Come to the Northwest to experience hunting clouds on the “back of dinosaurs”
Dubbed the cloud paradise of the Northwest, Ta Xua is a place that young people whisper to each other and
Ta Xua is no longer a strange name to many young people today because this place is famous as a great cloud hunting place. However, we often joke that to hunt clouds, and one must have "extremely good dignity".
As someone who just finished a 2-day 1 night journey in Ta Xua, I have to correct that the most important thing to have a complete trip is that you are always happy and stay optimistic throughout the journey. Going with a group of friends is a great idea to share beautiful moments while supporting each other on the road.
Some wonderful things in Ta Xua that you may not have had a chance to experience:
1. Hunting for clouds on dinosaur spines:
Surely, anyone visiting Ta Xua must visit the dinosaur's spine once to enjoy a bowl of noodles with a million-dollar view. However, the truth is that the cafes that serve breakfast here are often very crowded, so you have to wait a relatively long time to eat. Therefore, in my opinion, if you have time or want to sit and "chill" instead of conquering dinosaur spines, you should try it. If you are coming here for the first time like me, after parking the car, you will move down to the dinosaur's spine.
There are 2 ways to move down the spine. One is to rent a motorbike taxi in the village for 60,000 VND/trip. Second, you walk down by yourself, about 1.5-2km, to reach the end of the dinosaur's spine. The path is very steep and bumpy, so prepare yourself with a pair of sports shoes to avoid foot pain and remember to bring drinking water. Although walking is tiring, you will feel the surrounding landscape more clearly and be safer. Taking a motorbike taxi is faster but will also feel "heart-pounding" because of the extremely steep uphill driving.
If you look down your spine and see only the cloudy sky, don't be disappointed. According to the experience of local people and my personal experience, wait a few minutes for the sky to be clear, and you will see clouds. Clouds come and fly away quickly, so you must be ready with your camera to get once-in-a-lifetime photos.
2. It is not necessary to go to all three points of Dolphin's Spine, Lonely Tree and Steppe, to have a complete trip
Cuong - a member of our group said: "The beautiful scenery in Ta Xua, especially on the lonely tree road, really cannot be expressed in words. Even though I picked up the camera many times, it failed. I suddenly let go because I had to see with my own eyes and feel with all my senses to see how majestic the mountains and forests were."
The reason it's not necessary to go to all three points, Dolphin's Spine, Lonely Tree and Steppe, to be a complete trip because depending on the weather and travel time, you can arrange a suitable schedule. I went early one morning when it was very foggy in town, visibility was less than 10m, and I had to wear a raincoat to move. Fortunately, after going up the mountain of about 2-3 km, the sky began to brighten, the clouds dissipated, and there was light sunshine. At this time, I also reached the gentle slope, not blocked by trees. I stopped the car to capture the entire mountain and forest scene because then the color photo would be very beautiful and not overexposed.
After that, I moved straight to the Lonely Tree. The path was beautiful and poetic. The price of arriving at the lonely tree very early was that we were just in time to catch the sunrise, see the sun rising higher, and, more importantly, there was no crowding in line to take photos as posted on social networks. Our group was alone at the check-in point under a lonely tree, watching the green life and clouds. The sun was rising quickly, so we didn't go back to check in at the dolphin cape and the prairie but just drove slowly to admire the scenery. Part of the reason is that at this time, the spots start to get crowded with tourists, and the sun also makes the photos not so good because the beautiful scenery at the lonely tree made us feel satisfied with this trip.
3. Ta Xua not only has Mi Oi coffee, Thao cafe, or H'mong cafe... there are many lovely cafes with beautiful views, but they are much less crowded.
We were lucky to find a homestay with a beautiful view, spacious accommodation, affordable prices, and a coffee shop on the first floor. The shop is called Hill Cloud Coffee Ta Xua, owned by a 9X native owner. The shop has a direct view of the valley, which is always ready to welcome the clouds. The shop is high up, separate from the main road, so it is quiet. The drinks are good, and there are many virtual check-in corners, forgetting the way home.
Mi, Thao or H'mong cafes are all sought after, and many young people visit, but I prioritize open, spacious spaces to relax and enjoy the scenery.
4. Don't hesitate to fill up with gas before riding your motorbike to tourist destinations
Learning from experience when travelling in high mountain areas, even if you rent a motorbike, you should fill the gas tank before moving. The roads in Ta Xua are relatively bad, mainly steep terrain and few gas stations. Therefore, you should check the fuel and vehicle condition before moving to ensure the trip is not interrupted. 
5. Even if you go to Ta Xua and encounter rain and clouds, don't be sad. The rainy weather in Ta Xua is also very beautiful.
Most people don't like the rain when travelling. However, despite weather forecasts in advance, nothing is completely certain. If it's raining and you can't hunt clouds or watch the sunset as planned, stopping by a sidewalk grill and sipping a skewer of grilled meat or a hot sweet potato is also very interesting. Or choose a favorite cafe with live music, listen to music and watch the rain.
Or, if you want to challenge yourself, you can still go to the check-in points as planned but drive carefully. The weather at the base of a mountain and the top can be completely different, just as the weather at the center differs from that at the spine of a dinosaur or Lonely Tree.
Ta Xua has many interesting things. Even if you can't hunt clouds, this place still can "heal" very well. November and December are the best times of the year to visit Ta Xua, so don't miss it.
