After taking motion sickness medication and applying a patch behind my ear, I embarked on a six-hour drive from Hanoi's Noi Bai Airport to the mountainous region of Mu Cang Chai. The winding mountain roads made me anxious before the trip, but I ended up sleeping through much of the journey, barely catching glimpses of the scenery outside.
I arrived at Gariya Mu Cang Chai well after 6 p.m., having spent 5 hours and 50 minutes in transit. Including breaks, I was on the road for nearly 7 hours. Perhaps it was the relief of having safely navigated the long mountain roads that made me feel at ease as I unpacked and quickly fell into a deep sleep.
The next morning, as I pulled back the curtains, the stunning views I had missed the day before flooded in. Terraced rice fields cascaded down the mountainside, with peaks layered in the distance. I stood by the window for a long time, still half-asleep, marveling at the landscape I had barely noticed while dozing off in the car. The morning at the end of the long mountain road filled my heart with joy.
Mu Cang Chai is a highland area where the Hmong people have cultivated terraced rice fields for generations. In May and June, the flooded fields reflect the sky and mountains, while in July and August, they are covered in lush green. Designated a national scenic site in 2007 and elevated to a national special heritage site in 2019, the fields turn golden in September and October, marking the 'golden season' of Mu Cang Chai.
Although it remains a challenging destination, access is gradually improving. By the end of this year, the completion of highway construction is expected to reduce travel time from Hanoi to Mu Cang Chai to around four hours.
◆ A Village Nestled on the Mountainside: Gariya's 'Quiet Luxury'
I asked Tin Phan, the general manager, what luxury means in this context. He emphasized 'Quiet Luxury.'
"Luxury is not about visible extravagance. It's about resting well, regaining balance, and returning to a healthier life. Today's luxury has become quieter."
For travelers who have journeyed six hours into the mountains, this translates to 'leisure'—spending a day at one's own pace without fragmenting time.
Gariya Mu Cang Chai is the first resort launched by the Gariya wellness brand in Vietnam, part of the Banyan Group. Instead of constructing a large building, the resort's rooms and facilities are scattered along the contours of the mountains and rice fields, comprising a total of 110 rooms, suites, and villas. From a distance, it resembles a small village on the mountainside.
At the center is a bamboo lobby that takes your breath away upon entry. Tall bamboo stalks twist and curve, allowing sunlight and breeze to flow through.
It took over seven years to create this space. After hearing that, I looked up at the ceiling again. Initially, I thought it was just beautiful, but now I noticed each bamboo piece intricately woven together.
The rooms feature colors and patterns inspired by bamboo and traditional Hmong textiles. However, the most captivating view remains outside. Opening the balcony door reveals layers of mountains beyond the terraced fields—a sight that holds your gaze for a long time.
The resort offers a variety of wellness programs, including yoga, meditation, qigong, trekking, Vietnamese language, and cooking classes. From check-in, guests are asked about their physical and mental states. The term 'Groundedness' particularly caught my attention, referring to the awareness of one's body and mind in the present moment.
Guests are encouraged to put down their phones and disconnect from the noise of the city. Time spent doing nothing becomes an essential part of the experience. While such moments might feel wasted in Seoul, here, they are a vital part of the schedule. The luxury of doing nothing strangely penetrated deep within.
General Manager Tin Phan places special emphasis on sleep. Neuroacoustic music, sleep monitoring, and red light therapy are integrated with hydrotherapy, which consists of 13 steps including hot and cold baths, rain mist showers, infrared saunas, and herbal steam rooms. Alternating between hot and cold water helps to relax the body, which had been tense from the mountain roads.
◆ Riding Motorbikes into the Mountains: Experiencing Hmong Life
The next day, I ventured outside the resort for a full-day tour that included the Dinosaur Ridge viewpoint, bamboo forests, and Hmong corn houses, all accessible by motorbike. As it was my first time riding, I felt a mix of excitement and fear as I climbed onto the bike behind the guide.
The roads were rougher than expected. Every dip jolted my body, and I instinctively tensed my arms and thighs on downhill stretches. Leaning into the curves alongside the guide, I quickly transitioned from being nervous to enjoying the ride.
Dust kicked up, and the wind whipped against my face. The houses, fields, and people along the roadside, which would have blurred by from a car window, became vividly clear.
We passed through a ridge that resembled a dinosaur's spine, traversed bamboo forests, and headed toward the Hmong houses. I lost count of how many times I got on and off the motorbike.
The Hmong house, filled with harvested corn, showcased their way of life, with corn hanging from the eaves and walls, a testament to their self-sufficient lifestyle. Sitting together, we enjoyed a simple yet well-prepared Hmong meal while gazing out at the terraced fields.
From a distance, the terraced fields appeared beautiful, but up close, I saw the daily lives of the Hmong people who have toiled on the steep slopes.
In the afternoon, I learned to create traditional Hmong wax paintings, a technique involving drawing patterns with wax on fabric. It looked easy, but I found it quite challenging. If I hesitated, the wax clumped, and if I rushed, the lines became crooked. While the local artisans flowed effortlessly, my attempts were clumsy. After trying it myself, I viewed the Hmong textiles in souvenir shops with newfound appreciation.
We hopped back on the motorbike to head to our final destination, Horseshoe Hill. The terraced fields curved like horseshoes around the mountainside, with peaks layered behind them. I spent a long time there, raising and lowering my camera.
In Mu Cang Chai, it's hard to rush. It took half a day to arrive, and another day to venture deeper into the mountains. In front of a landscape I loved, I found myself standing still for a long time. Even with a tightly packed itinerary, the mountain roads rarely allowed for quick travel.
◆ Leaving Mu Cang Chai: Another Six-Hour Journey
On the day of departure, I was busy from dawn. Before the sun rose, I packed my bags and left the resort. The surroundings were dim, and the mountains barely revealed their outlines. I climbed back onto the six-hour mountain road.
This time, I felt more relaxed. Although I dozed off again, I made sure to look outside when I woke up. As the darkness lifted and the day brightened, the terraced fields began to reveal themselves one by one. Unlike the journey there, when I had hoped to pass quickly through the winding roads, I now felt a sense of loss with each curve that took me further away from the scenery.
Looking back, not much was accomplished in a hurry in Mu Cang Chai. It took time to reach the next view along the winding roads, and deeper exploration by motorbike was necessary to meet the villages and people. Even a single line of wax painting required patience. Initially, the slowness felt frustrating, but at some point, I found myself matching that pace.
Nearly a month has passed since my visit. The six-hour journey, endured with medication and patches, has already faded. Yet, strangely, the memories of what I encountered at the end of that road have become clearer with time.
The terraced fields and layered mountains that rushed in on that first morning, the wind I felt from the back of the motorbike, and the sunlight filtering through the bamboo—all remain vivid in my mind without needing to revisit my photo album.
It has been a month since I left Mu Cang Chai, but a part of my heart may still linger somewhere along that mountain road.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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