Vinh Dav

Early September is a special time in Vietnam’s North. The hot weather has passed, the air is more pleasant, and the rainfall is gradually decreasing. This period also marks a rapid transformation in the natural landscape of the northern mountainous provinces, where the famous terraced rice fields in provinces like Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Ha Giang, and Cao Bang begin to ripen.

Terraced fields near a stream in Sang Ma Sao - Lao Cai

Under the golden autumn sun, the terraced fields don their radiant robes, stretching from the mountain slopes down to the valleys. Our desire to witness the bountiful golden rice season up close inspired a journey from Bat Xat to Y Ty, Sa Pa (Lao Cai), Hoang Su Phi (Ha Giang), Trung Khanh (Cao Bang) and Mu Cang Chai (Yen Bai), where every field resembles a vibrant painting.

Previous issues of Heritage magazine have introduced readers to the beauty of terraced fields in the northern mountains during the season when they are full of water. Typically, the first areas to fill their fields with water will have their rice ripen first.

Our journey’s initial stop was Bat Xat district in Lao Cai province. Situated in a high sloping valley, the terraced fields in the lower area of Muong Hum turn golden in mid-August, with the gold gradually spreading through Sang Ma Sao to Den Sang. By mid-September, golden hues cover the highest terraces in Y Ty, Ngai Thau, and A Lu communes. Thanks to this region’s unique terrain, moist air is trapped by the towering Ky Quan San mountain range, creating a mystical scene where white clouds float through the mountains and the morning sunlight pierces through the thin mist, illuminating the fields and revealing the shapes of traditional earth-wall houses.

Terraced fields at the foot of the Chu Va Mountains

Also in Lao Cai province, about 45km from Muong Hum lies the town of Sa Pa, home to equally famous terraced fields. Conveniently located only 5 to 30km from the town center via accessible roads, this area’s terraced fields are popular with tourists, offering vantage points with views over distant valleys. From late August to late September, the terraced fields turn vibrant yellow, gracefully winding down the slopes in the Muong Hoa Valley, Ta Van village, Y Linh Ho village, Ta Phin village, and further afield in Thanh Phu and Suoi Thau communes, or at the foot of Chu Va Peak in Tam Duong district, Lai Chau province.

Our journey continued northeast to the well-known Ban Gioc Waterfall in Cao Bang province. In late September to early October, the banks of the Quay Son River, flowing from Ngoc Con through Dam Thuy to Ban Gioc Waterfall, are adorned with golden rice fields interspersed with green bamboo groves. Unlike many other places, the rice fields here are quite flat, but they are complemented by the jagged mountain peaks, creating a harmonious and picturesque blend of water, mountains, and fields. This is also the ideal time to visit Ban Gioc Waterfall, as it is the end of the rainy season. The water remains abundant but has returned to being clear and gentle.

Farmers in Y Ty - Lao Cai with their four-legged “friends”

When the last fields in Trung Khanh (Cao Bang) turn golden, it’s also time for the rice in Hoang Su Phi (Ha Giang) to ripen. Here, rice is grown on terraced fields perched precariously on hillsides and mountainsides, very close to local homes. Everywhere from Phung village and Luoc village to Nam Khoa is flooded with the golden hues of ripe rice and the greens of pristine forests. Traditional stilt houses lie scattered near curved rice fields, and locals with heavy bundles of rice on their backs smile brightly like the autumn sun.

In Vietnam, Mu Cang Chai in Yen Bai province is known as “the paradise of terraced fields”. Here, the rice typically ripens in late October, sometimes extending into early November, when the weather has begun to cool. As majestic as stairways to heaven, the terraced fields are also remarkable for their scale, stretching from Khau Pha Pass, along National Highway 32 to the beautiful areas of La Pan Tan, De Xu Phinh, and Mo De, deep into communes like Lao Chai. Brilliant golden seas cover the hillsides in layer upon layer, like endless bolts of soft golden silk. If you continue on National Highway 32, the golden rice fields extend to the fields in Than Uyen, Lai Chau province, which look straight out of a fairytale.

Each location in the northern mountains boasts its own unique splendor during the rice-ripening season, showcasing a perfect blend of natural beauty mixed with human resilience and skill. This vibrant picture stirs our admiration for the simple lifestyles and traditional values of the highland people.