Travel to Mu Cang Chai, admire the beauty of majestic terraced fields in the Northwest mountains and forests

Yen Bai , one of the most visited tourist destinations in Vietnam. This place is known for its terraced fields, many hills, and beautiful waterfalls. When talking about the beauty of Yen Bai terraced fields , it is impossible not to mention Mu Cang Chai.

Mu Cang Chai (Yen Bai) in the ripe rice season is one of the "must-go" destinations when traveling . Photo: Internet

Mu Cang Chai is located next to Hoang Lien Son mountain range, a mountainous area with many terraced fields stacked on top of each other, creating a beautiful scene like in a painting. Here, everywhere there are terraced fields stacked on top of each other, spreading across the hills. Looking down from the hill, you will see poetic and quiet houses lying quietly on the hillside, in the distance, you can see people taking care of the fields, children playing with each other carefree, completely different from the hustle and bustle of the city, people are truly immersed in nature.

Mu Cang Chai terraced fields cover an area of about 2,200 hectares in Mu Cang Chai district, Yen Bai province. In 2007, 330 hectares of terraced fields in the three communes of La Pan Tan, Che Cu Nha, and De Xu Phinh were ranked as National Monuments by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and in 2019, Mu Cang Chai terraced fields were ranked as a Special National Monument by the Prime Minister. In 2018, a famous British newspaper (Telegraph) announced the 12 most beautiful terraced fields in the world . Of which, Mu Cang Chai terraced fields are one of two representatives of Vietnam to be included in this list.

Mu Cang Chai terraced fields are closely associated with the life and customs of the Mong people. Due to the lack of flat fields for cultivation, the Mong people have taken advantage of each small field broken up on each mountain with an altitude of 800-1,700 meters, along with conquering nature to survive, but accidentally the people here have become "artists" creating a majestic "work of art" in the middle of the vast mountains.

Due to the high mountainous terrain and the special climate, the Mong people in Mu Cang Chai only grow one rice crop a year. May and June are the times to build dams and banks, to get water into the fields from the first rains of summer or from upstream streams to plow, sow, and transplant rice (the flood season). September and October are the harvest seasons (the ripe rice season). Therefore, the flood season and the ripe rice season are the most beautiful times here.

Mu Cang Chai in the pouring water season (May - June) has a pure beauty that is no less charming than autumn. In the pouring water season, terraced fields have a wild, simple beauty with the main dark color, true to the mountainous region of the Northwest. Mu Cang Chai at this time is mixed with the brown color of the soil mixed with white clouds, blue sky and sparkling water, reflecting many levels of light. If during the day, the terraced fields shimmer like gold under the sunlight, at night they are mysterious under the silver color of the moonlight, covering each layer of water to create magical light and dark patches, making the fields here become a giant ink painting that is difficult to compare to anywhere else.

Mu Cang Chai terraced fields in the flooding season. Photo: Internet

Every year in the fall (September, October), groups of tourists come here to admire the terraced fields like sparkling "golden steps". Everywhere you can see the rice fields in the ripening season, arranged in layers, spreading across the hills, one layer connected to another as if reaching up to the sky. Each field is planted at a different time, creating a different color, some places shimmering with gold, some are green and some are yellow. Just like that, the colorful fields in Mu Cang Chai stretch across the majestic mountainsides, that moment is as beautiful as a giant autumn painting, capturing the hearts of the lucky tourists who have the chance to admire it once.

In order to honor the Mu Cang Chai terraced fields and promote the cultural values of the Mong people, while raising awareness of heritage conservation and attracting tourists, since 2015, Yen Bai province has organized many activities including goat fighting, rice pounding festival, food fair, paragliding "Flying over the golden season" and "Flying over the pouring water season" at Khau Pha peak, Mam Xoi hill and many other cultural activities.

In recent years, tourism activities in Mu Cang Chai district, Yen Bai province, have initially seen many improvements, creating a new direction in socio-economic development, contributing to sustainable poverty reduction in the highlands. Mu Cang Chai has become an attractive tourist destination for domestic and foreign visitors. In 2019, it was ranked by the Government as a special National Scenic Spot, thereby enhancing the value of the scenic spot, creating a focal point in local tourism development./.

Yanjiang