Tu Le is a valley located in Van Chan district, Yen Bai province, in the Northwest region of Vietnam. This area is about 200 kilometers northwest of Hanoi. Nestled between two high mountain ranges, Tu Le valley has a cool climate all year round and beautiful natural scenery, especially famous for its stretching terraced fields.
Introduction to Tu Le Terraced Fields
It is not difficult to understand that located at the gateway to Mu Cang Chai, Tu Le along with La Pan Tan and De Xu Phinh during the golden season, the terraced fields of Yen Bai province attract so many tourists. But unlike other places, Tu Le field feels much closer and is not located precariously on hills or deep in the valley. It’s also a terraced field, but comfortable and located along the highway. Tu Le’s beauty is as if you could raise your hand to touch it, lift your nose to smell it, and you could inhale the plump sticky scent into your chest.
In recent years, along with the development of information, Tu Le tourism has also changed. Roads have been carefully invested, and the road to the hot springs has also been repaired, the commune center now has many accommodation establishments serving tourists.
Tu Le captivates not only with its scenic beauty but also with the distinctive culture of the Thái and H’Mông ethnic groups living here. The local people created these miraculous terraced fields hundreds of years ago, turning steep hills into rice cultivation terraces. Every year, during the harvest season, people often organize traditional festivals with singing and dancing performances, worshiping ceremonies, and unique folk games, creating a joyful and festive atmosphere rich in national identity.
Around May to June, when the rainy season begins, the terraced fields in Tu Le are covered with water. Water flows down from above, creating sparkling mirrors in the sunlight. This scene creates a magical natural picture, reflecting the blue sky and white clouds.
From September to October every year, Tu Le terraced fields put on the brilliant yellow shirt of ripe rice fields. This is the time when many tourists come to visit and admire the wild and charming beauty of this land. Ripe rice fields stretch out like giant golden carpets, reflecting the sunlight, and creating a beautiful natural picture.
Tu Le Golden Season
From a distance, Tu Le terraced fields look like golden waves winding between the vast sky and earth. Each step is a work of art meticulously carved by the skillful hands of the farmer. This scene not only captivates people’s hearts but also brings a feeling of peace and relaxation. The ripened rice terraces, mixed with the green of the forest trees, create a colorful landscape picture.
The ripe rice season from September to October is the best time to visit Tu Le terraced fields. In addition, the water-pouring season from May to June is also an interesting choice. This season, terraced fields look like giant mirrors, shimmering in the sunlight, bringing a different but no less charming beauty.
From Hanoi and other northern provinces, you can choose to travel by motorbike or by coach. To make it easier when scheduling, please see the Tu Le travel experience when choosing the means of transportation suggested by many people below:
Coach: You can buy a Limousine bus ticket from Hanoi to Mu Cang Chai and travel for about 7 hours with a ticket price of about 250,000 – 350,000 VND. Popular bus companies that you can choose are: Anh Khang, Authentic, Cuong Lan,… When you arrive in Nghia Lo, you will rent a motorbike or motorbike taxi to get to Tu Le.
Private car or car rental: Currently, there is the Hanoi – Lao Cai expressway, then into Yen Bai city, so you can rent a bus or drive your own car to go, which is also extremely reasonable. Travel time only takes about 6 hours.
Motorbike: For those of you who like backpacking, you can also take this opportunity to experience it. With only 6 hours of time and the road being quite easy, there is nothing more wonderful than being able to see the full beauty of nature when you arrive in Tu Le, such as Khau Pha Pass – one of the most beautiful passes in Vietnam.
Viewed from above, Tu Le looks like a basin nestled between three large hills: Khau Song, Khau Than, and Khau Pha. Therefore, whether you live near or far, when you come here, you will receive the most worthy gifts.
Tu Le has many homestays and motels imbued with national culture, bringing a feeling of closeness and warmth. Some famous homestays, such as Xuan Huong Homestay, Ban Duoc Homestay, etc., are all good choices. Visitors can experience the daily life of indigenous people, participate in agricultural activities, and enjoy traditional dishes.
Com Tu Le
Regarding cuisine, visitors cannot miss Tu Le green rice, a famous specialty made from sweet and fragrant young rice grains, or fragrant upland sticky rice. Com Tu Le is handmade, from selecting young rice grains to the roasting and pounding process, creating a unique flavor that cannot be found anywhere else. In addition, there are other dishes such as grilled stream fish, buffalo meat, and corn wine – specialties of the Northwest mountains and forests.
With a majestic and poetic landscape, Tu Le terraced fields are an ideal place for those who love taking photos. Visitors can easily see beautiful shooting angles with terraced fields running one after another to the horizon. Photos taken in Tu Le not only capture beautiful moments but also show the unique culture of this land.
Enjoy The Beautiful Scenery
In addition to sightseeing, visitors also have the opportunity to learn about and experience local culture through people’s daily activities, such as harvesting rice, making com, or participating in traditional festivals. This will be an interesting experience to help visitors better understand the life and culture of indigenous people. These activities are not only entertaining but also educational, helping visitors gain a deeper insight into the culture and history of this land.
Specially blessed by nature, Tu Le also owns a year-round hot spring that is famous near and far. Even there is no shortage of international visitors who are not afraid of difficulties and distances but also come here to immerse themselves in the Chao hot spring located in the center of the commune. The hot springs here not only help relax but also have healing effects and are good for health. Mineral-rich hot water from the ground can help relieve stress, muscle pain and improve blood circulation.
When coming to Tu Le, visitors should prepare all necessary items, such as clothes, climbing shoes, cameras, and other personal items. In particular, if you go during the ripe rice season, you should bring a hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen to protect your skin from the sun. For those who go in the rainy season, you need to prepare a raincoat and waterproof shoes to avoid getting wet.
Tourists visiting Tu Le should respect the culture and customs of the local people. This not only helps you have a better travel experience but also contributes to protecting and preserving the cultural identity of this land. Always respect the living space, traditional costumes, and regulations of the local people.
Respect Local Culture
Please maintain environmental hygiene, do not litter and comply with local regulations. Environmental protection will help preserve the natural beauty of Tu Le terraced fields for future generations. Use environmentally friendly products and limit the use of plastic bags and plastic bottles.
Tu Le terraced fields are not only a majestic natural beauty but also a symbol of the diligence and creativity of the indigenous people. For those who love to explore and learn about culture, Tu Le will definitely be a destination not to be missed. Plan your trip to enjoy and experience the beauty here!
Don’t forget to regularly follow our Facebook page and Website for more interesting information about traveling to Mu Cang Chai and to book Yen Bai Tours at the best prices.
What’s included in this trip:
What’s excluded in this trip:
3 STAR HOTELS & CRUISES IN VIETNAM SELECTED
|
Destination |
Room Type |
HOTEL NAME, ROOM TYPE & WEBSITE |
|
Sapa 3 -star Hotels |
Deluxe |
Homestay in Nghia Lo & Mu Cang Chai. Optional to have a preference for a stay in Hotel as your request. |
The hotels and cruise are subject to change to similar category in case of fully booked
We went on a private trip to Vietnam and Cambodia, the whole trip plan was organized for us by the Impress Travel Company from Vietnam, the company did an amazing job, the whole trip was organized in a wonderful way with an amazing match between the various parties, their choices were correct and the quality of the hotels chosen were very high quality and it is important to note that the price was low in comparison To other agencies, thanks to Impress Travel and especially to Daniel who was tolerant and open to changes and organized the route for us.
Impress travel were amazing. Did my bookings with Daniel for our tour of Vietnam and I must say Daniel was very professional and prompt with his services. All the arrangement, plans, pick-up & drop-off services, hotels, vehicles, sightseeing tours and guides were spot on and excellent. Did 4 nights Hanoi, 1 night Hà Long Bay cruise, 3 nights Hoian, 4 nights Saigon and 1 night in Can Tho. It was totally awesome. Every part of the journey was superbly arranged and planned. I will highly recommend Impress Travel for anyone interested in visiting Vietnam. Very organized and reliable!
I booked with Impress Travel in July. My contact person was Tommy Thang. He is an amazing person. He was very helpful. He changed my program twice for me. Very accommodating!
We started our holiday in the north (Sapa)of Vietnam and travelled down to HCMC.
The tour was fantastic, Tommy's arrangements were to the"T".
I will always use them if I have to visit the area again and recommend them to one and all.
Thank you once again Mr.Tommy and the Impress Team.
Sulaiman Pochee
Great value for money with 4 stars hotel accommodation for 4 couples. The tour guide has been very helpful and brought us to amazing places in Sapa. We want to thanks Thuy the tour guide and especially Mark from Impress Travel for his great service and assurance throughout our trip. We’ll definitely use his service for other tour packages in other parts of Vietnam.
This is the second time we travel to Vietnam with IMPRESS Travel. First time, we booked our holiday to Hanoi, Halong Bay & Sapa during Dec 2018 with Impress.
Second time, we travel to Hoi An, Hue & Danang (Central Vietnam) during Jan 2019.
My friends & I are very glad & happy with all the hotels stay in Central Vietnam, the meals provided are delicious. We are greatly appreciated with all the tour arrangement by Tommy & his team (tour guide).
Especially, Mr. NHAT C.V. He is helpful, cheerful, knowledgeable and very professional. He always volunteer to take a nice pictures for six of us (group) .
We enjoyed our holiday with Impress travel. We will definitely come back to Vietnam again with Impress
Truly beautiful and breathtaking scenery from terraced rice fields, mountains, hills and streams, The suitable place for study ethnic people, Amazing experiences for trekking, taking photograph, joying homestay
All the latest breaking news & travel information on Mu Cang Chai travel. Browse The Independent’s complete collection of articles and commentary on Mu Cang Chai travel: Attractions, travel news, gallery, culture, history and tips.
