With summer temperatures hitting 37-38 degrees Celsius in Hanoi, why not retreat to Moc Chau in the idyllic northern highlands. 

The northern province of Son La, home to the cool resort town Moc Chau, around 200 kilometers to the west of Hanoi, allowed restaurant and hotel services to resume and welcomed tourists back from June 10. If you are planning a trip to Moc Chau to enjoy the ripe plum season and cool weather of only 20-30 degrees Celsius, here are three resorts worth a try.

Le Chalet Du Lac

Le Chalet Du Lac is a newly-opened homestay in Po Pip Hamlet of Moc Chau Town with small, white-painted house decorated in a distinctly European style.

A highlight of this homestay is its swimming pool, ideal for beating the summer heat.

A room here can house two to four people and is fully equipped with a television, refrigerator and air conditioner. Balcony views take in green pine forests nearby.

Costs range from VND400,000 ($17.38) a night including breakfast.

Moc Chau turns into a multicolored flower kingdom at this time of year, giving tourists a reason to leave work behind and ride their motorbikes up the northern plateau.

The fields of yellow cabbage flowers, the greenery of the vast tea plantations and white plum flowers all blossom in the glistening sunlight as a sign to welcome visitors to the remote region, characterized by a year-round cool climate and chilly fog.

Nordic Village

Located amid a green pine forest in Hua Tat Village of Van Ho Commune, Nordic Village is an ideal place for those seeking luxurious tranquility. As its name implies, Nordic Village boasts villas designed in a serene Nordic fashion.

If booking a room between June and September, visitors will only pay VND1.15 million for a combo package of two days and one night. The combo includes breakfast, a food voucher, tours up the pine hills, a visit to Hmong inhabited Hua Tat Village, Dai Yem waterfall and Tay Tien memorial site.

While staying at Nordic Village, spend a little time traveling to Na Ka Valley, one of Moc Chau’s most breathtaking plum groves. The road leading here is especially suited to both cars and motorbikes.

Moc Chau Retreat

Over a three-hour drive from downtown Hanoi, Moc Chau Retreat is surrounded by cool streams and lush greenery. Seen from above, it resembles a miniature settlement at the heart of Chieng Di Village in Moc Chau Farm Town, a Thai ethnic minority community.

Accommodation at Houses at Moc Chau Retreat mainly comprise stones, bamboo, and palm leaves. Each balcony overlooks the gardens and mountains. Swimming, fishing, and enjoying BBQs are among the not-to-be-missed experiences. Tourists can also enjoy typical local dishes and experience cycling through rice fields, tea hills as well as collect tea leaves by hand.

The price per room ranges from VND650,000.

Photos courtesy of the resorts