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A journey into the heart of the cloud valley.
Tuyen first learned about Si Thau Chai two years ago through some videos circulating online. At the time, he was surprised to see how well-organized and "lowkey" community tourism was in a highland village: "Everything there is simple, well-balanced, not noisy, yet naturally beautiful." But it wasn't until this year, after many trips through Northwest Vietnam, that Tuyen had the opportunity to set foot in what he calls "a small village amidst the clouds."
The overnight bus from My Dinh station took him to Tac Tinh intersection before dawn. From there, another seven kilometers of winding mountain road led to Si Thau Chai – a small village nestled on the slopes of Pu Ta Leng mountain. The feeling of breathing in the cool morning air, hearing the distant crowing of roosters, and seeing the mist blanketing the valley almost made him forget the fatigue of the long journey.
Nestled on the slopes of Pu Ta Leng mountain, Si Thau Chai is surrounded by the mountains, forests, and clouds of Northwest Vietnam.
In Sì Thâu Chải, he stayed at A Giàng's homestay – considered to have the most beautiful view in the village. In front of the house is a wide grassy area overlooking the Tam Đường valley; just pull out a wooden chair and you can admire the sea of clouds and the sunset falling on the small houses. Everything here is rustic: thick blankets, wooden floors, the faint smell of wood smoke, and the gentle smiles of the host couple.
Not as majestic as Hoang Su Phi or as magnificent as Mu Cang Chai, Si Thau Chai possesses a beauty perfectly suited to those who appreciate a slow pace of life. The entire village is home to just over sixty households of the Dao ethnic group, with scattered wooden houses roofed with Pơ Mu wood, and winding stone paths lined with flowers. Walking around the village takes about two hours, but you'll want to stop every now and then to take a picture, or simply to take a deep breath of the distinctive scent of wild grass and damp earth of the highlands.
The meals at the homestay were as simple as the people themselves. Home-cooked rice, sometimes a hot pot of chicken or fresh fish caught from the stream. Every morning, he and a few friends would bring their table out to the lawn, sit under the peach trees, and eat while looking down at the misty valley. In the gentle chill of the highlands, each dish suddenly felt warmer and more delicious than usual.
"You don't need much here," Tuyen said, "just sitting and watching the clouds in the morning, strolling around the village at noon, and sipping a cup of tea in the evening is enough."
Enjoy a local meal while admiring the clouds and mountains.
A day amidst gentle nature
In autumn, Si Thau Chai seems to experience all four seasons in a single day. The morning air is cool like early autumn, at midday the golden sun gently filters through the leaves, in the afternoon the wind blows up from the valley carrying mist, and when night falls, the entire village is enveloped in a thin mist along with a sky full of stars.
Tuyen spent the whole day walking around the village. Si Thau Chai is small, it only takes about two hours to walk around it completely, but every corner makes you want to stop. Sometimes it's a moss-covered stone fence, sometimes it's a patch of wild grass by a small slope, or simply the smiles of children running around. "It feels like going back to my childhood, when everything was so pure and slow-paced," he said.
A simple, typical scene of a highland village in Northern Vietnam.
As evening falls, Tuyen often sits in the courtyard in front of his homestay, watching the clouds drift across the Tam Duong valley, with rooftops appearing and disappearing in the mist in the distance. He also spends time at a small café in the village, with only a few wooden tables and a handful of customers, sitting there watching the sun set, listening to the rustling wind, and feeling life is so peaceful.
A vast sea of white clouds enveloped the valley.
In the evening, after a day of wandering, he soaks his feet in herbal remedies prepared by the Dao people themselves – a simple habit that easily brings joy. The warmth spreads, the scent of the herbs wafts through the air, and all fatigue seems to vanish, leaving only a rare feeling of relaxation amidst the mountains and forests.
If you have more time, you can rent a car and drive to Tac Tinh Waterfall – about five kilometers from the village. The cascading white water falls from a high cliff, surrounded by lush green forest, creating a majestic yet poetic scene amidst the clouds and sky of Northwest Vietnam.
The majestic scenery of mountains and sky blending together is like a painting in Sì Thâu Chải.
Preserving the essence of local culture amidst the journey of developing tourism.
Among the tourist villages he had visited, Si Thau Chai impressed Tuyen the most with the way the locals preserved their cultural identity. Here, tourism has developed but remains "pure" as all activities are organized by the local Dao people themselves under the management of the local government. Therefore, from accommodation and food to experiences, everything retains the authentic and simple local culture.
"Perhaps that's why it still retains such a sense of familiarity and closeness," he said, "people come here not only to admire the scenery but also to live with the locals, to eat, to chat, and to breathe in the true rhythm of life in Northwest Vietnam."
In the process of tourism development, the local people still preserve their inherent simplicity and authenticity, giving visitors a feeling of closeness.
Each homestay is a traditional wooden house, each local is a natural guide, and each story told around the fireplace makes you fall even more in love with this land. Tourism in Si Thau Chai is not ostentatious or noisy, but gently spreads like the scent of wood smoke in the early morning mist, subtle and warm.
Tuyên Bảo believes that perhaps it is this very "perfect fit" that makes Sì Thâu Chải so appealing. A place beautiful enough for people to stop and relax, peaceful enough to find oneself amidst the hustle and bustle of life. In this small village nestled among the clouds, each morning is a new horizon, each sunset a different picture, and every visitor takes away a little of the tranquility of the mountains and forests.
