Mu Cang Chai
A mountain area in the northwest whose slopes are carved into rice terraces by Hmong farmers. The terraces are at their greenest in summer and turn gold just before the harvest in September and early October.
- Where
- Lao Cai, Vietnam
- Grade
- Local gem
- Worth
- 10 points collected on site
- Coordinates
- 21.8469, 104.0917
Get the Mu Cang Chai stamp
Open LOQAH when you are at Mu Cang Chai. It checks where you are once, at that moment, and the stamp is yours: confirmed on site in gold and struck with the date. It goes into your Lao Cai volume with your photos and a note.
Near Mu Cang Chai
Fansipan 60 km
The highest mountain in Indochina, rising to 3,147 metres in the Hoang Lien Son range nine kilometres southwest of Sa Pa. Called the Roof of Indochina, it can be climbed over a day or two, or reached by cable car.
Hung Temple 138 km
A temple complex on Nghia Linh mountain honouring the Hung Kings, the legendary founders of the Vietnamese nation. Its temples climb the hillside in stages, and each spring the festival of the kings' death anniversary draws huge crowds.
Ba Vi National Park 156 km
A forested national park around the Ba Vi mountain range, about 48 kilometres west of Hanoi. Its peaks are often wrapped in cloud, and the ruins of a French hill station and a temple to the mountain spirit sit near the top.
Nui Coc Lake 168 km
A reservoir about 25 kilometres west of Thai Nguyen, inside Tam Dao National Park. Its 89 islands are tied to a local legend, and it is a popular place for boat trips and weekend outings.
Ba Be Lake 169 km
The largest natural lake in Vietnam, set among forested limestone mountains in the northeast. Boats cross its linked basins to caves and waterfalls, and stilt house villages along the shore take in visitors.
Dong Van Karst Plateau Geopark 188 km
A high plateau of grey limestone peaks along the Chinese border in Vietnam's far north, a UNESCO Global Geopark since 2010. Its switchback roads pass Hmong villages, terraced hillsides and the old market town of Dong Van.
Vietnam Military History Museum 196 km
One of Vietnam's seven national museums, set up on 17 July 1956 to tell the country's military history. Its large new home on the western side of Hanoi shows weapons, documents and aircraft, with tanks and artillery set out in the grounds.
Vietnam Museum of Ethnology 198 km
A museum devoted to the 54 officially recognised ethnic groups of Vietnam, on a large site in Cau Giay about 8 kilometres from the centre. Behind the main building, an outdoor garden holds full size traditional houses from around the country, among them stilt houses and communal halls.
Questions
Where is Mu Cang Chai?
Mu Cang Chai is in Lao Cai, Vietnam. The nearest other LOQAH stamps are Fansipan (60 km), Hung Temple (138 km), Ba Vi National Park (156 km).
How do I get the Mu Cang Chai stamp?
Open LOQAH when you are at Mu Cang Chai and get its stamp. The app checks where you are once, at that moment, and the stamp goes into your Lao Cai volume, confirmed on site, with the date.
I have been to Mu Cang Chai before. Can I still have the stamp?
Yes. Add it from Earlier trips in your Lao Cai volume, with the date if you know it, or import your Google Timeline and LOQAH matches the places you were.
Collect your first stamp.
LOQAH is free on iPhone and Android, in India and 20 more countries, with more countries on the way. Stand at a place, collect its stamp, and keep every trip in a passport that grows.