Summer day on Mu Cang Chai mountain

Although the peak season of the water filled season in Northwest is over, the journey to see the rice in Tu Le, Cao Pha, Mu Cang Chai is still extremely attractive this summer.

Coming to Mu Cang Chai district, Yen Bai province at this time, visitors are no longer admire the scene of pouring water into the terraced fields, because in some places they are near the end of the plowing and planting.However, the deserted tourists with natural wonders and the urgent atmosphere of the crop will bring you peace & relaxation.

In Tu Le commune (Van Chan district) and Cao Pha commune (Mu Cang Chai district, Yen Bai province), local people plant two rice crops in the year. At this time, Tu Le and the whole Cao Pha valley show up with many colors of pouring water, green rice as well as ripen rice. It creates a beautiful color picture.

In the early morning, wandering to the Lin Mong village with a motor and down the valley to watch the dawn under the blue sky and morning sunshine will make you relax and sunk in the space filled with color.Beautiful scenery that is easily absorbed all visitors.

From the KhauPhau Pass, one of the four high-altitude passes in the North West, you can easily see the entire gorgeous rice valley of many beautiful colors with the scenery of peaceful villages of Thai, H’Mong people surrounded by majestic mountains. The farmers in the highland area cultivate rice for the new season.

After the water filled season, farmers in the highlands of North West will be in the planting season during July. The rice will ripen in 3 months, to October is harvestable.The sun shines over the mountains and forests of the Northwest makean unbelievable beauty that makes you feel overwhelmed and more and more loved this land.

You can drop off on Khau Pha Pass, one of the legendary North West to go to Mu Cang Chai town and just go sightseeing mountain scenery. It is an interesting and memorable experience. You stop on the pass, breathe fresh&cool air in the mountains and admire the majestic beauty of the Northwest mountains.

Unlike Tu Le and Cao Pha communes, the communes around Mu Cang Chai town have only one rice crop per year, so this time, they have finished plowing and planting. The terraced fields here are mostly filled blue. However, the magnificence, the cliffs of terraced fields here is still an attractive feature that absorbs the people love nature, mountains and forests of North West.

 If any of these destinations have peaked(!) your attention, why not check out our Hard Trekking Mu Cang Chai Tour 4Day / Trekking Mu Cang Chai Tour 3 Day  Alternatively, we can arrange treks lasting anywhere from a day to a week as part of a tailored itinerary. 

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Our incredible Trekking trip to Rice Terraces Vietnam

I’m Nghia – tour guide of Zonitrip. This is my story about the Trekking trip to Rice Terraces Vietnam – Mu Cang Chai with a nice couple (one American and one Spanish).

We leave Hanoi so early: 4am. We trekked at least 5-6hrs with distance about 20km per day through the many type of road: Muddy rice field, climb to Terraces mountain, walk to deep bamboo forest or through the remote village in Mu Cang Chai – one of remote tourism destination in Northwest Vietnam.

April is in Spring – the best time to travel in Vietnam. So we were very lucky with nice weather, not too hot or cool, we had all sun, wind and cloud…It was so perfect for a trekking Rice Terraces Vietnam trip.

First trekking, we visited a peaceful village of Thai people.

This village located near the mountain, behind the beautiful & green rice fields. The Thai ethnic is one of the main ethnic groups in Vietnam, and have little similar culture with people in Laos, Thailand. A man- who is host of simple house we visited – said that they have some common words like numbers, writing, eating, drinking, so on. The Thai people often live on the “stilt house” – the popular house in mountainous area, made by bamboo or wood. Stilt house helps them to avoid wild animals such as tiger, bear, snake…They often feed animals like: ducks, chickens, buffalos…under the floor of house.

Leave the Thai village, we continue our trip to explore Mu Cang Chai – our target in this trip. Mu Cang Chaimade me satisfied with incredible scenery. Mu Cang Chai is over 300km far from Hanoi, is well-known with dramatic Rice Terraces Vietnam – look like the steps of ladder to the sky. Throughout the area, you can have amazing photo of the Rice Terraces covering from this mountain to other mountain. I was surprised when know all of these fields were form by human power with simple tools.

We climbed up to the mountains- where have amazing rice field and walked through the remote of Hmong people.

Let’s talk about Hmong people in Mu Cang Chai.

We visited a house of Hmong, a very simple land house made by wood. Hmong is also one of the 54 ethnic groups in Vietnam. They just came to Vietnam 300-400 years ago to avoid the war with Chinese. Their villages often locate on the high mountains- where have the hard climate through the year, so their life are still poor and very simple

However, I was surprised again when talk with them. Although their life is still hard, but they can provide anything for them by feeding animals around house, cultivations like rice, corn.

Even they also make their clothes from hemp. The women have to make the fabric, embroider and sewing the clothes for all members in family.

On the hiking road, we met a Hmong man. He was so friendly and cute. He invited us to visit his house and play a Hmong song by their traditional pine.

His neighbors were also warm, they told us to join their farming work on the field. It was so exciting experience.

One of most unforgettable experience in our trip was “Bamboo Collecting”.

We stayed one night at homestay of Thai people. The woman host asked us to join with her to find the bamboo. We though: “ Oh, why not? The bamboo in here is very tasty and yummy”. So that tomorrow, each of us were prepared a special bag ( look me like a Vietnamese). We went to deep bamboo forest. Oh, I didn’t think the small bamboo can easily to find like that.They grow above the soil, near the big bamboo tree, and we just picked-it up by hand. It’s our first time to finding bamboo. The woman said that the bamboo is very cheap, only 1 dollar for 1 kg. After 1,5 hour, we found a full bag. It was so happy when we ate the food we found by our self. It’s really fun & great experience

Although the short time, but we had the great time to travel. I hope other travelers also had the great experience like us when travel with Zonitrip.  When you are going to go Mu Cang Chai, Vietnam –  don’t miss the Trekking Rice Terraces Vietnam tour of Zonitrip.

Nghia Bui – Apr, 2018

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H’Mong – Dzao – Thai Ethnic Group in Mu Cang Chai

1. Thai
The Thai ethnic group in Yen Bai province has 53,104 people living in most districts, towns and cities of the province. In particular, it is concentrated in Van Chan, Nghia Lo, Tram Tau and Mu Cang Chai districts, including White Thai and Black Thai. Like the H’Mong people, Thai people live in villages where are in lowland, near the central area and near the water source.  The Thai people are famous for the dances. In the festivals, the spreading dance has become the cultural characteristics. Everyone holds hands to dance under the melody of singing & spreading hands.

Dress apparel: Thai women wear Pieu suits, black skirts and short shirt with the butterfly & spider & cicada button shaped. On the holidays, they can wear a slim black dress, or a hoodie style dress.

Male wear cut pants to the waist and shirt with pockets on either side. On holidays, they wear long black shirt with the white inside.

They put the black scarf in the style of an ax on the daily day, they wore a long scarf on holidays.

2. H’Mong

H’Mong people in Yen Bai are mainly 4 groups: Mong Hoa; Mong Den, Mong Trang và Mong Do.

H’Mong people often live in the village and prefer the high slope, sloping area with the topography of 800-1700m. Part of the H’Mong life is to drown in dances, festivals and glittering in traditional costumes.

Traditional H’Mong costumes are made of linen fabric, decorated by needles, clew, and beeswax to create beautiful patterns. The women's costume includes a head scarf, or head cap with long tail, skirt, apron, belt and leggings. Men's clothing also has its own unique characteristics.  Men's jacket is short, the collar has a lot of daisies. Pants are usually black & indigo dyed with wide pants to clear the climbing hills and canoes easily

.3. Dzao

The Dao ethnic groups live in Yen Bai province. There are four main groups: Red Do, Dao Quan Chet Nga Hoang, Dao Quan Trang and Dao Lan Tuyen. When coming to Vu Linh- Thac Ba, tourists can easily meet the Dao ethnic people living around this area. The traditional costumes of the Dao Yen Bai people are unique by the decorative art on clothes with motifs of plants, animals, human figures, birds, Chinese characters. Men's wears have two types: short-sleeved shirts for daily basis and long shirt for festivals and weddings.

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The custom of dragging wife of H'Mong people

     The custom of dragging wife of H'Mong people 

As usual, spring is also the opportunity for young H’Mong women and to meet each other. These can be year-end markets, festivals during the New Year's Day, or firewood & water picking day to prepare for a new year. With a large population, H’Mong people in Mu Cang Chai still retain their traditional cultural characteristics. The custom of dragging wife that called wife robbery is a unique feature in the marriage of the H’Mong.

When the couple complains and swear to marriage, they will report back to their parents and family. If everything goes well, the man's family will invite matchmaker to ask for the engagement party (the wedding appointment) and finally the wedding (the wedding procession).

This custom can be happened for a variety of reasons such as: The boy likes the girl but the girl refuses, the son's family used the power to "rob the wife" for his son… But these cases have only happened in the past, under the feudalism. Today, as many other ethnic groups, H’mong people always respect the regime of one wife-one husband. The concept of beautyfull couple is healthy, ethical and hard working.

Marriage is the result of voluntary love. The dragging wife custom is now the affirmation for the intense love and aspirations for a happy family of H’Mong girls.

H’Mong weddings are usually celebrated on good days in the spring, because people are abstinent to wed in thunderstorms months.  And it is thought that spring is the season of things to multiply. But not every love story has a happy ending without experiencing turbulent.

In fact, there are many couples who love each other earnestly but they cannot get the agreement from one of their family (mostly the girl's parents). When parents didnot agree but the couple finds themselves to live together, they not only are considered impious but also the marriage is not accepted by the community. At that time, the couple will discuss to marry each other by “The dragging wife custom” with the help from relatives.

Everything is planned in secret that the girl’s family do not know it, the girl is still collecting firewood and picking water as usual. Then one day as scheduled, the man appeared. Friends of the guy appeared and helped the guy pull the girl to home while they are talking.

The girl still felt surprised and cried despite knowing everything. Not only that, girls have to pretend to call for help from her family. It is thought that the girl was taken to wife without crying, it is cheap and spoiled girl. When the bridegroom come to save the girl, the boy’s friends will take the hit for him to let him take the girl to home.

After the boy's family brought the chicken to the feast, the girl was brought into the house. The H’mong perceive that the girl was made the entrance ceremony by a rooster, even if the girl had left home, her parents would not be able to accept it because she had belonged to other family. Therefore, knowing that his daughter has been pulled to wife, even if they do not agree, the girl’s family also agreed.

However, the two parties can agree on the wedding when going to the engagement party. But if the boy used the dragging wife custom, the girl’s family will be less sympathetic and often punish by asking for higher than usual. The boy must determine that he will be fined if he uses the dragging wife custom. And they have to meet the requirements of the girlfriend no matter how much they claim. Because of these rules, not all families can use the "dragging wife" for boys.

Families want to use the dragging wife custom are routinely well-off family so as to meet the requirements of the girl’s family. It may take up to three years for the boy's family to pay the fine.

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Mu Cang Chai Tour - Discover the Best Rice Terrace in Vietnam

Mu Cang Chai Tour - Discover the Best Rice Terrace in Vietnam

Zonitrip - Best Local Tour Operator

We offer different programs as:

- Motorbike tour 3D2N: http://zonitrip.com/package/motorbike-mu-cang-chai-tour/

- Trekking tour 3D2N: http://zonitrip.com/package/trekking-mu-cang-chai-tour-3-day/

- Sapa - Mu Cang Chai Tour 5D: http://zonitrip.com/package/motorbike-sapa-mu-cang-chai-tour/
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TRAVEL GUIDE TO MU CANG CHAI

Zonitrip – Mu Cang Chai is a mountainous district of Yen Bai province, is about 280km from Hanoi,  are known with scenic rice terraces. Each harvest season, Mu Cang Chai welcomes thousands of visitors from around the country & is the new attractive destination for international travelers . If you visit to North Vietnam, don’t miss this land, Zonitrip advise you to backpack up and hit the road right then, you will not be regret.

Tips when travel Mu Cang Chai Tour, Yen Bai

Mu Cang Chai has 2 pretty nice seasons which you can arrange to come; the other seasons to Mu Cang Chai have nothing special.

Around mid-September to mid-October is the season of grain, all of rice terraces throughout Mu Cang Chai will be covered by bright yellow, the weather is nice and convenient to visit.

Around May-June is the pouring season, when summer rains began pouring down the mountain, the water is led from the mountains into terraces. Water flooded into the fields to make arid become softer and swells to grow rice. This is also the time people go to the field to crops and prepare for a new season. Therefore in the terraced in Northern Vietnam Mountains can only plant rice one time per year. This terraced water flashed in the sunset creates a beauty that many tourists to be surprised.

How to get there

There are 3 ways you can choose:

• From Hanoi, you can go straight to Mu Cang Chai by motorcycle or car.
• Catch the bus Hanoi – Lai Chau which goes through Mu Cang Chai, then rent the motorbike to visit around the town area and Mu Cang Chai some neighboring villages to take pictures and admire the rice, the motorcycle rental you can contact the hotel always with you at the hostel so convenient.
• Because there isn’t many bus go straight Mu Cang Chai, so you can catch the bus to Yen Bai city, then rent the motorbike from there to Mu Cang Chai. You can contact via Ms. Nghia +84 0168 992 7861

 Highlight

Khau Pha Pass

As one of the lines winding and steep gorge ranks among the best Vietnam,  Khau Pha Mountain pass is in the highest mountain in Mu Cang Chai area. Khau Pha Pass starting point is cut Highway 32 to Highway 279 consecutive seamlessly with grandchildren pass it forward and pass on the road behind Kim Walls 32. From the city of Yen Bai, vice along Highway 32 about 5 hours, through communal Tu Le, Khau Pha pass Mu Cang Chai district out between a plateaus surrounded by mountains identical messages. The winding stretches of road passes between the old forests are bold and pristine slopes terraced fields of H’Mong, Thai.

Cao Pha valley

This is also the time when many tourists venture to conquer the scenic gorge. The jungle at Khau Pha preserved many rare animals and plants such as oil data, to her and all kinds of birds, other rare animals.

Lim Mong Village

Lim Mong Village in Mu Cang Chai district –is still hidden in the clouds. With difficulty of the road dangerous, Lim Mong is one of the destinations for travelers who love adventure and challenging.

Terraced fields in La Pan Tan

Famous for its beautiful terraced fields of heaven leaning fingerprint, La Pan Tan is not ashamed to be one of three localities of Mu Cang Chai district, Yen Bai province, terraces – art architecture epitomized creation of the Mong ethnic people living on this land by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism rated monuments scenic national level since late 2007.

Link to reference:

VIETNAM RICE TERRACES – Motorbike Sapa – Mu Cang Chai Tour

Discovery the most beautiful terrace in North West Vietnam by Motorbike

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Something about Mu Cang Chai rice terrace, Vietnam - Zonitrip

Mu Cang Chai terraced fields spread out more than 2,300ha at a height of 1,000m above the sea level in Hoang Lien Son Mountain Foot.  Concentrating mostly in 3 communes of La Pan Tan, Che Cu Nha and De Xu Phinh, Mu Cang Chai District, Yen Bai Province.

Mu Cang Chai is a western district of Yen Bai Province, about 350km to the north-west of Ha Noi. The district is bounded to the north by Van Ban District (Lao Cai Province), to the south by Muong La District (Son La Province), to the west by Than Uyen District (Lai Chau Province) and to the east by Van Chan District (Yen Bai Province).

After taking a trip from Ha Noi to Yen Bai City, visitors will have going 40km on National Highway No.37 before turning on the right to catch National Highway No.32 running through Nghia Lo Township to Tu Le. From Tu Le, visitors will have to pass Nam Khat Pass, which is 2,000m above the sea level, continuing to go on the western slope of Hoang Lien Son Mountain range and along Nam Kim Stream before reaching Mu Cang Chai. Another option for visitors is they can take a trip on National Highway No.32 from Ha Noi, via Son Tay and Tu Le to end in Mu Cang Chai.

Due to the steep feature, fertile soil and mountain cliffs often stock water, the local people, mainly Mong ethnic minorities, can grow rice and establish terraced fields, one after another, from the foot to nearly top of mountains. Generations to generations of these people have made terraced fields as today.

TREKKING IN MU CANG CHAI – SAPA

When being seen from afar, the terraced rice fields look like a picture of nature whose colour changes seasonally, exhibiting its most alluring charm when the new crop begins, green rice grows and the field is lush with ripening rice.

As usual in April and May, when local people water their fields at full to prepare for a new crop, the surface of terraced fields shines like a mirror reflecting the contrast of the reddish brown of soil, the deep blue of the sky and the green of surrounding forests. Embankments surrounding these terraces look like threads softly lined by the painter.

Mu Cang Chai rice terraces in water falling season

In June and July, the terraced rice fields with fully-grown paddy rice and forest trees spread the green out to the entire area, from the foot to top of mountains, before disappearing in mist. The green of paddy rice grown on the terraced field makes visitors think of it as a hand-made creation of uniqueness which cannot be found anywhere else.

Rice field in Lim Thai village, Mu Cang Chai

Coming to Mu Cang Chai in September and October, when autumn ends, visitors can feel prosperity all over the area as rice in all terraced fields is ripe, giving the gold colour. During the time, the terraced rice fields look like golden silk scarves flying over in the wind above green mountain slopes, making the mountainous landscape astonishingly beautiful.

Mu Cang Chai – Vietnam highlands rustic charm

Terraced rice fields in Mu Cang Chai coupled with distinctive cultural practices of local ethnic minority groups have created the uniqueness of the locality. This explains why many tourists, both domestic and foreign, are increasingly flocking to Mu Cang Chai to admire these “terraced rice field masterpieces”.
On 18 October 2007, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism recognized 500ha – terraced fields in 3 communes of La Pan Tan, Che Cu Nha and De Xu Phinh (Mu Cang Chai) as a national landscape.

If you want more information about Mu Cang Chai and how to take the trip to Mu Cang Chai, feel free to let us know.

Zonitrip – Specialist for adventure tour: Motorbike Mu Cang Chai tour, trekking Mu Cang Chai tour…

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Mu Cang Chai - Amazing Rice field from above

Discovery the Best Vietnam Rice Terrace Mu Cang Chai – where the charming essence of these lands remains unchanged. Explore these lands by hiking around unparalleled routes, meeting people of several ethnic minorities and visiting villages. ---------------- Zonitrip - Specialist for Mu Cang Chai Tour, We provide private/personalized day trips, cycling, motorbiking, trekking & hiking trips to Mu Cang Chai. Let visit our website here: http://zonitrip.com/trip-style/trekki... or: http://zonitrip.com/trip-style/vietna...

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Best Time To Take Pictures Of Mu Cang Chai Terraced Rice Fields

Mu Cang Chai is a rural district of Yen Bai province, in the northwestern region of Vietnam. From Hanoi, you follow the National Road 32, after 290km you arrive at Mu Cang Chai. The popular attraction of Mu Cang Chai lies in its terraced rice fields which are primarily situated in the district’s Che Cu Nha, La Pan Tan and De Zu Phinh villages. These imposing fields draw a large number of both Vietnamese and foreign travelers who love to take pictures of and indulge themselves in the amazing beauty of the national heritage site.