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Muong Hoa Valley (Sa Pa)
Located about 8 km southeast of Sapa town, Muong Hoa Valley stands out as a vibrant highlight, a striking contrast amidst the silvery mist and white clouds of the highlands. However, appreciating this unique beauty requires considerable effort: one must ascend to a high point, choosing a vantage point halfway up the mountain to fully enjoy the panoramic view of this magical green labyrinth with its undulating terraced rice fields and mysterious ancient rock formations.
Sa Pa has many terraced rice fields, but the most beautiful and largest are undoubtedly those in the Muong Hoa Valley. Only by seeing with your own eyes the sloping rice paddies winding along the hillsides, forming stunning sloping bowls, can you understand why the terraced rice fields in Sa Pa are voted among the most beautiful in the world.
In autumn, the entire valley seems to change its attire with the golden hue of ripening rice. Many visitors have said that autumn, the golden season, the season of ripe rice, is the most beautiful time in the Muong Hoa Valley, but it can be said that each season brings a different beauty to the valley – a beauty that only those who have been here can truly appreciate.
The Muong Hoa Valley is also home to a famous ancient stone field. This strangely carved area, nestled amidst vegetation and terraced rice fields, stretches for over 4 km and is 2 km wide, containing at least 159 stones with many mysterious carvings. The field has been a focal point of research for many scientists from Vietnam, Russia, France, Australia, and other countries, yet to this day, no one has been able to explain their origin.
Many of the carvings here are similar to those of the Dong Son culture, dating back 2,300-3,000 years. Many scientists agree that this is a heritage site that is not only significant artistically but also spiritually sacred. This rock formation attracts tourists curious about the mysterious shapes of the rocks and the miraculous stories told by the local people.
Valley of Love (Da Lat)
Located on Mai Anh Dao Street, about 5 km from the city center, the Valley of Love is nestled amidst a vast pine forest, like a shy and demure "muse" in the dreamy Da Lat plateau.
It's no exaggeration to call the Valley of Love a land of flowers. The flowers here are meticulously cared for every day, so they're always fresh, whether it's early morning or sunset. Following the flower-filled paths or steps will lead you to the Viewpoint Hill. If it's the mimosa blooming season, standing on the hilltop you'll see a breathtaking expanse of yellow, like something out of a dream.
When you've had enough of admiring the flowers, don't forget to visit Da Thien Lake with its surprisingly calm and clear blue water. You can enjoy pedal boating with your loved one to fully experience the charm of the Valley of Love. In addition, there are lively miniature landscapes, heart-shaped photo frames for couples to check in, a wall inscribed with the words "Valley of Love" full of memories, steps leading to the Love Bridge, and a dazzling hydrangea garden. But that's not all; the valley also offers a series of exciting games such as horse-drawn carriage rides, tandem bicycle rides, and roller coasters that you absolutely must try. For those who love thrill rides, try the adventurous zipline or highwire.
Mai Chau Valley (Hoa Binh Province)
Located 130 km from Hanoi, Mai Chau Valley is an ideal destination to experience the life of the ethnic minorities in the Northwest mountainous region. No matter the season, visitors can find peace in the valley, as Mai Chau possesses a pristine and unspoiled beauty with its rice fields, forests, villages, charming houses, and warm hospitality.
With its year-round cool weather, everyone who comes here feels a sense of peace, relaxation, and as if all the worries of life have been dispelled. Each house in Mai Chau tells a story, each moment in Mai Chau is a poem; tourism in Mai Chau is not bustling and glamorous, but incredibly peaceful. It's like a gift from the mountains and forests to those who love peace and tranquility, to immerse themselves in the expansive, lush green landscape of Hoa Binh, dotted with colorful flared skirts hanging throughout the villages and the earthy scent of wildflowers.
Tourists visiting Mai Chau often enjoy strolling around Lac village. Simply renting a bicycle and cycling around the villages, visiting colorful eateries, and trying the local specialties like Mai Chau's wild boar and sticky rice in bamboo tubes is enough to create wonderful memories.
Mu Nau Plum Valley (Moc Chau)
The Mu Náu plum valley is located about 5 km from Mộc Châu, in sub-district 12, Mộc Châu town, Sơn La province. Mộc Châu is beautiful thanks to its green tea leaves, heart-shaped purple buckwheat flowers, or fluffy white mustard flowers that entwine around visitors' feet; while Mu Náu is beautiful thanks to the pristine white of its plum blossoms.
Plum blossoms typically bloom from late December to February of the following year, lasting about 2-3 weeks before falling, depending on the weather. If you visit Moc Chau during this season, you'll be able to admire vast fields of white blossoms stretching for tens of kilometers, interspersed with small paths created by locals to make it easier for visitors to explore the plum orchards. Imagine yourself immersed in the crisp, cool weather of the transition from winter to spring in the North, with a gentle breeze from the highlands of Mu Nau valley, surrounded by these pristine white blossoms. Closing your eyes and savoring the fragrance, you can forget all your worries and anxieties.
After the plum blossom season comes the fruiting season. The plum season usually arrives from the end of April to mid-May. The unique thing about the plum orchards here is that you can visit the orchard, pick plums, eat plums, and even get paid for picking them by the owner. The climate in Mu Náu is ideal for growing plums, resulting in large, juicy, and crisp fruits. Therefore, plums are a popular choice for tourists to take home as souvenirs, a gift that truly captures the essence of Moc Chau's natural beauty.
Mu Náu is also an ideal spot for "cloud hunting." Located on the highest peak of Mộc Châu, the Mu Náu valley is covered in white clouds year-round, earning it the nickname "the roof of the town." The road to the Mu Náu plum valley is a rugged, breathtaking route with short, steep slopes reaching 45 degrees.oAlthough somewhat challenging, these routes are a source of excitement for adventure travelers.
