Woman wearing headscarf and shoulder basket walks in Mai Chau rice field

Woman wearing headscarf and shoulder basket walks in Mai Chau rice field

A highland woman wearing a headscarf and shouldering a large basket walks in an unripe wet-rice field in Mai Chau. The view is taken from behind the walking woman who appears to wear shorts or a short skirt. Mountains and some houses are barely visible in the background.

As an alternative to a traditional palm-leaf sunhat, Southeast Asian farmers often wrap long cloths over their hair to protect their heads and necks from dust and rays of the tropical sun.