Rice terraces of Mù Cang Chải, Yên Bái province, Vietnam Jul. 7, 2024

Rice terraces of Mù Cang Chải, Yên Bái province, Vietnam

Amidst the rolling hills of Vietnam"s Yên Bái province, the rice terraces of Mù Cang Chải district are a mosaic of agricultural excellence. The Hmong people, an ethnic minority known for their rich culture and vibrant attire, have meticulously carved these cascading hills for generations. The Hmong migrated to northern Vietnam in the 19th century from China. They were skilled in shifting cultivation—an agricultural system in which lands are cultivated temporarily and then returned to their natural vegetation—of crops including millets, rice, corn and barley.

© Kiatanan Sugsompian/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

A chocolate lovers favourite fruit
A light in the coastal darkness
Jul. 7, 2025Northern gannets, Shetland Islands, Scotland

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Feb. 23, 2024Haghartsin Monastery, Armenia
Jul. 3, 2024World Meerkat Day
An ocean of stars above the desert
Jan. 12, 2024Bukhansan National Park, South Korea
Oct. 30, 2025Pushkar Camel Fair
Among the most photographed in the Rockies
Rocks rock!
How’s the air up there?
Happy Canada Day!
Aug. 5, 2025Tide pools in La Jolla, California, United States
Oct. 25, 2025Martimoaapa Mire Reserve, Finland
Dec. 8, 2025Christmas lights on buildings of Domaso, Lake Como, Italy
Jun. 3, 2025World Bicycle Day
Who’s snoozing?
Feb. 5, 2025Scottish Blackface sheep, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
Jul. 20, 2025Moon Day
Apr. 11, 2025Tulips, Netherlands
Feb. 3, 2025Ribblehead Viaduct, North Yorkshire, England
Jan. 5, 2026A herd of impalas, Londolozi Game Reserve, South Africa
Jul. 21, 2024Kendwa village, Zanzibar, Tanzania
The buffet is open
Dec. 29, 2025St. Gregory Church in Ani Ruins, Kars, Türkiye
Jul. 9, 2024Talampaya National Park, Argentina
Apr. 5, 2025Gaztelugatxe islet at sunset, Basque Country, Spain
A beacon in the golden light
Single file, now!
Have a merry little Christmas
Saving and celebrating honey bees
Oct. 7, 2024World Architecture Day
Aug. 19, 2025Vancouver Island, British Columbia