Experience nature in Ta Xua, Bac Yen, Son La. Photo: Ngoc Anh

Ta Xua, located in Bac Yen district, Son La province, is considered a famous cloud paradise in the North. Most tourists choose experiences such as trekking, mountain climbing, and overnight stays.homestayAdmiring the swirling sea of ​​clouds... Few people know about Ta Xua, but living with the local people will give you countless other memories that capture the pure, authentic beauty of the region.

A chance trip

The end of the year is a busy time for work, but Ngoc Anh (27 years old), an office worker, still longs for a weekend getaway from Hanoi. She chose Ta Xua because it's easier to get to compared to more distant and time-consuming places like Sapa or Ha Giang.

The chilly weather that blankets Northern Vietnam from the beginning of December is also the perfect time to go cloud hunting in Ta Xua. While searching for homestays and planning a self-guided trip with friends, Ngoc Anh was unexpectedly introduced to a brand-new local tour offered by a homestay owner. She shared: “I was immediately impressed with the Cham Tea tour and didn't think Ta Xua could offer such interesting experiences, learning about tea and even dyeing indigo myself. After reading the itinerary, I immediately decided to go without much hesitation, and I truly had a worthwhile trip.”

Enjoy the fresh air in Ta Xua, Bac Yen, Son La. Photo: Ngoc Anh

This was Ngoc Anh's first time visiting Ta Xua, bringing with her the perspective of someone who had only seen the cloud paradise through common images of the Northwest mountains. Everything before the trip was quite unremarkable, and the girl admitted she didn't have many impressions, saying, "It's like a place I'll visit just to see it and don't think I'll come back many times."

But two days at Thong Dong Retreat, with the host picking her up, cooking meals, and letting her experience life in the high mountains, completely changed the young woman's mind. Ta Xua was much more beautiful, from the scenery along the road, the majestic green mountains, to the homestay located far from the town center, with its beautiful and unforgettable peaceful views.

During the day, Ngoc Anh enjoys watching the sunrise and having breakfast with a million-dollar view of the sea of ​​clouds and rolling hills right in front of her. At night, she is mesmerized by the countless stars twinkling in the silent night sky, something she never gets to see in Hanoi.

Tourists learn how to print patterns on fabric for indigo dyeing. Photo: Ngoc Anh.

Tea star, indigo dye on the clouds

Ngoc Anh initially disliked organized tours, fearing the time constraints and the "nothing memorable except hastily taken photos," rigid experiences, and crowds. However, the Cham Tra tour gave her a different perspective on travel. It was a leisurely trip filled with memorable moments, and tourists had the opportunity to learn more about the Cham culture.indigenous cultureand get to know more about the tourism professionals who are passionate about preserving and developing Ta Xua.

On the first day, the host took the guest to a small tea shop. The tea-making experience began with stories about how to roast tea leaves perfectly with bare hands. Although initially clumsy, after a while, the young woman found herself captivated by the feeling of concentration. Ngoc Anh gradually learned to adjust her hand movements evenly and how to place tea leaves under her hands each time she stirred, ensuring her hands didn't touch the hot pan too much. She could feel the moderate warmth of the tea leaves on her hands, and smell the aroma of the leaves from their freshness to their drying state.

Not only did they hear about the tea, but everyone also learned about the different types of tea, their aromas, and flavors. This was also the first time Ngoc Anh had tasted tea and felt the delicate aroma, without any bitterness or astringency, noticing the difference in taste with each cup.

This is the first time the young woman has personally roasted tea using the traditional method. Photo: Ngoc Anh

On the second day, the girl was even more surprised by the "indigo dyeing in the clouds" experience – being driven to a location so beautiful that she was incredibly excited as soon as she got out of the car. This was a small indigo dyeing workshop with a direct view of the mountains, valleys, and terraced rice fields, a truly breathtaking sight. The scene that Ngoc Anh will always remember is the drying racks of still-wet dyed fabrics, the vibrant indigo colors fluttering in the wind, creating a very poetic atmosphere.

Here, the workshop owner shares information about the origins of indigo, how to make the dye, and the differences between various dyeing methods. Customers are shown firsthand how to create patterns on fabric using beeswax before dyeing. In a place where the earth and sky blend harmoniously, surrounded by mountains and a clear blue sky, meticulously drawing patterns onto the scarf, taking it to be dyed, dipping the scarf into the indigo vat, until seeing the patterns she created herself on the scarf – Ngoc Anh felt a particularly enjoyable experience.

“I had so many new experiences that I probably can't describe them all in words. It was the first time I went on a tour without crowds, without rushing to check in and move between destinations. The trip truly helped everyone to understand and look deeper into themselves.”

Source: laodong.vn