Le Thi Xuan Phuong, a 30-year-old traveler from Da Nang, embarked on a 20-day journey in June, braving the hot sun and occasional rain showers. She explored the provinces of Ha Giang, Cao Bang, Bac Kan, and Thai Nguyen in the northeast region.
Each province showcased its own natural beauty, ranging from terraced fields on hillsides during the rainy season to golden valleys in the autumn.
Phuong discovered stunning rocky plateaus with green cornfields, forest-shaded roads, tea hills, and green lakes. The local people's simple and beautiful work, lifestyle, activities, and culture left a lasting impression.
Her journey commenced in Khun, a village nestled in Bang Lang Commune, Quang Binh District, Ha Giang Province that borders China. Khun rests in the heart of a valley, where rice paddies intermingle with peanut fields. Amidst the fields, under the shade of palm trees, villagers engage in the age-old traditions of rice harvesting and peanut picking.
Khun is home to a community of four ethnic groups: Tay, Dao, Nung, and La Chi, whose rich cultural heritage remains intact. The village is enveloped by fresh, cool air, courtesy of the surrounding ancient forests.
Located in the west of Ha Giang Province, Hoang Su Phi District features an expanse of 3,700 hectares of terraced fields. These fields are considered some of the most breathtaking during both the watering and rice-ripening seasons.
In mid-June, from the villages of Phung, Luoc, Thong Nguyen to Nam Khoa, the terraced fields are transformed into mirror-like surfaces reflecting the sky and clouds. This is the time when local farmers begin cultivating the land and transplanting seedlings. Hoang Su Phi is also home to diverse communities, including the Dao, Tay, Nung, and La Chi, each contributing their unique cultural tapestry to the region.
The Red Dao people in Thong Nguyen Commune, Hoang Su Phi District, Ha Giang, perform a worship ritual.
In contrast to the winding roads that snake through the hills and mountains of western Ha Giang, the villages nestled in the low mountainous region near Ha Giang city center emanate a tranquil ambiance amidst flat valleys. Tha Village, located in Phuong Do Commune, is inhabited by the Tay people.
In early June, the village springs to life as it is the harvest season. Beneath the roofs of their stilt houses, adorned with palm leaves, the Tay people preserve the authenticity of their lifestyle, cuisine, and traditional crafts.
Nam Dam, situated in Quan Ba District, is a village inhabited by the Dao Cham people. Surrounded by untamed forests, Nam Dam is blessed with lakes and streams that provide irrigation for the upland fields. The houses in Nam Dam are constructed from soil and roofed with yin and yang tiles. Their way of life, activities, and religious practices are carefully preserved.
Lao Xa, a village of the Mong people in Sung La Valley, Dong Van District, Ha Giang Province, captivates visitors with its houses nestled against the rocky mountains. These houses are adorned with roofs covered in yin and yang tiles. The village is home to Mr. Mua Se Sinh's family, who have upheld the traditional craft of silver carving for three generations.
Dong Van rocky plateau, characterized by its rocky mountains, unveils its beauty through winding roads that crisscross the mountainside, leading travelers to the villages of Dong Van and Meo Vac. On these roads, you can see Hmong women wearing quay tau as they go to the fields. The quay tau, a basket made of bamboo, is a symbolic item strongly linked to Hmong women.
A H'mong woman collect flax stems. Flax holds cultural and spiritual significance for the H’mong. Every summer, amidst the cornfields, vibrant blue flax fields emerge. When the flax reaches maturity, H'mong families, from the young to the elderly, come together to harvest the plant, transforming it into yarn for making clothes.
In Pac Mieu Town, Bao Lam District, Cao Bang Province, a cattle market gathers locals and visitors on the 5th, 10th, 15th, 20th, 25th, and 30th days of the lunar calendar. Aside from the cattle market, it also offers a platform for trading local products, as well as pigs, chickens, and acts as a meeting point for people residing in the vicinity.
Hoai Khao in Nguyen Binh District, Cao Bang Province, is an ancient village inhabited by the Dao Tien people. It rests in a valley beneath the forest canopy, surrounded by terraced fields undergoing transplantation. Hoai Khao enjoys a refreshing and pleasant atmosphere, even during the summer months.
The Dao Tien women in Hoai Khao continue the tradition of embroidering and utilizing beeswax to create patterns on their skirts. They sew their own traditional clothing for everyday wear. To sustain this tradition, the people of Hoai Khao maintain bees in bee hives. Once the days of plowing come to an end, people visit the bees to collect wax for beeswax painting.
Enveloped by lush forests, Ba Be Lake in Bac Kan Province mesmerizes visitors with its radiant green hue. Serene roads lined with trees lead to the Pac Ngoi Village, home to the Tay people. From here, one can witness the sight of morning mist swirling around cliffs as the tranquil lake reflects the early morning sky. The dew-kissed surface of the lake creates a poetic scene.
Thai Nguyen is famous for its tea production and is particularly captivating in the summer when the tea leaves emerge as young green buds. The tea fields are vibrant and lush with greenery. In the La Bang tea area, found in Dai Tu District, local residents are actively engaged in harvesting the tea. Moreover, La Bang is blessed with the Kem stream flowing gracefully through the tea fields.
