Moc Chau in bloom

      The town of Moc Chau in northern Son La Province is one of gentle beauty and rolling green hills.
Just 200 km northwest of Hanoi along National Highway No. 6, Moc Chau is covered in vast fields of delicate white flowers. The pale flora stands in dramatic contrast to the lush green hillsides and red earth. Deeper in the surrounding forest are fields of brilliant, towering sunflowers – many of which sway far above the heads of people who walk beneath them.
The fresh, cool air in Moc Chau is one of the main attractions of the area. The town’s highland location is cool in the summer, brisk in autumn, cold in the winter, and warm in spring. Just before the summer season is when the entire area bursts with ripe plums and peach blossoms.
Most visitors travel to Moc Chau for a weekend getaway. One can wander through the blossoming hillsides and gaze at the vast blue sky above. It’s also great fun to walk across the mossy rocks of Dai Yem Waterfall, explore Hang Doi (Bat Cave) or simply drink in the cool early morning air when fresh dew still remains everywhere.
Many couples come to Moc Chau to take wedding photos while others simply come to relax and enjoy some of the famous local food like black-legged chicken hotpot. In the moonlit evening, many visitors enjoy chatting outdoors over a cup of hot tea.
Moc Chau is also well-known for its fresh milk, milk cakes and yoghurt thanks to a nearby dairy farm. The products can be purchased at the Moc Chau Milk Shop in front of the Moc Chau farm market.
To get to Moc Chau Town from Hanoi, you can rent a motorbike or take a bus along the Hanoi-Son La route on Nguyen Trai Street, Thanh Xuan District. The buses operate every day, and run hourly beginning at 5:30 a.m. A bus ticket costs VND60,000 (US$3.40).