Mu Cang Cai (MCC) a rural village at the foot of Hoang Lien Son Mountain Range 1,000 meters above sea level at district of Yen Bai Province in Northwest of Vietnam. About 300km from Ha Noi and has it provincial border on western side of Lao Cai. Agriculture is the main economy of this province and the biggest ethnic groups in this province are mainly Thai and Hmong people. The popular destination Sapa is merely 160 kilometre in upper north via highway QL32 and QL4D.
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Photo by Minhphu_99kdd |
I was fascinated by this small district where my friend and I did a cycling tour start from Lao Cai to Hanoi. We have the chance to cover every inch of the route as it is very hilly terrain and we couldn’t cycle more than 11 km per hour on ascend. We able to enjoy the beautiful landscape with the backdrops of the Hoang Lien Son Mountain range and the rice terrace fields that was cultivated at the slope of the mountain.
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Photo by @kinhnho |
I had cycle in Bali and passing through the Tegallalang rice terraces of Ubud, but my opinion Mu Cang Chai rice terraces is more scenic and huge. The rice terraces of Mu Cang Chai has the spectacular theme all year round with the different theme for different seasons of the year. Hence it make me come back here in September this year just for the harvesting witness the scenery of the harvesting terraces filed of Mu Cang Chai. Due to the geographical conditions of the area the Hmong only cultivate the crops once a year in a short period of one to two months only.
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Photo by Hai Thinh |
The prime period is during the harvesting season of September, October and early November where many locals and some foreign tourist will come here. 500 hectares of the over 2000 hectares of rice terraces are in the three communes of La Pan Tan, De Xu Phinh and Che Cu Nha Hmong village. June to September growing season where you can see all the terraces in green carpet and not much activities and occasionally some Hmong at the far away fields in their traditional colourful attire in contrast to the greens fields. They work in small group, not busy and hurry up like the atmosphere of the harvesting season in the lowland. The stubbles make the picture of yellow harvests more perfect and cozier.
In addition to admiring the beautiful natural landscape, you can also discover the culture of ethinc minority and be immersed in their life or play with the innocient children in here.