Like in other cities in the region you'll see traditional wooden Dong houses mixed in with modern Chinese buildings modern as in built in the 80's. There are whole Dong villages right behind the row of Chinese buildings along the streets.
If you start near the bus station northern bank you could take a cab to the outdoor food market, which is on the other side of the river and west from the bridge. From there you can stroll back in 30 minutes or so.
You'll get a nice view of the traditional Dong settlements from the southern bank of the river. If you go up the stairs behind the houses across the bus station for example it's almost as if you're getting into a completely different, rural village within a few minutes.
There are also pagoda-like structures, which make for a good destination for exploratory hikes. Those are not actually called pagodas å¡, but the author can't remember the correct name. Locals should understand what you mean though and correct you.
