You can enjoy life through cloud hunting, tea, hot spring bath, and culinary discovery. Son La is located in the Northwest region, more than 300 km from Hanoi. In addition to Moc Chau town, the province has many destinations such as Ta Xua, Pu Nhi hill, where tourists can live slowly and learn about the lifestyle of the indigenous people. Here are some recommended places and experiences for a 3-day 2-night itinerary.
✰ VIEW POINTS ✰
FARM CONFIDENTIALITY
Pu Nhi Farm is located in Pu Nhi village, Phieng Ban commune, Bac Yen town. Located on the top of Pu Nhi hill, this place has open space, you can see through the valley and surrounding mountains.
Many people compare this place as “miniature Dalat” with lonely pine trees, wooden houses on the hill …
This is a suitable place to camp, organize a BBQ party on weekends, the price of renting a hut to sit and eat is 200,000 VND. If you only come to take pictures, the entrance ticket is 15,000 VND per person. If you want to stay overnight, you can rent a bungalow room for 600,000 VND per night.
PEOPLE’S WINDS, SINGLE GUYS
One of the most beautiful sunset spots in Ta Xua is Gio Peak, which is a lonely cat apple root. Called “lonely cat apple tree” because there is only one tree standing in the middle of the cloud, the round canopy looks like a giant mushroom. Wind Peak is about 1 km from Ta Xua center. On a beautiful day, you can see hills and valleys from the top.
LEGENDS GARDEN
Ancient tea is a famous specialty of Ta Xua and is the main source of income for many Hmong families here. At present, there is a population of 200 snow shan tea trees that are recognized as Vietnamese heritage trees.
The oldest tree is 280 years old, and the few years old is over 100 years old. In order to be able to pick the young green tea buds, the pickers have to climb the trees, there are trees up to 4 or 5 people at the same time. Coming to the garden, you can see the traditional tea star method of the local people.
In the middle of cold weather, cloudy weather, enjoying a cup of warm snow shan tea is an experience not to be missed. If you want to buy tea as a gift, the current price of dry tea ranges from 500,000 to 700,000 VND / kg, fresh tea is priced at 40,000 – 70,000 VND / kg.
LIVING LONG
The “dinosaur backbone” area atop Ta Xua is about 15 km from the town center. This road is quite dangerous, especially on foggy days, so it is necessary to have a firm steering wheel. Here, you will see a small trail on the top of the mountain higher than 2,800 meters. High rise, low down, two sides are steep slopes and green trees, so the name “dinosaur spine” is based on the shape of this road.
Moving the trail for more than 1 km, you can choose to walk or rent a motorbike taxi. At the end of the road there is a mound of land for visitors to check-in, watch the mountains, forests and clouds. The most beautiful cloud season is from October to April next year, but not every day you can hunt clouds, but also depends on the weather. To hunt clouds, you should be here at about 5am to catch the first sunlight that has just emerged.
XA XA village
Going to villages, chatting with ethnic people is the best way for you to better understand where you visit. Most of the H’mong houses in Ta Xua still remain untouched. Because in the high mountains, the weather is inclement, they use ground floors, low roofs, and wooden roofs. Inside the house, there is a fire stove, corn drying rack, a worshiping board according to the Mongolian custom …
If you come here at this time, you will see how the Mong welcome the New Year, around the beginning of the lunar December . This is also the time when cherry blossoms begin to bloom along the way to the villages. An indispensable dish on the New Year’s day of the people here is thick and round cake, representing the moon, sun, the origin of human and all species on earth.
SON LA JUNIOR HOUSE
Historical relic Son La prison is located on the top of Khau Ca hill, Son La city. The prison was built in 1908, then continued to expand in the years 1930 – 1940. The total area through three expansion times is 2,184 m2.
The prison is solid, the walls are made of stone and brick, the roof is corrugated iron, there is no ceiling, the bed for prisoners is also built of stone, the surface is cement, the outer edge is attached with shackles system along the length of the floor.
Each cell has a floating toilet that is built higher than the lying floor, has no lid, no flushing water, and is not cleaned regularly. The design made the disease arise and spread very quickly among the prisoners . After being destroyed by bombs 2 times, Son La prison is not intact, the prison walls are only ruined.
You should register for explanations to better understand history and relics, the entrance ticket is 30,000 VND per adult and 5,000 VND for children.
SON LA HYDRAULIC FACTORY
The factory was built in 2006, located on Da River in Little Ong commune, Muong La district. This is the hydroelectric plant with the largest capacity in Southeast Asia. The factory is designed open, located behind the dam body. The peak construction phase mobilizes up to 13 thousand people. To construct the factory, more than 20,000 households of the three provinces of Son La, Dien Bien and Lai Chau had to relocate.
NGOC CHIEN MINERAL RESOURCES
Nearly 80 km from the center of Son La city, Ngoc Chien commune, Muong La district is famous for its natural hot springs. There are Thai, Mong, La Ha, … ethnic groups living here, in which the Thai make up the majority. People in Ngoc Chien do not know when the hot spring in the village exists, only know that the hot spring has been associated with life since birth. They still have a tradition of hot spring baths in open-air public pools every day, a special culture that attracts many visitors here.
The average temperature of the water is from 35 degrees C to 50 degrees C, up to 70 degrees Celsius. Walking in the village, you will see the hot steam rising from the surface of the tank. You can go to Surf village (which means hot mineral in Thai) to experience a hot mineral bath for 10,000 VND per person, if renting more clothes, towels, the cost is from 20,000 to 30,000 VND.
Besides hot mineral springs, Ngoc Chien also has a peaceful beauty with stilt houses, nature and trees, and the hospitality of the ethnic people. Try walking in the village, you will feel happy because everyone will greet you and give you a smile.
≋ FOOD DISCOVER
In addition to the above experiences, the dishes with the characteristics of the Northwest are also what leave an impression on visitors. You will see a spice always appear in the meals is diagonal. This is considered the “soul” of the Northwest cuisine, bearing the characteristic flavor of many spices only in this region. Using familiar ingredients such as garlic, fresh chili, coriander, salt, sugar … and cocoon seeds. All are crushed, then mixed together into a thick, thick sauce that makes visitors remember forever.
For the main dish, the specialties should try are grilled chicken, goat meat, sour soup, buffalo skin salad, nam pia, sticky sticky rice, kitchen buffalo meat …
☼ 3 DAY 2 NIGHT SCHEDULE☼
Day 1: Hanoi – Bac Yen – Ta Xua
Derived from Hanoi
Arrive in Bac Yen district, visit Pu Nhi pine hill
Check-in tea garden in Be village (Ta Xua commune), Gio peak, lonely apple tree
Cultural exchange, campfire with local peopleDay 2: Ta Xua – City. Son La – Muong La – Ngoc Chien
Cloud hunting in dinosaur backbone (Hang Dong commune)
Learn the traditions of the Mong people in Ta Xua village
Visiting Son La Prison
Visit Son La Hydropower Plant (Muong La District)
Come to Ngoc Chien commune, watch Thai ethnic group perform then sing in (Muong La district)
Hot spring bathDay 3: Ngoc Chien – Hanoi
Hot spring bath
Visit the village, traditional crafts, check-in the old samu tree
Back to Hanoi
♢ NOTE ♢
Winter Son La weather is quite cold, day and night temperature difference from 8 to 10 degrees C, especially in the area of Bac Yen district. You should bring warm enough clothes and prepare socks, wool hats, gloves, insect repellent … if you want to take a hot spring bath. Don’t forget your personal documents such as identity cards, citizenship identification or passport.
Ngan Duong/vnexpress