The beauty of early plum blossoms "dyed white" the plateau
Normally, plum blossoms in Moc Chau bloom from late January to after Tet, but this year many areas in the plateau have showed off their beauty since the end of November. In Na Ka plum valley, Thao Nguyen ward or plum areas concentrated in Tan Yen and Mu Nau communes, flowers bloom thickly and completely white, creating a romantic scene amidst the foggy weather and cold winter.
The small flowers cover the trunks of the ruoi, mossy trees; under the early morning sun, the flowers become floating like white clouds spreading on the hillsides. This is also the time when young people, photography groups and many families flock to Moc Chau to hunt for this rare moment.
In Na Ka valley, the number of visitors increased many times compared to the same period. Ms. Nguyen Phuong Ly, (Thau Nguyen ward) said that this year the weather is favorable, there is a month of harvest, so many households apply irrigation techniques, crust reduction, and nutrient treatment to help plum blossoms bloom earlier and more evenly than previous years:
"Early blooming plum blossoms make many visitors check-in, especially on weekends. My family's plum garden welcomes 100 - 150 visitors per day, and can reach 300 on weekends. We both exploit tourism and prepare for the plum crop early. The price of off-season plums is higher than the main crop, helping to increase income" - Ms. Ly shared.
Along the plum gardens, H'Mong children in colorful dresses run around, becoming the highlight in many photos. phucage rental and photography services have also become bustling.
Not only impressing with its pure white color, the fruit-laden flower season also brings a new experience to visitors. Ms. Pham Thi Thu Huyen (Hanoi) shared: I used to think that plum blossoms only bloom during Tet, but here there are both flowers and young fruits. The air is sunny but chilly, foggy, the scenery is very beautiful. After this trip, I will invite my friends to come up again because the flowers only bloom for two or three weeks.
Gardeners awaken the plum blossom season
In recent years, the fruit plum production model has been applied by many households in Moc Chau to extend the harvest time and take advantage of the potential of winter tourism. Moc Chau plateau currently has more than 3,200 hectares of pineapple, concentrated in Tan Yen commune, Thao Nguyen ward and Moc Chau ward.
In Tan Yen commune, gardeners have proactively applied techniques to stimulate flowers to bloom early. Mr. Ha Quang Thanh - Chairman of Tan Yen Commune People's Committee, said: "People apply crusted, dried, and supplemented with reasonable nutrients to stimulate plum blossoms to bloom early over 10 - 30% of the garden area. Thanks to that, many plum blossom areas bloom white from winter, both serving tourism and preparing for the early plum harvest at a price 40 - 50% higher than the main crop".
Agricultural tourism models are also developing strongly. At Khai Hien plum garden (Thao Nguyen ward) - a prominent check-in spot this season - the number of visitors has increased dramatically. Mr. Tran Van Khai, garden owner, shared: "This year the flowers are very beautiful and even. Since mid-November, my plum garden has welcomed thousands of visitors. I work in agriculture combined with tourism to earn more income from my family's land."
Photographer Do Vinh (Son La) commented that off-season flowers have a very unique beauty: "Flowers do not bloom widely and simultaneously like the main crop, but are whiter and thicker, the flowers bloom evenly, especially when there is fog. Just a light ray of sunlight, the whole valley is bright. This is a great time to take wedding photos or travel photos.
Thanks to the initiative of gardeners and businesses, many plum blossom viewing tours have been opened early. Mr. Nguyen Hong Cuong - Director of Lam Huy Travel Trading and Tourism Company Limited, Chieng Sinh Ward, Son La Province, said: "Moc Chau this season has a beautiful plum garden, rose garden, and orange garden. We have built a winter tour to promote Moc Chau - a top natural destination. Early blooming plum blossoms are a great advantage to attract customers".
Creating new livelihoods for people in Moc Chau plateau
Early plum blossoms not only attract tourists but also open up new directions for economic development, increasing income. Each household can increase by several million to tens of millions of VND per month from ancillary services such as selling agricultural products, renting clothes, collecting entrance fees, taking photos.
Many long-time plum growers in Na Ka valley said that the early flower season helps them allocate care time, reduce the pressure of over-harvesting, prices are better than the main crop and proactively increase output.
Mr. Trang A Nang, shared more: "My plum garden has been planted for 15 years. Thanks to the application of technology, both off-season and off-season harvests can be achieved. When the flowers bloom early, visitors come to take photos in winter, the family has more income and the plum garden is also more famous."
Ticket prices to visit plum gardens range from 20,000 - 30,000 VND/trip. Some small or deep gardens can be free for visitors when asking for permission from the garden owner.
Local authorities assess that the early plum blossom season is making a mark for year-end tourism. Chairman of Thao Nguyen Ward People's Committee - Nguyen Thanh Van emphasized that sustainable development of off-season plums will be the spearhead of the local economy: "We encourage the application of technology in fruit tree production, combined with community tourism, environmental protection and identity preservation. The early plum blossom season has brought clear results, creating more jobs and spreading the Moc Chau plum brand.
This year's early plum blossom season is expected to bloom and last for 2 to 3 weeks. Tourist attractions are increasing support for tourists, arranging parking lots, taking photos and keeping the landscape clean and beautiful.
The white plum gardens hidden in the mist at the beginning of winter, along with the gentle smiles of the people of Moc Chau plateau, create a vibrant winter picture. Early blooming plum blossoms are not only a natural gift but also an opportunity for people to get rich from the highland land - which always makes tourists excited every time they return.
