Buzz
Tà Xùa, a realm not unfamiliar to the adventurous souls, is hailed as the paradise of clouds. Yet, not everyone is fortunate enough to behold the ethereal sea of clouds during their visits. So, what beckons beyond the elusive veils in this land? Join me as we delve into unraveling the essence behind the saying “Tà Xùa goes beyond mere clouds”!
Where is Tà Xùa located?
Nestled in the embrace of Bắc Yên District, Sơn La Province, Tà Xùa is a petite mountain range, merely 240km away from Hanoi, with Mộc Châu, its heart, lying just a little over 100km away.
From Hanoi, depending on the transportation you choose, there are various ways to get there:
As for accommodation, services in Ta Xua are still underdeveloped, so you won't find luxurious modern hotels here. Instead, you can stay at Ta Xua homestays, immersing yourself in the local community's way of life. These homestays offer authentic local cuisine for you to enjoy during your stay.
Our stay at the Peak Ta Xua Homestay during our time here
Lunch at Peak Ta Xua Homestay with unbeatable views
Situated over 2000m above sea level, Ta Xua offers cool summers and relatively cold winters with average temperatures ranging from 3 to 5 degrees Celsius. With such unique location and climate characteristics, each season in Ta Xua presents its own beauty for you to explore.
Clear skies in Ta Xua: What to do, where to go?
Coffee on the high slopes
Under the cold mist, the feeling of sitting beside a warm cup of tea or a hot cocoa is truly something worth trying when you visit this land, isn't it?
Coffee shops in Ta Xua may not be plentiful, but they are enough to captivate wandering travelers. With just a few simple wooden tables and chairs, and a drink that doesn't need to be overly complicated, the scenery of sitting in the open natural space will surely attract anyone lucky enough to experience it.
Ta Xua coffee on a misty afternoon
What could be more wonderful than sipping a warm cup of tea in a space rich with poetry, amidst the majestic Northwest landscape of Ta Xua? Under a veil of mist, we had a beautiful experience on those cold winter days at Mị's Coffee Shop, one of the cafes you must visit when you have the chance to come to Ta Xua!
The truly poetic scenery at Ta Xua coffee shop
Here are some beautiful coffee shops in Ta Xua:
Dusk's Sunset
Amidst the floating clouds, in Ta Xua, if you're lucky, you'll witness the mesmerizing scene of a dusk's sunset. As the sky gradually shifts to vibrant orange, with the last rays of daylight blending with a hint of mist in the highlands, it all creates a stunning landscape painting in this uniquely dense forested mountainous area.
Dusk's Sunset at Ta Xua
I've seen sunsets in many places: sunsets by Tuyen Lam Lake in Da Lat, golden skies like salted eggs in Cao Bang, serene evenings in the last moments of the day in Nha Trang,... But the sunset at Ta Xua is something quite different. The late afternoon sunbeams here bring a sense of leisure and a desire to slow down.
Sitting in anticipation amidst thick fog, the sun emerges at this moment, bringing with it rays of sunlight that scatter the mist, revealing everything in sight. It's a beautiful and eerie twilight.
A Winter Day in the Valley
The roads in Ta Xua twist and turn, filled with rocks and stones, yet beautiful in their own way. Along the way, it's not difficult to come across wildflowers, peaceful forest grass, and wild trees.
Along the road to the dolphin's snout, the winter sky is covered with thick layers of fog. We found the location of the lonely Ta Xua tree. A lone tree with a view overlooking the emerald green river, it may seem like the Nho Que River in Ha Giang at first glance, surely captivating anyone who has the chance to admire it.
The Lonely Tree of Ta Xua
Surrounded by towering mountains and embraced by lush green plains, Ta Xua is a sight to behold. Following the road from the lonely tree back to town, we discovered a valley with vast stretches of grass, slightly faded in color but still retaining the morning dew, brimming with life.
Ta Xua Valley, a Hidden Gem
The Lost Path
Waking up early one morning to find the sky blanketed in fog without a single cloud in sight, both of us silently understood, 'Oh, another failed cloud-hunting trip.' Do we hope for clouds in Ta Xua? Absolutely. But if we don't encounter any, it simply means we haven't had enough fate yet, that Ta Xua is still holding onto us, wanting us to return to this land once more.
We pulled the car out of the homestay, unsure of where to go, only remembering a rocky road, on a motorcycle with two sisters riding together on a foggy and chilly morning.
The foggy and chilly roads of Ta Xua
Around 9-10am, as the sun gradually rises and replaces the thick fog, still on those lost roads, we head back to the homestay to prepare to pack up and return to Hanoi when, from afar, along the roadside, there are 'clusters' of clouds drifting ahead.
Quite serendipitously, we caught sight of the clouds. A miniature sea of clouds amidst Ta Xua on a foggy winter day.
The 'mini sea of clouds' we stumbled upon along the lost roads
A beautiful and charming Ta Xua in its own way, with little corners where you can sit down and be allowed to be lazy for a bit, truly worth experiencing at least once, isn't it?
I love Ta Xua like the way this small town has enveloped me in its cold winter days when all I want to do is curl up. More than once, for sure, I will return to this peaceful place. Peace found in the early morning mists, the cold winter nights, and the days wandering with youth in full swing.
Mytour Golocal is a blog program introducing beautiful destinations across Vietnam as part of the Mytour Go & Share program. This is a great opportunity to promote local tourism to everyone. For each qualifying article, you will receive 800,000 VND and the chance to become a Mytour Contributor. For more details about the program, visit: https://trv.lk/golocal
