SON LA – Moc Chau is one of the destinations attracting many tourists at the beginning of the new year thanks to its beautiful natural scenery.
Since the beginning of January in Moc Chau, apricot flowers, plum flowers, and in some places peach or cherry blossoms have bloomed. The flowers were brilliant last weekend, but due to the prolonged rain, a lot of them fell. It is expected that this weekend or next week, a new batch of flowers will bloom.
The 48-hour Moc Chau itinerary was carried out under the advice of Mr. Tran Hai, a local photographer and tour guide, and Mr. Lekima Hung, LPA Academy of Photography, who specializes in organizing phototours at tourist destinations. famous at home and abroad, came to Moc Chau last weekend.
Day 1
Morning and noon
Depart from Hanoi around 6:30 a.m. along Thang Long Avenue, National Highway 6, through Kun slope, Thung Khe pass, to Hoa Binh and then Son La. On the way, tourists stop at the top of Thung Khe pass and take photos. This is a place called “white rock pass” by tourists thanks to the rocky mountains with natural beauty like white snow.
Arrive in Moc Chau town center, have lunch with fresh milk hot pot , a special dish here.
Fresh milk hot pot has a broth made from bones and vegetables, then a moderate amount of milk (cooked with sweet corn) is added so that it has a milky white color and a mild aroma. When the hot pot starts to boil, the layer of milk on top becomes scum, has a slightly fatty taste but is still sweet. This is also the time when the hot pot broth is at its most delicious. Hot pot dipping dishes include chicken, beef, rib cartilage and beans.
Afternoon
After lunch break, move to the plum blossom gardens. Within a distance of nearly 20 km from the town center, visitors should follow the road to Cho Long sub-area, Ngu Dong Ban On and Na Ka, places where flowers are blooming this time. On the way, visitors can conveniently visit some ripe rose gardens.
Phieng Canh is also a destination located on the same road to Na Ka plum valley. This is a Mong village located among plum gardens.
“There is a large stadium here, where local people wear colorful costumes, like to gather and play group games, especially during Tet holidays. Tourists can join in.” “, Mr. Hung said and added that it is now Hmong New Year.
Ban Phieng Canh. Photo: Lekima Hung
Peach blossoms in Moc Chau bloomed brilliantly on the week of January 14. Photo: Lekima Hung
Rose garden on the way to Na Ka valley. Photo: Lekima Hung
Evening
Return to town and have dinner around 7:00 p.m., with Moc Chau salmon specialty. Some suggested restaurants: Vuon Dao, Bat Cave, Thanh Bay, Dong Hai, Chieng Di. These restaurants have almost no difference in menu, usually serving diners in sets of 5 or 6 dishes, the most typical of which are salads, hot pots, and crispy fried fish skin. Depending on the restaurant, there will be other dishes such as fried, grilled, spring rolls, smoked fish, fish porridge.
The price of a set for one person ranges from 250,000 to 300,000 VND. “Visitors can order by request, not by set, but if the restaurant is crowded, they will have to wait a long time,” Mr. Hai said and advised to book in advance to be sure of a seat. This season, Moc Chau is quite crowded.
In the evening, return to the hotel in the tea hill area of Moc Chau farm. Most hotels or homestays in this area are quiet, have fresh spaces, and are close to nature. Room prices range from 500,000 VND to more than 1 million VND.
Day 2
Morning and noon
Have breakfast around 7:30 am at the hotel or on the town center roads. “Breakfast food at Moc Chau is not special, visitors can choose popular dishes such as pho, eel porridge, sticky rice or fish noodles,” Mr. Hai said.
After breakfast, visitors travel in the opposite direction of the previous day’s trip to two other famous attractions of Moc Chau, Nang Tien Waterfall (about 27 km from the center).
At the beginning of 2020, Nang Tien waterfall was put into tourism activities . “Nang Tien waterfall area is beautiful, but the path is a bit difficult and tiring, so visitors need to prepare their health to be able to have fun and take pictures comfortably. In addition, when swimming, you need to be careful in dangerous places.” , Mr. Hai advised.
Nang Tien Waterfall consists of three floors. The scene on the first floor is peaceful, with a lake at adult waist level where you can go to bathe (summer). Going to the second floor, visitors go upstream, it’s difficult to go, but the view is beautiful, with a waterfall pouring into a turquoise lake. The depth of the lake on the second and third floors is quite large, and the rock surface is also full of moss, making it easy to slip and fall. The estimated height from the foot of the waterfall to the third waterfall is about 150 m.
Tourists have lunch at the restaurant right outside the waterfall with popular dishes being grilled chicken or grilled pork.
Afternoon
On the way back to the center and back to Hanoi, visitors can visit Tea Village (where the Heart tea hill is located) conveniently along the way. This area is quite large
Return to Hanoi around 5:00 p.m.
On this occasion, Moc Chau is cold, the temperature is sometimes below 10 degrees Celsius, next week it may drop to 1-2 degrees Celsius, so visitors should be careful to bring enough warm clothes, gloves, scarves, hats, and umbrellas. In addition, the pass roads from Hanoi to Moc Chau are often foggy, avoid traveling in the evening.
Alternative choice
The amusement area at Bach Long Glass Bridge holds the Guinness World Record for being the longest walking glass bridge in the world (if you buy an entrance ticket to this place, you should play for at least half a day). Pa Phach village also has many activities on the occasion of Hmong New Year. Ban Ang pine forest or strawberry gardens are also suitable destinations if tourists have never visited.
Some other famous tourist attractions in Moc Chau:
($1~24,000 VND)
Photo,Video: Internet (Vinlove.net)