A Journey Through Northern Vietnam’s Terraced Hills
After 11 days of exploring the breathtaking terraced hills of northern Vietnam, an Australian traveler discovered that true happiness is not about wealth, but about connection and gratitude. Each September, when the rice terraces in Mu Cang Chai Town turn golden, travelers and photographers flock to this picturesque location to capture the stunning view. Among them was Barbara Landsberg, who came not only to take photos but also to immerse herself in the local culture.
Her journey, organized by a tour company, took her across Lai Chau Province before reaching Mu Cang Chai Town in Lao Cai Province. “I didn’t want this to be just a photo trip. I wanted to tell a story,” she said. After 22 hours of flights and a drive through mountain roads, her fatigue faded as the car stopped on a hillside in Lai Chau Province where golden rice fields stretched from valley to peak. “It was more beautiful than any computer wallpaper—completely alive,” she recalled.
She asked her guide to stop, grabbed her camera, and began shooting. At that moment, she felt every effort to reach Vietnam was worth it. Compared to Australia’s farmlands, Vietnam’s terraces struck her as a collaboration between human effort and nature. At dawn, when clouds drifted through the valleys, the scene was dreamlike. “We don’t have mountain slopes wrapping around rice fields or floating white clouds like that,” she said.
But what stayed with Landsberg most was not the landscape; it was the people. Meeting villagers gave the journey deeper meaning, reshaping her understanding of what it means to live richly. She remembered a boy tending buffalo in the fields. When the animal grew stubborn, he simply climbed on its back, forming a bond. “I wasn’t sure who was caring for whom, they both seemed content,” she said.
At midday, she was struck by the rhythm of local life: after a morning in the fields, farmers gathered at a nearby house to share a meal together. The scale of these group lunches and the sense of solidarity surprised her. As Landsberg continued photographing Mu Cang Chai, she imagined the generations of work that had shaped the terraces on the hillsides. “Not a single patch is wasted. It speaks of resilience and adaptability,” she said.
According to Alex Sheal, co-founder of Vietnam In Focus, which organized Landsberg’s trip, more travelers are seeking experiences beyond Vietnam’s traditional tourism circuit. “We combine untouched areas, like villages in Phong Tho District, with spots such as Mu Cang Chai. Scheduling weekday departures helps guests avoid crowds and experience local life.”
For Landsberg, the journey became a reflection on herself. In Vietnam’s rural villages, families live off their harvests and pass down traditions through generations. She saw happiness built on connections and balance. In contrast, she observed, many people in western cities are caught in financial cycles, bound by 30-year mortgages and work, leaving little time to slow down.
Landsberg left Vietnam with more than photographs. The trip changed how she views life. To her, Vietnam now represents resilience, harmony, and the pursuit of happiness. She realized that people here may not have much money, but they are rich in time, family, and their connection to nature. This experience made her wonder what we are really working for.
Through her journey, Landsberg found that the true essence of life lies in the simple joys of connection, gratitude, and living in harmony with the environment. Her time in Vietnam was not just a travel adventure, but a profound lesson in what it means to live a fulfilling life.