bride home, Pi Le clarinet and drum, couples will decorate themselves by red color to member each other forver. Next to Giay’s plentiful culture is Ha Nhi Den’s one which is unique enthic group in Bat Xat – Ha Nhi people live in the Y Ty plateau. Ha Nhi people have Kho Gia Gia festival to pray for rich season in 6th of lunar June with very impressive games and offering custom to Village’s God.