Muong Hoa Valley (Thung Lung Muong Hoa)
Lao Chai, Sa Pa, Lao Cai
When travelers hymn the beauty of Sapa, the hiking hub in northern Vietnam, they’re really praising the Muong Hoa Valley (Thung Lũng Mường Hoa. Carved by the Hoa stream, decked with a patchwork of rice terraces, and studded with fascinating minority villages, its green highland landscapes are some of Vietnam’s most dazzling.
No Sapa trip would be complete without a hike in the Muong Hoa Valley, perhaps with stops at minority villages such as Cat Cat, Ta Van, and Lao Chai. Guided trekking packages offer the huge advantage of not having to walk back up the hill once you’re finished with the valley and overnight treks usually include homestays with Hmong, Dao, Tay, or Giay people. If trekking is not your bag, experience the valley on the Muong Hoa Funicular, which links to the cable car for 10,312-foot (3,143-meter) Mt. Fansipan, or consider a photography tour.
- As with everywhere around Sapa, valley vendors can be pushy. Booking a tour with a guide can slash the hassle factor.
- Rice field hikes can be great fun with older children. Travelers with young kids will want to use back carriers, not strollers, to explore around Sapa.
- Muong Hoa Valley is not wheelchair accessible.
Muong Hoa Valley sits below Sapa, the highland town about 200 miles (322 kilometers) northwest of Hanoi. Walk or drive down Muong Hoa road, or join a tour that includes bus or sleeper train transfers from Hanoi.
Many travelers prefer to visit the Muong Hoa Valley between June and August, when the terraces are green and the weather is often warm but rainy. Between December and February, temperatures can drop as low as 40°F (5°C) with heavy fog. Shoulder seasons (March to May and September to November) can make a lot of sense. Rice harvesting time, in September, is a popular choice for photographers.
Opened in 2018, the Muong Hoa Funicular or Sapa Mountain Railway runs for over a mile (two kilometers) between Sapa town and the Mt. Fansipan cable car station. Dramatic viaducts, some hundreds of feet above the gorge, offer some of the best views of the Muong Hoa Valley when the weather is clear.
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