A fascinating place to visit is Cuong Hoan Traditional Silk Centre in Nam Ban village, near the Elephant Falls. Here you can see every part of the miraculous process, from the live silkworms spinning out their precious cacoon, to the vats where they're boiled up and the threads separated, to the loom where the shimmery cloth is woven. You can even sample the cooked grub - they taste kinda nutty.

For those of us concerned about fair trade, the women here are paid reasonably well and work only standard government hours. There are some beautiful garments and lengths of fabric for sale, including kimono-style robes for US$10 .