(VOVworld)- Muong Hoa valley is about 10 km southeast of Sapa town. Its romantic beauty added to some unspoiled nature and the cultural richness of local ethnic minority people inspires a lot of tourists.

Nestled in a range of magnificent mountains, Muong Hoa valley is about 8 square kilometers and sits at an altitude of 1,000 meters above sea level. It contains the communes of Lao Chai, Ta Van, Hau Thao, Su Pa, Ta Phin and Ban Ho. The valley can only be reached by motorbike. Ha Ta Oi is a resident of Sapa: “It’s very cloudy here. In the early morning, the valley is bathed in white fog and cloud. The clouds are like rolls of cottons. The valley is very beautiful in the winter. In the summer, the landscape is breathtaking picturesque. Standing in the valley, you can see that the surrounding villages are very near but it takes a few hours to go there because the roads zigzag. Standing on the mountain, you have a panoramic view of other mountains, the valley and the villages”.

Muong Hoa valley is famous for its yellow terraced fields, which have been recognized as Vietnam’s largest terraced fields by the Vietnam Guinness Book. Nguyen Trong Thanh says he is inspired by the beauty of Sapa’s terraced fields: “We like to take photos of yellow terraced fields in August and September when the rice ripens. On the hillsides terraced fields wave like a sea of rice. I like shots of yellow rice and mountains, with sun rays coming through the clouds because they have the yellow color of rice and sun, and the green color of the mountains. It’s difficult to catch such shots. Terraced fields in the rainy season are also spectacular”.

In the middle of the valley is a stream with a romantic name- “Flower stream”. The 15 km long stream flows peacefully through the valley, meandering along the mountain foot, nourishing the earth and the people. As the rice ripens, the terraced fields serve up different shades of green and yellow. Patches of color side by side create amazing sensual patterns and a sublime and majestic landscape.

Muong Hoa valley attracts tourists with its ancient stone sculptures whose carved scripts and motifs inspire tourists, researchers and archeologists. In the valley are some 200 stone blocks of various sizes scattered in the bushes, by the stream and in the fields. The sandstone blocks are carved with mysterious scripts and motifs whose origins and meaning remain unknown. This unique heritage of the ancient Vietnamese has become a national relic site. Dao Thuy Nhung is a tour guide: “There are two major sites of ancient stone blocks. One is in Pho village of the Mong ethnic minority people by the Hoa (Flower) stream. At this site, there are a large number of big blocks, some approximately 12 meters square. Some are elaborately carved. Another site is near Hau Thao and Lao Chai commune. This, the largest site, has more than 100 marble blocks. All the carvings on the stone are different from one another”.

For local ethnic minority people, the ancient stone site in Sapa is like the library of heaven with giant books left behind by their ancestors. Trekking along small paths and crossing a bridge, tourists come to Cat Cat village, where they are introduced to the traditional brocade weaving craft of the Mong. Tourists can also visit Ta Van village of the Day ethnic minority group to learn more about their traditions and customs. There, they can stay with the locals and experience their daily life activities. Ha A Toi says:“Tourists follow local people up the mountain and into the forest. The mountains here are gently sloping so it’s easy to walk. It’s like doing exercise”.
With its breathtaking beauty, Muong Hoa valley has become a popular destination for tourists. Seeing is believing. Pick up your bag and explore the romantic valley yourself!