Top 10 most beautiful rice fields in Vietnam

When you talk about the most beautiful landscapes in Vietnam, you think of the beautiful rice terraces that lie on beautiful mountains. With hundreds of years of experience in rice production, Vietnamese farmers, especially those who live in the northern mountains, learned how to adapt to different terrains. That is why rice terraces Vietnam were formed long ago and are also known as a unique culture and famous tourist attraction that everyone who visits Vietnam cannot miss.

The best season to see the rice fields

There are several harvests per year in the Mekong Delta. This means that you can find rice fields in bloom here all year round. In the mountainous areas there is one rice harvest every year.

The best is in the harvest season, when the rice fields are yellow. But what is also impressive is the start of the rice season, when the locals bring water to the fields, which looks like a large mirror that reflects the sun’s rays on the water surface.

Because each location has its own best travel time (rice time), you can read below at each destination when you can see the most beautiful rice terraces.

1. Mu Cang Chai

Mu Cang Chai is located at the foot of the Hoang Lien Son mountain range. To get to this place, you have to cross the Khau Pha Pass, one of the most winding and dangerous passes in the country. But this is completely worth it: Mu Cang Chai has the most stunning rice terraces in Vietnam.

Best season: Mid September to mid October

2. Pu Luong

Something that makes Pu Luong  so unique are the bamboo water wheels that you see standing in the landscape. The rice grown in these parts must be submerged to thrive (as opposed to mountain rice, which can be grown in dry rice fields), which requires a large amount of water. Built by people from the Thai and Muong ethnic groups, the councils harvest water from low-lying streams to feed the huge rice crops.

Best season: May and June

3. Sapa

 Sapa is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Vietnam, with the amazing rice terraces as an absolute highlight. The rice fields in Sapa have been around for hundreds of years, created by ethnic minorities such as the H’mong, the Dao, the Tay, the Ha Nhi from generation to generation. From a distance, the beautiful terraces look like a ladder with steps to heaven. The large rice fields not only provide food for the locals, but they also offer breathtaking views for travelers.

Read more: https://trekkingvietnam.net/category/sapa-walk-and-trek/

Best season: September to October

4. Hoang Su Phi

Hoang Su Phi is approximately 112 kilometers from the city of Ha Giang and is known for its terraced rice fields. It is an off the beaten track destination in Vietnam, Hoang Su Phi is one of the least visited places in the already non-touristy Ha Giang. The most beautiful rice terraces are along and near the road between Hoang Su Phi and Xi Man.

Best season: September to the end of October

5. An Giang

An Giang is the only place in this list of top 10 most beautiful rice fields in Vietnam that is located in the south, the Mekong Delta to be exact. The Mekong Delta is not called the “rice bowl of Vietnam” for nothing. Due to the fertility of the soil, the rice fields in An Giang are growing rapidly. The rice fields are now one of the reasons why tourists travel to this area.

6. Mai Chau

A rural area west of Hanoi, where bright yellow and green rice fields grow amidst a mountainous landscape. From the viewpoint from the mountain pass that you drive over when you enter Mai Chau  you have a beautiful view of the Mai Chau valley.

Best season: May and June

7. Bac Son

The Bac Son valley is located in the Lang Son province. The valley is surrounded by mountains where you can walk and enjoy a breathtaking view. This mountainous region is home to 6 ethnic groups. This is primarily an agricultural area. The flat surface, climate and rich soil make Bac Son valley ideal for planting rice and other crops. To see this best, take a walk to one of the surrounding mountains, where you have a panoramic view of the breathtaking scenery.

Best season: The end of July and the end of November

8. Y Ty

Although terraced rice fields can be found almost everywhere in the Ban Xat District, the most beautiful can be found in Y Ty. In recent years the terraced rice fields of Y Ty have become known in the photography communities.

Best season: From the end of August to the beginning of October

9. Ninh Binh

The limestone mountains covered with green protrude from the ground on either side of the Ngo Dong River, with green rice fields that fill the gaps between them. The land here is extremely fertile and good for growing rice because of the nutrient-rich soil and water from the river.

Best season: From the end of May to the beginning of June

10. Hoi An

The best thing of the rice fields around Hoi An are their accessibility. With the bike from your hotel you can drive straight into the rice fields within a few minutes. The villages along the rice fields are more touristy than the others in this list, but this too makes it more accessible; there are plenty of activities to do with which you learn how the land is worked and you can ride a buffalo yourself.