5 Best Ways to See Rice Paddies in Vietnam

ênComing to Vietnam, especially the North of Vietnam, you’ll find the stunningly beautiful rice paddies in most of the countryside area. Specifically, you’ll feast your eye on the most magnificent view of golden rice fields in harvest seasons, usually in September and October every year. For a better plan, you may already know where to see the rice terraces, what to do during your trip; but you might not know how to catch the best sights of the paddies in Vietnam. Here’re the 5 best ways which create favorable conditions for you to contemplate the panoramic view of paddy fields in Vietnam.

1. Take the Fansipan Cable Car

On the way to the Peak of Indochinese Peninsula by cable car, you’ll have a chance to admire the primitive forest and the impressive mountain range of Hoang Lien Son, as well as the poetic terraced fields in Muong Hoa Valley. Dominating the sky in Sapa, Fansipan Cable Car offers a 360-degree panorama over the appealing natural landscape at an altitude of thousands of meters. The higher you go, the more mysterious the rice terraces become due to the high density of clouds. Unless you are acrophobic, you definitely need to take the Fansipan Cable Care to not only behold the rice terraces in Vietnam but also conquer the incredible view from the top of Indochina.

Fansipan cable car offers the top view of terraced fields in Vietnam

How to get to the Fansipan Cable Car

The Fansipan Cable Car is opened from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. every day. You can buy the ticket at the box office and take notice that the tickets are just valid within a day. Hence, you’d better not buy the ticket in advance if you don’t use it in a day.

Ticket price

• Adult and child (taller than 1.3 meters): US$ 33.00/person/round way
• Child (from 1.1 to 1.3 meters high): US$ 22.00/person/round way
• Child (under 1.1 meters high): free

2. Catch the Sapa mountain climbing train

Since 2018, tourists can get to the Fansipan Cable Car station from the town by a Sapa mountain climbing train instead of a drive across rocky and winding roads atop the Muong Hoa Valley. If you’re a fan of the iconic film director Wes Anderson, you’re likely to be fancy the captivating European architecture of the Sapa mountain climbing train. A cluster of deep colors and perfect symmetry of the French colonial style will bring you back to a scene of Wes Anderson's movie.

The classical European style in Sapa station's architecture

In terms of sightseeing, the Sapa mountain climbing train takes tourists through mysterious tunnels and across the viaduct to get a breathtaking view of majestic rice terraces and restful villages in Muong Hoa Valley. The train will stop for 2 minutes at the most scenic point and give the tourist a chance to take astounding photographs of rice paddies in Northern Vietnam.

Enjoy the eye-catching view of rice terraces in Vietnam through Sapa mountain climbing train

Where to take the Sapa mountain climbing train

From the Sun Plaza Sapa Station in the center of the town, the journey to the Cable Car Station will take around 4 minutes to finish the two-kilometer track above the Muong Hoa Valley. The trains, which are capable of carrying up to 200 passengers, run from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. daily and depart every six minutes.

Ticket price

• Adult and child (taller than 1.3 meters): US$ 9.50/person/round way
• Child (from 1.0 to 1.3 meters high): US$ 7.00/person/round way
• Child (under 1.0 meters high): free

3. Book a Sapa hill tribe tour

For those in pursuit of adventure in northern Vietnam, a tour to hill tribe villages is the best way to witness the rice terraces in a close distance. There is a great diversity of trekking, motorbike, and biking tour to the highlighted ethnic villages such as Y Linh Ho, Lao Chai, Ta Van, Giang Ta Chai, and Su Pan, where you can find the sound of tranquility without commercialization like some other attractions.

The best way to witness the rice terraces in Vietnam is trekking to Sapa hill tribes

Once you’ve passed off-the-beaten routes, you’ll be rewarded with the spectacular scenery of steeping rice terraces and lush vegetation in the misty region. Additionally, it’s a great opportunity to meet warm-hearted local people and learn more about hill tribe culture in the North of Vietnam.

How to book a hill tribe tour to Sapa

Check this out for the best tour to Northern Vietnam. You’d better plan ahead and follow the organized itinerary to get the most worthwhile experience of watching rice terraced fields, friendly talk with ethnic people, and spending an overnight at homestay.

4. Enjoy the coffee time at the café in Sapa

Along with the development of tourism in northern Vietnam, a wide range of stunning coffee shops are increasingly popular among those in search of chilling time in Sapa. What’s better than sipping a cup of coffee, indulging in the atmospheric landscapes, and enjoying the wonderful views of rice terraces? Most of the coffee shops in Sapa are decorated with uniquely beautiful and exquisite designs. Then, you can capture the awe-inspiring photos of both interior and exterior views at the café in Sapa.

Coffee shop in Sapa is a perfect place to soak up the view of rice paddies in Vietnam

Which café giving the best view of rice paddies in Sapa

Depending on your preference, you can take a look at these recommendations consisting of Fansipan Terrace Café, The Haven Sapa Camp Site, VietTrekking Home Sapa, Lá Dao Spa Tả Van, and more. Just put your feet up and enjoy the marvelous rice terraces in the North of Vietnam.

5. Take a boat tour in Ninh Binh

In addition to the northern upland region in Vietnam, you can visit Ninh Binh Province to see the lowland rice fields that look quite different from the terraced fields in the highlands. Located 100km to the south of Hanoi Capital, Tam Coc is considered the “Halong Bay on land”, which is truly a natural masterpiece of extraordinary landscapes and myth. Instead of taking a cruise on the sea, you’ll experience a paddling boat tour cruising along the submerged rice fields and imposing mountains with lush vegetation. In September, the rice fields are green with patches of silk golden color, so you can marvel at the picturesque scenery and observe the rural way of living in Tam Coc.

Tam Coc is home to mesmerizing landscapes of rice terraces in Vietnam

How to book a tour to Ninh Binh

Here are several suggested Ninh Binh tours for you. Actually, Ninh Binh is a wonderland of natural magnificence and harmony, not only in Tam Coc but also in Bich Dong, Trang An, Hoa Lu, Mua Cave, and others. Most Ninh Binh tours last for only 1-2 days then you’d better take your time to enjoy the rice paddies and other eye-catching landscapes in northern Vietnam.

It’s time to plan a vacation to the North of Vietnam with BestPrice Travel.

Hong Nhung

(Images source: Internet)