You can use a bus, a motorbike, or your own car to get from Hanoi to Ta Xua. The road from Hanoi to Ta Xua is around 240 kilometers long. Most of it is asphalt and concrete, so it’s not too difficult to drive on. However, the part from Bac Yen town to Ta Xua can be a little challenging because the roads are in horrible shape. So, in this article, Lily’s Travel will show you how to have a fun and safe vacation to Ta Xua from Hanoi.
Hanoi to Ta Xua – overview of the journey
If you go to Ta Xua from Hanoi, you’ll get to see the beautiful scenery and try cloud hunting, which is something you won’t find anywhere else. The tour normally lasts two days and one night or three days and two nights. It goes via places like Dinh Gio, Dinosaur’s Back, and the green tea hills.
- What the trip is about:
- Ways to get there: You can take a motorbike, a private automobile, a passenger car, or a tourist car.
- Time to travel: It takes about 4 to 5 hours by driving from Hanoi to Ta Xua.
- The best time to go cloud hunting is from September to April, when the weather is cool and enjoyable.
- Main attractions:
- Dinh Gio is the best site to look for clouds in the early morning (5–7 am).
- Dinosaur’s Back: The land is rough, so you’ll need strength and expertise to go over it.
- Famous places to check in are Whale Point, Ta Xua Grassland, and Lonely Tree.
- Phu Tho’s Thanh Son Tea Hill: Stop along the road to take in the beautiful green scenery of the tea hill.
Transport options from Hanoi to Ta Xua
Ta Xua is around 200 kilometers from Hanoi. People can get there via bus, motorbike, or automobile.
Travel to Ta Xua by tourist buses
There are many people who want to travel to Ta Xua because it is such a popular tourist spot. There are buses that go from Hanoi to Bac Yen every day. The trip takes around five hours. On busy days, some limousine bus companies will even transport you right to the center of Ta Xua. The cost is between 220,000 VND and 250,000 VND.
People need to keep going to Ta Xua after getting off at Bac Yen town station. They can do this by renting a motorbike. If your steering wheel isn’t powerful enough to handle the hilly terrain, you can hire a motorbike taxi to drive you from town to the center of Ta Xua and let you explore. Here are some well-known bus companies that many travelers trust:
- Khanh Thinh Limousine
- Route: Hanoi – Ta Xua
- Departure time: Hanoi is 8:00, 13:00, 18:00, Ta Xua is 12:00, 14:00
- Phone: 1900.9418
- Nguyen Hang
- Route: Bac Yen – Phu Yen – My Dinh – Thai Nguyen
- Departure time: Bac Yen is 20:00, My Dinh is 21:45
- Phone: 0975.541.999 – 0974.587.474
- Thanh My
- Route: Bac Yen – My Dinh – Bac Ninh Bus Station
- Departure time: Bac Yen is 20:00, My Dinh is 21:15
- Phone: 0968.727.797 – 0389.224.226
- Hai Giang – Duc Soan
- Route: Bac Yen – Phu Yen – My Dinh
- Departure time: My Dinh is 7:30 and Bac Yen is 22:15
- Phone: 0988.666.042
- Hien Huu
- Route: Bac Yen – Phu Yen – My Dinh
- Departure time: Bac Yen is 4:00, and My Dinh is 13:00
- Phone: 0818.126.777
You keep going to Ta Xua after getting off at Bac Yen town station. They need to find a location to hire a motorbike. If the steering wheel of your motorbike isn’t powerful enough to handle the mountain terrain, you can rent a motorbike taxi to take you from town to the center of Ta Xua and then walk around there.
Riding a motorbike with a travel guide to Ta Xua
A motorcycle is the perfect way to see Ta Xua if you like adventure and hiking. According to feedback received by Lily’s Travel regarding Ta Xua, many young people prefer traveling by motorbike. Traveling by motorbike is the best way to explore Ta Xua privately and distinctively.
You should start in Hanoi and run down National Highway 32 from Nhon to Son Tay. You cross Trung Ha Bridge and then go to Thanh Son and Thu Cuc. When you get to the Thu Cuc crossroads, turn left to get to Phu Yen. Then continue on National Highway 37. When you get to Bac Yen town, you can all go about 15 kilometers farther to reach Ta Xua. But this part is a steep mountain pass, so you need to be careful about how fast you go, keep your hands on the wheel, and follow traffic rules!
Taking a motor trip with the Travel Guide to Ta Xua
The infrastructure system has been rebuilt and enhanced a lot, so cars can get through, but the last 14 km from Bac Yen to Ta Xua is still a bit challenging, and you can’t drive very fast. So, you should be careful when you drive at the end of this road. If you’re a wild traveler and want to drive to get here, you should choose a car with a high chassis. This car will help you go over the mountain pass.
This route is longer than the one described earlier by Lily’s Travel, but it offers better driving conditions and allows you to see more stunning places. You leave the capital and head toward the Trung Hoa underpass. From there, you turn into Highway 8, Thang Long Avenue. Everyone stays on DCT08 for about 35.7 km, then they reach the Yen Bai bridge and turn onto TL87A.
To get to DT137, turn right again when you see the Dong Quang bridge. Then, at the next intersection, take a left.
After that, everyone gets on National Highway 32/DT316 and then changes to National Highway 32/QL70B. Turn onto National Highway 32 after about 32 kilometers of driving, then continue for another 31.7 kilometers. Then, turn left onto National Highway 38B and drive for 19.2 kilometers before turning onto National Highway 37.
After this, you will notice a sign to get onto National Highway 43 after driving 26.3 km. You will then need to drive around 28.4 km to get to the Van Yen ferry. To get to Bac Yen town, Ta Xua, everyone just needs to take the ferry to Son La.
What to expect along the way
You can do many fun things on the road to Ta Xua, such as cloud hunting, trekking, visiting famous check-in spots, trying local foods, and learning about highland culture.
The main things to do include
- Cloud hunting: Ta Xua is called “cloud paradis so you shouldn’t miss the chance to seek out clouds. The best time to chase clouds is between 5 and 7 a.m., when the first rays of sunlight start to break through.
- Trekking: Climbing mountains, seeing ancient woods, and reaching the top of Ta Xua peak (2865m) are all fun things to do for people who like to be active and see new places.
- Check-in at prominent places: Lily’s Travel has already talked about these places. Lily’s Travel has additional articles about Ta Xua that you can read if you want to learn more about the sites where you can stop and explore.
Read more: Food court Mui Ne: Where to eat for flavor and variety
Tips for a smooth Hanoi to Ta Xua journey
You should pay attention to a few things when you go to Ta Xua from Hanoi to make sure your vacation is safe and fun. The journey might be long, and there are difficult mountain crossings, so it’s very necessary to plan ahead.
- The road: The route from Bac Yen to Ta Xua is now paved with concrete, which makes it simpler to get about. But you still need to be careful because there are a lot of tight, steep, and narrow corners.
- Motorbike rental: You can rent a motorbike when you get to Bac Yen and ride it around Ta Xua. But if you don’t know how to ride a motorcycle on steep terrain and mountain passes, you should rent one from a local to be safe.
- Safety: When riding a motorcycle at night or in poor weather conditions, you should always travel with other people. IIf you are unfamiliar with the road, it is advisable to have a guide.
- Weather: Ta Xua has a chilly climate all year long; however, the best period to look for clouds is from October to April of the next year. Before you depart, you should check the weather prediction so you can get the right clothes and other things you need.
- Clothes: Bring warm clothing, comfortable shoes, hats, gloves, and other warm items, especially if you are traveling in the winter.
- Essential personal items include sunscreen, medicine, hygiene supplies, and a camera for capturing lovely moments.
- Eat and drink: Bring some food and drinks with you to keep your energy up as you travel. You can try local foods like buffalo jerky, bamboo rice, apple wine, and more along the way.
- Things to remember when moving:
- Steep mountain passes: Be careful when driving through steep mountain passes and sharp curves. Drive at a modest speed, keep a safe distance, and watch other cars closely.
- Particularly in the early morning and late afternoon, fog can suddenly appear. When driving in fog, turn on your headlights, slow down, and keep a safe distance from other cars.
- Rest: If you start to feel exhausted, stop at roadside stalls or rest spots along the way. When you’re too exhausted, don’t try to move.
- Safety while walking: Wear shoes with excellent grip when walking on steep ground, and be careful on slippery roads.
- Respect the culture: Keep the area clean and respect the habits and culture of the people who live there.
If you like to explore and go on adventures, Ta Xua is a wonderful place to go. This place has wild, beautiful scenery, winding mountain roads, and fascinating places to visit. So, you need to discover a way on how to get to Ta Xua from Hanoi that is easy, safe, and cheap so you can have fun and make lasting memories.
Lily’s Travel hopes you can find a means to get from Hanoi to Ta Xua that works with your plans. But tourists should still schedule a tour through a travel operator. If you don’t speak the local language well, it will be hard for you to find your way on how to get to Ta Xua from Hanoi. If you still want to go alone, you should still talk to travel firms and receive their recommendations on the safest way to get there.
Read more: Ta Chi Nhu: One of the best mountain to hunt cloud
