For history buffs, Dien Bien Phu is a place that one should dream about visiting. It was the site of the Dien Bien Phu battle during the First Indochina War. A battle between the French and the Vietminh (both Communist and nationalist) that resulted in the colonists surrendering to the Vietnamese and ended the French colonial presence in Southeast Asia but also led to the division of the country into North and South.

Far away in the northern corridor of Vietnam is a photographer’s dream, a land seemingly so picture-perfect one would think that the locals here designed the place just for their photographing pleasure. This is Mu Cang Chai and what makes it so unique and beautiful is that its landscape is its rice terrace-filled mountains that look like staircases that go straight to the heavens. And the locals didn’t cultivate this for one’s Instagramming pleasure.

Eco lovers should be giddy at the thought of going to Pu Luong Nature Reserve, after all, ethnic Thai people probably had that same feeling as they once called this home hundreds of years ago. It’s a must-visit destination for nature enthusiasts and even amateur trekkers where you’ll see endless mountains, fertile valleys, and unspoiled jungle. The best seasons to go are from May to June when the weather is still cool and when locals start the new crop season carpeted by green paddy fields.