Surrounded by majestic peaks, this is the largest rice field in the entire Northwestern region. Among the “four great fields” of the northern highlands, Thanh, Lò, Than, and Tấc, Mường Thanh proudly holds the top position in both scale and soil fertility. With a cultivation area exceeding 140km2, stretching over 20km in length and roughly 6km in width, it serves as the premier rice bowl of Điện Biên province.

The entire field stretches out like a giant green carpet across the valley floor. Vivid shades of young green wind around hills, intertwine with roads and urban areas, and weave through small hamlets and villages. Standing in the middle of this vast expanse today, one encounters more than just the fragrance of rice; there is a profound story of the land and its heroic history.

For a first-time visitor to Điện Biên, it is difficult to imagine that this lush land was once torn apart by bombs, crisscrossed with barbed wire, and riddled with trenches and bunkers. Through sheer diligence and persistence, the people of Điện Biên embarked on a new journey: dismantling every row of barbed wire, filling in every bomb crater, and reclaiming every plot of land. Ditches were dug and water was channeled from streams to the fields. The scarred battlefield was gradually revived by the enduring spirit of nature and the unyielding will of the people.

With the youthful energy of thousands of volunteers from the lowlands, the Nậm Rốm irrigation project, the second largest of its kind in the North, was completed in 1969. Water was directed into every corner of the fields, transforming Mường Thanh from a weather-dependent cultivation area into a high-yield rice hub supported by a modern canal system. Elder Lò Thị Pánh, a resident of Ten A village who has been attached to this land since the 1954 liberation, recalls the early days when the fields were a mess of rocks and pebbles. Villagers had to hand-pick every stone and build embankments to bring water in. Despite the manual labor and hardships, the atmosphere was electric with the spirit of labor as everyone joined in to reclaim the land. Today, her children and grandchildren continue to thrive on this very soil.

Currently, the area covers approximately 4,300ha, with over 2,000ha dedicated to commodity production. The infrastructure is synchronized with concrete internal roads and a perfected irrigation system that ensures stable production across seasons. Mường Thanh focuses on high-yield varieties such as Séng cù, Bắc thơm, Đài thơm, and IR 64, yielding an average of over 60 quintals per hectare across two stable crops. This productivity has allowed many local farmers to achieve high incomes.

Điện Biên rice is famous nationwide and carries aspirations for export. Thanks to the perfect combination of the basin’s climate, fertile soil, and abundant water, Mường Thanh rice grains are characterized by their small, long shape and natural fragrance. When cooked, the rice is exceptionally sticky and retains its texture even after cooling. It is often likened to the “pearls of the Northwest.” Local residents proudly claim that only the soil of Mường Thanh can nurture such a precious flavor. While newer varieties have higher yields, the characteristic sticky aroma of the traditional Tám Mường Thanh rice is still preserved as a mark of local pride.

In recent years, as the Điện Biên rice brand has gained wider recognition, the Mường Thanh fields have also become an attractive stop for tourists. From the center of Điện Biên Phủ ward, it takes only a few minutes to drive into a vast space of rice and wind. The immense fields surrounding a modern town and famous historical relics create a unique harmony.

Trần Thị Ngọc Châu, a visitor from Hưng Yên province, shared her excitement while taking photos by the fields: “We have heard of the Điện Biên rice brand for a long time, but this is the first time we’ve seen the Mường Thanh fields with our own eyes. I didn’t think it would be this vast. The fact that the fields are located so close to the urban area and historical sites is very convenient and unique to Điện Biên.”

At the end of April, the Winter-Spring rice crop is even and flush, forming a green plane that reaches the foot of the mountains. Within this deep green, a few plots have begun to turn golden. In just about two weeks, the Spring rice will ripen fully, making visitors feel as though they are walking through a “golden season.” The value of a Mường Thanh rice grain lies not just in its taste but in the story of the land and its people, a journey of reclamation and the revival of a region once ravaged by war. The red blood and sweat shed over generations have turned a desolate valley into the lush fields seen today, making Mường Thanh a symbol of eternal and intense vitality.