Mu Cang Chai - unique cultural features: Plowing and harvesting rice on terraced fields

In recent years, tourism in Mu Cang Chai has seen remarkable growth, unlocking potential and making it one of the most attractive destinations in the Northwest region. Known not only for its magnificent mountains, mysterious forests, and surreal terraced fields that captivate visitors, this land also boasts a rich cultural heritage and unique ethnic identities for travelers to experience and explore.

The terraced fields glow with their own vibrant beauty in each season

Starting from early September, the terraced fields turn golden, signaling the busiest tourism season of the year in Mu Cang Chai. Visitors from all over come to witness these masterpiece landscapes adorned with a colorful palette under the vast sky.

According to the locals, the “golden season” is the peak tourist time, with domestic travelers typically making short visits to take photos, enjoy the scenery, and savor the delicious local cuisine of the Northwest. Foreign tourists, however, visit Mu Cang Chai throughout the year, often immersing themselves in the farming activities of the Hmong people, exploring local customs, and joining locals in tilling soil, plowing fields, and harvesting rice.

Mr. Giang A De, owner of Hello Mu Cang Chai homestay, shares that the terraced fields are beautifully woven like embroidery, each season showcasing its own charm. During the water season from May to June, early rains fill the fields, creating pools of sparkling water that reflect the sunlight, turning the fields into a breathtaking natural scene.

The golden season in Mu Cang Chai usually spans from September to October, adorning the landscape with a splendid charm as the terraced fields are covered in the golden hue of ripe rice, forming a stunning picture.

These masterpieces are crafted by the skillful, hardworking hands of farmers over hundreds of years. Each layer of green and golden rice embodies a history of cultivation techniques, spirituality, culture, and ethnic heritage. This art reflects collective skills in water management, crop planting, and harvesting that have been passed down through generations.

Tilling soil and harvesting rice: How Western visitors explore the terraced fields

According to Mr. De, his homestay welcomes a few hundred tourists each year, with few Vietnamese guests who stay only 1-2 days. Most visitors are foreigners. His homestay, located on the mountainside and surrounded by layered terraces, allows guests to immerse themselves in nature from dawn to dusk, enjoying meals or sipping tea by the rice fields.

"After a few years of running the homestay, my wife and I can now communicate well with guests in English. I serve as a guide and interpreter so tourists can interact with locals. Most visitors seek novelty and uniqueness in culture, lifestyle, and nature to relieve stress. They love learning how to plow, build field embankments, plant rice, harvest crops, or even catch fish in the stream. They’re curious about everything and willingly pay locals for their guidance, providing additional income for everyone, and this makes tourism flourish" Mr. De said with a smile.

Mr. Svatos, a tourist from the Czech Republic, expressed his awe during his first trip to Vietnam, particularly at the beauty of Mu Cang Chai with its natural scenery, climate, and the warmth of the locals.

“The other day, a woman showed me how to harvest rice on the terraces with a small sickle. It was quite challenging, requiring a lot of bending, which made my back sore. The people here are small in stature but impressively resilient. Yesterday, Mr. De took me on a mountain hike to chase clouds, and in the afternoon, we waded through streams to catch fish with nets. I caught a few small fish and snails in the crevices of rocks—an incredible experience,” Mr. Svatos said excitedly.

French tourist Christian Gondonneau shared that he first visited Mu Cang Chai in 2018 during the water season. Having previously only seen Vietnam on TV, he was amazed by the breathtaking scenery. He and his wife experienced a rice-plowing session like real farmers, deepening their understanding of the hard work behind the terraced fields.

Impressed by this experience, Mr. Christian Gondonneau returned to Mu Cang Chai this golden season with his wife and daughter. “I love the beautiful scenery here, especially in the early morning when the air is fresh and cool, surrounded by terraced fields in the peak of the golden rice season. Watching the locals harvest rice and thresh the grains by hitting the rice stalks against a wooden bin, I joined in, and the villagers warmly taught us. It was exhausting but absolutely wonderful,” shared the French visitor.

Now, no matter the season, visitors to Mu Cang Chai can immerse themselves in the majestic, unspoiled nature, enjoying the pure, cool air that is rare to find elsewhere.

According to Mr. Trinh The Binh, Head of the Culture and Information Department of Mu Cang Chai district, nature has blessed this place with majestic landscapes, while the terraced fields are the laborious creations of skilled farmers over centuries.

The rice culture on these terraced fields plays a significant role in attracting tourists, especially international visitors who are eager to explore and experience. This is also an opportunity for local homestays to develop, as there’s a growing demand to live and work alongside the locals in daily farming activities. Mù Cang Chải currently welcomes over 300,000 visitors each year, including nearly 60,000 international tourists, and the number is steadily increasing.