Ta Xua - Cloud Paradise - Tips for hunting Cloud Sea

Ta Xua, Son La, VietNam – Cloud Paradise – Tips for Cloud Hunting.

A, Experience for Cloud Hunting

Before sharing the details of Cloud hunting in Ta Xua, which is a mountain in the North-West of Vietnam, I would like to tell you about cloud creation. It is very important to know about it, otherwise you will not see any clouds in Ta Xua.

1. Cloud basically means the mass visible water vapor floating in the atmosphere, meaning that in the perfect condition of weather and atmosphere pressure, clouds will be created. Normally between 3 and 22 degree C, if it is too low, it will be ice or snow.
2. In Vietnam, it is the sub-tropical climate, such perfect weather for the creation of clouds on the sky, especially in the winter in northern area in Vietnam such as Son La province, Yen Bai Province, Lao Cai province. In Vietnam forest or jungle, there are many valleys, streams and small rivers keeping a lot of water inside themselves, just waiting for perfect weather to become clouds.
3. The system of tropical mountains in Vietnam with low wind will help to trap the clouds in valley so perfect.

There are many famous places for cloud watching: Dat Lat, Y Ty, Sin Ho, Ka Lang, Moc Chau, Ta ua, Dien Bien, O Qui Ho, Khau Pha. However, the closest place to Hanoi, the Capital of Vietnam, is Ta Xua

Preparation of hunting Cloud (by motorbike)

1. Always check the weather forecast for the next days. The perfect condition would be: little raining the day before, low temperature, high humidity, then sunshine the day after.
2. you should check the direction and place which are suitable for camping and watching the sunrise or sunset.
3. A good motorbike, like Honda Wave RS, or Honda RSX or Italy Motorbike is good.
4. Time: Most of us are lucky because we are taking advantage of vacation time or take leave to go. May is unfortunately missed. But if the photographers want to hunt for the clouds, you need to prepare everything plus always give yourself a certain time in the cloud season to be able to hit as soon as convergence factors. Talking about the cloud season, it must be added that the cloud season is usually in the winter, especially in the winter, convergence is qualified clouds.

B, Plan for Hunting Cloud in Ta Xua

Since I have been lucky enough to see the beautiful Sea Cloud in Ta Xua, I would like to share what I know and in my own experience with you.

Perfect Plan from HaNoi

• I would only share the plan for visiting Ta Xua from Ha Noi. For other places, you should find by your own, using google maps or asking local people
• If you were a group, you could start your journey from Hanoi National University of Education

  Address below: Ha Noi National University of Education

  Address:136 Xuân Thủy, Dịch Vọng Hậu, Cầu Giấy, Hà Nội

Day One

Hanoi- SonTay- Trung Ha Bridge – Thu Cuc town – Thu Cuc Three crossroad ( Quoc lo 32) Phu Yen town – Bac Yen ( Quoc lo 37). Sleep in Bac Yen ( 210 Km)

Bac Yen Town is a touristic centre and there are many hostels and hotels. I recommend you Dong Tam Hotel (price for double room: €10)

However, I suggest preparing for camping on the mountains or you can deal with local people for homestay, here I mean etnic minority people. They are poor but nice and friendly.

If you stay with them, you can try their traditional food.

Source: Xaluan.com. Ethnic Minority in Vietnam. These people are nice, harmless.

Two friendly Hmong people

From Bac Yen town, it is just about 15km to Ta Xua, however the road is very breathtaking and dangerous, the safest way of travelling is by small motorbike.

It is the way to go up the mountains.

The road to the mountains in Ta Xua, dangerous but fantastic.

Day Two.

Bac Yen Town – Ta Xua – Bac Yen – Ha Noi (240km)

Wake up very early, if you want to watch the beautiful and fantastic sunrise in Ta Xua. In case, sleeping in Bac Yen Town, it would be great to wake up at 4h30 am due to the fact you would have to go up to the mountains.

Beautiful sunrise in Ta Xua, Son La, Vietnam ( kenh14. vn)

My friend is making mokey gesture, the weather that day wasn't so good, but the view was real fantastic.

If you come to Ta Xua and meet the cloud sea, it would be perfect. However, sometimes, the weather is upon you,

For example, if there is too much cloud in Ta Xua, you will have to go higher to see the Cloud Sea.

So in this case, go to Xim Vang, about 10 km from Ta Xua still along those mountains.

There is also another suitable place to hunt Clouds, even in case it is too much cloudy, you can put your legs and feel the clouds.

From the crossroads in the Ta Xua centre to Hang Dong.

Early in the morning, before the Sun rises, you can try to capture some of the ethic minority families in the shadow cloud, far away in the village of Ta Xua. This is really beautiful many stars will be the illusion of being in heaven. I have seen this with my own eyes with a burst of emotion; it will forever lingering in my memory.

From 10 am, all the clouds will be blowed away by the winds, so that time, you can start to go down to Bac Yen Town, there is a restaurant called Pho Nui Restaurant, cheap food but very delicious.

From that you can come back to Ha Noi, along way you can visit and take photos of ethinic minority people.

They are still living the traditional way as hundreds of years ago, living with nature and by nature.

They plant and grow crops, animals, living in wooden house isolated from the outside world.

If you have plenty of time, then from Northern Yen you can choose to follow QL37 via Ta Khoa bridge to Co Noi crossroad and then Moc Chau shortcut, admire the tea hills. From Bac Yen to Moc Chau by Highway 37 it is about 70 km. However, this road is currently being repaired in some fairly dusty sections.

Besides, you can go to Moc Chau in the direction of the Van Yen Ferry, which is also an interesting experience. From Bac Yen, follow QL37 to Gia Phu crossroad and turn right to follow the ferry. Go via Van Yen ferry across Da River lake and continue to go 57 Km to Moc Chau.

Finally, you can choose going the opposite way to Moc Chau before then to Bac Yen, to Ta Xua and then HN within a circular section.

Ta Xua Tour from Hanoi

Recommendation: you can probably visit Ta Xua from Ha Noi by tour.

• TOUR PRICE: 1. 680. 000VND / person (60 euros)
• Holiday surcharge, Tet: 150. 000VNĐ / Guest

RATES INCLUDE:

• A car for the whole journey.
• HDV experience, enthusiasm throughout the journey.
• Standard hotel in Bac Yen town, 2 or 3 people per room
• meals according to the program (main meal 90, 000 VND / person / meal, breakfast 30, 000 VND / person / meal.
• Travel insurance throughout the route, maximum 20. 000. 000d / person
• 1 bottle of drinking water per person per day.
• Entrance tickets.

NOT INCLUDED:

• Personal expenses.

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• Tip for car driver.

SOME NOTES TO TREKKING:

• Carry papers while walking trek.
• Strictly follow the rules of the delegation.
• Do not drink the night before climbing

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