Azalea blooms put a spring in your step on Ta Lien Mountain

By Quoc Tuan    April 22, 2019 | 08:54 pm PT
The Ta Lien Mountain in northern Vietnam welcomes April aka spring trekkers with magnificent, soft pink azaleas.
Azalea blooms put a spring in your step on Ta Lien Mountain

The mountain, located between Lai Chau and Lao Cai provinces, is 2,996 meters high. A typical trek to the top of the mountain takes 2 days and a night.

The most popular trek to the mountain starts from Ta Leng Commune, Tam Duong District in Lai Chau Province. Visitors can catch a bus to Sa Pa town in Lao Cai Province, then rent a bike to reach the foot of the mountain. Alternatively, they can choose to travel from Ha Noi to Lai Chau Province, stop at Ta Leng and rent a motorbike taxi to arrive at the trekking point.

Azalea blooms put a spring in your step on Ta Lien Mountain - 1

From Ta Leng Commune, visitors can follow the trails to reach the summit.

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On the way to the top, trekkers can enjoy the maple trees that forest the mountain. In April, the maple leaves are all green, but when autumn arrives in October, the forest will wear a red and golden cover. So October is another good time to visit the mountain.

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The Ta Lien forest is mostly pristine with hundred-year-old trees covered in moss.

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The only sign of human inhabitation in the vast forest is a small camp. 

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Most importantly, April is azalea season. The wild shrub blooms over a large area of the mountain and forests. Azaleas in Ta Lien sport a lighter pink shade than those growing on Fansipan or Putaleng mountains.

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The soft pink azaleas and other flowers blooming amidst the lush greens of the forest are a beautiful sight.

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After trekking for a day and a night, visitors can reach the top of the Ta Lien Mountain. 

"The journey is tiring, of course, but then we get to see beauty and grandeur that no camera can. The climb also told me more about the limits of my body and my will," said one visitor who made it to the top.

Climbing Ta Lien is not too challenging, as mountain treks go. There is a stop at a height of 2,400 meters, making it convenient for trekkers to rest before making the final push to the peak.

Trekkers should bear in mind the need to be prepared with essentials like a thin coat, basic medical supplies and enough water to drink for two days.

The most suitable time to climb the Ta Lien Mountain is April-May, when the azaleas bloom, and September-October when the maple leaves turn red and yellow.

 
 
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