An art installation at the top of a terraced rice field in La Pan Tan commune, in north-west Vietnam's Yen Bai province, has drawn both praise and criticism.

The "Crystal Cloud" by landscape designers Andy Cao and Xavier Perrot features 58,000 Swarovski crystals draped over towering bamboo and steel poles.

Local officials hope that it will raise the profile of the remote area and draw more tourists.

Indeed, there has been an uptick in the number of visitors making the trek to the rice terraces since the installation opened last weekend, with local farmers and tourists praising the installation's uniqueness and beauty.

However, others have expressed concern that it will tarnish the landscape and draw attention away from the area's natural beauty.