CNBC: Mu Cang Chai should top 2020 travel list

Mu Cang Chai, a remote district which is home to breathtaking terraced rice fields in Vietnam’s northern province of Yen Bai (Photo: VNA)

CNBC describes Mu Cang Chai as a remote gem deep in the valleys foreged by waters of the Red River with a series of colourful mountain villages encircled by fields of towering rice terraces.

“The fields are agricultural feats of precision — rugged mountains blanketed with emerald stairways that, seemingly, ascend to the heavens above,” it says.

The site goes on to describe how rice terraces have been grown in Mu Cang Chai, saying the ancestors of northern Vietnam’s local hill tribes centuries ago created this beautiful place for the most basic of reasons — to survive.

“To grow rice in vertical conditions, hill tribes created a terraced system to control the downward flow of water. Using ingenuity, resourcefulness and sheer grunt work, fertile fields of sustenance and breathtaking beauty were born — and still flourish today.”

In total, rice terraces cover more than 2,200 hectares of land in Mu Cang Chai, of which 500 were designated as national heritage sites by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in 2007.

“That land is shared by the three villages — La Pan Tan, Che Cu Nha and De Xu Phinh — and are must-see spots for any traveler in the region,” it continues.

In Mu Cang Chai, trekking is popular, as is cycling and photography while local festivals attract record numbers of tourists every year, including an autumn paragliding festival that’s helping to establish Mu Cang Chai as a new destination for adventure travel.

Other popular activities include traversing the breathtaking Khau Pha Pass and exploring the Mo Waterfall and Pu Nhu Waterfall.

The site adds there is never a bad season to see Mu Cang Chai, as the rice terraces are beautiful year-round.

“In the spring, near-neon shades of green arise as the seedlings sprout from the water. In the warm summer months, brilliant green terraces fill the countryside with bursts of color.”