Vietnam - Lao Cai - In early July, the newly merged Hanh Phuc commune entered the ripe rice season, and the dry weather highlighted the peaceful beauty of the Northwest highlands.
From July 1, 4 localities, including Tram Tau town, Xa Ho commune, Hat Luu, and Ban Cong of the old Yen Bai province, were renamed Hanh Phuc commune of Lao Cai province.
The new name on the administrative map impressed photographer Vu Ngoc Thien, 35 years old, urging him to make a trip to the highland commune in early July.
"This trip was inspired, without any prior preparation, but left me with many emotions," said Mr. Thien.
During the journey to explore Hanh Phuc commune, the photographer chose to go deep into the villages of the H'Mong people to hunt for photos. The small road along the mountainside opens up a scene of terraced fields, shimmering and golden like honey under the early morning sun.
At the foot of the field, a woman is washing clothes by the ditch. Mr. Thien stopped for a long time just to take pictures and admire the scenery.
The people in the commune mainly do agriculture, growing rice on terraced fields. However, they can only do one crop a year due to the high terrain, depending on natural water sources, making irrigation difficult.
The photographer commented that the terraced fields in Hanh Phuc are as beautiful as those in places like Mu Cang Chai, Hoang Su Phi, or Sa Pa.
A hammock of ripe golden rice in a village of the old Xa Ho commune.
Located on the mountain slopes, the terraced fields in Hanh Phuc have a large slope but are close together, moving from 3 - 4km, convenient for tourists to visit and "live virtually".
Mr. Thien said that he uses a motorbike so that he can proactively stop at any stop along the way to hunt for beautiful photos.
The male tourist enjoys the peaceful countryside scenery and the aroma of ripe rice.
According to the photographer, besides the scenery, people are also the factors that make him spend a lot of time stopping to observe and take pictures. When passing through a village, he came across a group of H'Mong children playing. The children ran barefoot on the ground, occasionally stopping to look at strangers and then continuing their game.
Mr. Thien stopped by the roadside, quietly raised his camera to take a picture. "I just stood there, capturing the natural moment," he said.
Three H'Mong children through the lens of photographer Vu Ngoc Thien.
Located in the middle of the Northwest highlands, Hanh Phuc commune converges three of the 15 highest mountain peaks in Vietnam: Ta Xua, Sa Mu, and Ta Chi Nhu. In recent years, people have begun to welcome a certain number of visitors each year-end. Currently, a system of homestays, restaurants, rest stops, and guide services is gradually taking shape, creating the premise for a sustainable tourism future.
Closing a day in Hanh Phuc commune, the photographer said that in addition to capturing beautiful photos, he also brought back a rare sense of peace.
"It is the scenery and the people here that make the name 'Hanh Phuc' no longer just a title, but truly a feeling," he said.
Photo: Vu Ngoc Thien