Mu Cang Chai, Land of the Most Beautiful Terraced Rice Fields in Vietnam in 3 Days
Overview
You will discover exotic nature and sublime terraced rice fields in Nghia Lo, Tu Le, and Mu Cang Chai. You will meet mountain tribes that still preserve ancestral customs and traditions.
This 3-day itinerary will take you to off-the-beaten-path destinations and the most beautiful terraced rice fields in Vietnam: those of Mu Cang Chai. You will encounter mountain tribes, dressed in their traditional costumes, who still preserve ancient customs and traditions.
- Meetings with various warm ethnic minorities and the discovery of the ancestral way of life of ethnic minorities: Dzao, H'mong, Thai...
- Grand mountain panoramas & Terraced rice fields carved on the slopes of the mountains in Mu Cang Chai and Tu Le.
- Bath in the thermal water in the pool or using the Japanese Onsen method.
Itinerary Expand All
Day 1Hanoi – Nghia Lo, Land Of The Black Thai (L, D)
Drive to the Northern mountains, explore tea culture, and life in the Muong and Black Thai ethnicities.
8:00 AM: Depart for Nghia Lo, taking National Road 32. Crossing the river will lead you to Thanh Son, where you will meet a family with a tea plantation. They will guide you through all the steps of tea processing before consumption. Further along, a second stop will allow you to discover water wheels, an original irrigation method in the ethnic communities of Northern Vietnam. After lunch at a local restaurant, you will then hit the road to Nghia Lo. If your trip coincides with the blooming period of longan flowers, a visit to a beekeeper will offer you the chance to taste excellent lemon honey tea. You will arrive in Nghia Lo in the mid-afternoon, and upon arrival, you'll take a bike or walking tour to explore the rice fields and villages of the surrounding Black Thai ethnicity. In this region, houses on stilts are constructed from wood and bamboo. Overnight in Nghia Lo.
Day 2Nghia Lo - Mu Cang Chai, Journey Through The Most Beautiful Terraced Rice Fields (B, L, D)
Breakfast Your morning will begin with a visit to the Nghia Lo market, and then you will head towards Mu Cang Chai, the paradise of terraced rice fields.
Visit a village inhabited by the Dzao ethnic group. Stop at the wooded Khau Pha Pass for a stunning panorama of the Khau Pha Valley. Your driver will then take you to Mu Cang Chai, at the heart of terraced rice fields classified as a National Landscape Heritage in 2007. This is where the legendary photographers' route begins, passing through the villages of La Pan Tan, Che Cu Nha, and De Su Phinh. Several stops will be made for beautiful photos and to admire the artistic works of terraced rice fields sculpted by Hmong farmers from generation to generation. Residing on these lands for over a century, the H'mong people are deeply attached to their culture. Dressed in traditional attire and speaking their own dialect, they have acquired the expertise to live in complete autonomy. They cultivate corn and rice for themselves and their animals, and flax for sewing their clothes. You will meet numerous villagers who will introduce you to their culture. Overnight in Mu Cang Chai
Day 3Mu Cang Chai - Tu Le – Hanoi (B, L)
Terraced rice fields of Tu Le, Thai ethnic groups, journey back to Hanoi
Breakfast On the way to Hanoi, a stop in Tu Le for a short hike will allow you to admire the beauty of the landscapes and visit the typical villages of It Ong and Lim Thaïs where the Thai ethnic group resides. In September, you can see the locals making sticky rice, a specialty of Tu Le. Lunch in Tu Le Then, on the way back to Hanoi. You will arrive in Hanoi in the late afternoon.
Prices and Accommodation
How to book?
Enter your travel date, the number of adults, and the language
Click "Book this tour" for price, then "Book now" to reserve.
"Pricing is for up to 6 adults. For larger groups, please request a customized offer in your 'special requests'
Included
- Transfers according to the program in a private vehicle with a driver for your group ONLY
- Meals as mentioned in the program: B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner
- English-speaking guide
- Entrance fees to the visited sites
- One liter of bottled water per day per person
Excluded
- Travelers' personal insurance
- Bank charges
- Drinks, telephone, personal expenses, and anything not clearly mentioned in the section "What is included"
- Tips
- Surcharge during public holidays (if any)
Useful Information
- Safety equipment: bring hiking shoes, a flashlight, and mosquito repellent. Sunscreen between April and November, warm clothing during winter (mid-November to early March), towel, and toiletry kit.
- Mu Cang Chai has only one harvest between June and September, experiencing two beautiful seasons conducive to visits: from mid-September to mid-October, it is the season of ripe rice. Mu Cang Chai adorns itself with the golden attire of its heavy and yellow ears; harvesting takes place. It is the ideal time. After the harvest, the terraced fields lose none of their splendor, but they remain empty until the following spring.
- In May-June, during the rainy season, water from the mountains flows to the terraces. Fields are irrigated, once arid soils soak up water and soften again, buffalo plow the rice fields, and replanting work can begin anew.
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