Mu Cang Chai is a mountainous district located in Yen Bai province, Vietnam. This particular mountain district is known for having beautiful rice fields on their terraces, which gets harvested during every season ends.
Spectacular rice terraces:
Mu Cang Chai is densely clustered with terrace rice fields extend all across the mountain ranges. These rice terraces are a magnificent marvel of unique beauty and shall captivate the heart of every traveler with everlasting vivid memories.
Best time to visit:
September and October shall be the best months to visit Mu Cang Chai mountain ranges and enjoy the real beauty of rice fields glowing in and around. If you are planning a trip to the mountain ranges during your holidays in May or June, you can still witness the rice fields getting watered to a long stretch and can spend some good time along the mountain range catching up the summer rain. The flashed water on the rice fields do exhibit uncompromising natural beauty of virgin land, which is a rare feast during the summer season.
Best way to reach Mu Cang Chai:
You can reach to the mountain ranges by local road transport from Hanoi which will take about six to seven hours. A tiring journey indeed, but if you can plan your trip with an experienced tour operator, things will be much enjoyable. Tour operators can arrange different mode of conducted/group tours or even private tailor-made tours with individual bilingual tour guides. Hanoi is the nearest boarding station when you travel by road.
There are tons of tour operators providing various travel packages ideal to meet the requirement of every tourist. The three days bus trip to Mu Cang Chai is one such package, where you can reach Mu Cang Chai by boarding a bus from Hanoi, which will be a one and half day trip. Ideally, the tour starts during the night and reach next day afternoon, and you can opt for an outdoor camp stay or rented accommodation, as per your choice.
Take some rest for few hours and then walk over the Mu Cang Chai town to watch the surreal sunset on the backdrop of the mountains. The next day you can wander around the beautiful rice terrace fields on the mountain ranges by bus, or by renting a motorbike. Trekking is another adventurous option to enjoy the full potential of the terrace fields. If you are planning to trek through the mountain, then you must reach the area early in the morning by engaging private transport or should have transport arrangements with the tour operator.
You need to start the trekking before noon then only you can reach the top of the mountain ranges and watch the magnificent sunset. The third day will be the most special day in your life, as you are about to witness the picture perfect sunrise on the far horizon with rich rice field spread like a golden canvas on the foray. For enjoying a seamless tour program, it would be better to engage a professionally managed tour operator, who can serve your better keeping your personal interests.
Make advance booking:
Tourist can enjoy the advance booking facilities offering my many tour operators, who have years of experience in the field with excellent local knowledge. The tour operators can provide you with bilingual guides who can plan your tour trips meticulously and cover most of the picturesque locations, within the short period. Especially, trekking with tour operators is useful, as they can provide informative trekking route maps, which can save you from unexpected eventualities. When you are planning a trip to Mu Cang Chai, make sure to spend quality time and prepare for a minimum 3-day tour, to explore and enjoy the natural beauty.