Winter comes as Y Ty has a beautiful romantic snowfalls like a movie, turning this highland of Lao Cai province into a “land of white snow” that attracts tourists. Snow hunting experience in Y Ty will definitely be an experience not to be missed during this winter trip.
Brief introduction about Y Ty
Y Ty is a highland commune in Lao Cai. This place is a familiar destination for Northwest tourists. Located at an altitude of 2000m above sea level and covered with green forests, Y Ty is always cool with a pleasant climate. In winter, the temperature here drops sharply, sometimes dropping below 0 degrees Celsius and seas of clouds and white snow appear, suitable for tourists who like to explore.
Y Ty is a place imbued with the cultural identity of the Ha Nhi people and is the only place in Vietnam where the Ha Nhi people live. Coming to Y Ty, in addition to hunting rattan, visitors can also experience local culture with interesting customs and rich dishes. And Y Ty is one of the beautiful snow viewing spots, not crowded or sparse but pleasing to the eyes.
When is the best time to explore Y Ty?
The ideal time to hunt for snow in Y Ty is from December to January, when cold spells hit the Northwest highland provinces, causing heavy snowfall all over the road. Snow showers appear when the temperature drops to record lows. It often lasts long and covers the village, making it look like Hokkaido in winter.
Interesting fun activities in Y Ty
Go to the market: Coming to the land of Y Ty, you should not miss the market of the indigenous people here held every Saturday. Not only does it bring a variety of foods, vegetables, consumer goods, clothes,etc. but the market also helps you “open your eyes” to the beautiful costumes of ethnic people, discovering the beauty of the cultur and have the opportunity to enjoy exotic specialties.
Going to Muong Hum market: An activity not to be missed when coming to Y Ty is participating in Muong Hum market, this is where many ethnic groups gather such as: H’Mong, Ha Nhi, Han, Red Dao, etc. You can catch sight of ethnic people buying and selling, happily chatting or seeing couples dating.
Thien Sinh Bridge: According to the Ha Nhi ethnic language, Thien Sinh Bridge is called Thien San Shu, which translates as “heavenly born”. This is a very special bridge. The bridge is only about 1 meter short, formerly a natural rock spanning a deep ravine, below which is the Lung Po stream roaring with white foam. This is also the border between Vietnam and China. Over time, the stone spanning the deep gap gradually eroded, people used wooden bars to make a bridge and then built a concrete bridge like today.
Climbing Lao Than Mountain: For young people who love to explore and want to “hunt clouds”, Lao Than is definitely a destination not to be missed when visiting Y Ty. The peak of Lao Than is located at an altitude of 2,860m and is likened to the roof of Y Ty. Although the path is quite arduous, the result will definitely make you satisfied when you can see and even touch the clouds.
What’s delicious to eat when coming to Y Ty?
Wild shiitake mushrooms: During the rainy season around April – May, shiitake mushrooms will appear in the forest. Indigenous people will pick mushrooms to sell in restaurants or dry them so that tourists coming to Y Ty can easily bring them back as a gift. With its delicious, unique mushroom flavor, it will definitely make you unforgettable the first time you enjoy it.
Ha Nhi Beer: Speaking of delicious dishes at Y Ty, Ha Nhi beer is a specialty drink not to be missed. Different from the taste of all other beers, the beer is produced by Ha Nhi people according to traditional recipes, with elaborate steps to combine fresh forest fruits. After a period of incubation, you can drink it directly without worrying about headaches.
Cat Apple cider: Cat apple, also known as hawthorn fruit, is famous for Northwest tourists because of its characteristic sour, astringent flavor, often used to make wine. After being harvested, cat apples are washed and processed according to each family’s secret method. Sometimes people cut the apple in half and soak it in salt to reduce the sap. On the contrary, some people leave the whole fruit and put it in a glass jar to soak for a few months so that the apple releases sap and the wine smells fragrant.
Cat mustard greens: Cat mustard plants have long dark green leaves with dark green curly edges. Normally, local people only sow seeds along the fields and let the plants grow naturally, ensuring very clean and fresh vegetables. Local people have many ways to prepare mustard greens, from stir-frying, cooking, boiling or using it to dip in hot pot, it is also very delicious.
Y Ty commune has nearly 800 households living in 16 villages with 4 ethnic groups: Mong, Ha Nhi, Dao, Kinh. The road up here is both far and quite difficult to travel, but in return, the wonderful beauty of the villages looming in the clouds and the pristine mountain and forest scenery is an ideal destination for those who love photography and explore nature. When mentioning Lao Cai tourism, many people will only mention Sa Pa as an attractive destination. However, in the past few years, with its beauty changing with each season of the year, Y Ty has become a “Muse” in the hearts of many tourists, promising to bring many interesting things to travel enthusiasts.
Text and photos: Q.Lien
