Strangely beautiful dinosaur spine in Mu Cang Chai, visitors come to hunt for photos with thousands of likes

As one of the famous golden rice viewing spots in the North, Mu Cang Chai attracts a large number of tourists to visit and admire the beautiful scenery of terraced fields during the ripe rice season.

In 2019, Mu Cang Chai terraced fields were ranked as a special national monument with an area of ​​over 800 hectares, concentrated in the communes of La Pan Tan, Che Chu Nha, De Xu Phinh, Kim Noi, Mo De and Lao Chai.

Located about 19km from the center of Mu Cang Chai town, the mountainous commune of De Xu Phinh is a favorite destination for many travel enthusiasts.

There is a trail here that is likened to a "dinosaur's spine", perched precariously on a mountain in Phinh Ho village with a landscape that still retains its natural wildness and greenery.

Mr. Nguyen Trong Cung (32 years old, traditional medicine doctor and freelance photographer in Thai Binh) said he had been to Mu Cang Chai many times but only set foot on the "dinosaur spine" in De Xu Phinh for the first time, in September.

He was impressed by the majestic natural scenery with a view extending over the entire immense valley. “Standing on the ‘dinosaur’s spine’, you can also see Highway 32 and the villages or even the terraced fields below.”

According to the young photographer, the road to the “dinosaur spine” in De Xu Phinh is quite difficult. If you go from Mam Xoi hill, it will take 1.5 to 2 hours. From Mong Ngua hill, visitors have to travel about 13km to reach this location.

Most of the road to the “dinosaur spine” in Phinh Ho village is paved with concrete (cars are allowed) and lined with beautiful pine trees. However, closer to the foot of the mountain, the road becomes more difficult with many curves and slopes, and full of rocks and dirt.

Upon arrival, visitors must climb about 100 more dirt steps to reach the top of the mountain.

“If you are a weak driver, you can park your car at a local’s house and hire a local driver to take you there to ensure safety and avoid fatigue. Then, you can hike for about 10 minutes to reach the top of the mountain,” Cung shared.

Coming here, visitors can see the rocks lying close together as if "growing" from the ground, with the protruding tips, like the spikes along the dinosaur's spine.

Although the path along this area is quite sturdy because there are many stone slabs, visitors coming here to check-in still have to be very careful and pay attention to their surroundings.

Mr. Cung said that the "dinosaur spine" has an impressive landscape, suitable for tourists to visit and admire a very different beauty in Mu Cang Chai in the golden season.

However, this is still a spontaneous tourist destination so there are no accompanying services. Visitors here need to proactively bring food, drinks and be careful not to litter to preserve the landscape.