Buzz
In the early days of the new year, the whole world welcomes spring with a joyful and vibrant atmosphere. If you're someone who loves to travel, you'll surely not only spend time with family and friends but also plan to go somewhere for at least a day or two during this long holiday.
The colors of spring in the Northwest.
Normally, we often celebrate the spring by visiting temples, visiting relatives far and near, going back to the countryside, or participating in various New Year's festivals. However, if you want to travel far during the Tet days, it's completely possible. Take advantage of a few days off to pack your backpack and go. The days after the 5th day of the lunar new year are more suitable because by then most of the Tet activities have passed, and you will be free to do whatever you like.
We opt for an adventure to Moc Chau, a stunning land that charms in all four seasons. However, each season boasts its own unique features, enticing travelers to explore further with each visit, always yearning for more.
Moc Chau is our first destination choice for the new year.
As summer arrives, Moc Chau bursts with blossoms and fruits, from plump plums to juicy peaches, attracting young adventurers eager to handpick fruits, pluck peaches, occasionally staining their clothes and popping them straight into their mouths. As autumn fades into winter, Moc Chau adorns itself with another enchanting allure. People come not to taste fruits but to admire flowers. Orchards bloom one after another, meticulously tended by locals to cater to tourists. However, due to the chilly weather, it's also the season for eager feet to trek, climb, and explore.
The scenery of spring is gentle and serene.
Spring flowers compete to bloom.
Indeed, visiting Moc Chau during this season will leave you in awe of its beauty. Moc Chau resembles a young maiden, pure and innocent, captivating and gentle, enchanting many admirers.
Young girls in vibrant ethnic costumes.
The young girls, along with Mông women, in their Tet attire are incredibly eye-catching, exuding the rich cultural essence of this place. Mud-smeared children playing in front of their houses, each laughing joyously, the sun casting its rays across a vast expanse. The children climb trees, picking the last remaining plums from last year, some dried or rotten, plucking them and tossing them to the ground, laughing gleefully. The little ones play chase in the yard, amidst a lively scene, with a few chickens scratching the ground, trying to find something to eat.
At the beginning of spring, everyone is beaming with joy.
Occasionally, as we pass by someone's house, they stare at us, some even waving enthusiastically as if we're old friends. Many little girls sit obediently in front of their houses, their bottoms planted firmly on the ground, while their mothers sit behind them, picking lice and combing their hair. The children frown as their mothers comb their tangled hair too vigorously. Sometimes, there are houses with toddlers around 1 year old, tiny tots with runny noses, crawling in the yard, their hands covered in dirt, which they use to wipe away the annoying drips.
Strike a pose with an adorable little girl.
I believe spring here is much better than in the city. People don't need extravagant feasts; it's simply about enjoying slightly better food than usual. Everyone, men and women alike, have the right to get drunk, forget about the daily fatigue, forget about the hardships of poverty, and hunger. Is this what happiness truly means?
Even in humble homes and amidst life's hardships, in spring, they have the right to forget all that fatigue, is that true happiness?
The overall view of the residents' houses here.
The cabbage garden is beautifully landscaped right by the roadside.
The cabbage gardens are even more serene with each spring's arrival.
Moc Chau is strangely beautiful, strangely peaceful.
The 'Ang Village Pine Forest' is a place you should visit, it's quite beautiful and peaceful there. That day we stayed in a stilt house nearby, so it only took us about ten minutes to walk there. We ran around taking photos and picking up some dried pine cones as souvenirs, enjoying the faint smell of pine resin wafting through the forest.
The faint smell of pine resin wafts around.
Heart-shaped tea hills - a beloved check-in spot in Moc Chau.
What to eat in Moc Chau? Moc Chau boasts many mountain specialties, but due to limited time and traveling with a group, we only tried grilled goat and smoked pork, which were absolutely delicious. The flavors were unique and seemed to be exclusive to this region. So, I think everyone should try them at least once, but make sure to eat them in Moc Chau. If you can handle alcohol, a few sips of wine to warm the heart during Tet wouldn't be a bad choice either.
Don't forget to try grilled goat and smoked pork - two specialties of the Northwest mountainous region.
Goodbye, Moc Chau, see you again in the coming springs.
Those were my feelings after the two-day spring excursion with friends. I think someday, also in spring, I'll definitely come back again... to the mountains, to the forests, to the people here.
Author: Nguyen Thi Van
* This article participates in the Mytour Golocal program.
Mytour Golocal is a blog-writing program introducing beautiful destinations across Vietnam. This is a great opportunity to promote local tourism to everyone. For each eligible article, you will receive 800,000 VND and a chance to become a contributor with Mytour. For detailed information about the program, visit: https://www.Mytour/en-vn/golocal
