More than 300 km north of Hanoi, Mu Cang Chai is one of the "must-go" destinations during the rice harvest season in Yen Bai. This northwestern highland district not only has an attractive rice harvest season but also hot mineral spring baths, markets, festivals and many delicious specialties.
What season is Mu Cang Chai beautiful?
Mu Cang Chai is beautiful all year round. In spring, young rice seedlings shine on the water; in the warm summer months, the green terraced fields illuminate the hills. The most impressive season is the watering season (rice planting season) and the rice ripening season (winter-spring harvest season). The watering season falls from late May to early June, the rice fields are like "mirrors" reflecting the whole world.
From September to October is the golden season of Mu Cang Chai, attracting photographers and tourists to admire the colorful highland landscape. In winter, the rice fields are like a watercolor painting of the mountains and forests. At the end of December, the wild peach blossoms are in full bloom.
Move
From Hanoi to Mu Cang Chai is about 300 km - not too far but the road is more difficult than Sa Pa, Moc Chau because of the passes and slopes from one road to another.
Mu Cang Chai, Van Chan, Tram Tau, Nghia Lo town are 4 districts in the western part of Yen Bai, located separately on the western slope of Hoang Lien Son - Pung Luong range. To get here, there is only one road, National Highway 32, the rest are branch roads reserved for backpackers and local people.
Coach
First way: If you travel from Hanoi, you can catch a bus at My Dinh bus station. Buses to Mu Cang Chai mainly go through Nghia Lo town. A few will run on the Noi Bai - Lao Cai highway to "pick up" provincial passengers, but mainly on Highway 32.
Second way: Travel by resort shuttle bus. But there is only one resort here, Mu Cang Chai Resort, which is not yet completed. Therefore, if you want to stay at a resort, you should choose Le Champ Tu Le, then rent a car to go to Mu Cang Chai.
Private car
Tourists should choose the traditional route of Route 32. Suggested route: My Dinh - Nhon - Son Tay - Trung Ha Bridge Ba Vi (or Dong Quang Bridge from Son Tay turn left towards K9) - Thanh Thuy - Thanh Son Phu Tho - Tan Son Thu Cuc - Ba Khe - Van Chan - Nghia Lo town - Tu Le - Khau Pha Pass - Kim Intersection - Mu Cang Chai town. You should leave at 5am to arrive in time for lunch.
The route from Hanoi follows the Noi Bai - Lao Cai - QL 279 - QL 32 highway, which is convenient on the highway section, but is longer than 50 km and the road is bad.
Accommodation
Mu Cang Chai mainly has budget hotels, homestays , stilt houses and not many high-end options. Of which, stilt houses and homestays of local people are the most popular types of accommodation in Mu Cang Chai. The stilt houses have dormitories for 10 to 30 people. Tourists can easily find a stilt house around famous tourist attractions such as: Ban Thai, La Pan Tan terraced fields, Tu Le... There are accommodation services and grocery stores right at the foot of the house.
Hotels are mainly concentrated in Mu Cang Chai town. Budget hotels range from one star to three stars, with rooms having basic amenities such as beds, bathrooms, televisions, refrigerators, etc.
Some new "Ecolodge" style locations include: Hello MCC, MCC Eco lodge in La Pan Tan. Or you can go to Tu Le , Nghia Lo where there are slightly more upscale hotels.
In addition, visitors can stay at Hello Mu Cang Chai, Vu Linh Family, Thac Ba, Ngoc Thuy Homestay Mu Cang Chai... room rates range from 100,000 - 700,000 VND per night.
Top Attractions in Mu Cang Chai
Khau Pha Pass is where the annual paragliding activity called the Flying over the Golden Season festival takes place. From here, pilots and tourists can parachute to experience the thrill while also admiring the panoramic view of Lim Mong valley during the ripe rice season. If you are interested, you should book a tour in advance to have a chance to parachute.
Lim Mong and Lim Thai valleys are home to Thai villages located in the valley right below Khau Pha pass - one of the four great mountain passes of Vietnam.
Crossing the romantic suspension bridge, you will reach the small, thread-like roads that slope up the mountain. Coming to Lim Mong in September and October, visitors will be able to travel in the middle of the golden season with both sides of the road filled with ripe rice fields.
Visitors can ride between golden rice fields, see peaceful villages during harvest season, meet everyone from children to the elderly or play by cool streams.
Terraced fields cover more than 2,200 hectares of land in Mu Cang Chai. Of these, 500 hectares have been recognized as national heritage by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, belonging to three villages: La Pan Tan, Che Cu Nha and De Xu Phinh.
Tu Le Commune , Van Chan District, Yen Bai Province, 3 km from Khau Pha Pass, is famous for its distinctive sticky rice variety. When the rice begins to ripen on the terraced fields, the Thai people in Tu Le are busy preparing new batches of green rice to sell everywhere. Each kilo of green rice costs 120,000 VND.
You can stay overnight in Tu Le or go straight from Tu Le to Mu Cang Chai town. Community guesthouses and homestays in Mu Cang Chai rent for 100,000 - 400,000 VND per person per night. If you stay in Mu Cang Chai at night, you can go to the market to enjoy Thai ethnic food and there are more restaurants to choose from.
Mam Xoi Hill has been a symbol of the golden season in Mu Cang Chai for many years. The hill is located in La Pan Tan, more than 8 km from the town center. The road is difficult, so stop and park your car and hire a local motorbike taxi to take you there. In addition, near the hill there is a buckwheat flower garden and a service to rent ethnic costumes for tourists to take photos. At the big Mam Xoi Hill, if you go up to the photo booth, it will cost an additional 5,000 VND per person. Going into the rice fields will cost an additional 10,000 VND per person.
Horseshoe Hill in Sang Nhu, more than 2 km from Mu Cang Chai town, has picturesque semicircular terraced fields. Every rice harvest season, this place attracts a lot of photographers to come and take pictures. Entrance fee to each of the above locations is 20,000 VND per adult, 10,000 VND per child. The price of a motorbike taxi to the place ranges from 60,000 - 100,000 VND per person, round trip.
Bamboo Forest in Na Hang Tua Village
The 60-year-old bamboo forest is located 20 km from Mu Cang Chai town center. This is also the place that provides bamboo shoots as a specialty for the region. The road to get here on rainy days is very muddy and steep. Visitors often have to walk or hire locals to take them by motorbike to the tourist destination because the dirt road is narrow, steep and slippery and cannot be used by car.
Zipline
The longest zipline in Vietnam is located in the Aeris Hill adventure game area in Nuoc Nong village, Tu Le commune, Van Chan district. The zipline has 2 stages with a total length of 1.2 km connecting Van Chan and Mu Cang Chai districts.
The first stage is nearly 1 km long, giving visitors the opportunity to take in the panoramic view of Tu Le valley and the mountains. The second stage will take visitors to the bus stop to return to the amusement park.
Currently, the Aeris Hill adventure game area welcomes visitors all week (except Wednesday) from 8:30 am to 6:00 pm. Tickets to participate in the games start from 200,000 VND per person.
Tram Tau hot spring
Tram Tau is about 100 km from Mu Cang Chai, but is a suitable destination if you decide to explore Yen Bai in the ripe rice season. There is a natural underground hot spring here that is very good for health, especially for people with aching bones and joints. This place also doubles as a homestay, so visitors who want to stay overnight need to book in advance. Not far from the hot spring bath area, there is a free hot spring bath spot for locals like in Coi village, Hoc village...
Hot water from natural underground springs is very good for health, especially for people with aching bones and joints. This place also doubles as a homestay, so visitors who want to stay overnight need to book in advance. Not far from the hot mineral bath area, there are free local spring baths such as in Coi village, Hoc village...
Local Cuisine to Try
Mu Cang Chai, visitors should not forget the specialties such as sticky rice, wild bee pupae, stir-fried bitter bamboo shoots, grilled black pork, grilled stream fish (pa pỉnh tộp), salmon, Khau Pha sturgeon, cat cabbage...
Snacks to bring back as gifts include Tu Le Green Com. Visitors can directly watch people sift and pound the Com, the price during the harvest season is 90,000 VND/kg of fresh Com.
Note
Please be responsible and do not litter.
Do not jostle to take photos, do not give money or gifts to children along the street.
Mu Cang Chai weather is unpredictable, hot during the day but cold at night. Tourists should prepare a thin jacket to avoid catching a cold.
