Ta Xua: coordinates for hunting the sea of clouds at Dinh Gio through natural rock crevices

A natural ravine opens up a direct view down the valley, where the sea of floating clouds is “framed” between two cliffs. That is the outstanding experience on Dinh Gio (Ta Xua, Son La) – a cloud hunting spot that is being talked about by the tourism community, about 3 km from the center of Ta Xua commune.

Contrary to information spread on social networks that this location is 2,800 m high (the altitude of Ta Xua peak, specialized for trekking), the Wind Peak area and the commune center are actually located at an average altitude of about 1,600 m above sea level. The difference in day-night temperatures and open terrain create conditions for the sea of clouds to appear thick, layered, creating depth for the frame.

Explore Wind Peak through the stone "window"

The highlight of Wind Peak is the natural canyon that creates a gap like a window, allowing the eye to look down into the valley of clouds. From here, the photographer can compose the two cliffs on either side, creating a distinct sense of depth.

Diep Huu Dat, a local tour guide, said this place is suitable for tourists who like strange photo angles and exploring nature. "However, this area is a natural cliff, there are no safety railings, so tourists need to be very careful when moving to the edge of the cliff to take photos," Dat noted.

Cloud hunting corner on Gio peak. Photo: Diep Huu Dat

The ideal time to hunt clouds

Season: from October to April next year.
Time frame: 5:30-7:30 (dawn) or 16:00-17:00 (sunset).
Weather conditions: thick sea of clouds often appear when humidity is high, the temperature difference between day and night is large, especially after rainy days.

Move to Windy Peak

From Hanoi to Ta Xua, the distance is more than 200 km, travel time is about 5-6 hours. The road to Ta Xua commune and Dinh Gio area has many steep slopes and sharp turns.

Local advice: hire a motorbike taxi driven by a local or use a motorbike with steady steering to ensure safety.

Stop to sightsee and drink coffee

Along the Wind Peak route, there are many stops with views of both sides of the mountain, suitable for resting and taking photos.

Coffee shops: An's House, Cloud Forest, Mi Oi Coffee Shop, Hien Cafe, Panorama Coffee.
Drink price: average 40,000 VND - 60,000 VND.
Local style eateries: Thao Coffee, A Chen. Thao Coffee currently has two locations overlooking the valley and one near the hydroelectric lake.

Check-in corner at Mi Oi restaurant. Photo: Diep Huu Dat

Cloud hunting accommodation

Community room (stilt house): about 200,000 - 300,000 VND/person/night.
Private rooms, bungalows with direct cloud hunting view: from 800,000 VND to more than 1 million VND/night at some places such as Miami Mountain Retreat, Ta Xua Clouds, Lu Tre.
Places in high locations (like Miami Mountain Retreat) have the advantage of observing the sea of clouds right from the room.

Combine nearby destinations

Dinosaur spine (Hang Dong commune).
Lonely crabapple tree.
Turtle Head Rock.

Over the past two weeks, seas of clouds have been appearing continuously in Bac Yen. It is forecasted that in November, the night temperatures will continue to decrease, creating favorable conditions for weekend cloud hunting trips.