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Around August and September each year, travel photos of tourists exploring the roads and terraced rice fields of Northwest Vietnam appear on various travel community groups.
Mentioning Y Tý, Tú Lệ, or Mù Cang Chải brings to mind destinations that attract tourists with their terraced rice fields and the golden hues of the ripening rice season. The Northwest region also captivates visitors with its majestic mountain scenery, the cultural customs of the ethnic minorities in the highlands, and the culinary experiences, which are an essential part of any trip to this region.
Mu Cang Chai, located in Yen Bai province, attracts many tourists every year who flock here to witness the ripening rice fields.
“This year, I finally had the chance to see and set foot in Mu Cang Chai – the main destination in our group's 9-day, 8-night Northwest Vietnam adventure. I was truly amazed by the majestic and stunning beauty of this place. Sitting in the car, gazing at the colorful terraced rice fields stretching out on both sides of the road, accompanied by the aroma of ripening rice, of nature, of the mountains and forests… made me feel so small and eager to visit many new lands to discover the wonderful gifts that nature has to offer,” Phuong Trinh excitedly recounted.
Phuong Trinh recently completed a 9-day trip to conquer Northwest Vietnam, with Mu Cang Chai being the main destination on her journey.
Mu Cang Chai, located in Yen Bai province, is considered to have the most beautiful terraced rice fields in the world. The majestic scenery with the golden color of the rice attracts considerable attention from many tourists. Situated at an altitude of 2,000 meters above sea level, at the foot of the Hoang Lien Son mountain range, Mu Cang Chai attracts tourists during two periods of the year: the rainy season (around May to June) and the rice harvest season (from mid-September to early October). The mountain scenery, combined with the vibrant golden color of the ripening rice and the autumn sunshine, creates a poetic and romantic landscape.
According to Phuong Trinh, the best spots to admire and take stunning photos of the beautiful terraced rice fields in Mu Cang Chai are: La Pan Tan commune, Mam Xoi Hill (this is the hottest spot that everyone must check in at when visiting Mu Cang Chai; the sugarcane juice and soft-boiled eggs here are a must-try), Mong Ngua Hill, and Mui Giay.
Furthermore, as Phuong Trinh shared, besides admiring the ripening rice fields, there are other places to see in Mu Cang Chai such as: bamboo forests, corn houses, buckwheat flower gardens along the road... And another worthwhile experience is cultural exchange with the Thai ethnic people in the villages, which is incredibly interesting and meaningful. At this time, she gained a deeper understanding of their lives and traditions.
According to Phuong Trinh, Mu Cang Chai has many locations to admire the golden color of the terraced rice fields during the harvest season.
“During my recent trip, I had the opportunity to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival with the Thai ethnic women. They shared smoked pork and apple wine with my team and performed unique traditional dances. These were incredibly valuable experiences in a new place and will be memorable moments of my trip,” Phuong Trinh said.
What's even more special is enjoying the cuisine in Mu Cang Chai in particular and Northwest Vietnam in general, along with characteristic dishes such as smoked buffalo meat, horse offal, cham cheo (a type of dipping sauce), black chicken, salmon, sturgeon, various wild vegetables prepared with the unique flavors of the locals, and the incredibly sticky and fragrant rice or sticky rice from Mu Cang Chai.
Every time it's mealtime, she eats a lot of rice because she appreciates the sweetness, aroma, and chewiness of the rice grains, which are considered the "sweetness" of Mu Cang Chai.
The beauty of the highlands
The children were standing along the roadside near Mui Giay.
During this trip, the difficulty Phuong Trinh faced was that September usually marks the beginning of the rainy season, so there were days when she was extremely worried that it would affect the itinerary, as she and her group of friends were spending two days and two nights experiencing Mu Cang Chai. Therefore, the weather was an extremely important factor.
Furthermore, while the weather in Mu Cang Chai is quite pleasant in the mornings, it starts to rain and become overcast in the afternoons, making travel and photography difficult.
On the first day, Phuong Trinh and her team traveled from Y Ty to Mu Cang Chai, a journey that took 7 hours. The long journey could be tiring for those prone to motion sickness, but fortunately, Phuong Trinh, with her eager spirit as a travel enthusiast, didn't experience any.
"So, apart from a short nap at lunchtime, Trinh stayed awake the whole journey, admiring the scenery of Northwest Vietnam through her small eyes," she said.
September and October, the rice harvest season, also coincide with the rainy season, so tourists should check the weather forecast beforehand.
To ensure a smooth and memorable trip, Phuong Trinh has shared some handy tips for tourists planning to visit Mu Cang Chai during this time.
September and October, the rice harvest season, also coincide with the rainy season, so tourists should check the weather beforehand and take photos in the morning, as the afternoon is often cloudy and the colors in photos are not as vibrant. Additionally, the ideal time to visit Mam Xoi Hill to admire the rice fields and take pictures is around 4 PM. There will be a motorbike taxi ride up the hill and an entrance fee totaling approximately 120,000 VND. There are also additional photo spots such as the stilt house and buckwheat garden, which will incur separate fees.
To take beautiful photos in Mu Cang Chai, tourists can choose bright-colored outfits. Phuong Trinh prefers white outfits that are both simple and striking against the green and yellow backdrop of nature and ripening rice fields, and chooses a pair of comfortable sandals or sneakers for easier and more flexible movement.
The trip to Northwest Vietnam broadened Phuong Trinh's horizons with its majestic nature and provided many memorable experiences.
For Phuong Trinh, the experience of visiting Mu Cang Chai in particular and conquering Northwest Vietnam in general is a priceless memory and provides many unforgettable experiences.
"When you arrive in a new place, open your heart and add enthusiasm to experience new things. Enjoy every moment of the trip; you will experience interesting things and bring back memories without regrets," Phuong Trinh shared.
