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Drive through the Khau Pha Pass, one of the four Great Passes of Vietnam, you will reach Mu Cang Chai. It is a highland district of Yen Bai province, just about 280 kilometers far from Hanoi.
Black H'mong women usually carry child pick-a-pack astride on back to go work on fields - Photo: Goldenholidaytravel
Lying at the foot of the well-known Hoang Lien Mountains, Mu Cang Chai has many breathtaking scenes that can make your phone full storage to keep the moments there. Ready for an adventure? Whatever you are looking for, these are some reasons that you should consider as things you’ll simply impress about Mu Cang Chai. Learn about it with Asia King Travel!
Seems as an iconic symbol of Mu Cang Chai, it brings its charms each season. Over centuries, these fields were speculated with small-scale cultivation.
In the spring, the farmers will plant a new crop, so it looks like anthills of activity when you see many people working in these fields from far away. When the summer comes, the hills have a vibrant green because of ripening rice with the specific smell of rice milk.
The terraced fields is an iconic of Mu Cang Chai - Photo: mrlinhadventure
By early autumn, the rice plants have turned a bewitching golden yellow, ready for the harvest. The scent of ripe rice is pervasive everywhere, you can easily feel the peaceful life of the people here. Then in wintertime, the lonely terraces fill with water, creating cascading rows of reflective infinity pools.
Black H’mong - Vietnam ethnic minority is the main population here, as you can realize through their traditional clothes: Black H’mong men typically wear dark tunics and hats, while women wear longer tunics with arms and waistbands in bright colors.
Back H'mong women in traditional clothes - Photo: nick mayo
Unlike many other minority groups in Vietnam, the Hmong don’t live in raised houses on wooden stilts. Instead, they build their homes on flattened earth. About the culture, The H’mong are traditionally animist, believing that everything has a spirit. They worship God and have many places in their homes reserved for worshiping ancestors, the house spirit, the kitchen spirit, and the door spirit.
Easy to find some people sale the traditional clothes on the road - Photo: impresstravel
In addition, The Black H’mong have a traditional remedy for pain that involves heating the base of a cow or ox horn and burning the patient's forehead. This practice is said to divert thoughts away from the illness and the resulting burn marks give the H’mong people their characteristic red foreheads.
As a special characteristic of highlands in Vietnam, Mu Cang Chai is also well-known for the Motor Loop with strips of tarmac that weave around oval hills and sky-high dirt tracks, that cling to near-vertical cliff faces. While driving, you can enjoy the view of natural beauty around as well.
It seems not for the weakened heart, but by the way, it’s worth every moment that you spend for this place! Notable main roads include the magnificent stretch between Mu Cang Chai town and Tu Le via the Khau Pha pass.
Take a motorbike loop tour with easy rider or drive by yourself - Photo: froniertravelvietnam
For a gentle ride through ethnic Tai people villages, continue to Nghia Lo before circling back. Off the main road, a ride up to Mo De village offers more great views on a mostly paved road. Refresh yourself by taking a loop tour, you will feel joyously more than ever!
If taking the Vietnam motorbike loop tour is not your travel style which can’t satisfy you, you should consider taking hiking trails or just roaming these hills as the locals do for centuries. The advantage of this activity is that you can spend more time immersing yourself in life here and feel the living of people.
Taking the hiking trails to immerse yourself in beauty of nature - Photo: Véronique Mergaux
A network of trails that zigzag up the valleys and into the mountains is a great idea for one wanted to travel everywhere by foot. These trails connect every hamlet and provide excellent hiking routes for long and short forays.
Read more: Northern Vietnam Tour 10 days: In-Depth Discovery
Probably the most recommended time to visit this place is in February and March. These months are the optimal time when the festivals are at their best in the area. Hence, it is a very happening and zestful time to be there. The chief fun during that period is the Spring Festival or the Tet Festival, as traditionally known in the language of the people, which coincides with the Vietnamese Lunar New Year.
Banh day pounding festival in January or February annual - Photo: vir
At the time of the Spring Festival, the locals actively organize many cultural activities. On a visit to the region at this time, you can take part in the traditional rituals of the region. A visit to Mu Cang Chai during these months is also an exceptional opportunity to witness unique festivals. You can be a part of and feel firsthand the richness of the local culture and dive deep into the joyful and festive atmosphere that permeates the region.
If you prefer the summertime, the best is May and June - the pouring water season. When the summer rains begin pouring down the mountain, the water is led from the mountains on the terraces. Water spills into the fields, making the arid soil softer and hatched so that the rice can be transplanted. This is also the time when farmers start plowing for a new crop, and you can see how people plant the rice here, also you can ask them to try to gain more experience.
Those terraced fields look like after farmers planted a new crop - Photo: wallpaperflare
But keep in mind to be careful if you want to travel here in July or August, because this time is the rainy season, so it can be really dangerous because there may be landslides, causing traffic obstructions and even endangering lives. So please consider carefully.
The season of grain is mid-Autumn (around mid-September to mid-October). During this time, the entire Mu Cang Chai will be covered by a yellow color, the color of ripe rice, moreover, the weather is also nice and convenient for visiting, neither too cold nor too hot. What a great time to do a motorbike loop tour, either a hiking trail.
People harvest rice in Autumn - Photo: localvietnam
In Mu Cang Chai, the dry season falls in December and January. These months offer a perfect chance to explore the region with its peculiar beauty. The cool climate and clear blue sky during this period are ideal for outdoor enthusiasts who love photography.
These months see the rice-terraced fields as bewitching views of sights that our eyes can barely see. Thus, when there is no rain, you can have a good time beholding nature's beauty here. You can take any other trail or take any viewpoint without any obstacle. It grants you ample discovery of hidden and unique spots, taking pretty pictures.
The beauty of Mu Cang Chai can be denied even in winter - Photo: Nutthavood Punpeng
If you prefer cooler temperatures and an atmosphere of serenity, visit Mu Cang Chai during the dry season between December and January for a plunge inside the natural wonders that await you there.
Mu Cang Chai is one of those truly magical places in Vietnam. From the overwhelming sights of its sea-of-clouds-like terraced rice fields to the charming and rich cultural heritage of the Hmong people, or even the serenity of being far from the bustling city, this far-off place has something special it can offer.
Its unspoiled beauty and authentic charm make it a must-visit for travelers seeking an off-the-beaten-path experience. If you’re ready to trade the usual tourist trails for a journey of awe-inspiring landscapes and meaningful cultural encounters, Mu Cang Chai deserves a spot on your itinerary.
If you want to have a wonderful trip to experience and discover this gem of Vietnam without putting effort into the plan needed, don’t hesitate to contact Asia King Travel.
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