Nam Nghep village, located in Ngoc Chien commune, Muong La district (Son La province), sits precariously at an altitude of nearly 2,000 meters above sea level. From the community square, in front is Hang Coa De peak, over 2,400 meters high, behind is Ta Rong peak, 2,650 meters high, and further in the distance is Ta Chi Nhu peak, 2,979 meters high – one of the highest and most beautiful mountain peaks in Vietnam.

Previously, the winding, treacherous dirt road and steep mountain passes made Nam Nghep seem isolated from the "lower world." Only the Mong people in the village, familiar with the route, dared to drive motorbikes along the edge of the ravine. But over the past two years, a concrete road from Ngoc Chien valley to the Nam Nghep "heaven's gate" has gradually taken shape thanks to the joint efforts of the government and the people of Phay, Chu Pong, and Nam Nghep villages. Thousands of man-days and tens of thousands of square meters of forest land have been donated to build the road.

Once the road is completed, trucks can transport goods up the mountain and agricultural products such as hawthorn berries, cardamom, bamboo shoots, etc., down to the lowlands. The Hmong people began buying motorbikes and pickup trucks, while tourists eagerly sought out the "gateway to heaven" in greater numbers. Along the way up, groups of young people stopped to take photos amidst the fluffy sea of ​​clouds above the wooden houses of the Pơ Mu tree or the hills covered in white hawthorn blossoms.

The Hmong people in Nam Nghep celebrate Tet (Lunar New Year) early, starting from the 20th day of the 12th lunar month. The atmosphere is bustling with preparations, filled with the sounds of pigs, pounding rice cakes, and the sound of flutes calling for lovers. The altar is still lit with pig fat to guide ancestors back for Tet. After midnight, the entire village goes out to wish each other a Happy New Year throughout the night; young men and women wear traditional brocade, jingling silver ornaments, and their laughter echoes throughout the mountains and forests. After the 15th day of the 1st lunar month, they prepare for the Hawthorn Flower Festival – the most beautiful time of the year.

In recent years, community-based tourism has flourished. Down in the valley, there's the Ngoc Chien Community Tourism Cooperative, while up at the "Heaven's Gate," Hmong people like Khang A Lenh have built homestays and bungalows made of Pơ Mu wood, established the Nam Nghep Cooperative, and developed products such as hawthorn berries, linen weaving with indigo dyeing, and traditional rice wine making. Everything is still in the exploratory stage, but full of hope.

From Nam Nghep, visitors can explore Bay Tinh Waterfall, climb Ta Tao Mountain to admire the rhododendron flowers, marvel at the "lonely apple tree," or conquer Ta Chi Nhu via a lesser-known route. Especially during the season when the purple chi pau flowers bloom on the mountainside, the journey becomes even more romantic.

The journey from the "lower world" to the "gate to heaven" is arduous, yet also full of happiness. For with just one step through Nam Nghep, visitors feel as if they have touched a fairytale land amidst the clouds of Northwest Vietnam – where majestic nature blends with the enduring cultural rhythm of the Hmong people through countless seasons of mountain winds.