Mu Cang Chai Three Day Motorbike Loop
No one realises how beautiful it is to travel until they arrive home and rest their head on their old, familiar pillow.
Experience code: EthosMuCangChai
Road trip details:
- Total Distance: 330 km
- Duration: 3 days
- Route: a round-trip between Sapa & Mu Cang Chai on mountain passes and vast river valleys
- Road Conditions: good mountain highways & loose surface back-roads.
- Travel Style: - Cultural immersion and active adventure
- Scenery: highland valleys, mountains, rice paddies, tea plantations, caves forests & rivers.
Background:
South of Sapa, the high mountainous peaks and forest, give way to rice terraces, fruit trees and green tea plantations. The magnificent highway 4 provides the link between these dramatic landscapes. Creating a scenic three day loop, starting and ending in Sapa via the lowland plains of Tan Uyen, this road trip is a great way to explore the great variety of Vietnam's north west region. With emerald green tea plantations provide year round vibrancy, while the magnificent rice terraces change through the seasons.
Mù Cang Chải is a spectacular district famous for its highland scenery and rice terraces. It is a highland district of Yen Bai province in the north adjoining Van Ban district of Lao Cai province. The special topography, with steep hills and deep valleys have led to local ethnic minority residents such as the Hmong, Thai, Dao creating master-pieces of land manipulation. The curving terraces, although man-made, appear to be in complete harmony with the landscape, creating a hypnotic patterning across the hills and valleys.
The rice fields have been recognised as national heritage by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. The terraces stretch across 2,200 hectares of the mountainside as narrow steps ranging from between 1m and 1.5m wide. Pine forests and mountain streams dominate the none cultivated zones making the region stunning for trekking, photography and exploration.
South of Sapa, the high mountainous peaks and forest, give way to rice terraces, fruit trees and green tea plantations. The magnificent highway 4 provides the link between these dramatic landscapes. Creating a scenic three day loop, starting and ending in Sapa via the lowland plains of Tan Uyen, this road trip is a great way to explore the great variety of Vietnam's north west region. With emerald green tea plantations provide year round vibrancy, while the magnificent rice terraces change through the seasons.
Mù Cang Chải is a spectacular district famous for its highland scenery and rice terraces. It is a highland district of Yen Bai province in the north adjoining Van Ban district of Lao Cai province. The special topography, with steep hills and deep valleys have led to local ethnic minority residents such as the Hmong, Thai, Dao creating master-pieces of land manipulation. The curving terraces, although man-made, appear to be in complete harmony with the landscape, creating a hypnotic patterning across the hills and valleys.
The rice fields have been recognised as national heritage by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. The terraces stretch across 2,200 hectares of the mountainside as narrow steps ranging from between 1m and 1.5m wide. Pine forests and mountain streams dominate the none cultivated zones making the region stunning for trekking, photography and exploration.
The Three Day Program:
Day 1:
Meet with your guide and depart from Sapa by motorcycle. As we travel over the highest mountain pass in Vietnam, we will leave the tourists behind and travel through a number of villages home to the Hmong, Thai and Lu ethnic minority groups. Around an hour from Sapa is the option of visiting Fairy Cave, and an ancient temple within the cave system.
Next, we turn towards the lowland plains and green tea plantations of Tan Uyen. After lunch, we will continue through beautiful forested valleys and along the Nam River towards our destination.
We anticipate arriving at our destination in the early evening. Accommodation for two nights will be with the Hmong tribe in local long houses. Rooms are basic, but comfortable, with a mattress, warm blankets and a mosquito net. There are western toilets, warm showers and wifi connectivity.
Total travel time is approximately 5 hours excluding breaks and stop offs.
Optional Extra: In the evening, there is the option of studying batik with Hmong artisans.
Day 2:
La Pan Tan village (bản La Pán Tẩn) is a rural village and the region has most beautiful terraces in Mu Cang Chai district. The rice terrace fields in La Pan Tan village have been recognised as national heritage owing to their steepness and technical engineering. Day two is more active with an early start and a mountain trek before lunch in a Hmong tribal village. Morning starts with a short motorcycle ride to our trekking point. There will be steep climb through maize plantations to an altitude of around 2000 meters and stunning views from the mountain tops. We will then loop back down towards our lunch stop via a beautiful waterfall and the opportunity to bathe on a warm day. Lunch will be shared with a local family before a walk down to our homestay through the rice terraces. The trek can vary between 4km and 14km.
Day 3:
After breakfast, we will start our return journey to Sapa along the Nam River. We will lunch with the Thai ethnic minority in the Phieng Phat area of Tan Uyen, also home of geothermal hot springs. Arrival back in Sapa should correspond with seeing the late afternoon sun at the famed Heavens Gate.
Climate:
Weather is always difficult to predict in the Mù Cang Chải region, but spring (March-May) and autumn (September-October) are probably the best months for warmth, light, and colour. These periods offer pleasant temperatures and limited till less rainfall. Temperatures and rainfall is unevenly distributed due to varying topography. The northern region of the province experiences a long winter with low temperatures, mist and rare frosts.
Day 1:
Meet with your guide and depart from Sapa by motorcycle. As we travel over the highest mountain pass in Vietnam, we will leave the tourists behind and travel through a number of villages home to the Hmong, Thai and Lu ethnic minority groups. Around an hour from Sapa is the option of visiting Fairy Cave, and an ancient temple within the cave system.
Next, we turn towards the lowland plains and green tea plantations of Tan Uyen. After lunch, we will continue through beautiful forested valleys and along the Nam River towards our destination.
We anticipate arriving at our destination in the early evening. Accommodation for two nights will be with the Hmong tribe in local long houses. Rooms are basic, but comfortable, with a mattress, warm blankets and a mosquito net. There are western toilets, warm showers and wifi connectivity.
Total travel time is approximately 5 hours excluding breaks and stop offs.
Optional Extra: In the evening, there is the option of studying batik with Hmong artisans.
Day 2:
La Pan Tan village (bản La Pán Tẩn) is a rural village and the region has most beautiful terraces in Mu Cang Chai district. The rice terrace fields in La Pan Tan village have been recognised as national heritage owing to their steepness and technical engineering. Day two is more active with an early start and a mountain trek before lunch in a Hmong tribal village. Morning starts with a short motorcycle ride to our trekking point. There will be steep climb through maize plantations to an altitude of around 2000 meters and stunning views from the mountain tops. We will then loop back down towards our lunch stop via a beautiful waterfall and the opportunity to bathe on a warm day. Lunch will be shared with a local family before a walk down to our homestay through the rice terraces. The trek can vary between 4km and 14km.
Day 3:
After breakfast, we will start our return journey to Sapa along the Nam River. We will lunch with the Thai ethnic minority in the Phieng Phat area of Tan Uyen, also home of geothermal hot springs. Arrival back in Sapa should correspond with seeing the late afternoon sun at the famed Heavens Gate.
Climate:
Weather is always difficult to predict in the Mù Cang Chải region, but spring (March-May) and autumn (September-October) are probably the best months for warmth, light, and colour. These periods offer pleasant temperatures and limited till less rainfall. Temperatures and rainfall is unevenly distributed due to varying topography. The northern region of the province experiences a long winter with low temperatures, mist and rare frosts.
Notes:
Whilst Sapa is a famous mountain retreat, enormously popular with Vietnamese and foreign tourists. Mu Cang Chai is off the beaten track. As a result, homestay accommodation is comfortable, but quite basic. Rooms are small with reasonable sized beds, firm mattresses and mosquito nets. There are hot showers and western style toilets.
Food options are limited but fresh local ingredients ensures that quality is high. Expect rice and noodle based meals for the duration of the trip.
Costs:
Whilst Sapa is a famous mountain retreat, enormously popular with Vietnamese and foreign tourists. Mu Cang Chai is off the beaten track. As a result, homestay accommodation is comfortable, but quite basic. Rooms are small with reasonable sized beds, firm mattresses and mosquito nets. There are hot showers and western style toilets.
Food options are limited but fresh local ingredients ensures that quality is high. Expect rice and noodle based meals for the duration of the trip.
Costs:
