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Roaming along the majestic Northwestern arc spanning over 330km, travelers can admire lush green tea plantations in the midlands of Phu Tho and experience a unique riverbank market near the Da River...
Graceful white clouds embrace the Northwestern mountains
Finally, the summit of Pha Luong (Son La) stands proudly at the Vietnam-Laos border, adorned with the peculiar beauty of blooming rhododendron flowers this season.
Visiting the summit of Pha Luong during the blossoming season in April and May, tourists will encounter Mông ethnic girls dressed in vibrant attire, joyfully appreciating the scenery. For the Mông people here, the blooming rhododendron heralds happiness and joy.
Endless fields of lush green tea
Starting from Cau Dien - Hanoi, the convoy swiftly glides on National Highway 32 through Son Tay, Ba Vi. After nearly 120km, a majestic expanse of green unfolds before our eyes.
This is the buffer zone of Xuan Son National Park (Tan Son district, Phu Tho) with numerous lush green tea plantations. In the villages of Tan Phu, Xuan Dai, Van Luong, Long Coc... thousands of tea shrubs cover the rolling hills.
Navigating through asphalt roads and winding dirt paths along the tea-covered hillsides, we feel like wandering into an endless green realm.
As the early sun rises above the hilltops, scattered groups of farmworkers silently don their hats and pick up hoes to start their day. Here, people can savor the aroma of tea, breathe in the fresh air, engage in conversations, and chat with cheerful female workers in the plantation.
Having visited many tea regions in the North such as Moc Chau (Son La), Tan Cuong (Thai Nguyen), or Van Chan (Yen Bai)... arriving in Tan Son allows us to admire unique and captivating scenes of tea cultivation.
Standing atop a high hill and looking around, tourists may be overwhelmed by hundreds of round and expansive tea hills, resembling giant green rice trays placed amidst the land and sky. These tea hills vary in size, from large ones covering up to 1ha, to smaller ones ranging from 4,000 to 5,000m².
In the early morning, the tea hills reveal themselves in the mystical mountain mist. As the sun rises, the green leaves absorb the light, captivating our eyes. In the evening, the scenery becomes tranquil, making us feel lost in a realm of nostalgia.
The beauty we witness today is the result of the collective efforts of the local ethnic communities and enthusiastic youth who, 60 years ago, together cleared and cultivated these hills, planting tea that now blankets the landscape.
From generation to generation, families here have been intimately connected with tea for 2 or 3 lifetimes. Every day, these people quietly and diligently work on the tea hills, hoping for a better life.
Traveling through the land of Tan Son, Phu Tho, visitors are also captivated and fascinated by the sight of giant water wheels.
Handcrafted water wheels made of bamboo and rattan are viewed as highly innovative water-pumping devices created by the ethnic communities throughout the ages. In the highland commune of Thu Cuc, there is even a unique wooden water dam created by the Muong people.
Lose yourself in the river market on the Da River
In a blink of an eye, the tranquil riverbank of Ban Pa transforms into a lively scene. The clucking of chickens, quacking of ducks, and the exchange of words between people on the shore and those on boats blend into a symphony signaling the beginning of an energetic day.
People flock to the market, representing a diverse mix of ages. Some come merely for a new knife, others for a bag of salt or a bottle of oil. Then there are those who arrive for a delightful taste of the local fried doughnuts or a group of men leisurely puffing on traditional tobacco. All contributing to the cultural hub where those on the shore and those on the boats engage in indispensable social interactions that have defined this land for years. The market lasts a swift 3-4 hours, returning the serene peace to the Da River.
After a bustling market day in Ban Pa, traders set sail to Tan Phong commune for the Ben Van market on the 6th, 16th, and 26th days of the lunar calendar. At the riverside market, visitors get the chance to savor unique local dishes like grilled moss-covered rocks, tangy salted fish, and skewered river fish.
The bustling markets along the Da River in Phu Yen serve as the stopping point for merchants trading along the Da River from Hoa Binh to Dien Bien.
On the summit of Pha Luong
Past the Vang Yen ferry, traversing the vast hilly terrain, exploring the profound landscapes of Moc Chau district – often dubbed as the heart of Son La. As the challenging hilly stretches fade away, picturesque roads unfold like a dream. Speeding through the pine forest of Ban Ang, then gazing at the pristine beauty of the Ribbon Skirt waterfall during the serene dry season.
As the evening descends, the entire group rushes back to the Pha Luong border control station located on the Vietnam-Laos border beltway.
From the border station, it takes only about three hours for travelers to successfully conquer the peak of Pha Luong, standing over 2,000m above sea level. The famous check-in point is 'Turtle Summit.' Standing at the top of Pha Luong, on clear days, we can gaze across to our neighbor Laos.
In the morning at the summit of Pha Luong, white clouds float over the valleys, creating an impressive sea of clouds. On the steep mountain cliffs, travelers can see the rhododendron flowers beginning to bloom.
Rhododendrons at the top of Pha Luong bloom most vibrantly from mid-April to early May in the lunar calendar. Here, tourists can witness the white, pale pink, and red rhododendron flowers blooming together, displaying their beauty.
According to Nguyen Huong/Tuoi Tre
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Explore with Mytour travel guide
Discover the wonders of MytourOn May 24, 2019
