Explore Hich Hill

Floating clouds, cool climate, sipping hot tea while watching the sunrise, quietly watching the sun set behind the mountains in the evening, camping overnight, immersing oneself in vast and tranquil nature to hear even the "whispers" of all things... These experiences and emotions are "found" when returning to Hich Hill - a "mini Da Lat" of Thanh Hoa province.

Explore Hich Hill Hich Hill is a vast plain, from where visitors can take in the panoramic views and "hunt" for clouds. Photo: Bui Phuong

Located in the communes of Thach Lap (Ngoc Lac district) and Cam Lien (Cam Thuy district), Hich Hill has recently become a popular destination for adventurous tourists . The journey to Hich Hill offers many interesting experiences.

From the center of Ngoc Lac district, travel about 10km further to Thach Lap commune. Upon reaching Hoa Son village, tourists then trek another 4km through the forest to reach Hich Hill. Because it's still a local road, getting from the main road of the commune to Hich Hill is quite a challenge. To ensure a safe journey, tourists can choose to travel by motorbike (manual transmission) or 4x4 vehicle.

After about 25 minutes of traversing the forest, Hich Hill appeared before our eyes. A vast, boundless plain unfolded, making visitors forget all their fatigue. The fresh, cool air quickly dispelled the oppressive heat of the summer day. Mixed with the wind was the scent of green grass and forest trees, creating a gentle, fresh, and indescribable fragrance. Like a greedy traveler, we eagerly stretched out our arms to embrace the wind, hastily opened our chests wide, and closed our eyes to breathe in... then gently lay down on the cool green grass, letting our limbs be free, comfortably opening our eyes to gaze at the vast blue sky and wishing that this peaceful moment could last... a very long time.

Hich Hill is vast and expansive, surrounded by continuous hills and mountains, creating a landscape that is both majestic and poetic. From Hich Hill, visitors can climb to higher peaks such as Phong Khong Peak and Cong Troi Peak (as the locals call it) to observe the surroundings and take in the myriad colors of nature and life. Among the high peaks on Hich Hill, Cong Troi Peak and the rocky area are often chosen by tourists as "check-in" spots to capture beautiful scenery and "hunt" for clouds swirling below.

As evening approached, the last rays of sunlight faded behind the mountains. In the distance, wisps of smoke rose from the stilt houses, and villagers leisurely herded their buffaloes, grazed after a long day, back to their barns along the winding village road. Meanwhile, on the vast plain, makeshift shelters were being erected for tourists to spend the night on Hich Hill. The aroma of grilled meat, sticky rice cooked in bamboo tubes, plates of bamboo shoots, and boiled wild vegetables... whetted the appetites of hungry stomachs. With the assistance of local people, visitors could easily enjoy a delightful dinner amidst the expansive landscape.

Night had fallen, and on Hich Hill, the huts were lit, sparkling in the silent darkness. There were no car horns, no dust, only the murmur of people talking, occasionally punctuated by bursts of hearty laughter... In the vast expanse, looking up at the star-filled sky, someone suddenly wondered: Who named this place Hich Hill?

Mr. Bui Van Phuong, a Muong ethnic minority resident of Thach Lap, who assists tourists with exploration and camping services on Hich Hill, said: “The hill is also known as Ba Chua Hich Hill. Legend has it that during times of turmoil, when the village was ravaged by foreign invaders, a woman led the villagers through the forest to Hich Hill to seek refuge. Later, out of gratitude to her, the villagers named this vast plain Ba Chua Hich Hill. With its mild and cool climate, Hich Hill attracts many young people from within and outside the province. Especially on weekends and holidays, many young people and families come to camp and explore Hich Hill.”

After a restful night's sleep on Hich Hill, the feeling of watching the sunrise amidst the rolling hills, surrounded by swirling clouds, leaves many overwhelmed with emotion, exclaiming with delight. In the cool morning air on Hich Hill, sipping warm tea brewed in bamboo tubes is truly delightful. The bamboo tubes are cut by locals from the forest, and the green tea leaves are also harvested from the forest. Water from the stream is poured into the bamboo tubes and boiled over a wood fire along with the green tea leaves – a truly unique flavor.

According to the locals, they not only make tea and rice, but also prepare food and drinks in bamboo tubes... using locally available ingredients. This is not only a very different experience from their daily lives and cooking, but it can also "teach" each person survival skills in challenging conditions...

Hich Hill is a fun and attractive tourist destination. However, if you only visit Hich Hill in Thach Lap, your trip might not be complete. There are also Khe Cha Waterfall, Ban Day Cave, Con Cave... with stunning scenery, gifts from nature to the land and people of Thach Lap, which are also well worth exploring.

And don't leave without visiting Lap Thang village – a peaceful and beautiful Muong village with unique Muong cultural features still preserved. Notably, Lap Thang village is also a community tourism destination in Ngoc Lac district.

According to Ms. Le Thi Van, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Thach Lap commune: "The commune has great potential in terms of natural landscapes and traditional cultural values of the Muong people that are preserved and maintained... which is an advantage for tourism development. In particular, in recent times, the preservation and development of traditional stilt houses of the Muong ethnic group in Lap Thang, linked with community tourism development, has been implemented. We hope Thach Lap will become a destination known and sought after by many tourists."

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