MUONG LO VALLEY - Interesting Experience With Ethnic Minorities And Terraced Fields In Northern Vietnam

Nga Do
Muong Lo (Nghia Lo) in Yen Bai province in northern Vietnam, is interesting for the local ethnic groups, in particular Thai, who count about one million people throughout Vietnam. The typical village consists of wooden and bamboo houses built on stilts (stitls are not actually needed to negotiate the water, but to take advantage of the lower floor as a shelter for animals).

Having black teeth is a sign of beauty, so dyeing them is a fairly common practice, especially among elders. The glossy black is achieved with special dyes coming from plants and mixed with calcium powder.

MUONG LO VALLEY - Interesting Experience With Ethnic Minorities And Terraced Fields In Northern Vietnam
Photo by Saokim999
Muong Lo is one of the main granaries of Vietnam, where crops are represented mainly by corn and rice.

The fruit and vegetable markets in Vietnam are always a great opportunity to meet local people and learn more about the uses and costumes.


Worms sold alive and eaten cooked in various ways (not everyone in Vietnam eat them, especially among the younger generation). Same thing happens to the silkworm, which seems to be more delicious than the other yellow worms.

On the market there are the stalls of meat, including dog meat. In Vietnam it's permitted to eat dog meat, but only if coming from some local wild species that are not considered pets. The imported species of dogs, or at least not wild, are considered friends just like in Western countries.

The journey in Vietnam continues through the mountains, where there are picturesque terraced rice fields. In this region, at this altitude (approximately 1000 meters) the rice is ripe between the end of september and the beginning of october: some fields have been already harvested and have the brown color of dry land while others are yet to be harvested and show a beautiful bright yellow color. In this region of Vietnam, the ripening of the rice happens 2-3 weeks after Sapa (the most popular place in Vietnam where most tourists go to see terraced rice fields).

Best way to get to Nghia Lo from Hanoi


Muong Lo valley is located in Nghia Lo town, Yen Bai province, about 200km from Hanoi and 80km from Yen Bai city to the West. From Hanoi to Nghia Lo you can travel by Train+bus, bus and motorbike.

Hanoi to Nghia Lo by train+bus

Train from Hanoi to Yen Bai

Travel by train from Hanoi to Yen Bai takes about 4-4,5 hours. There are about 3-4 trains avery day of Vietnam Railways from Hanoi to Yen Bai. Railway station in Yen Bai - Yen Bai railway station (218 Tran Hung Dao). This is a top travel route in northern Vietnam.

Bus from Yen Bai to Nghia Lo

After taking a train from Hanoi to Yen Bai city, you will have to continue to Nghia Lo town by bus, some local buses go from Yen Bai to Nghia Lo.

Bus from Hanoi to Nghia Lo

This is a top choice - recommended - book your bus ticket online! Some buses will go directly from Hanoi to Nghia Lo. Travel by bus from Hanoi to Nghia Lo takes about 6 hours.

Travel by motorbike to Nghia Lo

Is a good way only for the experienced drivers. It is about 270km, so it can takes about 2 days of travelling by motorbike.


Vietnam is an ideal country to travel. When you are surprised for your trip, don't be afraid. Vietnam Typical Tours is a company specializing in providing tours to North Vietnam with a team of travel consultants and local guides who have many experiences, promising to bring many interesting experiences throughout the journey. You can contact us directly for assistance, advice on the best itineraries to Northern Vietnam.

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