Buzz
And a text message notification pops up on your phone from a friend: “Hey Tú! Want to go on a trip to Mù Cang Chải? It's the season of ripe golden rice fields!” And so the journey to rediscover carefree days in the land of fragrant rice and the intoxicating aroma of ripe persimmons begins!
Mù Cang Chải – Embarking on a Quest to Rediscover the Carefree Days.
One day, as you sit in the office, feeling suffocated by the stale air and overwhelmed by a mess of emotions, you suddenly long for the feeling of wandering on winding roads, embracing majestic nature, disregarding masks despite the wind, sun, and dust teasing your face and hair.
The journey to rediscover carefree days amidst the fragrant land of rice fields and the intoxicating aroma of ripe persimmons begins here.
1. Exploring Mù Cang Chải to Tú Lệ, the enchanting beauty of the Northwestern mountains
It's no wonder Tú Lệ is dubbed the “Northwestern beauty”. To a traveler like me, Tú Lệ is stunning, blending the delicate charm of a Thai girl with the rugged, majestic beauty of nature, mountains, and hills. Situated along the Mù Cang Chải route, Tú Lệ shines under the sun with its terraced golden rice fields and quaint houses nestled on the hillsides.
A corner of the Tú Lệ sky.
The scenery in Tú Lệ is absolutely breathtaking.
Visiting Tú Lệ, one must not miss indulging in some fresh and fragrant young rice flakes, still redolent with the scent of newly harvested rice. Enjoying Tú Lệ rice flakes must be done in Tú Lệ, right when the locals have just finished making them. Stopping by Tú Lệ for just twenty or thirty minutes, the intimate, rustic charm of the scenery and the people here make me feel like I've known them forever.
Producing a batch of delicious rice flakes in Tú Lệ requires a lot of effort from the locals.
Tú Lệ rice flakes are both fragrant and chewy, a taste that lingers in your memory after just one bite.
2. Soaring over Khau Phạ Pass to admire the full golden season
Leaving the beautiful land of Tú Lệ behind, we continued our journey along Khau Phạ Pass - one of the four great mountain passes of the Northwest. Arriving here during the Paragliding Festival amidst the golden season, we were treated to the spectacular sight of paragliders soaring gracefully across the free sky.
Paragliders carrying the national flag soar freely across the sky.
A sense of vastness and exhilaration rushes in.
At the paragliding site, people gathered in large numbers, from distant visitors to local villagers, all eager and curious. As each paraglider took off, the crowd cheered and applauded. Standing at the high vantage point, I could take in the entire valley below. The legendary mountain passes, the towering mountains embracing the glittering terraced fields in the sun. The sky was strangely azure, gently lifting the high-flying paragliders to create a breathtaking scene that one may not see again in a lifetime!
Two little boys watched attentively as each kite soared into the sky.
The pilot is preparing for his flight.
In my mind, a few lines from the song “Different Days” by Đen suddenly echoed.
How long has it been since I had such a peculiar day! How long since I roamed carefree on the roads! How long since I breathed the fresh air amidst towering hills and mountains, how long since my heart stirred with each twist of the road. I silently vowed to myself to travel extensively, experience abundantly before my steps grow weary, and worn.
I silently vowed to myself to travel extensively, experience abundantly before my steps grow weary, and worn.
Heading down the hillside, we stumbled upon a stunning field of triangular buckwheat flowers - the Northwest's specialty. White hues intertwined with shades of pink and purple, amidst the green foliage, surrounded by mountains and forests, truly captivated us, longing for eternal admiration.
A stunning field of triangular buckwheat flowers on the hillside.
Preserving memories.
3. Discovering the unique portrait of Phình village in the heart.
When mentioning Mù Cang Chải, everyone will think of the terraced fields of Mâm Xôi and La Pán Tẩn, but few know that there's a beautiful village nestled on the hillside nearby, known as Phình village. Deep within the hills, we had to traverse rugged paths strewn with rocks to reach the village. Here stands a well-appointed school for children from kindergarten to grade 2.
We encountered a young girl from the ethnic minority on the way to the village.
Two 'guides' helped us find the way to the children's school.
Initially, the children seemed shy and curious upon seeing us. After some questions and conversation, when it came to organizing games, each child became more outgoing than ever. We played together, laughter echoing across the courtyard. The joy of these highland children is simple and pure. Just a small candy brings a day of happiness, just a photo opportunity elicits hearty laughter.
Seeing a camera prompts smiles all around.
Some kids seem a bit shy at first.
After leaving primary school, we received tips about a waterfall hidden deep in the mountains. However, lacking a guide and with many winding paths, we ended up getting lost. But in our misfortune, we stumbled upon a beautiful, refreshing stream!
Lost in the woods...
But then, we encountered many interesting individuals along the way.
Standing amidst the lush green mountains, listening to the sound of the babbling brook, enjoying the cool natural water, all fatigue vanished as if the momentary loss disappeared into thin air!
Smiles dissolve all weariness.
Those who left behind memories of longing.
Farewell to Ban Phinh with its simple, kind-hearted people, we boarded the vehicle back to Nghia Lo to catch the last ride to Hanoi. On the way back, no one spoke a word to each other because everyone was busy capturing, storing in their hearts the final images of the Mù Cang Chải journey before returning to the bustling, dusty capital...
I will deeply miss the endless mountain passes.
Missing the shimmering golden terraced fields in the sunlight.
And remembering the companions who joined me in creating an exciting journey.
Author: Phạm Thị Ngọc Tú
* Article participating in the Mytour Golocal program
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