A tourist takes photos from Chieu Lau Thi Peak, a mountain retreat. (Source: VNA) Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - Located1,000m above sea level, Ho Thau commune in the northern mountains has coolweather all year round and breathtaking landscapes.
The commune, with thousands of hectares ofterraced rice fields and topped with the “grey hat” of Chieu Lau Thi Peak, isconsidered the capital of the Red Dao ethnic group, which numbers about 450,000people in Vietnam alone. The area is also the starting point for the Chay River,which runs like a giant snake through the mountains and forests.
It takes half a day riding on motorbikes toreach Tan Phong village in Ho Thau commune from Thong Nguyen commune through a35km distance of terraced fields, forests and grass fields surrounding otherRed Dao villages, Nam Khoa, and Nam Ai.
Then we feasted our eyes on the greenmountain forests surrounding yellow terraced rice fields shining in the sun.Our rest was marked by relaxing talks with local farmers, who were busyharvesting their fields.
After long hours of bumpy travel, wefinally had lunch in a homestay in Tan Phong village, which had a spectacularview over a valley. Truong Cong Dinh, chairman of Ho Thau Commune, said thefocus was on developing ecological tourism, even risky tours of Chieu Lau thiPeak, while preserving the cultures of tribal people.
“To further promote tourism, theauthorities use financial resources from the province and districts toadvertise local destinations, pay for train tourism and encourage households toopen homestays,” he said. “Hoang Su Phi district authorities have called forinvestors to open more restaurants, hotels, hold motorbike races and establishtrekking routes from Chieu Lau Thi peak to nearby primitive forests.”
Trieuj Mui Mui, owner of Homestay Chan Mui,one among two experimental homestays in a project titled Improving theLivelihood of Ethnic Minorities through Community-Based Tourism sponsored bySwiss-based Helvetas Intercooperation and the Centre for Rural EconomyDevelopment, said her family had received hundreds of tourists in the pastyear.
“It makes us busier, but happier, to offerguests a close look at a Red Dao family,” she said, “The guests often stay oneor two nights with us, have meals and enjoy traditional singing and dancing bylocals. Since we stay far from the centre of the district, we often pay more tobuy goods and food from the plain because it takes more time to transport themhere,” she said.
From Tan Phong, we rode to Chieu Lau ThiMountain, which peaks at 2,402m above sea level. Chieu Lau Thi in locallanguage means nine ladder layers.
The 12km road was covered with mud androcks and rain-caused erosion. Our bikes bumped up and down over the rocks likewild horses. In some places, they did not seem to touch the road, but seemed tofly over the rocks. Many times we had to walk so as not to fall down steepcliffs.
But the surrounding scenery was great, withmountains after mountains stretching forever, huge rocky hills with red mossthat glowed inn the sunlight - and wild orchids in many colours. Higher up themountains were pine forests like those in Europe. Streams trickled and gusheddown the hillsides. Birds sung in the trees.
We sometimes saw farmers’ timber houses,ideal spots for resting and taking photos of magnificent scenery over thevalleys.
From the peaks, the sky seems to be closerwith so many clouds to nurture the imagination.
After nearly three hours, we reached aheight of 2,000m and then trekked 400m to the peak. We had to hurry as it gotdark quickly and we had to return before night set in and the roads became toohorrible to navigate.
It was colder here. I put on anotherjacket, but got hot again as the steep climb and moist air made it hard tobreathe. We had to walk slower and take deeper breaths.
Our xe om drivers were useful guides,willing to carry our bags and help us by hand through hard-to-climb places.“The best weather for climbing is in winter,” said Ban Ta Lieu, my driver. “Atthat time, both the roads for biking and the paths for trekking are drier andeasier to climb.”
Many tourists choose to stay overnight at ahomestay at the 2,000m high stop so that they can climb up early in the morningto meet the first sunlight hitting the peak.
“Winter and spring are a better time to seeclouds at the peak,” he said. “In summer, clouds are more beautiful in theafternoon. Winter offer nice views of maple forests, while summer has do quyen (Rhododendron)flowers in full bloom. In May and June, locals water their terrace rice fieldswhile in autumn, September and October, they harvest their crops.
We passed 100-year-old tea trees with mossall over their trunks. That was Shan Tuyet tea that grows at a height of morethan 2,000m above the sea level. The tea leaves get wind and fog for fourseasons, sprouting valuable leaves used for people’s health.
After nearly one hour trekking, we reachedthe peak, where a triangle stated that it was 2,402m high. We took many photoswhile watching clouds hanging in the middle of other peaks and a zigzaggingroad that we travelled on two hours ago. In the far distance, there wereterrace rice fields. I felt I was so small in front of Mother Nature herself. Iadmired the locals who have toiled hard to make a living from this land.
Chieu Lau Thi and Tay Con Linh (2,427m),located in the northwest of Ha Giang Province, are two highest peaks in thenortheast of the country. Many trekkers try their strength conquering them -without the help of chair lifts!.-VNA
VNA
