A male tourist enjoys the peaceful village scenery and the aroma of ripe rice.

Effective July 1st, four localities – Tram Tau town, and Xa Ho, Hat Luu, and Ban Cong communes of the former Yen Bai province – were merged and renamed Hanh Phuc commune, now belonging to Lao Cai province.

The new name on the administrative map intrigued 35-year-old photographer Vu Ngoc Thien, prompting his trip to the highland commune in early July.

"This trip was spontaneous, unplanned, but it left me with many emotions," Thien said.

Three Hmong children through the lens of photographer Vu Ngoc Thien.

During his exploration of Hanh Phuc, Thien ventured into the Hmong villages to capture photographs. The small road winding along the mountainside revealed a vista of terraced rice fields, gleaming and golden like honey under the morning sun.

At the foot of the fields, a woman washed clothes by a ditch. Thien paused for a long time, simply observing and taking photos.

The commune's residents primarily practice agriculture, cultivating rice on terraced fields. However, due to the high altitude and reliance on natural water sources, which makes irrigation challenging, they only manage one harvest per year.

Thien noted that the terraced fields in Hanh Phuc are as beautiful as those in other well-known locations like Mu Cang Chai, Hoang Su Phi, and Sa Pa.

A hammock of ripe, golden rice lies within a village formerly belonging to Xa Ho commune.

Situated on the mountainsides, the terraced fields in Hanh Phuc have a steep incline but are close to each other, with convenient 3-4 km distances for tourists to explore and take photos.

Thien explained that he used a motorbike to easily stop at any point along the road to capture beautiful images.

According to the photographer, besides the scenery, the people also captivated him, prompting him to spend considerable time observing and filming. Passing through a village, he encountered a group of Hmong children playing. The children ran barefoot on the ground, occasionally stopping to look at the stranger before resuming their game.

Thien stopped by the roadside and quietly raised his camera. "I just stood there, capturing the natural moment," he said.

Nestled in the high mountains of the northwest, Hanh Phuc commune boasts three of Vietnam's 15 highest peaks: Ta Xua, Sa Mu, and Ta Chi Nhu. In recent years, the locals have started welcoming a steady stream of tourists towards the end of each year. Homestays, restaurants, rest stops, and guide services are gradually developing, laying the groundwork for a sustainable tourism future.

Concluding his day in Hanh Phuc commune, Thien shared that, beyond capturing stunning photographs, he also brought back a rare sense of peace.

"The scenery and the people here have transformed 'Hanh Phuc' (Happiness) from a mere name into a genuine feeling," he said.

Tuan Anh

Photos: Vu Ngoc Thien