Sam up Sip peak is located at an altitude of more than 1,600m above sea level, Sam up Sip slope is nearly 10km long, with traditional stilt houses in It village, Piest village, Huoi Lieng, Hua Nam village, and Hoc village with more than 500 Thai households living on both sides.
With a total area of about 300 hectares of terraced fields cultivated for generations, this place is famous for the latest ripe sticky rice crop in Son La province.
Mr. Ca Van Ngam - Party Cell Secretary, Head of it village, said: "This season, 100% of the area is planted with melted sticky rice seeds, while the industry crop is 87. The average yield is about 5.5 tons/ha.
Due to the high altitude and cold air coming early, the rice ripened about half a month later than other communes. The harvest time lasts from early November to about November 20".
According to Mr. Ngam, thanks to the typical climate of the highlands and the fresh water of Sam Sirp stream, the sticky rice here is more sticky, fragrant and much sweeter than many other regions.
These days, Sam Chip is bustling with the sound of mini- recorders, the sound of people calling each other to exchange work between white clouds and the golden sunshine.
Mr. Tong Van Anh - a resident of It village, excitedly said: "Thanks to the hand-held harvesters, harvesting is much easier. My family has nearly 1 hectare of terraced fields, this crop has harvested about 100 bags of rice, nearly 5 tons, with a higher yield than last year".
Ms. Quang Thi Mai - Hua Nam village, said: "My family has more than 1,200m2 of rice fields, this crop has about 5 quintals of rice. The whole village reaped and exchanged labor to help each other, so it was very happy. I keep the rice to eat all year round, the rest is as gifts for relatives because the sticky, delicious and famous Sam Ciep sticky rice is popular".
Not only does the Sam CP harvest bring warm golden rice, it also opens up a direction for developing experiential tourism.
Mr. Tran Hai Son - Vice Chairman of Muong La Commune People's Committee, said: "The locality is orienting agricultural development associated with experiential tourism. Sam Sip terraced fields have great potential, each ripe rice season attracts many groups of visitors to visit and take photos.
The commune encourages people to make homestays, introduce local specialties such as broken sticky rice, celery, brocade, and fish for the fields to increase income".
In the golden color of the harvest season, Sam Sip peak seems to wear a brilliant coat in the sky. Tourists come to breathe the fresh air, admire the terraced fields.
Ms. Le Mai - a tourist from Hanoi, shared: "This is the first time I have seen rice ripen late at such an altitude. Beautiful scenery, friendly people, fresh air, a truly peaceful and memorable feeling".
The golden season of Sam Sip is also a destination for many photographers to "hunt" for the Northwest moment. Mr. Do Vinh, a photographer in Son La, said: "The Samhip staircase has its own characteristics, late ripe rice, beautiful light, expanded scenery with clouds flying around the mountain. If properly invested in and promoted, this place can completely become an outstanding golden tourist destination of Son La".
The late ripe rice season on the top of Sam Cirp not only brings a bumper harvest but also opens up opportunities for community tourism development. In the brilliant yellow light of ripe rice, that "golden season of clouds" is gradually becoming a symbol of fullness and pride for the people of the Muong La highlands.
