Standing at an altitude of 2,965 meters above sea level in Den Sang Commune, Lao Cai Province, Nhiu Co San is a premier destination for nature lovers and trekking enthusiasts, offering a raw, ethereal beauty that changes with every season
Known as the ninth-highest peak in Vietnam, Nhiu Co San — which means “Horn of the Buffalo” in the local ethnic language — is famous for its diverse ecosystem and challenging terrain. The mountain’s allure lies in its dramatic seasonal transformations. From October to March, the climate is ideal for trekking.
During late autumn (November – December), the forest trails are transformed into a vibrant canvas of yellow and red as maple trees change color, contrasting beautifully with the deep green of the moss-covered ancient primary forest. When winter peak arrives in January, the summit often experiences sub-zero temperatures, occasionally blanketing the landscape in a rare and magical layer of frost and white snow.
As spring breathes new life into the highlands, the mountain becomes a garden of blooming azaleas (hoa do quyen in Vietnamese), adding splashes of brilliant color to the rugged limestone cliffs and misty ridges.
The journey to the peak is an immersion into a “fairytale world.” One of its most iconic features is the ancient mossy forest, where gnarled tree trunks are draped in thick, velvety green carpets, creating an enchanting and somewhat mysterious atmosphere.
From the summit, a panoramic “ocean of clouds” often greets visitors, where white billows drift lazily over the undulating valleys of Lao Cai, offering one of the most breathtaking sunrises in the northern border region.
Beyond the summit, the descent through open goat pastures provides a starkly different view — a peaceful, vast landscape of rolling hills and wild grasslands. With its pristine scenery and cultural significance to the local ethnic communities, Nhiu Co San remains a symbolic landmark of the Northwest, inviting those who seek to discover the wild and poetic soul of Vietnam’s high mountains.
