VI
EN
I had known about Y Tý for a long time, but this trip was a very different experience, exploring activities I had never known before, from gentle hiking to physically demanding trekking. Over the two days and two nights of the weekend, I felt like I had stepped into a painting of the Northwest highlands, where people live peacefully amidst the clouds, mountains, and lush, cool breezes.
Y Tý is a land where the Ha Nhi people live in harmony with nature.
The journey began on Friday evening. From Hanoi, Tuyen took a bus, traveling over 300 km. Of that, 30 km from Muong Hum to Y Ty was particularly challenging due to the terrible road conditions, taking him 1.5 hours to traverse. It was past 1 AM before he could finally rest in bed at a homestay located at the foot of Lao Than mountain, surrounded by mountains, 13 km from the center of Choan Thoen.
Early in Lao Than, Tuyen was greeted with breakfast by a clear stream, the sound of water trickling through the rocks like a soothing melody, relieving the fatigue of the previous night's journey. This time, he was on a tour, with each person provided with essential items such as hiking poles, backpacks, gloves, hats, and bottled water to prepare for the first day's hiking and trekking through the stream and forest.
The first day's hiking trip was gentle, with forests and streams.
Crossing through fragrant cardamom forests, gliding over lush green vegetation amidst the clear chirping of birds, the cool murmur of streams, and listening to the heavy yet distinct breathing echoing through the mountains, Tuyen felt truly back in the embrace of nature. The hike was relatively easy. After two hours of travel, Tuyen reached the foot of the waterfall, immersed himself in the cool water, and had lunch in the mountain air. Taking advantage of an hour's rest, he lay down on a large rock, feeling the rough cold spreading throughout his body, "a cold that no air conditioner in Hanoi can replicate," he said.
On the lush green grass, buffaloes grazed peacefully. In the sky, fluffy white clouds cast their reflections onto the calm lake. The scene exceeded all expectations, causing him to shout with excitement, as if wanting to mark his presence before the tranquil landscape of Y Tý.
A serene landscape unfolds amidst the Northwest sky.
After enjoying the refreshing forest breeze, at 4 pm, Tuyen and his group returned to the homestay to rest. He walked around the village, admiring the scenery and the daily life of the people on the terraced rice fields and in the traditional houses bathed in the twilight, and had dinner with his newly made travel companions by the crackling fire.
Dinner in the freezing cold of below 20 degrees Celsius at night in Y Tý.
The next morning, it rained heavily, and the group's trip to Choan Then Park was postponed. After watching the rain fall over the forest until 10 am, Tuyen and the group went to Muong Hum market for lunch, enjoying a steaming hot pot of sturgeon hotpot.
At 1 PM, the whole group set off for Dragon Waterfall. "The road here was amazing," he said. Partly because the scenery along the way resembled a painting, with mountains, forests, streams, dams, and terraced rice fields, all painted by nature's brushstrokes – soft yet sharp. Another reason was the bumpy road, which added to the thrill as he sat behind the wheel of a local motorbike taxi.
A refreshing natural landscape on the way to Dragon Waterfall.
Because of the heavy rain the night before, water cascaded down from the waterfall, rushing and roaring, filling a corner of the forest with its noise. Although he could only visit and take photos from the outside, he could still feel the cool, damp wind blowing against his face. "Even from afar, you can feel the grandeur and ferocity, just like the name Dragon Waterfall suggests," he shared. This was also the final stop of the journey. At 4 PM, the whole group moved out and boarded the bus to return to the sweltering summer heat of Hanoi.
With its rushing water, the scenery of Dragon Waterfall becomes even more majestic and powerful.
Looking back on the entire trip, Tuyen found every scene unforgettable, from the tranquil streams and majestic waterfalls to the sprawling terraced rice fields and the simple, rustic Ha Nhi people. Looking at the photos he took while strolling around the village at the foot of Lao Than mountain, Tuyen felt that the Ha Nhi people were not just local inhabitants, but also the "living soul" of this highland region. "Amidst the swirling mists, the Ha Nhi people maintain a peaceful way of life, making Y Ty feel like a world of its own, both wild and warm. Meeting them is like touching a part of the soul of the mountains and forests – simple, profound, and captivating," he shared.
The simple life of the Ha Nhi people at the foot of Lao Than mountain.
Having traveled to almost all the provinces of Northeastern and Northwestern Vietnam, Tuyen has found each place to be unique. But this particular trip to Y Ty offered him the opportunity to completely relax his body and mind. Tuyen said: "Although hiking is a bit tiring, I think it's a way to leave behind all the hustle and bustle of city life and truly enjoy the journey."
To ensure a smooth trip, Tuyen packed essentials such as long pants for hiking in the forest, athletic shoes with good grip, and especially plenty of socks for constantly wading through streams, as well as sunscreen to protect against the scorching sun at high altitudes.
Y Tý offers an opportunity to relax body and mind amidst nature.
At the end of the journey, what Tuyen received were exhausted legs and a sore back, a memory full of beautiful photos, and a mind overflowing with the natural beauty of Northwest Vietnam. Throughout the trip to Y Ty, the weather was consistently cool, around 20 degrees Celsius, dropping to 15-16 degrees Celsius at night. "It was a summer so different from the lowlands," Tuyen said.
