A/ Overview
General information
Map
B/ Highlights:
1. Paradise of peach and plum flower
2. Winter cress flower plateau
3. 200-year-old Shan Tuyet tea
4. Moc Chau tea hills
5. Dai Yem waterfall
6. Hang doi (Bat cave)
7. Ban Ang pine forest
8. Independence festival
9. Strawberry garden
C/ Where to stay
D/ Speciality
E/ Getting there
F/ Other pictures
G/ Video
A/ Overview
Together with Dong Van karst plateau global geopark of Ha Giang province, Moc Chau district of Son La province is the destination where I love to come back more and more!
Dalat in Central highland is well-known as the city of flower. But right here in Moc Chau, its the paradise of peach and plum flower. When sping comes, Moc Chau becomes a world of white and pink colours.
You are a tea lover? And you would like to discover Vietnamese tea culture? Come to Moc Chau. With temperate climate around the year, Moc Chau plateau is ideal for planting good tea. Especially Moc Chau has hundreds of tall tea trees which are more than 100 years old.
In November, many Hanoi people drive motorbike to Moc Chau. Its one of the most beautiful seasons of the year when winter cress flower fields become shining golden carpets. Its a great source of creation for photographers. And many young couples come here to take memorable wedding pictures.
Moc Chau also has some lovely waterfalls, a few impressive karst caves. And the town itself is home to many white Thai who still stay in traditional stilt houses...
In November, many Hanoi people drive motorbike to Moc Chau. Its one of the most beautiful seasons of the year when winter cress flower fields become shining golden carpets. Its a great source of creation for photographers. And many young couples come here to take memorable wedding pictures.
Moc Chau also has some lovely waterfalls, a few impressive karst caves. And the town itself is home to many white Thai who still stay in traditional stilt houses...
General information
Located in Son La province, Northwest Vietnam, at a distance of 180 kilometers from Hanoi city, Moc Chau plateau is 1,050 meters above the sea level, with an area of about 80 kilometers in length and 25 kilometers in width. Its average temperature is 16 - 26oC.
There are two small towns in Moc Chau: Thi tran Moc Chau (Moc Chau town) and Thi tran nong truong Moc Chau (Moc Chau farm town).
Tourists should stay in Thi tran Moc Chau which is on national highway number 6. From here its just 2km to Ban Ang pine forest and 5km to Dai Yem waterfall. The Bat cave (hang doi) is in the center of the town too.
Tourists should stay in Thi tran Moc Chau which is on national highway number 6. From here its just 2km to Ban Ang pine forest and 5km to Dai Yem waterfall. The Bat cave (hang doi) is in the center of the town too.
Map
Moc Chau plateau with Moc Chau town and Moc Chau farm town belongs to Son La province.
Son La province share borders with: Yen Bai, Lai Chau provinces in the North; Phu Tho and Hoa Binh provinces in the East; Dien Bien province in the West; Laos in the South
B/ Highlights
1. Paradise of peach and plum flower
Pics: vietnamguidebook
Green plum gardens in late September. From January, everywhere in Moc Chau is in white colour, romantically speaking, its the snow of spring!
Pics: vietnamguidebook
Pic: mocchauxanh.com
2. Winter cress flower plateau
Moc Chau becomes a golden plateau in the end of October and early November when winter cress flower fields blooming everywhere. Beautiful as a picture, Moc Chau draws a lot of visitors, especially young Hanoians and photographers who come here by motorbikes.
Standing, seating, walking along the vast winter cress flower fields stretching to the green mountains, listening the quietness and enjoying the purity to feel how beautiful the life is!
“There is one winter cress season
Blooming along the riverside.
Im in my girlhood.
Not married yet...
Just waiting for you!”
(Poem: Nghiem Thi Hang. Translated by myself)
Note:
1. Please take care of winter cress flower fields when visiting as they are one of the main incomes of local ethnic minority people, mostly Mong and Thai. And it’s better to ask for entering permission.
There are many reports of local farmers getting angry with some travellers who thought that "the fields are theirs and trample down the fields!". Some local farmers, therefore, ask for visiting field's fee (10,000 VND up)
2. The most beautiful areas of winter cress flower fields:
* Ban Ang pine forest which is home to ethnic Thai people. Ban Ang village is about 2km from center of Moc Chau town.
* Ba Phach village which is home to Mong people. The winter cress flower fields are most beautiful with presence of Mong women/children in colourful cothing.
* On the way to Dai Yem waterfall
* Around Sao Xanh hotel on highway number 6 which is about 3km from center of Moc Chau town
3. 200-year-old Shan Tuyet tea
Tan, a young Thai in 20, invited me to his house as I passed by his village of Cho Long commune in a late afternoon of September. He and his mother just finished a day work in Moc Chau tea company.
When a guest visits a Vietnamese family, the host will start the story with a hot tea pot . As Tan's house ran out of famous Oolong tea, he asked me if I would like to taste some Shan Tuyet tea? "How lucky I am!" I thought. I came to Cho Long commune to see Shan Tuyet ancient tea and didnt expect that I would have chance to enjoy it.
Tan came to the back of the house. There stood two tall big tea trees with bold green leaves. Tan told me that when his grandfather was a child, the trees were there already. They should be over 100 years old and still grew up well naturally without using any chemical/fertilizer.
The sun came down and the outside street became darker and darker. I enjoyed Shan tuyet tea while Tan were playing a great song with flute. How warm it was on a cold night on Moc Chau plateau! I knew I would come back someday.
There are still more than 500 Shan Tuyet ancient tea trees in Cho Long commune of Moc Chau plateau. According to local people, most of them are about 200 years old with 4 - 5m tall and grow up totally naturally.
Cho Long commune is home to Thai people who still stay in traditional wooden houses. Its about 13km from Moc Chau farm town (same way to Taiwan heart-shaped tea hills)
Shan Tuyet tea garden
Flowers of Shan Tuyet tea
4 - 5m tall and quite big trunk
Tan with his family's Shan Tuyet tea tree
A cup of hot Shan Tuyet tea
Pics: vietnamguidebook
4. Moc Chau tea hills
Moc Chau is home to Vietnam’s one of the largest tea plateaux.
Among the teas produced in Moc Chau are Oolong, Kim Tuyen and Shan Tuyet...Tea leaves are harvested for nine months of the year, from April to December. It is commonly believed that the tea leaves picked in April give the best-tasting tea because the very first leaves of the harvest season have had four months to rest and contain valuable extracts. The leaves are picked from 9am to 3pm – considered the best time of the day.
There are two famous tea companies in Moc Chau: Moc Chau tea company (Cong ty che Moc Chau) with more than 1,000ha and Taiwan tea company with lovely heart-shaped and S-shaped tea hills.
Moc Chau tea company often welcomes Vietnamese tour groups who come here to join tea tour on its vast tea gardens. “I have been picking in the fields, processing the tea, and now enjoying the final product. For me, drinking the tea that I have helped to make is just fabulous. And I am sure that my friends will be jealous when they hear my story”. Thu, a tea lover from Hanoi, told Vietnam News.
Much more beautiful, in my opinion and feeling, Taiwan tea company with vast green tea hills in many sizes and shapes, is a favorite destination of many couples and young bikers. They come here to take pictures in the heart-shaped tea garden or enjoy driving motorbike from a tea hill to other ones along S-shaped dirt roads... And for me, slowly walking along these tea hills in a cold late afternoon was one of the great experiences that I had during 25 days in the North Vietnam.
Location: Moc Chau tea companyis in Moc Chau farm town
Taiwan heart-shaped tea hills is 13km from Moc Chau farm town
(With some information from Vietnam News)
Taiwan tea hills
Moc Chau tea company
5. Dai Yem waterfall
Dai Yem waterfall comprises of falls at a height of more than 100m. There is one lake under the fall which is always clean and clear all year round.
The waterfall looks most impressive from April to September. During this time, with adequate water, the width of the waterfall can expand up to 70 metres.
Location: The waterfall is 6km from the center of Moc Chau town and 32km from Vietnam - Laos border named Long Sap
Attention: Its dangerous to swim in the lake. There were some dead people reports
Entrance fee: Free.
Motorbike parking: 5,000VND (by some local houses near waterfall. The fall is below the road surface)
Attention: Its dangerous to swim in the lake. There were some dead people reports
Entrance fee: Free.
Motorbike parking: 5,000VND (by some local houses near waterfall. The fall is below the road surface)
Pics: vietnamguidebook
6. Hang doi (Bat cave)
This 6,915m2 cave is located in central Moc Chau town, next to Highway 6. You will take hundreds of steps to reach the cave’s gate. From the gate, looking down is Moc Chau town with surrounding green mountains. On the ceiling of the cave hang stalactites, many of which are 20m high and nearly touch the ground.
During French colonial period and Vietnam war, the cave was used to stay and store weapon by Viet Minh - Vietnam nationalist forces
7. Ban Ang pine forest
This 43ha young pine forest is a favorite destination of many Vietnamese tourists. Home to Thai people, it still has many traditional stilt houses, some are used as guesthouses with basic standard.
Ban Ang pine forest is just 2km from the center of Moc Chau town.
Pine forest and the small lake
Pine forest and rice fields of Thai people
8. Independence festival (02th September)
On Vietnam’s
National Day, the Independence Festival has been held since the early
1960’s by the ethnic groups in the northern mountainous district of Moc
Chau, Son La Province. On these festive days, the streets in Moc Chau Town
are a rainbow of colour due to brocade attires of the ethnic people.
The sounds of panpipes are heard everywhere, urging people living on the
plateau to go to the festival to enjoy the programmes of artistic
performance and activities of the local ethnic people.
At
the Independence Festival of this year people of 29 communes and towns
of Moc Chau District were engulfed in a jubilant atmosphere where folk
games and traditional dances of the Thai, Mong, Dao and other ethnic
groups, full of their distinctive cultural identities are organized.
The
Independence Festival in Moc Chau District has become a festival of
solidarity, attracting thousands of visitors from all parts of the
country.
The Mong ethnic people in Long Luong Commune practise spinning and weaving linen fabrics.
The Dao ethnic people in To Mua Commune perform a traditional dance of the Dao Tien group.
Tug-of-war competition.
A dance of solidarity by ethnic people living on Moc Chau Plateau
A competition of pounding steam sticky rice to make Banh day (round cake).
(According to Vietnam Pictorial: http://vietnam.vnanet.vn/VNP/en-US/18/1157/Default.aspx)
9. Strawberry garden (according to Vnexpress)
Where: Near Ban Ang pine forest
Pictures: Vnexpress
C/ Where to stay
There are some basic guesthouses and hotels in Moc Chau town and Moc Chau farm town. Because Moc Chau town is on highway number 6 and the buses from Hanoi and Dien Dien Phu pass by it, its convinient to stay here.
All the guesthouses and hotels listed below are located in Moc Chau town
Pay 150,000VND up (7SUD) you will have a basic clean room in a guesthouse with air-con, Tivi, fan, hot shower
Pay 300,000VND up (15USD), you have a better room with fridge, bathtub, Tivi, hot shower in a big hotel.
Sao Xanh is the best and only 3-star hotel of the town. Its about 4km from town's center.
The research was done in the end of September 2012.
Please note that the room rate can be increased during weekend and winter cress flower season, as well as holiday as Moc Chau see more local tourists from Hanoi.
1/ Son Sao hotel
Address: Tieu Khu 9, Moc Chau town
Tel: 0223 867 242 - 0168 382 8565
Room rate: 180,000VND up (9USD)
Overview: This small hotel has basic rooms with fan, hot shower, Tivi. Friendly.
Minus: There is a lot of dust in the rooms!
Minus: There is a lot of dust in the rooms!
Pictures:
Pics: vietnamguidebook
2/ Mat Troi guesthouse
Address: Tieu khu 4, Moc Chau town
Tel: 0223 867 867 - 0914 867 867
Room rate: 180,000VND (9USD)
Overview: This small guesthouse has basic clean rooms with fan, Tivi, hot shower
Pictures:
Pics: vietnamguidebook
3/ Hong Nhung guesthouse
Address: Tieu Khu 13, Moc Chau town
Tel: 0223 766 789 - 0915 008 456 - 0163 5773 888
Email: nhinhmc@gmail.com
Room rate: 150,000VND (7USD)
Overview: Basic clean rooms with hot shower, Tivi, fan, friendly
Pics: vietnamguidebook
4/ (My 1st pick) 302 guesthouse
Address: Tieu khu 10, Moc Chau town
Tel: 0912 462 220 - 0912 848 639
Room rate: 200,000VND (10USD)
Overview: This large guesthouse has big clean rooms with hot shower, fan, Tivi
Bonus:
Pictures:
5/ Huong Sen hotel
Address: Tieu khu 7, Moc Chau town
Tel: 0223 866 174 - 0937 838 888
Room rate: 300,000VND up (15USD)
Overview: This 2-star hotel has big and nice rooms with hot shower, bathtub, fridge, Tivi
Pictures:
6/ (My 2nd pick) Sao Xanh hotel
Address: Tieu khu 14, Nguyen Luong Bang street, Moc Chau town (about 4km from town's center)
Tel/Fax: 0223 789 999 - 0223 789 666 - 0223 868 979
Email: saoxanhmocchau@gmail.com
Website: www.saoxanh.vn
Room rate: 350,000VND up (with buffet breakfast)
Overview: This new 3-star hotel is the best one of the town. Rooms are big and nice with hot shower, bathtub, Tivi. Lift. Rent motorbike
Pictures:
Pics: vietnamguidebook
7/ Hoang Giang guesthouse
Address: Ban Ang village, Moc Chau town (2km from town's center)
Tel: 0122 833 6958 - 0169 792 8611
Room rate: 50,000VND/person (stilt house, shared room and bathroom); 300,000VND (15USD/private room)
Overview: Thic very basic guesthouse belongs to a ethnic Thai family. The rooms are very very basic. Pick for its nice garden and location (some steps to pine forest)
Pictures:
D/ Speciality
Thousands of cows from the Netherlands are raised on 14,000ha grass-lands of Moc Chau plateau. They provide fresh milk to Hanoi and to other provinces for producing tinned milk, yoghurt and other milk products.
Pics: vietnamguidebook
Plum fruit in April
Pic: vietnamguidebook
E/ Getting there
Distance: Moc Chau town is 180km from Hanoi city. (4 - 5 hours by bus)
Bus station: Many daily buses leave My Dinh bus station of Hanoi city for Son La city and pass by Moc Chau town.
Coming back to Hanoi: In front of your hotel on highway number 6, pick any bus going from Son La city to Hanoi
Bus fare: 120,000VND (6USD)
Note: From Dien Bien Phu bus station, there are some buses leaving at 4:30AM for Hanoi city. The buses pass by Moc Chau town at about 12:00 noon. You can pick some buses from Moc Chau to Dien Bien Phu city on highway number 6
G/ Video
Moc Chau in winter cress flower season (Video of PYS travel)
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