In the past, when transportation was not as convenient, fog was a significant obstacle for local people due to the difficulty of moving in harsh weather or under thick layers of fog. However, with the currently trending keyword “cloud hunting,” watching clouds has become one of the unique aspects that could make Ta Xua a highlight of Son La, attracting many young backpackers to visit Ta Xua each year.
Ta Xua is famous for its stunning sea of clouds nestled in a valley, drawing numerous young travelers who love off-the-beaten-path adventures to explore it annually.
Ta Xua is not just about beautiful clouds (Photo: Ha Manh Luan)
Situated between two famous tourist destinations, Yen Bai and Son La, you can combine travel to Son La and Yen Bai in your journey. Here are some safe and cost-saving Ta Xua backpacking experiences that I have compiled for your reference!
Some additional information: Ta Xua’s peak (21°26’01.58″N, 104°18’13.96″E) is considered the lowest among the top 10 highest mountains in Vietnam. The highest GPS-measured elevation is 2875m, at Ta Xua’s peak on the side belonging to Tram Tau district, Yen Bai.
Sea of clouds on the peak of Ta Xua (Collected Photo)
When is the best time to backpack to Ta Xua?
Choosing the right time to visit Ta Xua is the most important (Collected Photo)
Ta Xua is cool in summer and cold in winter. The temperature here in summer does not exceed 27 degrees Celsius, while in winter, it can drop to 3 degrees Celsius. Therefore, to avoid the prolonged cold, you should travel to Ta Xua from January to March each year. This period is not too cold and also the best time to admire the vast beauty of the cloud valley spreading across the sky and land.
From December to March each year, the probability of encountering the cloud valley is higher. You should go at this time to witness the most beautiful sea of clouds. However, sometimes it also depends on luck as there are many times you might visit several times without catching beautiful clouds.
Directions to Ta Xua
From Hanoi – Son Tay – Trung Ha Bridge – Thu Cuc – Thu Cuc Junction (QL 32) – then turn left to Phu Yen – Bac Yen (QL37) – Ta Xua -> Bac Yen – Hanoi. From Bac Yen to Ta Xua, there are about 15 more kilometers of narrow and somewhat rough road.
The road to Ta Xua is not too difficult, but you still need to be cautious on the road (Collected Photo)
If you want to return by two different routes, you can go straight from Ta Xua to Tram Tau without having to return to Bac Yen. However, this route is quite steep and has many difficult sections, so vehicles with low ground clearance should not go as they will have to cross through many deep streams. On the way from Tram Tau back to Hanoi, you will pass through Nghia Lo, and if you have time, you can spend an extra day here to explore Nghia Lo before returning to Hanoi.
Note: the road from Ta Xua to Tram Tau is quite challenging and it takes about 4-5 hours to travel from Ta Xua to Tram Tau under good weather conditions, with dry roads.
Accommodations and Homestays in Ta Xua
Depending on your departure time from Hanoi, if you depart late (for example, Friday evening), you can choose to rest in Bac Yen. If you depart early, you can go straight up to Ta Xua to camp or stay at the homestays there.
It is advisable to stay at homestays in Ta Xua for convenience in cloud hunting (Photo: Ha Manh Luan)
Currently, in the center of Bac Yen town, there are also quite a few guest houses and hotels with a variety of price ranges for you to freely choose from. To save on costs, you can go straight up to Ta Xua, about 15km from Bac Yen, to sleep in tents, camp, or stay at local homes.
Those traveling in groups can bring tents to set up when cloud hunting in Ta Xua (Collected Photo)
If it rains, avoid traveling at night and in the evening due to limited visibility and many landslide points. I recommend a homestay I often choose when going to Ta Xua, which is Mr. Ha Manh Luan’s place.
Best-rated Homestay
| Ta Xua Clouds Homestay | Click below to view room rates with special offers from: |
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Eating at Ta Xua
Ta Xua is a backpacker’s destination, so there are very few food services for tourists here. Therefore, before heading to the top of Ta Xua mountain to watch the clouds, you should bring tents, food, and drinks prepared from home. If you are from afar and it’s inconvenient to carry camping gear and food, you can go to Bac Yen (located between Bac Yen and Ta Xua), where there is a very delicious and affordable local restaurant with warm and attentive service that will make you feel satisfied.
A Corner of a Homestay in Ta Xua (Photo: Ha Manh Luan)
Another note is that you will often be wandering around cloud hunting from morning until it’s time to return, so you can bring cold foods like bread, sausages, etc., and a small mat to have a picnic on the way. Remember not to leave plastic trash at tourist sites.
Beautiful Cloud Hunting Photography Spots in Ta Xua
Traveling to Ta Xua in groups can be a lot of fun (Photo: Ha Manh Luan)
In case Ta Xua commune is foggy, you can move to a higher point on the way to Xim Vang. From the intersection at the center of Ta Xua commune, turning left leads to Xim Vang, and turning right (more accurately, going straight) takes you to Hang Dong.
Traveling about 1.5km from this intersection towards Xim Vang leads you up to the hilltop. This place is usually clear because there is nothing obstructing the view. Standing here, even looking towards Mai Son is full of clouds, but it faces west without sunrise, while looking towards Ta Xua, Hang Dong is also vast with clouds and faces east where the sun rises.
Another ideal cloud-watching spot where you can literally dip your feet in the cloud river is by going straight from the Ta Xua commune center intersection towards Hang Dong and finding a suitable view. About 3 Km in, there’s a beautiful spot with a large rock on the roadside edge that serves as a perfect point for striking poses for fantastic photos.
Note: When stopping to take photos at locations close to the road, make sure to park your bike neatly, preferably find a concealed spot and pull in deep off the road to not affect traffic. And be careful on the way out to the dinosaur spine, as there are many landslide areas, especially on rainy days.
Itinerary for a Motorbike Trip to Ta Xua
Ta Xua Route Map (Collected Photo)
Depending on the time of year, you can combine a cloud-hunting trip to Ta Xua with other destinations like Moc Chau or explore other attractions in Son La.
Hanoi – Bac Yen – Ta Xua – Bac Yen – Hanoi
Day 1: Hanoi – Bac Yen – Ta Xua
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Depart from Hanoi on Saturday noon. If you’re confident in your driving skills, choosing to travel in the cooler evening might be better. From Hanoi, take QL 32 through Son Tay, across the Trung Ha bridge towards Thanh Son – Thu Cuc. This stretch is quite familiar if you’ve ridden a motorbike to Mu Cang Chai before. Then, at the T-junction of Thu Cuc (Tan Son, Phu Tho), there will be signs directing to Phu Yen; follow this route through Phu Yen to reach Bac Yen. Starting from the Thu Cuc junction to Bac Yen, the road will be a bit worse, especially in the rain, so slow down as some sections can be quite slippery.
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If departing early from noon, you can continue moving from Bac Yen to Ta Xua. This stretch is uphill but also short, taking about half an hour to reach Ta Xua commune (only about 15km), with some dangerous curves. The road to the commune has been relatively well-made, but first-timers should be extra cautious. If you depart late from Hanoi, consider staying overnight in Bac Yen.
Day 2: Ta Xua – Bac Yen – Hanoi
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If you stayed overnight in Bac Yen, you need to wake up very early around 4 am to prepare for cloud hunting in Ta Xua at sunrise. A tip for summer visits is that the sun rises quite early, so you should head to the dinosaur spine before 5:30 am to catch the dawn. Foggy weather might delay your travel time.
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By noon, you can have lunch in Bac Yen or Phu Yen then move back to Bac Yen for food and start your journey back to Hanoi. In Ta Xua and Bac Yen market, many local specialties are available for purchase as gifts, such as wild apple, honey, wild mustard greens, stream algae…
Hanoi – Bac Yen – Ta Xua – Tram Tau – Nghia Lo – Hanoi
This itinerary suits those experienced in motorbike trips. Although traveling to and from by two different routes (still sharing a part on QL32), the Tram Tau to Bac Yen section can be challenging, especially in rain or darkness. If you manage to go from Ta Xua to Tram Tau, you might want to visit there for a hot spring bath.
Day 1: Hanoi – Bac Yen (Tram Tau)
Depart from Hanoi on Friday evening, try to leave early as QL32 from Phu Tho in many sections lacks street lights. You may stay overnight in Bac Yen, Phu Yen, or head straight to Ta Xua if familiar with the route.
Day 2: (Ta Xua) Bac Yen – Tram Tau – Nghia Lo
If you didn’t reach Ta Xua the previous night, start early Saturday morning to hunt clouds and capture beautiful scenes in Ta Xua. From Bac Yen to Ta Xua takes about 30 minutes. Be careful as the road from Tram Tau back to Hanoi will pass through Nghia Lo, where you can also take a hot spring bath if you have time (the bathing spot is about 4km from Nghia Lo center towards Mu Cang Chai).
Day 3: Nghia Lo – QL 32 – Thu Cuc – Hanoi
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Wake up early for breakfast and coffee in Nghia Lo. You might want to visit Muong Lo market to pick up some Yen Bai specialties as gifts. Return to Hanoi via QL32, passing through Deo Khe to Thu Cuc, then back to Hanoi, completing a full journey. The road back will be pretty and easy to travel.
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If you have extra time, you can also detour through Lung Lo Pass on QL37 and still return to QL 32 towards Hanoi. This pass is at the border of three provinces: Son La, Yen Bai, and Phu Tho.
Hanoi – Bac Yen – Ta Xua – Bac Yen – Moc Chau – Hanoi
Day 1: Hanoi – Bac Yen – Ta Xua
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Depart from Hanoi on Saturday noon. If you’re confident in your driving skills, you might choose to travel in the cooler evening. From Hanoi, take QL 32 through Son Tay, cross the Trung Ha bridge and head towards Thanh Son – Thu Cuc. This route is quite familiar if you’ve previously ridden a motorbike to Mu Cang Chai. After reaching the T-junction at Thu Cuc (Tan Son, Phu Tho), follow the signs towards Phu Yen, passing through to reach Bac Yen. From the T-junction at Thu Cuc to Bac Yen, the road might be a bit rougher, especially in the rain, so slow down as some sections can be quite slippery.
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If departing early from noon, you can continue from Bac Yen to Ta Xua. This segment is uphill but short, taking about half an hour to reach Ta Xua commune (about 15km), with some potentially dangerous curves. The road to the commune has been relatively improved, but first-timers should be extra cautious. If you depart late from Hanoi, consider staying overnight in Bac Yen.
Day 2: Ta Xua – Bac Yen – QL 37 – Pha Van Yen – Moc Chau
Van Yen Ferry Terminal (Collected Photo)
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Wake up early to hunt for clouds in Ta Xua, feel free to enjoy and take photos until noon. You can bring food and drinks for a picnic at the photo stops.
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After lunch and a rest, head back towards Bac Yen (the same way back to Phu Yen you took the day before), but when you reach the junction of QL 37 and QL 43 (Gia Phu commune, Phu Yen), follow QL 43 along the river towards Van Yen ferry terminal. After crossing the ferry, continue on QL 43 to reach Moc Chau. Spend the night in Moc Chau.
Note: This route is quite deserted, so make sure to bring tire repair kits and remember to fill up your gas at Gia Phu before heading to the Van Yen ferry because after crossing, it’s a long stretch without any gas stations.
Day 3: Moc Chau – Hanoi
Start the day early at the heart-shaped tea hill and Na Ka plum valley. If you have time, explore Moc Chau before heading back to Hanoi in the afternoon. On the way back on QL6 through Thung Khe Pass (Hoa Binh), you’ll pass a great photo op and rest stop.
Some travel tips
- If you’re inexperienced with motorbike trips, it’s advisable not to travel at night, not to speed, and not to travel in large groups because the roads to Ta Xua are nearly unlit at night, with many sharp turns and rough patches that could be dangerous.
Ta Xua is no joke (Photo: Ha Manh Luan)
- Make sure to check the weather carefully before your trip to increase your chances of seeing the clouds, ideally, contact homestays in Ta Xua for the most accurate information. If traveling during the rainy and stormy months, be cautious of landslides in Phu Yen and Bac Yen. From my experience, nights with brief showers followed by clear mornings greatly increase the chances of encountering clouds. Good luck!
See more: Son La Travel Essentials: What You Need to Know Before You Go
See more: Ultimate Guide to Moc Chau: Tips for First-Time Visitors
See more: Conquering Pha Luong Peak: A Complete Trekking Guide
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