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When the mountainside turns into a carpet of flowers
When mentioning Ta Chi Nhu, many people often immediately think of the title "the roof of Yen Bai" with an altitude of more than 2,900 m. But what makes this mountain different from a series of other peaks in the Northwest is not the steep slopes or the hazy clouds. That is the moment every autumn, the entire mountainside is filled with chi pau flowers - tiny purple flowers, blooming for only about a short month.
In the Northwest, the chi pau flower is not an unfamiliar flower. In Mu Cang Chai, Sa Pa or Hoang Lien Son areas, one can also see delicate purple clusters. However, only in Ta Chi Nhu, chi pau blooms into a sea, stretching from the middle of the mountain to near the top, creating a rare scene. Each cluster of flowers is crowded and leaning against each other, making the traveler's footsteps feel like they are lost in a purple velvet carpet.
The unique feature of the chi pau flowers on Ta Chi Nhu is the way they blend in with the landscape. In the morning, when the clouds are still rolling in the deep valley, the dew-soaked flowers sparkle like pearls. At noon, the autumn sun is soft and golden, the entire mountainside seems to be covered in a layer of color that is both clear and magical. And when the afternoon falls, the purple clouds and purple flowers blend together, making the boundary between heaven and earth become fragile.
Purple color creates attraction for Ta Chi Nhu
Ta Chi Nhu has always been the destination of many adventurers because of its rugged terrain and rocky roads. But since the chi pau flower has become its own “brand”, the number of people coming here has increased.
The scene is especially attractive to photography lovers. Amidst the white clouds, all you need is a small tent temporarily set up on the ground, surrounded by blooming flowers. Perhaps that is why every chi pau season, social networks are flooded with sparkling photos from Ta Chi Nhu, turning the little-known mountain into one of the most sought-after destinations in the Northwest autumn.
Chi pau flowers bloom in clusters on the ground, as high as a person's ankle.
Not only a beauty to admire, chi pau also becomes a connecting thread between people and nature. At an altitude of nearly 3,000 m, when breathing is rapid because of the cold wind, seeing the tiny petals still blooming strongly, feels like being given more strength to continue the journey, and then burst out when reaching the top.
The preciousness of the chi pau flower lies in the fact that this flower only appears for a very short period of time. In September and October, when the weather is cold, the chi pau flowers bloom in unison, then quickly close. Therefore, those who have witnessed that purple sea all have a feeling of luck. Many people are willing to come back year after year, just to see Ta Chi Nhu in its pure flower color. One of them is photographer Nguyen Trong Cung, who is familiar with trekking routes on most of the mountain peaks in the North.
Trekking route among the chi pau flower hillsides
Photographer Nguyen Trong Cung has just returned from a trip trekking during the chi pau flower season. The 24km round trip was not too difficult for him, however, he advises that when trekking, no matter how familiar the terrain is, tourists should still prepare carefully to ensure safety.
Starting from Xa Ho commune, Tram Tau district, the journey usually lasts two days and one night. The trail initially passes through corn and rice fields, then gradually turns to a steep slope with bamboo forests, cardamom forests and white-covered reeds. As the climb increases, the trees thin out, revealing the open sky and layers of clouds hovering right below. In September and October, the purple color of chi pau flowers begins to appear along the road, scattered in small clusters before blooming into a carpet of flowers at the top.
On the trekking route to the top of Ta Chi Nhu, visitors will pass through patches of chi pau flowers from sparse to thick and blooming on the mountainside.
To make the trip more convenient, visitors should hire a local porter to help carry their belongings and guide them. Necessary items include warm clothes, raincoats, basic medicine, spare batteries and headlamps. During the rainy season, the roads are slippery, so it is important to keep an eye on the weather forecast. Above all, climbers need to be conscious of protecting the environment and not littering so that the chi pau flower slopes remain intact.
Sea of flowers under the starry sky
If during the day Ta Chi Nhu is charming with its purple color, then when night falls, this place opens up another world. At an altitude of nearly 3,000 m, the sky is less obscured by urban lights, creating ideal conditions to see the Milky Way and countless constellations.
Mr. Nguyen Trong Cung shared: “At this altitude, as long as the sky is clear, the Milky Way is clearly visible right before your eyes. Above is the starry sky, below is the carpet of chi pau, such a scene is hard to find anywhere else.”
Many photographers come to Ta Chi Nhu not only to take pictures of flowers but also to record the starry sky with purple color. When the air is dry and cold, the flowers are more brilliant, the stars are clearer. It is a rare combination of mountain nature and the vast universe, making Ta Chi Nhu a special meeting place for both trekking and astrophotography enthusiasts.
Under the cold and dry weather of September and October, the color of the chi pau flowers is even more beautiful and outstanding.
Compared to other familiar mountain flowers such as Ha Giang buckwheat or Moc Chau wild sunflower, Ta Chi Nhu's chi pau has a beauty that is less narrated but easily touches people's hearts. Not brilliant, not spread throughout the village, it only quietly blooms in the highest, harshest places. It is this scarcity that makes each flower season an "event" that travel enthusiasts look forward to.
