Buzz
From late summer, many have planned autumn trips to famous destinations both domestically and abroad.
Excitement Among Vietnamese Tourists for 5 Autumn Travel Spots
For Vietnamese travelers, autumn has become the second hottest travel season after summer. Even before the season begins, many airlines have launched cheap tickets to destinations both domestically and internationally. This has sparked a frenzy in the travel communities, with people flocking to leafy golden destinations around September and October.
Hanoi
In autumn, the streets of Hanoi are adorned with golden rice fields, red maple trees, sidewalk vendors selling roasted young rice, and the scent of milk flowers. There are countless reasons why you should visit Hanoi during the fall season. As autumn arrives, the city becomes even more beautiful, romantic, and nostalgic.
The bustling streets of Hanoi seem less daunting to travelers as autumn arrives. Enjoying the cool air under the golden autumn sun and indulging in the unique gifts that only Hanoi offers in the autumn weather will make any visitor more relaxed.
Recently, on the last three weekends, the area around Hoan Kiem Lake and the Old Quarter has turned into a pedestrian zone. Despite making movement around the surrounding streets somewhat challenging, it allows tourists to fully explore and enjoy the autumn atmosphere around the lake. You can take photos of ancient houses, familiar rows of trees, stop by a stall selling green rice flakes, roses, or lotus seeds - the autumn delicacies that beckon or simply stroll in the pleasant breeze.
The Northern Mountainous Region
At the beginning of autumn, around September to October, coincides with the time when terraced fields throughout the mountainous regions in the North begin to turn golden, creating an inviting scene for tourists. In recent years, Northern backpackers have almost had a fixed 'appointment' around mid-September, where on various travel forums, people update the ripening status of the rice fields daily for those who come after them.
The most prominent routes include Tú Lệ - Mù Cang Chải, Sapa - Mường Hoa, Ta Van village, Cat Cat village - Y Ty, Bat Xat (Lao Cai), Hoang Su Phi (Lao Cai), or Binh Lieu (Quang Ninh). The rice season usually lasts for about a month, starting from when the first patches of fields begin to turn yellow until the entire valley and hillsides are ripe.
To reach these areas mentioned above, most tourists travel by motorbike as they are quite far from inter-provincial bus stations, requiring good health and relatively strong driving skills.
Mountains of Nine Curves (China)
The Mountains of Nine Curves, a renowned eco-tourism destination located in the Cuu Trai district of northern Sichuan province, is considered one of China's top attractions. It's where many iconic scenes from the beloved TV series 'Journey to the West' were filmed, familiar to Vietnamese audiences. In autumn, the influx of visitors here is enormous, with queue times to enter the tourist areas stretching for up to several hours.
The scenery throughout the four seasons at the Mountains of Nine Curves is enchanting, but autumn stands out as the most beautiful time with vibrant golden foliage along the clear blue waters, cascading down to the bottom, and the silver-white waterfalls. The entire autumn landscape of the Mountains of Nine Curves resembles a fairyland beyond words, aptly dubbed the 'Heavenly Paradise in the Mortal Realm'.
The Mountains of Nine Curves comprise a total of 114 large and small lakes and over 17 waterfalls. You won't be able to explore everything in a day, but there are some highlights you shouldn't miss: Tran Chau Than Waterfall, Five-Color Lake, Thuy Chinh Waterfall, Truong Hai Lake, and more.
However, travelers must undergo a rather complex journey with multiple transfers. From Vietnam, you'll need to fly to Chengdu (Sichuan), then travel another 500 kilometers by air or road to reach this paradise. Furthermore, someone in the group must be fluent in Chinese, or else transportation can be quite challenging. You can opt for all-inclusive tours starting from 18 million VND, but the itinerary is quite packed.
Seoul – Nami Island (South Korea)
Visa policies have been relaxed, coupled with reduced airfares on many direct flights from Vietnam to South Korea, making the land of kimchi the top choice for Vietnamese travelers these days. When going on a tour, prices are quite reasonable, just over 10 million VND. Even traveling independently, expenses are also quite affordable, facilitating more and more people to visit Korea in the autumn.
Even if you're not a fan of Korean dramas, you must have heard of the 'fame' of the golden autumn in South Korea - when the golden leaves line the streets in the city and suburbs, throughout forests and historic sites, creating an indescribably romantic scene.
In addition to the capital Seoul, you can also travel to Nami Island - where the famous Winter Sonata was filmed with its iconic tree-lined path. Nami is not far from the capital, and the fastest way is by subway, to Gapyeong station (with one transfer), then take a train to the island (less than 10 minutes). The entrance ticket is around 150,000 VND.
Kyoto (Japan)
Japan is often associated with cherry blossoms in spring. However, for many locals and international tourists, including Vietnamese visitors, autumn with its colorful red leaves is the most beautiful season of the year. And there's no better place to admire Japan's autumn foliage than Kyoto.
Most abundant in Kyoto are the maple trees, which, when autumn comes, gradually transition from green to bright red around the ancient temples, creating a stunningly beautiful landscape that words cannot adequately describe. Autumn in Kyoto sets the standard for autumn beauty in the Land of the Rising Sun.
And when in Kyoto, don't forget to visit Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion), also known as the Golden Temple, to marvel at the dazzling beauty of the golden-roofed temple shining in the sunlight, reflecting brilliantly on the calm surrounding waters year-round.
Traveling to Japan has always been expensive, but there have been signs of 'cooling down' in recent years. If you're diligent in hunting for cheap tickets, you can visit Japan at a fairly reasonable price, starting from around 7 million VND. Typically, independent travelers will purchase Shinkansen tickets from Tokyo to Kyoto. Like all expenses in Japan, Shinkansen tickets aren't cheap, but they offer excellent amenities and high-speed travel, saving travelers a lot of time.
According to Ngôi Sao
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Reference: Travel guide Mytour
MytourJuly 7, 2016
