Pù Luông during the rice harvest season.

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During the 2011 rice harvest season, Highway 15C from Co Luong through the Pu Luong Nature Reserve was almost completed, with only a few unpaved sections remaining. Of course, rainy weather would present a formidable challenge for drivers. The road through Dong Dien was no longer littered with pebbles and grass, nor were there any of the small, winding paths across the grasslands as before. The road was so wide that in less than an hour, our car reached the intersection of Pa Kha village – a road that, just a year earlier, had taken us five hours to navigate due to rain and vehicle breakdowns.

Refusing the invitation from another group of trekkers planning a climb to the summit of Pu Luong, we continued our journey towards Kho Muong. The road was no longer a wide, paved path; it became steep, rocky, narrow, and startled even the most focused traveler several times.

Kho Muong village is situated in a fairly wide valley surrounded by mountain ranges. Simple stilt houses of the Thai people, roofed with palm leaves, are scattered along the stream. Following the stream leads to the Kho Muong rice fields, where the rice is turning a light green, and in about two weeks it will ripen to a golden yellow. The villagers will then be busy harvesting and carrying their crops. At the end of the trail that stretches across the rice fields is Bat Cave, a relatively unspoiled exploration site for many tourists. From Bat Cave, you can gaze out over the vast Kho Muong rice fields amidst the undulating green of the mountains. If you intend to explore Bat Cave, be sure to prepare your specialized equipment. According to information from the Pu Luong Forest Management Board, Bat Cave was formed by limestone formations dating back 250 million years, and at least four species of bats once inhabited the cave.

For many foreign tourists, Kho Muong is the ideal starting point for trekking through Pu Luong. We wandered through the fields, played, and breathed in the fresh air fragrant with ripening rice, leaving before a downpour arrived. The torrential rain chased us from Dong Dien through Kho Muong and caught up with the group right on the trail leading out of the village. A Pu Luong jungle rainstorm.

The trail connecting Kho Muong to Ban Uoi - Pho Doan, about 7km long, took us nearly three hours of strenuous effort because the road surface, after the rain, had become muddy and slippery. We didn't even realize when the rain stopped. My friends only exclaimed in surprise when they looked down from above at the rice fields of Ban Quan village, the soft, velvety carpets of rice swaying like waves, the houses strangely peaceful, and the smoke from the evening chimneys drifting from the thatched roofs.

The sun was setting. The high mountain ranges became dark and somber. The rice fields of Bản Ươi village were a golden hue, a color of abundance and prosperity. We walked as if floating amidst a sea of ​​golden rice, truly feeling relaxed, happy, and peaceful. The cool evening breeze after the rain, the rooftops peeking out from behind palm trees, and the sunset casting its colors across the sky—a vibrant pink, a deep purple. How could I forget those moments, when my friends stopped the car and brewed a pot of warm coffee together while waiting for the sunset? The stories, the smiles, the faces… That moment, that instant, has become a memory I will never forget…

Information:

• Located in the western part of Thanh Hoa province, spanning the districts of Ba Thuoc and Quan Hoa, Pu Luong Nature Reserve is a popular tourist destination for many adventurous travelers.
• The most popular way to get to Pu Luong is by motorbike and taking short trekking trips, depending on the traveler's time and schedule.
• The specialties of Pu Luong are "rice" and "villages". The best time to visit Pu Luong is in mid-June and October each year, when the rice ripens and life blends with nature, creating a vibrant and colorful picture of Pu Luong.
• Trekking routes: Duom Village – Hang Village – Eo Ken – Pa Ban – Dong Dien – Kho Muong. From Kho Muong, you can follow the route through 4 Muong villages: Pon Village – Thanh Cong Village – Cao Hoong Village – Kit Village. From Nua Village (Ba Thuoc District), you can go to Cao Village, Trinh Village, Hin Village, Bo Village; from these villages, there is a trekking route to Son – Ba – Muoi. From Dong Dien, climb Pu Luong peak, over 1700 meters high.
• Accommodation: Stay in eco-friendly stilt houses of the Thai and Muong people in Mai Chau (Ban Lac, Ban Com Poong). In the core area of ​​Pu Luong, you can stay in villages such as Dong Dien, Kho Muong, Ban Nua, Cao Hoong, or Ban Kit. Cost: 40,000-50,000 VND per person.
• Food and drink: The Thai people in Pu Luong prefer grilled dishes to ensure the quality and flavor of the food. Remember to try grilled chicken, duck, and pork with sour bamboo shoots, bitter bamboo shoots, wild spinach soup, and sticky rice cooked in bamboo tubes.
• Estimated duration: 2.5 days (weekend). Cost: approximately 500,000 VND per person.

The Thanh