This morning we depart Hanoi for a 5.5 hour road journey to the Tu Le valley in Yen Bai province.

Once leaving the main township of Nghia Lo through to Tu Le the road passes through beautiful scenery of the Hoang Lien Son mountain range with sweeping views of vast rice plantations being planted or nurtured depending on the month of travel.

The township of Tu Le is small but surrounded by an ethereal landscape that provides an ideal base for the next few days to explore the dramatic rice terraces of Mu Cang Chai and vicinity. Our accommodation, the comfortable and pleasant Le Cham Tu Le Resort, is the best lodge in the region.

We check in and enjoy a late lunch at the property. On a hot afternoon we may like to cool down with a swim at the pool overlooking the valley below before we begin our exploration of the area. On cooler days, the local thermal pools will beckon.

From Tu Le, a short 5km road journey takes us to Lim Mong where we descend into the valley and follow endless trails through rice fields and village farming communities.

The road to Lim Mong crosses a Thai ethnic village near the Nam Co stream, in accordance with the customary settlement and living of the Thai people, near the source of water.

A dirt road on the other side of the water takes us to Liang Mong (this can be hard to transverse after and during heavy rain so our plans may alternate on the day). At the flank of the mountains here are H’mong villages who go about their day tending to the fields. In the harvest season, we will will be distracted by the unparalleled beauty of the area.

In the late afternoon the wind rustles the waves of rice. Young children call each other bringing the buffalo home and H’Mong women carry their young children back to the village. Visitors are few and far between in these parts but the local villages are always welcoming. Whilst there is no fixed agenda here, we take our time wandering through the fields and stopping to chat to passers by. As the sun fades behind the mountains we take our short journey back to Tu Le and enjoy an evening at the lodge.

Note: We always recommend a third day in these mountainous regions, only for the reason that weather conditions can change quickly and one rainy day can turn into a hot dry one the next so we have a higher degree of flexibility in changing plans to ensure the maximum enjoyment and experience from this program.

If we hadn’t been able to visit Che Cu Nha village yesterday, we will plan to do so today and continue our exploration of the Mu Cang Chai region. The third most spectacular village area is De Xu Phinh where additional walks can be arranged. These two villages themselves incorporate over 700 hectares of terraced rice fields, ablaze in golden yellow as the fields are harvested.

These rice terraces are a mighty system of irrigation and water management that are fiercely rooted in the depths of the Hmong culture. The water in the terraces comes from the upper streams and waterfalls.

When there are low points in the mountain, it is important to overcome this problem by moving the water from the highest places. The bamboo is then cut in half and used as a means of transferring water by natural gravity to the terrace.

According to the experience of the Hmong people in this matter, the water is routed to the first terrace and then an east opening to irrigate the lower terrace.

This process avoids flooding the fields and preserves the fertility of the soil. This type of agriculture has allowed the Hmong to increase the cultivable area on steep and rugged mountainous terrain and better conserve water. Further insight into daily life and cultural exchanges will be a rich part of our experience today as we continue to explore the H’mong and lowland Thai villages of the region. 

Mu Cang Chai is not all rice terraces and bucolic villages however. Located 20kms from town lies a 60 year old bamboo forest with hundreds of thousands of trees standing straight like a real-life swordplay movie scene. Located in Pung Luong commune, the forest covers an area of more than one hectare and is unspoilt (although popular for local visitors). Paths, steps and walkways guide us through the depth of the forest.

Note: As the road here can be impassable after rain a visit here only remains optional on the day. Return to Tu Le in the late afternoon for some pool time or perhaps lounging on your private deck watching the sun fade across the golden valley below.