Buzz
Ultimate Guide to Conquer Pha Luong Peak for All Adventure Seekers
Explore Literary Landmarks to Witness True Grandeur, to See If They Are as Challenging as Described in the Verse:
That's why I came to Pha Luong - a destination mentioned in the poem 'Tay Tien' by author Quang Dung; a journey to experience the reality of nature's beauty entering into poetry.
Insights into Pha Luong Peak and the Traveler's Sentiments
Pha Luong Peak is a prominent historical landmark in Moc Chau and the Northwest tourism area. It was once a hiding place for the Tay Tien army combined with the Lao army during the resistance war against the French.
View of Pha Luong Peak from Below
Pha Luong Peak, standing at around 2000m high, is known as the roof of Moc Chau. The journey to Pha Luong is an experience of terrain you'll never forget, as you ascend and descend through mountains, hills, streams, fields, and bamboo groves... The higher you climb, the more panoramic the view below, while descending brings a sense of awe as you look back up. So when the verse describes the path to Pha Luong as 'Up the deep winding slope/Thousands of feet high, thousands of feet down,' it's quite accurate.
Standing here, looking into the distance, you can see the winding dirt roads we traveled to reach the Pha Luong border post, twisting and turning from one mountain to another.
A stream crosses the road, and during rain, it can be challenging to pass. I remember at least 4 or 5 spots like this.
As I approached the summit of Pha Luong, I couldn't help but feel uneasy as thick patches of fog rolled in incessantly, and rain suddenly poured down. Setting foot on Pha Luong, looking towards Vietnam, was always shrouded in a blanket of thick white mist. Thankfully, when the wind blew, the clouds dispersed momentarily, only to quickly envelop everything again, hence the saying 'Clouds enveloping the mountain'.
Upon reaching the summit of Pha Luong
I waited nearly an hour to catch a glimpse of the scenery on the Laos side.
Similarly, looking towards Laos revealed a sky blanketed with clouds. As the clouds gradually dissipated, the beauty of the plain unfolded before my eyes. Standing on a rocky outcrop, I could see a deep abyss that seemed to have no bottom - a sensation not for the faint of heart.
Amidst the misty veil of Pha Luong, numerous moss-covered trees and wild grasses are perpetually moistened by dew. The lower slopes are lush with verdant foliage, while higher up, the trees become more sparse. As you ascend, you'll encounter charming spots where maple leaves fall, and you can sample various types of wild fruits.
The forest area enveloped in clouds and fog
The sight of trees shedding leaves and changing colors at the summit
The most striking feature for me at the summit of Pha Luong is not just its height, but also the rock formation resembling a human face; this rocky outcrop juts out prominently, resembling a soldier wearing a conical hat, carrying a rifle, and gazing towards the border. This image closely resembles the painting 'Portrait of a Soldier' by artist Nguyen Trung, painted in 1940, now displayed at the Vietnamese Fine Arts Museum in Hanoi.
The mountain peak resembles the portrait of a soldier, much like the painting of the same name, which I believe is also closely associated with the verse 'Eyes wide open, sending dreams across the border / Dreaming of Hanoi's graceful beauty at night.'
The journey to ascend Pha Luong's summit
The motorcycle journey
From Moc Chau to Pha Luong Border Post, it's about 20km on asphalt roads, over 7km on challenging mountainous terrain, and another 3km from the border post to the trekking site, which is even more difficult.
The concrete road for about 4km is the most beautiful.
The next dirt roads are being transformed into concrete roads.
The steep and slippery slope caused me to fall twice at the same spot.
Some gigantic rocks that I saw many check-in photos of.
The stretch from the border post to the trekking site will be tough, but you can ride a bike. In the rainy season, it's impossible to ride a bike.
This section of the road is a challenge, marking the beginning of the trek to the summit. Once you conquer it, you've completed 40% of the journey.
The hiking journey
Trekking to the top of Pha Luong is a challenge for those who want to conquer it. The trekking time for experienced trekkers ranges from 2 hours, usually taking 3-4 hours to reach the summit. Going down is much easier.
Many sections can only be traversed like this.
Giant tree trunks blocking the path.
Pausing at the moss-covered, towering trees.
Passing through the maple forest.
Climbing up the rocky outcrop about 200m from the summit, there's a makeshift bridge like this.
This hiking section is the most strenuous, often leaving many tourists who have never experienced mountain trekking or lack confidence in themselves almost giving up. A soldier recounted, 'Many couldn't continue, some were too scared to go on after the motorbike trail, or gave up entirely after ascending a portion of the mountain.'
To have a truly successful trip, you should engage in regular physical exercise and allocate a full day for this journey.
What do you need for a trip to the top of Pha Luong?
The best time to start conquering Pha Luong Peak
The ideal time to start your journey from Moc Chau city to Pha Luong is to have breakfast around 6:00 AM and begin the exploration of Pha Luong Peak around 7:00 AM. The travel time varies from 1 to 3 hours from Moc Chau city to Pha Luong Border Guard Station. Many people often extend their journey, but after reading this article, you won't get lost near the border anymore.
The best time to conquer Pha Luong Peak to admire its stunning scenery, with clear skies and fewer mists, is from February to April in the Gregorian calendar. Starting from May, it enters the rainy season, making the ascent extremely challenging.
Just like the winter months from November to early February, there may be a lot of mist, but you will experience the captivating beauty of cloudy skies, mist, reminiscent of the verse 'Pig sniffs clouds, gun smells the sky'.
Setting foot on Pha Luong, stepping on the rocky cliffs that I have always dreamed of on November 18, 2022.
Notes when traveling to Pha Luong Border Guard Station.
Moving according to the coordinates.
For those who don't have a guide or prefer to travel independently, especially if you're going alone, you should read these tips. These are insights gleaned from my recent solo trek to Pha Luong.
From Moc Chau city, you can turn on Google Maps and follow it for navigation. However, make sure to enable location services for two destinations:
1.
2.
Make sure you reach the main gate of Chieng Son High School to head towards Pha Luong.Avoid using Google Maps for directions like “Moc Chau city - Pha Luong peak” as it's almost guaranteed to be incorrect; it will likely take you to the border checkpoint instead. This was an issue I faced, and even another group of friends encountered the same problem. The other day, a soldier guiding us also mentioned this problem, saying, “Many tourists get lost because of Google Maps, it always directs them to the border.”
Moving up to the peak of Pha Luong
The initial stretch from Chieng Son to Chieng Ve is a concrete road, with many inclines and declines, but it's generally easy to traverse. About 2km past Chieng Ve, the road becomes gravel, with slippery red clay and challenging, slippery turns. When traveling in a group of vehicles, maintain a safe distance between them.
Ensure you fill up your gas tank and bring along spare fuel. Since the road is deserted with no gas stations, running out of fuel would be extremely problematic. Also, don't forget to thoroughly check the brakes and wheels right from the beginning of the journey.
From the Pha Luong border post, it takes an additional 30 minutes of motorcycle travel to reach the starting point for trekking. However, this starting point is much more challenging than the road leading in. Not only does it involve crossing small streams along the way, but also steep slopes, muddy terrain, and rocks. This is a road 'not suitable for inexperienced drivers, and even those who are easily frightened.'
If you're not confident in riding, you should ask the border guards for a lift or pay locals to take you up, which usually costs 200,000 VND per person. If you choose to ride yourself, sit at the back and be attentive. When driving, you need to provide assistance, especially on steep slopes and sandy sections where you may need to get off and push the bike up. In many rough sections, the passenger should also proactively get off to help the bike navigate the slope better.
Observe, always observe the rider ahead to avoid mistakenly entering steep areas. This is especially crucial when going downhill and uphill, as the terrain is mostly a mix of soil and rocks, making it hard to see from a distance.
Registration process and trekking fee for reaching the summit of Pha Luong.
Upon arrival at the border post, prepare your ID card to submit to the border guards. Wait for them to fill in the necessary information before they assign someone to guide you to the summit of Pha Luong. You can also wait to join a group if you're traveling with fewer people.
Pha Luong border post is peaceful, with several households living nearby and a few soldiers.
The guiding fee is 300,000 VND per group. This fee is paid to the border post! (The guides will be soldiers, and you may consider giving them a small tip for coffee if you wish).
It's mandatory to visit the border post, contact the guide, and provide personal information. Whether you choose to visit the summit and descend or camp overnight, it's advisable to discuss specific plans with the border post. If you venture out on your own, getting lost or encountering unforeseen circumstances leaves you without assistance.
Two new friends I met at Pha Luong border post: one in black from Hung Yen, the other in gray from the pottery village of Bat Trang. Every journey brings encounters with new friends at different destinations, so keep exploring and you'll find like-minded companions along the way! 'Just keep going, even if you're alone on the journey, you'll surely meet fellow enthusiasts at your destination.
The border guard guided us on the way to the summit of Pha Luong.
For me, the journey to the summit of Pha Luong was an exciting experience. It's undeniable that the descriptions in poetry about the path to Pha Luong are truly arduous and challenging. This helps to appreciate the hardships of the soldiers of the past who fought and hid in the high border forests, truly worthy of admiration.
Nowadays, the roads are somewhat better than before but still quite challenging. It's different from what I had envisioned or what I had read in previous reviews - that's why I'm sharing this detailed article with Mytour Go & Share, aiming to provide the most specific and detailed journey to the summit of Pha Luong for those who wish to experience it firsthand.
Author: Tran Thanh Dien
*This article is part of the Mytour Golocal program
Mytour Golocal is a blogging program that introduces beautiful destinations across Vietnam, under the framework of the Mytour Go & Share program. It's a fantastic opportunity to promote local tourism to everyone. For each qualified article, you'll receive 800,000 VND and the chance to become a Contributor with Mytour. For detailed information about the program, visit: https://trv.lk/golocal
