Photographers heard rumors of the golden rice season in the highlands, so with cameras and guns in hand, they hurriedly traveled more than 300km to reach the land of the Blind in time for the Mong people to go to the fields and harvest.
The only way to Mu is National Highway 32. From Hanoi, cross Khe Pass to Yen Bai and from there, follow this road through Nghia Lo straight to Mu Cang Chai. Before reaching the endless terraced fields, stop at Tu Le, enjoy sticky rice with famous hill chicken. Here, people cut rice to make green rice. Unexpectedly, in this land there are also green pearls like in the lowlands. Although the green rice grains are not as sticky as Vong village green rice, they are still very attractive with their fragrant, sticky autumn flavor. The fields in this valley have also begun to turn dark yellow, the air is filled with the fragrant scent of milky rice throughout a large valley. This is the land of the Thai ethnic people, where the rich Khau Co village nestles at the foot of Khau Pha Pass, next to a babbling stream day and night. Tu Le is also one of the places not to be missed when you intend to visit Yen Bai during the harvest season. Then cross the Khau Pha pass winding around the mountains and hills, with few people passing by for nearly 20km to reach the land of the Blind. Khau Pha pass is also known as Cao Pha, meaning the Horn of Heaven extending the national highway 32. From the Khau Pha pass, the Tu Le valley stretches out to the eye, the most beautiful golden autumn scenery of the year in the remote Northwest.
In the morning, the early morning mist still lingered in the valley, the Mong people were already carrying their backpacks, hoes, and buffaloes, going to the fields. When the first rays of sunlight shone, bare feet were already nimbly on the fields, the silhouettes of Mong girls in colorful floral shirts were visible among the golden fields all over the fields, the silhouettes of their diligent husbands were behind. A simple hut was built next to the dry field. In the hut, there were a few small things, a water bottle still full, a simple meal wrapped in banana leaves and a baby boy just a few months old was sleeping soundly.
The Mong people's terraced fields, which have been carefully tended for generations, are now in harvest season. The ethnic people of the Yen Bai highlands cultivate the fields on the high mountain slopes. After spring, people have to wait until the rains, when the terraced fields are flooded (people still call it the flooding season), to start planting the only rice crop of the year. The Mong people are good at climbing mountains and hills, they have turned the rugged mountain slopes into beautiful terraced fields. The talented and diligent hands of the Dao, Mong, Ha Nhi, Giay, Tay, Xa Pho, Nung, Pa Di... generation after generation create masterpieces.
The road through La Pan Tan and Che Cu Nha, two communes with the most beautiful rice fields in Mu Cang Chai, no one can pass by without stopping to admire the masterpieces of the H'Mong people, waiting for harvest. Boys and girls herd buffaloes close to the national highway, playing by the fences. In the distance, a few huts are built to watch the rice. The H'Mong people live on high ground, they only come down to watch the rice and then go back up to live. The land of Yen Bai with its easily collapsing soil layers has such sturdy and beautiful terraced fields.
The entire Mu Cang Chai district has 2,200 hectares of terraced fields, including the three communes of La Pan Tan, Che Cu Nha and De Xu Phinh, the area of terraced fields is 500 hectares. These 500 hectares of fields are the heritage of the Mong people, certified by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on October 18, 2007, a famous landscape that is perhaps the most special and unique in Vietnam. Within a radius of 20km, the fields are arranged between the two sides of the mountainside, gradually sloping down to the blue river below.
In the season of ripe rice, the entire national highway is dyed in a golden color of terraced fields stretching all the way to the stream in the valley, of the radiant faces of the harvest season and of the golden sunshine. In the late afternoon, a sudden rain and clouds passed by and the sky was bright in the sunshine, a five-colored rainbow adorned the beauty of Mu Cang Chai, sparkling under the golden sea and blue sky. A lyrical and beautiful scene that touched the hearts of passersby.
This land is most beautiful in two times of the year. May and June, when the fields are flooded, the sparkling light reflects the colors of the clouds and the sky, this is also the time when the apple flowers bloom all over the forests of Yen Bai. And September and October when a yellow color spreads across the fertile fields. These are also the two times when Yen Bai, Sapa and Y Ti - Bat Xat in the Northwest welcome a large number of tourists and passionate photographers to capture beautiful photos.
The harvest season was bustling, girls in their beautiful dresses went to the fields, happy for a new harvest season. From faraway villages, every family went to the fields. Each person had a hand in harvesting, threshing, carrying rice home to fill the rice bins, bustling with voices, laughter, calls to each other, the cheers of children, excitedly going to the fields to harvest.
On the way back, remember to stop by Suoi Giang, buy some delicious San Tuyet tea as a gift and soak in the hot mineral spring to relax after a long day of traveling. Don’t forget to buy a few kilos of fragrant Tu Le sticky rice to make a pot of sticky rice with the scent of new season rice.
Mu Cang Chai in the rice season beckons countless people who love to travel to stop by and capture beautiful images of this land in their cameras and in their memories.
More information
From Hanoi to Mu Cang Chai follow Highway 32, through Thanh Son - Thu Cuc, over Khe Pass to Nghia Lo, Van Chan to Tu Le then over Khau Pha Pass to reach Mu Cang Chai.
The motels here cost 150,000 VND/room/3 people. You can ride a motorbike or take a car to this land of famous terraced fields.
The most beautiful scenery on this road is in Tu Le commune, Khau Pha pass and Mu Cang Chai district with terraced fields that only have one harvest each year. Tu Le sticky rice is famous for its fragrant aroma, you can buy a few kilos as a gift, priced at about 25,000 VND/kg. Motels in Mu Cang Chai and Tu Le cost 150,000 VND/room/two beds.
Article: Lam Linh
Photo: Lam Linh, Thanh Cong
