Buzz
The scenery during this season is likened to the beauty of cherry blossoms in a historical drama, with cherry blossom forests and white plum blossoms blooming.
Traveling to Moc Chau for Cherry Blossom Camping
Moc Chau (Son La) is an ever-enticing destination for travel enthusiasts due to its year-round beauty, fresh air, unique and delicious cuisine, reasonable prices, and hospitable locals. Located approximately 200 km from Hanoi, equivalent to a 5-hour journey, Moc Chau is best explored over a 2-3 day trip. Recently, many families and friend groups have been intrigued by the trend of camping amidst the blossoming plum forests.
1. Transportation:
For smaller groups, public transportation options such as coaches or limousines are available. Departing from My Dinh bus station, there are several trips daily with ticket prices ranging from 160,000 to 200,000 VND per person each way. During your Moc Chau trip, you can also opt to rent a taxi or motorbike for greater freedom in exploration.
Having your own car will give you much more flexibility as the attractions in Moc Chau can be quite far from the city center, and it's also more convenient to carry camping gear for a unique experience trip.
2. Camping Experience:
In recent years, Moc Chau has become a hot spot for tourism, so there is a wide range of accommodation options including hotels, traditional stilt houses, and stylish homestays built everywhere. Therefore, you can choose according to your needs and budget. For camping enthusiasts, it's advisable to select homestays in remote locations with spacious areas, beautiful scenery, and of course, permission from the homestay owner with additional charges.
If you're not experienced in overnight camping, it's better to choose camping in a controlled area like a homestay for safety reasons and also for the convenience of facilities such as sanitation, electricity, and water. One of the popular homestay suggestions in Moc Chau is Beanhome homestay – a newly built, simple yet clean guesthouse located at the end of Ban Ang. This area is quite secluded from the bustling town center but offers privacy. The tranquil valley in front and the mountainous backdrop provide a serene atmosphere, surrounded by small beautiful plum gardens of the locals. There's a dedicated camping area where you can freely set up tents and bonfires. Moreover, the homestay has a clean vegetable garden for picking when needed.
It's advisable to choose a good quality, waterproof tent as the dew can be quite heavy. Inside the tent, there should be an insulating mat or mattress, a good sleeping bag, and if it's cold, wear a hat while sleeping to avoid catching a cold. If you're concerned about the cold weather at the plateau at night, you can opt to stay indoors at Beanhome. Pay attention to group culture, whether you're a room guest or a tent camper, always be mindful of common hygiene, homestay regulations, avoid making noise, and disturbing other guests.
On weekends, especially during flower seasons, holidays, and festivals, Moc Chau can get very crowded. Therefore, it's advisable to book accommodation as early as possible. And if possible, it's best to visit on weekdays for a more comfortable experience. Remember not to break branches or pick flowers, and avoid littering, which could damage the natural landscape.
3. Cherry Blossom Viewing Experience:
During January and February, it's cherry blossom season along with apricot blossoms, peach blossoms, mustard flowers, and various festivals. Along the road from Mai Chau to Moc Chau, travelers can witness vibrant patches of flowers, and every village is flaunting its colors. This can be considered the most beautiful and busiest time of Moc Chau. This year, due to warmer weather, cherry blossoms bloomed earlier than usual and are expected to remain beautiful from now until Lunar New Year, so if you want to admire the blossoms, don't hesitate any longer, hit the road now!
You can stop anywhere to enjoy beautiful flowers and scenery, but the highlight is the Na Ka cherry blossom valley, about 20 km from the center. The entire valley is covered with blooming white cherry blossoms, breathtakingly beautiful, likened to the 'Cherry Blossom Valley' in movies.
There are no villages inhabited by people here, only cherry orchards, so the landscape stretches with just nature. The area is vast, so you can still find secluded spots for yourself. Remember to ask for permission from the orchard owner and pay a small fee (around 10,000 - 20,000 VND) for photography and tent setup. If you visit on a sunny day or in light rain, the tent will serve many purposes beyond just a photo prop.
If you want to immerse yourself in both cherry blossoms and the local life, you can visit ethnic villages like Phien Canh, not far from Na Ka valley. The H'Mong people here celebrate their New Year for the entire month, with many unique local activities. The locals are very friendly and not commercialized; there's no aggressive selling or begging for money for photos. When giving candy to children, they are very polite and thankful. Therefore, respect them and remember to ask for permission before taking photos or participating in activities together.
After a day of enjoying cherry blossoms and village life, in the evening, experience the romantic sunset on tea hills like Ngũ Động, Ban On, Tan Lap tea hill, Heart-shaped tea hill... Additionally, there are some other famous destinations in Moc Chau such as Bat Cave, Dai Yem Waterfall, dairy farms...
4. Dining Options
When visiting or camping in the flower garden, you can prepare light snacks or lunch to leisurely enjoy the flowers and embrace the feeling of being in a heavenly escape.
Moreover, Moc Chau boasts a variety of specialties such as grilled beef, stream fish, mustard greens, goat meat, salmon, milk, and dairy products. Some highly-rated restaurants include Restaurant 64, Xuan Bac, Tuân Gù eatery (near the new district government office offering rice and traditional dishes), Tran The eatery (famous for goat porridge and grilled goat on stone), Dao Garden restaurant (salmon, a set meal costs 250,000 VND including grilled salad, fried dishes, hotpot, and porridge, very delicious). All of these eateries tend to be crowded on weekends, so it's best to make reservations in advance.
By Le Ai Linh/Star
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Reference: Travel Handbook Mytour
MytourJanuary 26, 2018
