Mu Cang Chai terraced fields in the northern mountainous province of Yen Bai (Source: vnexpress.vn)

Ranking 21st on the list, Mu Cang Chai is also full of hiking trails and vibrant local culture. It is a draw to both domestic and foreign tourists, and among places where travelers want to come back.

The ranking was drawn up by Big 7 Travel after it asked its 1.5-million-strong social media audience for their opinion, mined data from Pinterest and analysed the most-liked images on its Instagram profile this year.

“When you imagine magnificent Asian rice fields swirling on the slopes of velvet green hills, you’re picturing Mu Cang Chai, Vietnam,” wrote the website.

Centuries of careful cultivation have shaped what is easily some of the most beautiful rice terraces in the world, it continued.

Big 7 Travel provides current and curated recommendations, aiming to help millions of people discover the world./. 

BTA