Northwest Vietnam / Mu Cang Chai

See the golden rice terraces of Mu Cang Chai

About 300 km from Hanoi, this mountain area of mostly Hmong communities has over 2,000 hectares of terraced fields, part of them listed as a national heritage site. The terraces glow gold at harvest time in September and October, and fill with water like mirrors at planting time; Khau Pha Pass gives a wide view.