Where to visit in Mu Cang Chai?
Urban life has never been easy to any of us that we sometimes just want to leave all the bustling city streets with heavy traffic behind, packaging our belongings and going away to a peaceful and quaint place. The thing is, however, we hardly have any ideas of where to go the moment we decide to be on holiday, do we? Knowing that, I’m giving you a suggestion should you come to Vietnam one day. Mù Căng Chải or Mù Cang Chải is a compact district to the west of Yên Bái, a northern city in Vietnam which I will discuss in details in the next coming posts. Considered as a must- visit destination once you come to the Northern mountainous area, Mù Căng Chải is well- known for the following tourist attractions.
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Khau Phạ Mountain Pass (Đèo Khau Phạ)
Khau Phạ Mountain Pass is one of the longest and most crooked roads in Vietnam, situated on Highway 32 with the length of more than 30km. It passes dozens of famous sights such as La Pa Tẩn, Tú Lệ, Chế Cu Nha, etc. At the height of 1200m-1500m above the sea level, Khau Phạ has cool climate all year round with 4 seasons in a single day: spring, summer, autumn, and winter. How amazing it is! This moutain pass is named after a feature of its own: Khau Phạ mountain pass is often covered in the mist that its peak seems to rise from the clouds when seen from far away, and in Thái people’s - people in Vietnam's ethnic minority language in Vietnam (please don’t mistake this for Thai of Thailand), Khau Phạ means “ Sky horn” or “Sky gate”. If you ask me when is the best time to visit this place, the answer is anytime. But as the harvest season sets in in September or October, all the cereals are ripened, you can have a spectacular view from here but be careful as it is really dangerous to make way to the mountain pass’s peak.
Address: Mù Cang Chải District, Yên Bái Province
Tú Lệ Village (Xã Tú Lệ)
This is a valley of Văn Chấn town, Yên Bái city. Regarded as one of the most favorable destinations by tourists, Tú Lệ Village attracts people by its natural beauty with delightful crop fields. Moreover, when coming here, you can experience the fresh hot spring and even happen to catch the sight of Thái people taking shower by the springs, which is one of their traditional customs.
Address: Văn Chấn Town, Mù Cang Chải District, Yên Bái Province
Lìm Mông Hamlet (Bản Lìm Mông)
From Khau Phạ mountain pass, you will catch the sight of a tiny and "skinny" road that apparently stretches over the sky called Lìm Mông hamlet. Lìm Mông hamlet is a small village that hides itself in mist and clouds. To get here, you can just use small motorbikes for about 2/3 of the trip and then go on foot for the rest because of the rough, crooked, slippery uphill slopes which are a distinct character of Mù Cang Chải. The hamlet is also famous for the breathtaking scenery during crops harvesting season when all corners of Lìm Mông are dyed with the charming yellow of cereals.
Address: Cao Pạ Village, Mù Cang Chải District, Yên Bái Province
La Pán Tẩn Village( Xã La Pán Tẩn)
Thanks to Mông people’s picturesque stair-shaped fields, La Pán Tẩn, together with Dế Xu Phình, Chế Cu Nha, are the three villages regarded as Vietnam National Geographic Site in 2007. The locals here have put great efforts and passion for farm work, turning Mù Cang Chải- dry tree village into a fertile land and wonderful destination. Once coming here, you can visit Pú Nhu waterfall as well, which is about 10km to the west of Mù Cang Chải’s downtown. This waterfall derives from the watershed forest in Lào Cai and its drop is about 20m which is divided into levels.
Address: La Pán Tẩn Village: Mù Cang Chải District, Yên Bái Province
Ba Nhà Bridge( Cầu Ba Nhà)
This is a perfect spot to take photos and pretty convenient locality to travel as it is just approximately 10km from the centre of Mù Cang Chải. You can capture the lovely beauty of all stair-shaped fields in 3 villages mentioned above which are often called “The Golden Raspberries” by the locals from here. Come and feel the exotic scenery on your own!
Address: Highway 32, La Pán Tẩn Village, Mù Cang Chải District, Yên Bái Province
Thái Hamlet(Bản Thái)
Cross the bridge at the centre of Mù Cang Chải, take the left turn, go ahead for about 1km, you will reach Thái Hamlet. This is a small, peaceful village where you can experience all traditional Thái’s food, having shower with herbs, spending night in stilt house, or dancing around the campfire when night falls.
Address: Dế Xu Phình, Mù Cang Chải District, Yên Bái Province