Check out on my previous post about Bac Ha here:
Part 1: Serendipity
In the uncertain days of youth that I had been going through, an imagination of somewhere with peaceful scenes, majestic mountains, and interminable greenery appealed to me. That’s when the blurred vision of Bac Ha immediately popped into my mind. It has been 2 years since the first time I visited that place and now I want to come back with other purposes which are traveling and healing my soul. I spent 3 days exploring this place again, a place that was both familiar enough so that I felt safe and still unknown to me to have more experience.
Where did I stay?
This time, I still chose La Beauté Bac Ha for accommodation. It provides an open space surrounded by green fields and leans against mountains with a decent yard where I could have breakfast and enjoy the fresh air or read books while having a cup of coffee. To the left of the yard, there are stairs leading to a small garden and another two private rooms. This homestay is perfectly suitable for people in quest of peace and privacy.
What did I do?
As I mentioned above, this journey was not simple for traveling but also for healing my soul. I had been depressed and had difficulty controlling my feelings as well as my relationships with other people. I started to withdraw into myself and refused to talk to my friends and family for the reason that I could not find any sympathy. It was such a hard time that I lose interest in everything that I used to love. “A trip to somewhere may help.”, I hope. It turned out the right choice when I really invested precious time in myself and had alone time to reflect.
I spent the first day mostly at the hotel playing with the neighbor kids, reading books, and walking around many random spots. I tried to stay away from my phone (just used it most of the time for Google map) and woke up all the senses. I did not remember exactly where I walked to but still can remember how it feels when the wind kissed my face, the sun went through every foliage and made a long shadow of mine along the ground. Sometimes, I turned on my favorite playlist and just kept walking until my legs felt tired. (There was one day that I trekked alone uphill and downhill for around 4 hours and was overwhelmed by the panoramic hill scenery along the way.)
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At the homestay, I played hide and seek and drew pictures with the neighbor's children that I met there. They were just around 10 or 12 years old, I guess, and very friendly and cute. We had been playing for about 1 hour before their parents called for dinner. Sometimes they just sat quietly next to me and “explore” my gadgets like my phone, laptop, airpod which were quite strange to them. They remind me of the time when I was a kid spending the whole day inexhaustibly playing all kinds of physical games with friends. Somehow, I thought that the kids here were lucky when being raised without technological intervention.
I also spent time finishing the book “Another Idea of Happiness” by Marc Levy. The main character is also on her own journey of finding freedom and therefore, it was just at the right time when I read it. I treasured every priceless minute and made the most of it to arouse the love for life buried somewhere in me.
Who did I meet?
It was a pity that I could not meet Huong (homestay’s host) but Dua was still there and with her daughter! She introduced me to another staff who was working with her, Vang, and her daughter, too! They were all so kind and treated me as a family member. We had some small talk and conversation about me and their lives which was quite comfortable. I helped them look after the two daughters when they were busy with work.
And if you still remember, I also got in touch again with Mr. An (I would prefer to call him Uncle An), the local tour guide after I got lost while trying to find the right route to Ngai Thau Peak 😂. He still remembered me and was kind enough to recommend all the interesting places I could visit. He took me to many places that I will introduce you without further ado.
On my last day in Bac Ha, I met Olive who came from Canada and had just come to Bac Ha. We took a walked together from the homestay to my favorite coffee shop and then talked for like 2 hours about everything we could think of. He was a good storyteller and I was a good listener 😆Then we walked back to the homestay so that I would be in time for the bus to Hanoi. I still remembered that was a moonlit night.
Where did I go?
The last time when I was in Bac Ha, it was winter so there were not many things to see but this time I was amazed when everything looked totally different in summer, even the places that I had gone to last time. Below includes some destinations that I highly recommend when you have a chance to visit this wonderful land.
Bac Ha market
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This is where you can see the local people's daily trading life of goods. They also sell hand-made products at a fair price.
Hoang A Tuong Palace
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Hoang A Tuong mansion is one of the famous monuments in Bac Ha that you should visit when coming to Bac Ha. This architectural building from the 20th century is recognized as a historical relic in 1999.
Kale farm
The farmers here take full advantage of the land to not only plant vegetables and flowers but also turn it into a tourist attraction. This place is a well-aired space with unique local cultural identities.
Ngai Thau peak
Just 3 km from the downtown Bac Ha district, this is an ideal spot for watching the sunset and I had been waiting for nearly 1 hour for that moment. And it did not let me down. It's just worth the wait!
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The sun will beam its last rays within just 10-15 minutes and then disappears behind the mountains.
Chay river and Tien cave
It is one of the stunning landscapes surrounded by ranges of mountains with crystal clear water. I took a boat traveling along a part of the Chay River and discover the Tien cave.
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That is the end of my 3-day trip to Bac Ha. Thank you for your reading and support!