The plum blossom gardens in Long Luong commune, Van Ho district, are in full bloom, covering everything in white.

Not wanting to miss Van Ho – the most beautiful season of the year – we, avid travelers, grabbed our cameras and set off. Departing from Son La city, we traveled 130 km along National Highway 6, a journey that took about three hours, before arriving in Van Ho. As the fog cleared, the scenery along National Highway 6 through Van Ho district gradually unfolded like a painting.

Our first stop was the Hua Tat community village in Van Ho commune. Following the concrete road down to the end of the village was a sports field where young children, dressed in colorful traditional clothing, were playing tulu (a traditional Vietnamese game). Their innocent faces, bright eyes, and cheerful smiles greeted visitors with waves. This innocence was beautiful and heartwarming.

Tourists take souvenir photos with Mong ethnic minority children in Van Ho district.

We visited the home of Mr. Trang A Chu, the first Hmong person in the village to engage in community tourism. These days, A Chu's homestay is packed with tourists. Welcoming us, A Chu enthusiastically shared: Hua Tat is no longer as remote and impoverished as it once was. The villagers have eradicated opium cultivation, renovated their houses to create homestays, and preserved the unique cultural identity of the Hmong people, from traditional crafts like making dó paper and pounding sticky rice cakes to beeswax painting on fabric and the sounds of the Hmong flute, which they introduce to tourists. Our Hmong village is changing day by day, and the lives of the villagers are becoming more prosperous.

Hmong children play in the plum orchard.

Leaving Hua Tat village, we continued down National Highway 6 to Long Luong commune. From afar, the village, with its houses interspersed with plum orchards bursting with white blossoms, occasionally dotted with the pink of peach blossoms, and alongside patches of vibrant yellow mustard flowers, created a peaceful atmosphere. All of this painted a gentle, beautiful picture that captivated everyone. The stunning scenery of the white plum orchards in Moc Chau and Van Ho, which has been widely shared on social media and in the press in recent days, must have caused traffic on National Highway 6 to become congested and winding on weekends.

Visit A ​​Pha's plum orchard. The family of Mr. Tráng A Phá, in Lóng village In Luong, Long Luong commune, there are quite a few tourists visiting. The family has arranged a large area of ​​land where vehicles can park without obstructing or causing traffic safety hazards. Plum trees are planted in rows on the gentle hillside, their blossoms blooming evenly and beautifully. In the middle of the garden, there is a thatched-roof house with swings and bamboo chairs for tourists to sit and take photos. In addition, the garden also rents out traditional ethnic costumes so that tourists can create the most satisfying pictures.

Tourists visit and experience the mustard greens gardens in Van Ho district.

Ms. Tran Thi Thanh Tam, a tourist from Hanoi, shared: "This is my second time visiting Van Ho district. However, this is the first time my family and I have taken photos to 'check in' in the blooming plum orchards. The scenery here is beautiful, there are many adorable children, and the air is fresh and cool. We took photos together, preserving memorable moments here."

Tourists "check in" with canola flowers in Van Ho.

Not only are the orchards of pristine white plum blossoms attractive to tourists, but the vast, romantic fields of rapeseed flowers have also become must-see destinations for visitors from near and far when coming to Long Luong. The white and yellow rapeseed flowers blooming together create a stunning picture that captivates everyone.

Mr. Giàng A Sánh, owner of the Vân Hồ mustard flower "check-in" spot in Lóng Luông village, Lóng Luông commune, excitedly said: "From 2016 until now, every year at the end of November, my family dedicates more than 1 hectare of land to planting white and yellow mustard flowers. The garden opens to visitors from the end of January to the beginning of March. Every day, the garden welcomes 300 to 400 visitors who come to take photos. In addition, my family also rents out traditional ethnic costumes and sells local agricultural products such as mustard greens and taro to supplement our income."

Children of the Hmong ethnic group play in the rapeseed fields.

Tourists experience the traditional rice cake pounding ritual of the Mong ethnic people in Long Luong commune, Van Ho district.

Peach blossoms blanket the hills and mountain slopes, displaying their vibrant colors under the early spring sunshine, bursting with life. Peach blossoms also peek through the charming villages, showcasing their gentle pink hues. Beside the rows of peach blossoms are rustic wooden houses, bundles of dry firewood, groups of Hmong women meticulously embroidering traditional dresses, children playing in the yards, and free-range chickens wandering beneath the peach trees… All of this evokes a feeling of spring in Northwest Vietnam that is so familiar, endearing, and charmingly simple.

Furthermore, since 2018, Long Luong commune has also organized a peach blossom festival to introduce and promote the image, people, and local specialties to domestic and international tourists.

Having the opportunity to experience traditional culture, folk games, and immerse yourself in the rhythm of highland life while enjoying the picturesque scenery of peach, mustard, and plum orchards, and even savoring the local "fog," will surely be a beautiful and unforgettable memory for tourists visiting Van Ho - the most beautiful season of the year.

Thu Thao