Bach Moc Luong Tu or Ky Quan San: The Story Behind the Name
Ky Quan San, also known as Bach Moc Luong Tu, is Vietnam’s fourth-highest peak. Famous for rolling seas of clouds among layers of mountains, it is one of northern Vietnam’s most memorable trekking routes and worth trying if you have the chance. In the past, this mountain was also known by the poetic name Bach Moc Luong Tu. According to local people, however, Ky Quan San is the official name of this mountain range. So why are there two names?
The geographic location of Bach Moc Luong Tu
Bach Moc Luong Tu, or Ky Quan San, stands 3,046m above sea level and forms the boundary between Lai Chau and Lao Cai provinces. You can trek it from two directions. The first starts from Sang Ma Sao, Bat Xat District, Lao Cai Province. The second starts from Den Sung Village, Sin Sui Ho Commune, Phong Tho District, Lai Chau Province.
The first people to conquer it
Bach Moc Luong Tu was a name created by trekkers after they conquered the mountain in 2013. At that time, trekking groups explored routes to the summit from different directions, including Phong Tho in Lai Chau and Bat Xat in Lao Cai. This led to confusion that the mountain originated from nearby Bach Moc Luong, a mountain range close to the Vietnam-China border in Phong Tho District, Lai Chau, whose peak is called Po Ma Lung, or Bach Moc Luong, at 3,000m.
In fact, it belongs to the Ky Quan San range, pronounced that way by local people and recorded on old French maps as Ky Kouan Chan.
Installing the Bach Moc Luong Tu summit marker
At first, their target was Bach Moc Luong Peak, also called Po Ma Lung, but they took the wrong route and reached Ky Quan San instead. After reaching agreement, people named the mountain Bach Moc Luong Tu to distinguish it from Bach Moc Luong, or Po Ma Lung.
After two years, the mountain became a famous trekking destination that attracted many visitors. In January 2015, a trekking group installed a stainless-steel summit marker to officially mark the name Bach Moc Luong Tu at 3,046m.
Renaming it Ky Quan San
In 2016, VTV4 released a short film about the mountain in the exploration program “Conquering Ky Quan San.” From then on, the peak became even more famous and attracted young travelers from north to south.
On April 7, 2018, the government of Bat Xat District officially replaced the old stainless-steel marker with a new one bearing the name Ky Quan San, reflecting the name used by local people and the correct name of the mountain. This replaced the previous Bach Moc Luong Tu marker installed by trekkers.
Since then, the mountain can officially be called and recorded as Ky Quan San, standing 3,046m high and ranking as Vietnam’s fourth-highest peak after Fansipan, Pu Ta Leng, and Pu Si Lung. Even so, many people are still used to calling the place and the trekking route by its former name.
The beauty of Ky Quan San
Whatever name you use, this remains a captivating route for those who love exploration. Ky Quan San has the wild beauty of Northwest Vietnam’s mountains and the dreamlike charm of cloud seas at high elevations.
Abundant nature
Surrounded by varied forests, from bamboo and cardamom forests to dwarf bamboo, bare hills, steep slopes, rushing streams, and bright rhododendron slopes, every step on the Bach Moc trek reveals the charm of the mountains and fuels the desire to conquer. You may pass through a cardamom forest fragrant with herbal scent and feel unexpectedly refreshed. You may come across a poetic stream hidden beneath dense green forest. You may admire unnamed wildflowers or be surprised by rhododendron slopes clinging to the mountains and forming huge forests.
A fairyland on Muoi Mountain
When talking about a Bach Moc Luong Tu tour, it is impossible to skip Muoi Mountain at 2,100m. The name Muoi comes from the many “salt grass” plants that grow here. Muoi Mountain feels like a fairyland in an ancient forest, surrounded by a full ecosystem of trees, flowers, grasses, and rolling hills appearing and disappearing in a misty sea of clouds. Sunrise through those clouds is a moving sight. The sun rises from the east and gradually paints the cloud belt along the mountainside pink. Dew still rests on the grass. Nature is rich, and the scenery is magnificent.
An ocean of white clouds
Because the elevation exceeds 3,000m, the area is covered in clouds and mist year-round, like a fairy realm where sky and earth meet. Thick white clouds spread like a giant cotton blanket stretching to the far horizon. Mountains hide inside the clouds. Clouds wrap around the peaks and drift beneath your feet, making the place feel completely separate from the outside world. In the distance, you may also see the three higher peaks: Fansipan, Pu Ta Leng, and Pu Si Lung.
Bach Moc Luong Tu trekking tour
If you are not experienced or familiar with the route, you should choose a trusted operator to accompany you on the journey to conquer Ky Quan San. To Ong’s 27km, 3-day, 2-night trekking itinerary is designed for you to experience:
- Walking along the dinosaur ridge, where each step opens a wider view
- Watching sunrise on Muoi Mountain, taking photos on the swing amid the sea of clouds, and feeling immersed in the open sky
- Lighting a campfire on the mountain and looking at a star-filled night sky, sometimes even seeing the Milky Way shining brightly
- Conquering the 3,046m Ky Quan San summit
- Enjoying mountain cuisine and experiencing the local Dao herbal bath custom
When the trekking tour ends, what remains in memory is the breath of the mountains, the clear warmth of sunrise, the striking cloud paradise, and perhaps a little regret somewhere along the trail. But regret is often a reason to return. Enjoy all of this with To Ong on the Bach Moc Luong Tu, or Ky Quan San, trekking tour.
