Mu Cang Chai Valley - A Splendid Beauty Far Away From Skyscrapers

Located between beautiful mountains of the Hoang Lien Son Mountain Range, Mu Cang Chai valley is well-known for golden paddy fields glazed by the sunlight andrugged roadsthat can blow your mind at first glance. Vietnam Offroad Motorbike Tours would like to introduce this scenic beauty to nature lovers and adventurers all over the world.

The Rough Path To The Majesticness

Mu Cang Chai is actuallya mountainous district in Yen Bai Province, lying at about 1,000m above sea level and 280km away from Hanoi. To get to it, you must come through the Khau Pha Pass – one ofthe Great Four Passes of the North West Highland.

Khau Pha Pass gave us nothing, except for miles and miles of rugged roads and dusky jungles. Once in a while, a U-turn appears, but since there is no barricade, it’s even more dangerous to move on misty or clouded days.

Despite these risks, hundreds of tourists visit Mu Cang Chai every month because of the picturesque landscape of Tu Le paddy fields when looking down from the pass. The mesmerizing sight of the golden rice fields during harvest seasons, bathed in the green of the forest and the blue of the clear sky, brings together a glorious yet harmonious combination of nature and human.

If you miss the chance to see the meadows in captivating saffron colors, from September to October, you would still be able to catch another phenomenal wonder in May or June. It is the time when the spring passesby. The farmers must wait till the rain fills up their terraced fields, leaving them glistening under the bright sun. Khau Pha would not be any less enchanting than it is at the end of Fall.

Mam Xoi Fields

At the end of Khau Pha Pass, we continued to head for the next destination called the Mam Xoi Fields. But it seems like Mu Cang Chai does not give anything for free; to get there, again, you have to challenge yourself with steep slopes, along with mud and dirt.

But after all, all of our efforts have been rewarded as we got to the end of the way, witnessing the marvel of this area. A particular part at the top of all terrace fields rounds up into a full circle, forming what looks like a golden disk, which gives the site its name "Mam Xoi", meaningthe "Plate of Rice".

Mam Xoi has attracted hundreds of photographers. It has become so popular, and there are always dozens of H'mong people who are always ready to be rented as "models" in photographs. Also, as it is quite difficult to reach Mam Xoi, backpackers would test their own strength and stamina only for the bounty of the site’s breathtaking view.

Mu Cang Chai’s Fair

If you are a little bit too overwhelmed by the mountains and pasture, perhaps it is a good idea to head back to the people here, and there is nowhere more suitable than Mu Cang Chai’s fair. Held as one of the main events of Terraced Field Festival Week, it is an exciting trading center of not only products but also cultures of various ethnic groups and tribes.

We could find almost everything here, such as wild honey from the forest, aromatic bunches of mushroom picked under the sharpest rocks, brocades handmade by H'mong girls and women. The fair is also the place for boys and girls to meet, flirt, or exchange items as the proof of their love for each other.

Although there are several other destinations that would be worth spending time at Mu Cang Chai, sadly, we must come to the end of the journey. Let’s pack your bag, join in the Vietnam Offroad Motorcycle Tours, and together, we will discover the tranquility and majesticness among gorgeous paddy fields of Mu Cang Chai.