Hoang Su Phi’s terraced rice fields in the water pouring season

The journey to the remote mountains of Northern Vietnam becomes more poetic with the scene of successive stairs from low to high, winding around the rolling mountainside. Located upstream of Chay River, Hoang Su Phi stands out with its mountainous, steep, rugged and strongly divided terrain. This place is the “home sweet home” of a community of 12 ethnic groups with their own cultural identities of Dao, Nung, La Chi,… Ethnic people still maintain the method of farming on Hoang Su Phi terraced rice fields.

Climatic conditions, pristine and magnificent nature with primaeval forests, terraced fields, rivers, streams, and many ranked relics and heritage sites… have turned Hoang Su Phi into an ideal eco-tourism and community cultural destination for tourists from all over the world.

Visitors to Hoang Su Phi during this period will admire a captivating Hoang Su Phi during the water pouring season. The hillsides of terraced fields turn into giant sparkling mirrors, reflecting the sky and Northern forests, creating a unique watercolour painting in Vietnam.

Giant sparkling mirrors, reflecting the sky and Northern forests

Dotted in the terraced fields are images of people stooping to plant rice, and buffaloes diligently ploughing and loosening the top layer of soil. In the distance is the sound of streams flowing through the fields and pouring down to cover the field surface. On the roads in the village, adults and children carry baskets to the fields.

The peaceful life in the remote mountains (Photo: Collection)

Under the diligent hands of farmers, the winding terraced fields stretch along the hillside, embracing and containing the typical indigenous cultural colours of the Northern ethnic people. The fields are not only a means of livelihood, ensuring food security for the people, they are also considered a valuable asset by the people here, a dowry passed down to descendants for generations.

Just like the image of layers of fields, terraced fields carry within themselves “multi-layered” values ​​of cultural heritage and beliefs, especially related to agriculture. Events associated with terraced fields include the Khu Cu Te Tet Festival, the La Chi ethnic group’s seed-begging ceremony; Harvest Festival of the Red Dao ethnic group; The Long Tong Festival of the Tay ethnic group… create a unique cultural treasure for the ethnic minority community here.

People planting rice

Some terraced fields in Hoang Su Phi that tourists should not miss include: Ban Phung terraced fields, Ho Thau terraced fields, Ban Loc – San Sa Ho terraced fields, Nam Ty terraced fields.

In addition to terraced fields, visitors can explore ancient Shan Tuyet tea hills, enjoy tea, and enjoy the cool green nature in Hoang Su Phi. Early in the morning of the next day, try trekking to Tay Con Linh peak and cloud hunting on Chieu Lau Thi peak. Or visitors can explore Hoang Su Phi market, taste ethnic specialties, interact with people in the Northern, and listen to typical songs, dances and instrumental sounds.

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