In autumn, Song Mooc takes on a gentle, clear beauty. Along mountain roads winding across the slopes, visitors can travel through the area and take in terraced fields, star anise and cinnamon forests, and the rammed-earth houses of Dao communities nestled against the mountainsides, experiencing a peaceful, rustic yet captivating borderland.
Song Mooc, in Hoanh Mo commune, Quang Ninh City, lies amid a highland landscape that still retains much of its natural character. Its appeal lies not only in any single viewpoint, but also in the constantly changing scenery along the journey.
Terraced fields are a highlight that is hard to miss. In early autumn, rice on many terraces remains lush green, forming a “sea of rice” stretching across the slopes. As the season progresses, the green gradually turns golden, changing the landscape week by week. The terraces become even more striking when viewed from higher roads. For photography enthusiasts, early morning and late afternoon are particularly attractive, when clouds still linger over the mountains or soft slanting sunlight falls across the fields.
Autumn in Song Mooc is not only about the colours of the rice fields, but also the distinctive fragrance of the star anise harvest. Star anise forests around the villages enter the harvesting season, bringing a livelier rhythm to the otherwise tranquil surroundings. Along small roads, visitors may see local people carrying baskets into the forest early in the morning, following trails up the slopes to pick star anise. By midday, baskets of fruit are brought back to the villages, where the star anise is spread out in courtyards to dry in the sun or placed under the eaves. Its distinctive fragrance drifts on the breeze, blending with the scent of earth and forest leaves and adding another sensory layer to the journey.
Among the fields and forests are the rammed-earth houses of Dao communities. Some stand halfway up the mountainsides, overlooking valleys in front and backed by star anise and cinnamon forests. Thick earthen walls, dark-tiled roofs, small courtyards and wisps of cooking smoke in the afternoon create a warm, subdued scene amid the vast greenery. Walking slowly through the villages, visitors can easily encounter everyday images: elderly people sitting by the veranda, Dao women doing household work, children playing in the yard, and trays of star anise drying in the sun.
From the village areas, those wishing to explore further can follow trails through star anise and cinnamon forests down to streams and Song Mooc Waterfall. The journey is appealing because of the changing landscape, from open mountain roads to cool forest shade, from terraced fields to the sound of flowing water deep in the mountains. This is also the kind of experience many visitors choose when coming to the highlands of Hoanh Mo: walking, sightseeing, visiting villages, enjoying local cuisine and learning about Dao life rather than simply stopping to take photographs.
From these experiences, journeys to explore Song Mooc are also being extended. More recently, routes linking Song Mooc with Khe Tien, Cao Son and nearby highland destinations have gradually been developed for trekking, community-based tourism and forest-based experiences. Depending on their available time, visitors can choose a short visit around the village, a full-day trip combining terraced fields, star anise forests and waterfalls, or a two-day, one-night journey to gain a deeper sense of highland life. These itineraries have also been developed by Hoanh Mo commune to welcome domestic and international visitor groups in 2026.
