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Article by: Khue Viet Truong, Hai An, Ngoc Hanh, Phuong Thao, Cac Truc
Spring flowers of Northwest Vietnam
In spring, Northwest Vietnam is like an irresistible allure, drawing visitors into a state of intoxication—intoxication by the land and sky, by the sprouting of plants and trees, by the sound of the flute calling out to friends, by the rosy cheeks and smiling eyes, and by the slightly tipsy aroma of the new rice harvest…
Following National Highway 6, just 180km from Hanoi, lies Moc Chau, the land of flowers. As spring arrives and the sun just begins to dispel the fog, the plum blossoms burst into white. Along the highway, visitors can easily spot houses nestled peacefully beneath the canopy of white plum blossoms, their tiny petals fluttering in the breeze. Venturing deeper into the valley, you'll reach Long Luong village (20km from Moc Chau town). The road into the village is lined with long rows of plum trees. During the spring festival, the vibrant colors of the Hmong girls' dresses as they walk along the village paths under the white plum blossoms can captivate anyone.
January is also the time when the white cabbage fields are still in bloom. What could be more wonderful than looking up at plum blossoms and down at white cabbages – a scene that easily makes any girl feel like a princess strolling through Wonderland!
Meanwhile, the Hua Tat Pass, located on the old National Highway 6, offers a delightful experience. The vast expanse of white plum blossoms stretching across the hillsides and mountains attracts the attention of many photographers. Against the backdrop of a clear blue sky, windswept meadows, cool air, and endless plum orchards in small villages, on rocky slopes, and in verdant valleys, the scenery is breathtaking. Hidden amidst the morning mist and the white blossoms of the plum trees are the simple stilt houses and the peaceful life of the highland ethnic minorities.
Spring in Northwest Vietnam would be incomplete without the warm pink blossoms of peach trees. During the spring days, amidst the swirling sea of clouds in Northwest Vietnam, in mountainous regions like Bac Ha, Muong Hum, and Khau Pha, visitors will be captivated by the sight of delicate, vibrant pink peach blossoms glistening in the spring sunshine. The majestic and wild Northwest suddenly becomes gentle with the blossoms adorning the forests, clinging to cliffs, and painting the paths to the villages pink alongside stone fences.
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The flower-lined roads of spring in Northern Vietnam also feature pear blossoms, a "mysterious beauty." They're mysterious because, while we know pear blossoms bloom in spring, timing their blooming perfectly remains a major challenge for any travel-loving photographer. Pear blossoms bloom precisely when the spring breezes bring sunshine and playful mist. Scattered from Sapa and Bac Ha to Ha Giang, and not primarily for economic purposes, pear trees are rarely cultivated. Therefore, if you want to see this "mysterious beauty" firsthand, remember to monitor the weather forecast and set off as soon as you know she's in bloom.
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Additional information:
From Hanoi, tourists can follow national highways 6, 2, 279, 43, etc., to reach the mountainous areas of Northern Vietnam. Along these routes, visitors can admire many characteristic spring flowers of the Northwest mountains. The roads in the northern mountainous region are quite winding, with many steep passes, so caution is needed when traveling.
The weather in this area remains very cold even in spring, so tourists need to prepare adequate warm clothing.
+ Dense fog during late winter and early spring brings a lot of moisture, so remember to take good care of your photography equipment to capture the best photos when you arrive.
Misty Sapa
Sapa has always been a dream destination for anyone wishing to travel there, especially during springtime, to admire the vibrant pink blossoms of peach trees, the lush green landscape, and the fascinating terraced rice fields.
Visiting Sapa is like entering another world. Gazing at the distant Hoang Lien Son mountain range, with clouds swirling around the mountains, is incredibly captivating. Then, shimmering in the sunlight, you see the deep valleys and hills that appear and disappear. This "town in the clouds" isn't large, with only a few roads, and it's easy to find the attractions, as most of them have already been named for the places visitors will be visiting.
One interesting spot is Ta Van, located more than 10km from the town center. Traveling along the road that winds through the Muong Hoa valley, travelers experience a strange sense of happiness. Many foreign tourists, with backpacks full of essentials for their backpacking trip, trudge along the dirt roads of Sapa – and that's what you call enjoying life!
Another place to visit is Silver Waterfall, located about 15km from Sapa town towards Lai Chau and Dien Bien. Silver Waterfall has a system of iron steps leading visitors from the base to the top. Located at an altitude of 200m, it is the headwaters of the Muong Hoa stream. Looking up from below, the main waterfall appears tall and beautiful, like streams of silver cascading down. Meanwhile, not far from Sapa, Cat Cat village is charming with its houses built by the ethnic minority people nestled in the valley along the Muong Hoa stream.
Sapa also has an ancient rock carving site. A large, cemented area with an iron railing allows visitors to stand and admire the ancient rocks. Right next to this safety railing is the largest ancient rock with ancient patterns carved into it, also enclosed by a safety fence. The ancient rock carving site consists of 159 rocks of various sizes, nestled among the trees and foliage, located right next to the road, covering an area of up to 8 square kilometers. The Sapa ancient rock carving site was discovered in 1923 thanks to the work of the famous French-Russian Indologist Victor Golubev…
In Sa Pa, there are dishes that you can't find anywhere else, even back in your hometown, after trying them. Grilled food stalls are abundant, concentrated around the Sa Pa church at night; along the road at the foot of Ham Rong mountain; scattered throughout the town; and in Cat Cat village or on Ham Rong mountain. The dishes have very local names: thang co (a traditional stew), free-range chicken, piglet, sticky rice cooked in bamboo tubes, grilled eggs, grilled potatoes, grilled corn… There's also corn wine, san lung wine, and apple wine, served in half-liter plastic bottles. The "street food" style in Sa Pa always delights visitors.
Additional information:
+ Getting there: From Hanoi, you can travel to Lao Cai by train (distance 294km) or by car via the new Noi Bai - Lao Cai expressway.
+ Accommodation: Sapa has a total of 67 hotels. There are two areas with a high concentration of budget guesthouses and hotels: the Cau May and Fansipan areas, with average prices starting from 300,000 VND per night and higher during holidays and Tet (Lunar New Year).
+ Tourist attractions in Sapa are usually close together, such as Cat Cat Village and Ham Rong Mountain, so most tourists walk. You can hire a motorbike taxi (150,000 VND/day) to go further into the ancient stone field and Ta Phin village. You should spend a night in Ta Van village or Ta Phin village (12km from Sapa) or Ho village (28km from Sapa).
+ In spring, Sapa gets cold, so you should wear extra warm clothes. You should wear athletic shoes because you'll be mostly walking on steep mountain roads.
+ Other notes: Food prices in Sapa are not expensive, but you should ask for the price before eating. At night, you can go to the street food stalls to drink rice wine and eat grilled food. There are many unique grilled dishes: grilled eggs, grilled offal, grilled stomach, grilled chicken, grilled purple sweet potatoes, grilled chicken eggs, grilled duck eggs, and sticky rice cooked in bamboo tubes.
