Located adjacent to the West of Ha Giang province with an altitude of only 2,428m but is the roof of the Northeast. People come to this land famous for the Dong Van stone plateau, the Hoang Su Phi terraced fields in the golden rice season, or the emerald color of the Nho Que river that captivates those who see it, or one of the four most beautiful mountain passes in Vietnam - Ma Pi Leng,... People who want to hunt for clouds remember the Chieu Lau Thi peak, but forget a mountain peak that hides a magical forest that captivates those who set foot there.
The haunted forest captivates anyone who steps in.
The Forgotten Mountain
Having heard about Tay Con Linh mountain area for a long time, an old sister told about the time when few people had the hobby of going to the mountains and forests, she had the chance to set foot in this place. She spoke with special feelings about an unforgettable trip for her. From that story, the name Tay Con Linh was always engraved in her mind and recently a photographer also talked about the upcoming trip to this place. Luckily, in my coffee invitation with him in Hanoi, I was responded with an invitation to go to Tay Con Linh.
This is a new route from Vi Xuyen district to Cao Bo commune, not from Tung San - Hoang Su Phi, so it is quite convenient for people who want to ride a motorbike around Ha Giang - Lung Cu - Dong Van - Meo Vac and at the same time climb a peak in the Northeast. Starting the journey from the Dao village located at the foot of Tay Con Linh, peacefully in the middle of Ha Giang, which is developing tourism strongly. The land containing so much pride of the people here has been forgotten, the ancient Shan Tuyet tea tree has made many tea lovers love it, the Tay Con Linh forest is overshadowed by another peak of the Northwest.
Tay Con Linh forest is overshadowed by other peaks of the Northwest
A hasty trip from Saigon to Ha Giang to meet up with my brothers and sisters in Hanoi, my younger brother in Binh Dinh and my friend in Vi Xuyen, a team with cultures from 3 regions, to explore the peak of the Northeast from a new road. This route was opened by the locals 2 years ago but it was not until early 2023 that people who love mountains and forests started to be introduced to it.
In search of the haunted moss forest
From Ha Giang to Cao Bo, it takes more than 2 hours to reach the highland commune of the Dao people, you can take a motorbike taxi or ride a motorbike on the winding dirt road and continuously go up and down for more than 1 hour to reach the starting point of the hike to the top. The total distance to conquer the peak is about 14km, taking about 7-8 hours on your own feet, passing through a vast cardamom garden on a rather muddy road after the rain a few days ago to find the magical moss forest. Here, it is not as obscure as the low mossy tree roots like Ta Xua, it is towering in all shapes like long hairy fingers reaching up to the sky. When entering the forest, look up at the canopy to find yourself lost in a green kingdom, not from the leaves but a thick layer of moss clinging from the trunk to the small branches.
Thick layer of moss clings from trunk to small branches and leaves.
The journey up and down is only 14 km, with the group's health, they went to many places so they chose to go and return in one day. It seemed like a simple route, but it turned out to be not easy, going from 7 am in Cao Bo until 6 pm when the group returned. Many groups chose to stay in a village near the top, many groups did not know the route up quite late, until 10-11 pm when they returned to the village. Luckily, there was a younger brother in Vi Xuyen who asked about the situation before going so the schedule was arranged smoothly.
The people here have just started tourism with enthusiasm, from Mr. Tung, the homestay owner, to Ms. Thu, the tour guide, and in the evening, the Chairman of the District and the Commune came to offer wine. They hope for enthusiasm and thoughtful care so that whoever comes here will remember the hospitable people and introduce the beautiful scenery of this place to come back, and at the same time introduce this forgotten land to everyone.
Next time, I will come back from Hoang Su Phi and go down to Vi Xuyen to explore the Tay Con Linh region. Enjoy the food from the La Chi to the Dao people, sip a cup of natural ancient Shan Tuyet tea nourished by the mountain with unforgettable enthusiastic hospitality.
Next time I will come back from Hoang Su Phi and go down to Vi Xuyen to explore the Tay Con Linh region.
