Mu Cang Chai terraced fields, Muong Lo Town, Suoi Giang Thac Ba Lake are the beautiful landscapes in Yen Bai you should not be overlooked in the northwestern tourist itinerary started a new spring.

This time, everywhere in Yen Bai stretched blue and grass newly transplanted rice fields, the new young tea leaves and winding papillary balmy spring in the lake.

Mu Cang Chai -  most majestic terraces of Vietnam

The magnificent scenery and breathtaking beauty of the Mu Cang Chai District in Vietnam may very well and truly be the most heart-stoppingly exquisite beauty our incredible world has to offer. The Mu Cang Chai District, located in the northeastern part of Vietnam and some 1000 meters above sea level, is perhaps more unique than any other destination in the world because of its terraced rice field treasures.  That, along with its beautiful, humble, and authentic culture, make it a destination that will forever live in the heart of the traveler.

Mu Cang Chai is mainly composed of terraced rice fields that travel down the mountainside.  The natives created this ingenious way to grow and harvest rice, and thus create a way of life for themselves and families, when normally rice is grown more easily on plateaus.  The natives found that by growing their rice in these terraced ways, it prevented water from trickling down the mountain, which would have resulted in their rice crops not receiving enough water.  The result is astonishing.

These awe-inspiring terraced fields have drawn tourists and photographers alike to witness its sublime beauty in person.  No matter what time of year one chooses to travel, there is always enchanting scenery to witness as the rice is first planted, and as it thrives, but it is most recommended to visit the Mu Cang Chai District during the time of harvesting the rice, which is in September and October of every year, just as Autumn is ending.  At that time, you can see rows and rows of staggering gold all around, as if a beautiful silk scarf has been draped on the mountain, exquisite and majestic against the bright cerulean sky.  It is sometimes hard to believe that there truly is so much beauty in this world.

Not only is the environment and scenery likely to leave you stunned and breathless, but the people that populate Vietnam’s Mu Cang Chai District, who are mostly comprised people of the H’Mong and Thai ethnicities, are a kind, humble, gracious, and hard-working people who only add to the unique beauty of the Mu Cang Chai District.  Their humble way of life is so startlingly different than most in our world, and it is endearing and lovely to visit such a beautiful, majestic landscape with just as beautiful and kind people. 

Spectacular Muong Lo Rice Field In Nghia Lo Town

The population in Nghia Lo is about 30,000 people that gather in the huge, flat valley named Muong Lo. The valley is bordered by the endless ranges of the mountain that makes it the highly spectacular site. In this region, at this altitude (approximately 1000 meters) the rice is ripe between the end of September and the beginning of October: some fields have been already harvested and have the brown color of dry land (left picture) while others are yet to be harvested and show a beautiful bright yellow color (right picture). In this region of Vietnam, the ripening of the rice happens 2-3 weeks after Sapa (the most popular place in Vietnam where most tourists go to see terraced rice fields).

Thac Ba Hydro power Plant

Thac Ba Lake is the largest artificial lake in Vietnam built in 1970 with total area of 23.400 hectares. Not only is used as tourist attraction, Thac Ba Lake also pay an important role in protecting and improving environment. Due to a stunning cave system constituted by limestone mountain ranges, the lake attracts thousands of arrivals every year. The most prominent of all is Thuy Tien cave, 100 m long, situated inside rocky mountain. In addition, tourists could visit Xuan Long cave to admire stunning natural statutes, excellent works of the creators.

Cao Bien is the largest and longest mountain range of Thac Ba Lake. Standing at the peak of the mountain, tourists will get bird’s eye-view of misting Thac Ba Lake in early morning.

Traveling to Thac Ba, tourists will have chance to communicate and exchange culture with ethnic groups such as Nung, H’Mong, dao, Phu La…. through folk festivals.

Suoi Giang

Suoi Giang Site is situated on the height of 800-1000m above the sea level, 20km from Nghia Lo Town. This site is home to age-old tea trees. With the temperature in summer is around 30-320C, and very pure air, Suoi Giang Site is suitable for tourism relaxation, sightseeing and exploring the cultural life of H’Mong Ethnic Group.

The area is also surrounded by small villages and wooden houses of Thai and Hmong ethnic people. The town also held variegated market where you can buy almost anything. You can visit the area near the village of Suoi Giang, where you can see the tea trees which are 100-400 of years old. Local people of the area call this tea „medicinal tea“ (Zie Sua) and believes that it is a medicine. This area is located approximately 1500 – 2200 meters above sea level, there is a mild climate and average annual temperature is 20 °C.