If you are looking for a wild, rustic destination with a rich cultural identity of the highlands to "heal" your soul, Suoi Bon (in Van Ho commune, Son La province) is an ideal choice for tourists.
Located about 25km from Moc Chau tourist center, Suoi Bon still retains its original beauty, not yet commercialized, giving visitors a complete trip with fresh nature and unique indigenous culture.
Nestled in a vast valley, Suoi Bon is surrounded by majestic mountains, winding terraced fields and immense purple hills. With an altitude of 800 to 1,000m above sea level, the climate here is cool all year round, especially in the summer, the temperature only fluctuates around 20-24 degrees Celsius. When coming here, all worries seem to disappear when immersing yourself in the lush green hills, listening to the sound of streams and chirping birds.
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For those who love camping and picnicking, Bon Stream is a real paradise. |
The highlight that makes Suoi Bon so special is the purple sim hills stretching out, covering the hillsides. Sim flowers usually bloom most beautifully from July to September, creating an extremely romantic and poetic scene. When dawn rises or dusk falls, the purple sim hills blend with the morning mist and faint sunlight, creating a mysterious, hazy picture. This is not only an ideal "cloud hunting" and "virtual living" spot, but also a beautiful "outdoor studio", attracting many couples to take wedding photos.
In addition to the sim hill, Suoi Bon is also an ideal place to admire the beauty of the golden season. Around the beginning of September, the terraced fields around the village begin to turn yellow, showing off their colors in the autumn sun. The scene of the layered ripe rice fields, combined with the purple sim hill and the clouds, creates a magnificent natural picture, giving visitors unique experiences and artistic photos.
To get to Suoi Bon, visitors will have to cross quite steep and narrow mountain passes. If traveling on a rainy day, the road can become slippery and dangerous. Advice for those who are not confident in driving is to park at the foot of the hill and walk up, both safe and have more opportunities to explore the scenery along the way.
For those who love camping and picnicking, Suoi Bon is a real paradise. The vast grasslands and babbling streams are ideal places to pitch tents, light campfires and enjoy the fresh air. The best time to visit Suoi Bon is early in the morning (from 5am to 8am) to catch the sunrise and “hunt clouds” drifting across the mountainside, or in the afternoon (from 4pm to 5:30pm) to watch the sunset.
One of the biggest plus points of Suoi Bon is that currently, there is no entrance fee, so you can call your trip “zero-dong tourism”. However, the feeling of relaxation, peace and inspiration that this place brings is definitely priceless.
Besides the natural landscape, Suoi Bon is also home to many ethnic groups such as Dao, H'Mong, Thai... with unique cultures and customs. If you choose to stay overnight at the homestays in the village, visitors will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the lives of the local people, playing the flute, singing and dancing and gathering around the cozy fire.
Currently, Suoi Bon has not been professionally exploited for tourism, so there are no food or accommodation services. Tourists often choose to stay in the center of Moc Chau and travel here during the day. This also helps keep Suoi Bon always pristine and rustic. Tourists can combine a trip to Suoi Bon with a visit to nearby attractions such as Shan Tuyet tea hill, Tat Nang waterfall or Chieng Yen hot mineral spring.
With all its wild beauty and unique indigenous culture, Suoi Bon is a great destination for those who want to get away from the noisy city, return to nature, and the simple values of life. Hopefully in the future, this place will be invested more to develop sustainable tourism, but still retain its own charm.