Discover the top 8 villages in the Northwest: Pristine beauty and rich national identity

Cat Cat Village: Poetic and peaceful beauty in the mountains and forests of Sa Pa (Photo source: Collected)

Ethnic group: Mong
Only about 3 km from the center of Sa Pa town in the direction of Fansipan road, Cat Cat village is one of the prominent destinations for tourists who want to explore the villages in the Northwest. This is where the Mong ethnic group lives, famous for its majestic mountain scenery and unique traditional culture. Compared to other villages such as Ta Van or Ta Phin, Cat Cat is located closer to town, convenient for tourists to travel and experience.

The name “Cat Cat” appeared in the early 20th century, when the French discovered the poetic beauty of this place and chose it as a resort for officials. In the village there is a beautiful waterfall, named CatSca by the French, from which the name Cat Cat was formed.

Walking in the village, you will encounter streams winding around the waterfall, wooden houses looming on the mountainside, and the echoing sound of weaving looms. This area is also a bustling trading place for brocade products, souvenirs and has many extremely beautiful "virtual check-in" cafes, promising to bring an unforgettable experience on your Sapa travel journey.

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Ethnic group: Tay
About 23 km from Bac Ha town, the road to Ban Lien has now been paved, making it easier for tourists to travel. Visiting this village in the Northwest, you will be impressed by the ancient stilt houses of the Tay people, bearing the imprint of ancient culture. The people here preserve their identity by helping each other rebuild palm-roofed houses - a familiar architectural feature in highland life.
Not only does Ban Lien have poetic mountain scenery, it also offers visitors the opportunity to immerse themselves in the rustic lifestyle. You can try being a “farmer” with activities such as plowing, planting rice, harvesting, planting corn, harvesting Shan Tuyet tea; or weaving bamboo baskets, making straw mattresses, and forging farming tools with the locals.
Coming here, you will enjoy specialties prepared in the culinary style of the Tay people. Most of the ingredients are grown and raised by the people themselves, combined with wild vegetables, mushrooms, and fresh bamboo shoots to create a unique flavor, rich in Northwestern cuisine.

Ethnic group: Mong
“Lifting the clouds to see Ban Cu Vai” – a familiar saying of tourists who have set foot here. Lying quietly on the top of a high mountain in Tram Tau district, this place has a peaceful beauty, like a separate world in the middle of a sea of white clouds.

From the center of Tram Tau, you travel about 20 km to reach the village, but the journey will be challenging with steep and rocky roads. When you reach the top and see the whole view of Cu Vai Village from above, you will be surprised by the scene like a miniature "airport" in the sky and clouds. The stilt houses of the Mong people are arranged evenly on the mountainside, the clouds keep swirling around as if waiting for new "flights".

Not only can you admire the unique scenery of a village in the Northwest, you can also experience bathing in Tram Tau hot mineral springs, enjoy ethnic cuisine and relax in extremely chill mountain view bungalows. This is the ideal choice for those who want to immerse themselves in nature and explore indigenous culture.

Ethnic groups: La Chi, Tay, Nung

Located about 30 km northwest of the center of Hoang Su Phi district, Ban Phung is a village of the La Chi people, established in 1994. This small village is located between the majestic mountains and terraced fields, and is considered by many tourists as a "masterpiece" created by nature and humans together. This is also an ideal stop for those who love to explore villages in the Northwest and learn about indigenous cultural life.

Ban Phung terraced fields have been ranked as a National Scenic Spot, not only standing out for its pristine beauty but also preserving the historical and cultural values of the La Chi, Tay and Nung ethnic groups. Each season, Ban Phung puts on a new look: spring is brilliant with peach and plum blossoms; the water season is sparkling with silver; summer is cool and green; and especially, the ripe rice season in October is brilliant golden, mixed with white clouds floating on the mountain top - a scene that makes anyone fall in love.

From the high vantage points, visitors can admire the entire valley of clouds, the terraced fields of Hoang Su Phi and the majestic mountain range. In addition, the journey can also be combined with trekking to Chieu Lau Thi, visiting Ban Luoc or conquering Tay Con Linh peak - outstanding destinations that make the trip to Ha Giang more complete.

Ethnic group: Mong ethnic group

Pu Dao village is known as one of the most pristine villages in the Northwest of the Mong people in Lai Chau. This place is famous for its ideal high point to fully admire the beauty of the mountains and forests and the winding Da River. From this vantage point, you can look to the East, Southeast and Northeast, where the Da River merges with the Nam Na tributary to create a legendary river junction. Surrounded by historical and cultural landmarks such as Lai Ha, Hang Tom, Doi Cao, Muong Lay, Le Loi... All combine to create a majestic natural picture, with two vertical mountain ranges forming a V shape - the sacred symbol of the country.

The emotions of visitors when arriving here are very diverse: some people cheer with excitement, some people silently watch in amazement, and some people quickly raise their cameras to capture every moment. Standing in the middle of the beautiful landscape, you will clearly feel the majesty of the Fatherland, the poetic beauty of the mountains and rivers of the Northwest and the peace that is hard to find in the city.

Ethnic group: Thai ethnic group
The journey to Luot village - Ngoc Chien, Muong La, Son La is an interesting experience when you cross the winding roads along the stream, interspersed with golden terraced fields every ripe rice season and pine forests rustling in the wind. Along the way, the stilt houses of the Thai people lie peacefully on the mountainside, creating a typical picture of a village in the Northwest. Many tourists often combine this trip with a journey to see Mu Cang Chai rice to fully enjoy the beauty of the golden season.

The climate in Luot - Ngoc Chien village is cool all year round, the air is fresh, very suitable for community tourism activities, relaxation and learning about local culture. Even on hot summer days, when many other places are hot, this place still retains its pleasant features, making visitors feel relaxed. That is why Luot - Ngoc Chien village is often compared to "miniature Da Lat" of Son La, with a bit of romance of Ba Na (Da Nang) and the peace of Sapa (Lao Cai).

Ethnic group: Mong ethnic group
Lim Mong Village is one of the villages in the Northwest famous for its pristine landscape and unique culture of the Mong people. Located in Cao Pha Commune, Mu Cang Chai District, this place is known as one of the "four great dangers" of the highlands, attracting backpackers with its spectacular mountain passes and majestic landscapes.

Not only is it an ideal destination for those who are passionate about exploring the vast terraced fields, Ban Lim Mong also offers a peaceful and fresh atmosphere. Visitors coming here can immerse themselves in the slow pace of life, learn about the customs and practices of the Mong people and enjoy relaxing moments, temporarily forgetting the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

The best time to visit is the flooding season (May - June) when the early summer rains fill the terraced fields, the sunlight reflects and creates a shimmering picture. In the ripe rice season (September - October), the entire mountainside is covered in shimmering gold, attracting photography lovers and those who want to fully experience the beauty of Mu Cang Chai tourism.

Ethnic group: Mong ethnic group
Only about 6 km north of Lai Chau city center, Ban Sin Suoi Ho opens up before visitors a pristine, peaceful scene typical of villages in the Northwest. The road leading to the village winds through steep and winding passes, opening up a scene of wooden houses and rustic rammed earth houses, surrounded by neatly arranged stone fences. The stone walls not only create a solid look for the house but also help keep it cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

What impresses many visitors is that the space here is so clean that they can sit on the street without worrying about dust sticking to their clothes. Many people compare Sin Suoi Ho to a "Mong village as clean as Singapore". On foggy days, thousands of orchids, orchids and wild peach trees in the village appear and disappear among the white clouds, creating a magical scene like coming from the royal garden in the work Journey to the West.

Unlike many other Mong villages that mainly live on slash-and-burn farming, the 103 households here rely on growing and caring for orchids as their main source of income. This is also one of the ideal stops to experience indigenous culture, explore natural landscapes and capture the most beautiful moments of Lai Chau.

The villages in the Northwest still retain their pure beauty, where every step of the visitors is filled with memorable experiences. If you are looking for a journey to explore nature and touch the depth of culture, then a trip to the Northwest villages will definitely be a great choice to leave an impression in your heart.

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Source of article: Collected and compiled
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