Northern Vietnam is a truly photogenic place. The landscape is extraordinary with blue mountains, raging rivers, poetic minority communities dotting hillsides. And among this, the spectacular landscape of Mu Cang Chai stands out as a feast of the eyes. It’s an artwork created by generations of the minority people. This is where the sublime towering rice terraces are. They connect one hill top to the next, and ascend to the sky as steps to heaven. This supreme scenery has been featured on both CNN and CNBC. And now, this Vietnam photo tour will bring you to the heart of Mu Cang Chai. Our cameras are set to capture the incredible vertical rice fields that Mu Cang Chai has to offer.
No one knows when the rice terraces first came into being. It was not meant to be for tourism, nor any kind of attraction. This nature of vertical farming is simply to direct the water into a downwards flow. The water then travels from one step to the next, allowing an even distribution. On every step, rice thrives. These terraces encircle the mountains, valleys and communities of the indigenous H’mong people.
There are 02 best times for photography in Mu Cang Chai, one is in May and the other is in September.
May is the “water season”, when the rainfall brings an abundant amount of water, setting the time of the new rice crop. At this time, the local would flock to the field for various farm works. And, at sunrise and sunset, the water reflects the sky above, turning itself into a giant mirror and making the whole scene extremely photogenic.
September is the rice harvest time. This is when the rice terraces of Mu Cang Chai turn into gigantic golden lines along hillsides, valleys, and river banks. During this time, the farmers flock to the field to harvest the crop. A stunning combination of landscape and people photography opens up in your view finder.
This Vietnam photography tour to Mu Cang Chai is surely a highlight among our Vietnam photo tours. Join us, as we will be shooting the imposing Mu Cang Chai in the harvest time, in September. This photography adventure runs only once a year, so don’t miss the opportunity to photograph with us!
To ensure the best captures, we suggest the following photography gears in your camera bag:
A part from those? Yes, as on any other Vietnam photography tour, we suggest extra batteries, memory cards. Once we are in the mountains, there’s no replacement.