Mù Cang Chải Stays Quiet as Tourists Cancel Trips, Some “Rent Entire Fields” for Photos

Lào Cai, Vietnam – During what should be the peak of the golden rice season, Mù Cang Chải remains unusually quiet as many visitors canceled their tours earlier this week over fears of landslides and bad weather following Typhoon No.10.

On the morning of October 4, traffic on National Highway 32 through Khau Phạ Pass reopened after a landslide on October 1. Local authorities in Tủ Lệ Commune confirmed that motorbikes, cars, small trucks (under 2.5 tons), and 16-seat passenger vans can now travel through the area.

Visitors to Mù Cang Chải can once again take the route via National Highway 32 through Tủ Lệ and Khau Phạ Pass, instead of detouring through the Hà Nội–Lào Cai Expressway and Lai Châu’s Ô Quy Hồ Pass as in previous days.

“The road has reopened and the weather’s been sunny for several days,” said Lê Xuân Dương, Head of Mù Cang Chải’s Cultural Office. “However, tourist numbers remain low because people are still worried about the aftermath of the storm.”

According to local tour guides, only a few hundred tourists are in Mù Cang Chải this weekend. Even famous spots like Đồi Mâm Xôi (Round Tray Hill) and Đồi Móng Ngựa (Horseshoe Hill) — normally packed during harvest season — are nearly empty.

Thu Uyên, a local tourism operator, said all her weekend bookings, including accommodations and transport, were canceled.

“If not for the storm, we could have welcomed tens of thousands of tourists,” she said.

For those who did make the trip, the rare tranquility has been a blessing. Lê Nhàn, a visitor from Hanoi, decided to set off early on October 4 after hearing the road was open.

“I started at 4 a.m. and arrived around 11 a.m.,” she said. “I was planning to come two weeks ago but canceled due to rain. Now the weather is perfect, and it’s so peaceful — I practically have the fields all to myself!”

She described the drive between Văn Chấn and Mù Cang Chải as “devastating but passable,” with clear skies and sunshine greeting her on arrival.

Similarly, Ngọc Vũ, another visitor from Hanoi, traveled via the Nội Bài–Lào Cai Expressway and Lai Châu route on October 3.

“We were both brave and lucky to go at the last minute,” he said. “It’s surreal — golden fields, perfect weather, and almost no tourists. It’s the best photo trip I’ve ever had.”

By the evening of October 3, local transport operators had resumed selling tickets for limousine vans and buses to Mù Cang Chải. Trips depart from Hanoi at 5 a.m. and return from Mù Cang Chải at 1 p.m.

Still, Ngọc Vũ advised travelers to stay alert:

“If you can’t make it by Saturday, it’s better to postpone. Another storm could hit Sunday night, bringing rain and road damage. Safety comes first.”

Currently, the terraced fields are golden across areas such as Đồi Mâm Xôi, Đồi Móng Ngựa, Kim Nọi, and Lao Chải, though some villages like Háng Đăng Dê have already started harvesting.

“Locals are hurrying to harvest while the weather’s still good,” said Mùa A Giàng, a local guide. “If it rains again, the crops could be ruined.”

Harvesting will continue into next week, and in many tourist areas, the golden fields will remain through late October — giving visitors another chance to enjoy the breathtaking mùa vàng (golden season).