Heyyooo wasssup Hiver around the world <3
Welcome back to my channellll, Alvin hereee! <3
How is the weather like in your hometown?
I'm living in Viet Nam, a tropical climate country, which only has two seasons: hot, and freaking hot...
Just kidding 😂 we only have rainy season and sunny season. At present, from February to March, the season is changing. The rain almost stopped, it is getting sunny somedays, but the weather still cool and fresh. Now it is the perfect time for us to "săn mây" - "hunting the cloud", it is the phrase that young people in Viet Nam using, to express the action that seeking for some suitable places, usually somewhere at high altitude, such as a peak of a mountain in the middle of a sierra. At a random time of the day, the cloud will be drifting halfway down the mountain, the place where you are standing would be like floating above the cloud... The island on the Sea of Cloud...
This was the first time I witnessed the Sea of Cloud. That was when I visited the White Horse Peak, on Bach Ma National Park, located in the central of Viet Nam, with the altitude is about 1450 meters. I was stunned by the magnificent view.
It would be the best experience if you are there, at the time of sunrise or sunset. You might see the sun getting down on the sea,
but the Sea of Cloud.
This season of this year is at the same time with the Lunar New Year Holidays in Viet Nam, so I took advantage of this chance, and decided to have a journey to the Further North of Viet Nam, where located the mass of gorgeous and marvellous nature: Ha Giang - The North point of Viet Nam with magnificent sierra, Cao Bang - the harmony of moutains, rivers and rice paddies. And the last one, I would like to tell you about today: Tà Xùa - The Cloud Paradise.
Tà Xùa - with its famous landmark: "The Dinosaur's backbone"
Because it is a small trail on top of a high sierra, both sides are the cliffs with few hundred meters deep
Tà Xùa is a small moutainous ward of Bac Yen District, Son La province, which is about 400 kilometers from Ha Noi, the capital of Viet Nam. Because Ta Xua is getting more and more popular as a famous place for young people to come to "hunting the clouds", so it may be accessed easily from Ha Noi.
From Ha Noi to Ta Xua, the bus ticket may be bought from a online platform "vexere.com" with diverse of brand, type of bus and depart time. We took the bus at 8 a.m to Bac Yen District. The bus arrived at 1-2 p.m.
We had a quick lunch at a local restaurant called "Nhà Sàn Quán" with some spelity cuisines, included "Trâu gác bếp - Buffalo meat hanging on kitchen", this is the way local people make this food, I think the technique nearly the same with smoke pork. After that, we hired some motorbikes and drive to Ta Xua, the trip was not too long, only 15 - 25 kilometers, and the road was winding up the mountains with lots of stunning views. I recommend driving on motorbike to Ta Xua - instead of take a taxi or small bus.
The view from the road getting up to Ta Xua. You may see Bac Yen Town down there, interleaved with the mountains are the rice terraces.
Getting further inside the mountains..
For recommendation:
It would be a 2 days 1 night trip from Ha Noi.
Transportation Ha Noi - Bac Yen and return
- The bus Ha Noi - Bac Yen departs from Ha Noi at 7 a.m and arrived ar 1 p.m, which is best matched for you to drive enjoyfully to Ta Xua, because you may stop at lots of place to take photos.
- The bus Bac Yen - Ha Noi departs at 1.30 p.m or 3 p.m and arrives Ha Noi at night. You may take this in the next day.
Motorbike renting:
You may rent at "Dũng Nga" store, the most famous one, also you may book the return bus ticket with them
Stay
There are lots of options, but not available on online platform (booking, agoda,...), only may be seen on google map and facebook (search "Homestay in Ta Xua"), you may call or message directly to book.
You may stay at the central of Ta Xua ward, with crowded population or, I recommend, stay at a homestay near "Dinosaur's Backbone", which is about 15 kilometers from the central, but this is a must-come place to "hunting clouds", so you may have chance to witness both sunset and sunrise on the Sea of Clouds, or , I saw the most dreamy view in my life here. You may see below 😜.
Also, you should book the dinner at the homestay, because Ta Xua is a rural area, most of the people living here are ethnic minority people, not many restaurants to choose at night.
We came to Ta Xua ward at about 3.30 p.m, we decided not to stay at the central, but a homestay near Dinosaur's Backbone, 15 kilometers more, but this was the good decision.
Going further...
And we stayed at a homestay call "Mây - Clouds"
The view from our room
Our homestay at night. It was full of fog and mist.
This trip was the third time I came to Ta Xua.
In the last 2 times, we caught a flight from Da Nang, central Viet Nam, our hometown, to Ha Noi, and rent some motorbikes to drive from here. That were long journeys in about 10 days, we travelled in a loop from Ha Noi, drove a circle from the North East to North West, with total about 1500 kilometers, and came back to Ha Noi, completely by motorbikes, which were really cool.
But this time, the weather was too cool, it was not convenient to drive motorbikes in a long distance, on mountainous area in this cold.
There was no clouds when I had came two times before, but Ta Xua were still beautiful in a charming way...
This is the first time in 2018, I came with 4 other brothers.
GOOOOO GOOOO POWER RANGERRRRRSSSSSSSS
*The second time - in 2019, 1 year before the Covid, 5 guys and 1 girl. She WAS girl friend of my best friend. So jealous at that time. But they DID BREAK UP anyway 😈
At this times, the sky was clear with the warming sunlight and blue clouds. We might see the sunset on the mountain
The sun was setting down leaving behind the mountain...
This time, mostly we travelled by bus, but we got luck :>
After the sunset, the sky was full of fog.
At that time, we couldn't see anything more than 20 meters away.
So we came back the homestay and had dinner which was prepared by the family in the homestay. We got a chicken (which was raised by this family), some beans, and a dish of fishsh, which had been caught from a nearby water stream. That was really delicious!!!
And after the dinner, we decided to go outside and walk around a little bit before going to bed.
Do you remember the world of Peter Pan, with the cargo floating above the Cloud, under the sky full of stars, the moon shining , reflecting on the Sea of Clouds?
There was another island from far away
(Which was another peak of a high mountain)
That was the most dreamy scenery I have ever seen...
We slowly floating to real-life dream... to get ready for the next day...
Our morning started at 5 a.m, we got to go to the Dinosaur's Backbone before the sunrise, because when the sun go up, the base clouds would become fog and flow up. You know, with the weather at 5 degree Celcius on the mountain, it was quite hard for us to get up 😂
From our homestay, we walked about 1 km to go to the top of the farthest point of the Backbone.
Tonight's dinner 😋
From the main road, we turned right to the trail to the Backbone.
That was spring, so there were some peach blossom tree blooming beside the trail
There was some base cloud underneath, at this time, we still didn't know wheather our "hunting clouds" was success or not 😂
There was some local people doing the service to transfer guests from the main road to the Backbone. But why not doing exercise in the morning, right? 💪
If you are confident with your driving skill, you may drive your motorbike to the Backbone by yourshelf. Next time I will try. It looks not too dangerous :3
There was a family bringing their bicycles 😂
The local people waiting to do the transfer service
Even the trail was quite long, but we walked on the top of the sierra, both sides were the deep cliffs. That was amazinggg for a morning exercise!
And finally, we almost got there!
We reach the view point right at the amazing sunlight.
There was some Clouds underneath, and some clouds high above the sky, with the sunlight shining through. That was the Gate to Heaven
There were some other guys came before us, they were chilling and smoking when we came.
After taking this photos, there were more and more people coming, the sun was getting higher, and the clouds turning into fog... I felt so happy that we had got up early that morning :))
More people were waiting to take photos
The sun was getting higher
The cloud turning into fog, just like someone burning fire
It was totally foggy when we left
After a quick breakfast with grilled pork and instant noodles (as usual :))) we checked out our homestay and moved to our next stop.
The fog was quite thick on our way. A bit nervous for us that if we could see anything at our next place, which is a coffee shop called "Mị ơi!"
You know, the Dinosaur' Backbone and our homestay were at about 1500 meters high. And we had to go up to a higher mountain. The "Mị ơi" cafe was near the top, which was at almost 2000 meters high. And, the fog and cloud was beneath us..
The cafe on the Clouds
Is she Mị? I forgot to ask her :)) If you come here, you may ask her :))
"Be slow, be kind, and love"
There was a small area inside the cafe, look quite warm and cozy. But most people sitting outside. In the cold weather, sitting under the sun makes us more comfortable...
Their decoration is really nice with rustic style, the house and most of the decoration are made from wood.
And the view is excelent... Floating on the Heaven...
And the drink, this was the coffee that made me "highest" ever :))
The photo below is not so nice. But this shoes are my best friends. We met each others 5 years ago. It came with me all the way around Viet Nam, we had lots of memories together. But after this trip, it was broken... :( I would like to appriciate and memorize them here... :( Thank you! <3
After finishing our coffee and enjoy the atmostphere, it was 11 a.m, we had to move quickly because the return bus to Ha Noi depart at 1.30 p.m, and we had one more stop before coming back.
Some flash-shots on the road...
And the destination was...
That was a small rock on a cliff, near a famous check-point "Dolphin rock". You know why? Because...
I think it looks more like a whale :))
After that, we walked to a nearby "Lonely tree"
"Don't worry, tree, with me, you are not alone anymore" :))
From the tree, look down is a small water damp
But sorry tree, after some photos, we had to leave you alone again :') because it was 12.30 p.m...
We came back Bac Yen town, to the bus station and returned our motobikes at about 1:25 p.m, right before the bus left 😂 And came back to Ha Noi, at about 8 p.m.
And it was the end of my third trip to Ta Xua. I hope that one day, if you guys and girls decide to travel to Tà Xùa, this post might help you a lot <3
Thank you for coming with me this time <3
Wish you all the best, and see you in my next post <3
Thank you!!! <3 <3 <3
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