Amazed by the golden season in Ngoc Linh, a beautiful picture in the middle of the great Quang Ngai forest

Ripe rice turns the mountainsides yellow - Photo: TRUONG NGUYEN

Every August, when the rains in the forest begin to thin out, Ngoc Linh enters the rice harvest season. The entire mountainside is covered in a golden coat, like sunlight pouring down from the sky, spreading over each terraced field winding through the deep green forest.

Daydreaming before Ngoc Linh terraced fields in harvest season

Ngoc Linh, a mountainous commune winding along the mountain range of the same name, is an especially difficult area, with steep terrain, harsh climate, and lack of arable land. But that does not stop the Xo Dang people here from reclaiming every meter of land, arranging each stone step, each bank to retain water for rice cultivation.

The terraced fields are formed from calloused hands and shoulders carrying rice, fertilizer, water, etc. year after year, creating a captivating landscape.

Coming to Ngoc Linh this season, people can easily see the image of people harvesting rice right in the fields. There are no machines, no buffaloes, everything is done by hand. The rice is threshed by hand, dried on the edge of the field, then carried to the warehouse.

"There is only one crop per year, and the rice is carefully stored in granaries in the middle of the fields. We take it gradually until the next crop" - Mr. A Thiu, a resident of Xa Ua village shared.

The special thing is that the golden season scene here is not "busy" by tourists . No shops, no services, no calls. Only the silent mountains and forests, only the rustling sound of sickles cutting rice mixed with the laughter of children on the red dirt trail. It is that simplicity and authenticity that creates the unique soul of Ngoc Linh's golden season, a peaceful but emotional picture.

The golden season here is not only the harvest season, but also the season of cultural beauty and labor. It is the season of the new rice festival, the season of the strong attachment between people and the forest land. Each stilt house appears and disappears among the layered rice fields, each patch of sunlight spreads through the mountain ravines, each wisp of blue smoke in the afternoon stretches across the hillside... Ngoc Linh appears both majestic and gentle.

According to the People's Committee of Ngoc Linh Commune, the entire commune has nearly 1,100 hectares of rice land, but only about 79 hectares can be cultivated twice a year. The remaining 1,000 hectares can only grow one rice crop due to lack of water, poor soil and steep slopes. Therefore, this single rice crop is vital to the lives of the people, the greatest joy of the whole year.

Golden season in Ngoc Linh with terraced fields on top of each other - Photo: TRAN MAI

Fascinated by the terraced fields in Ngoc Linh, the fields are like colorful paintings - Photo: TRUONG NGUYEN

The suspension bridge into the "lonely" stream among the golden rice fields - Photo: TRAN MAI

Turn the golden season into a golden destination for tourists

Although possessing a beauty that is not inferior to any other destination in the Northwest, Ngoc Linh is still a "rough gem" that has not been properly awakened. With pristine natural conditions, rich cultural identity and beautiful seasonal scenery, Ngoc Linh has full potential to develop sustainable community tourism.

The local government is planning to invest in transport infrastructure, support people in building homestay models, and develop experiential tourism products such as following the Xo Dang people in harvesting rice, making rice wine, making bamboo baskets, dyeing indigo fabric, etc. This will be a unique feature to attract tourists who love to explore and experience indigenous culture.

Ngoc Linh can also connect with other destinations, such as Ngoc Linh ginseng growing area, primeval forests or traditional festivals of the Xo Dang people... opening up a green tourism journey combining relaxation, experience and cultural discovery.

Ngoc Linh's golden season is a gift from nature. If we know how to preserve and promote it, this place will not only be a "land to remember", but will also be a destination to return to for anyone who has ever been amazed by the picture of the harvest season in the middle of the Quang Ngai jungle .

Children in Ngoc Linh help their parents harvest rice - Photo: TRUONG NGUYEN

The way people harvest rice by hand is also a special feature for tourism development - Photo: TRAN MAI

In August, going to Ngoc Linh to see the golden season is truly a wonderful experience - Photo: TRUONG NGUYEN

Lonely rice house in the middle of the hill - Photo: TRAN MAI

The rice fields around the commune People's Committee headquarters turned bright yellow - Photo: TRUONG NGUYEN

People's granary area - Photo: TRAN MAI

The Xo Dang villages located right next to terraced fields with unique cultural identity have completely become attractive tourist destinations - Photo: TRUONG NGUYEN