Set around 185 kilometers away from Hanoi downtown towards its Northwestern side, Mộc Châu Plateau, Son La Province, is recalled when people think about a serene plateau covered in infinite greenish grass fields and fresh tea plantations. Sitting at 1,050 meters of height above sea level, its rewarding climate condition gives Mộc Châu a full set of spring-like flowers. However, September tends to be the best time to visit this Vietnam’s Northern highland. If your North Vietnam travel plan is coming close, here is why you should make it to Moc Chau Plateau this Autumn!
September – When Mộc Châu reaches its finest beauty with the sunny-color rice paddies
Autumn comes with an exceptionally pleasant weather, which makes it the best time to visit Vietnam’s Northern Highlands, especially when the magnificent terrace fields start to turn golden. Paying a visit to Moc Chau Plateau during this time allows you to contemplate a heaven-like image of natural Northwest rice fields spotted scattering ethnic villages. Other than that, taking a long walk through the greenish tea plantations and losing your way amid the blossom of wild sunflowers can bring your Instagram feed to a whole new level with stunning pictures.
The moment in between September and October each year has become the best time to visit North Vietnam for both professional and amateur photographers coming from across the country to chase up here for a monetized madness of awesome photos. Native backpackers loving adventures seize this occasion to reach here on the scooters after sneaking through the curving thoroughfares from the down-land delta. If you find yourself get stuck in a mess of North Vietnam travel alternatives, grab this advice now!
Moc Chau Plateau (Source: Google)
The ripening rice is scattering throughout lengthy winding rice fields, which are created in an overlapping form against one another. Admiring from afar, the whole scene captured seems to be an endless stairway to heaven. Your further steps around spot out several stilt-houses in an ethnic H’mong village. Those are all enclosed by the gigantic mountainous ranges and forests. Because of such, Moc Chau Vietnam has been a newly emerging venue for newly-wed couples come over for a memorable wedding photoshoot. This utmost poetic and dream-like landscapes have made Mộc Châu a real highlight paradise in the Northwestern face of the Red River Delta.
Mộc Châu tea plantation (Image: Google)
September – When an ethnic group in Vietnam share their own New Year
Tết Độc Lập is a common term referred to a unique festival celebrated annually by an ethnic community in Northwestern Vietnam, the H’mong. This local colloquial can be literally translated into “a New Year of Independence”, or let’s say, Independence Festival. Each year, the H’mong welcome two biggest events, Lunar New Year, which is widely known to fall on the first date of Lunar calendar, whilst Independence Festival arrives at the end of August and beginning of September. This section of time is such a great opportunity for H’mong villagers put on their best colorful outfits and hang out. People tend to gather at the central local markets in Mộc Châu downtown to celebrate the festival by dining and associating.
Independent Festival (Image: Google)
The best part of the Independent Festival mainly comes from a wide range of outdoor activities, which are held and preserved as a method of maintaining an own long-lasting culture. These are always welcomed and supported by both natives and outlander visitors. Ball-throwing is the most well-known game, in which the ball is made out of different pieces of cloths and stuffed with cotton flowers. Ball-throwing is known as Ném Pao in Vietnamese, in which “Pao” is supposed to play its part as a soft cotton ball. The “Pao” itself has lived on in cultural belief as an evidence, or icon of love. Tết Độc Lập, on the other hand, is also a good point of time for the young male locals to measure their strength against one another through common outdoor games, especially, the tug of war.
Locals playing Ném Pao (Image: Google)
Autumn each year in Moc Chau Vietnam is highly famed for another enchanting sensation, the buckwheat flowers. Buckwheat flowers in Mộc Châu have greatly captured young travelers’ attention these days thanks to its simple beauty yet bearing a strength to cling your steps forever.
Buckwheat flowers (Image: Google)
Where in Mộc Châu that serve the finest beauty?
- Đông Sang Commune
- Mộc Sương Plantation
- Dải Yếm Fall
- Pha Luông Peak
- Bá Phách Ethnic Village
The art of North Vietnam travel has never been so easy and eye-catching when Mộc Châu, a part of Sơn La Province was marked on the map of travelers. Those factors above prove a fact that nowhere in the rest of the country is able to give you such an exceptional fusion of plateau beauty and H’mong unique culture as Mộc Châu can. Pack your bags and head straight to Mộc Châu right now!
Yennie Nguyen
Interesting travel ideas in Vietnam when Autumn comes:
- Which Vietnam destinations should you visit when October comes?
- A diversified and vivid outlook of Vietnam’s Full-moon Festival
- The ultimate guide for your trip to the Northwest of Vietnam
