Advertising 
Story: Le Anh
Photos: Tam Do
When plums ripen to a deep shade of red, familiar names like “Moc Chau plums”, “Pu Nhi plums”, “Sa Pa plums”… and “Bac Ha plums” are often mentioned. In areas with abundant plum orchards, spring brings a mass of radiant blossoms. Bac Ha is often called “The White Highlands” for this reason. As spring arrives, pear, apricot, and plum trees burst into bloom, blanketing the land and sky in white.
Ta Van Chu village is one of the most famous names in Bac Ha district, Lao Cai province during the plum blossom season. Many H’Mong people reside in Bac Ha district. In recent years, Ta Van Chu has become well known among travelers, thanks to its beautiful hamlets and enchanting, ancient rammed-earth houses. The most captivating time to visit is during the spring, when the hills seem to don a sparkling white floral cloak, enticing tourists to make the long journey.
Spring’s arrival in Ta Van Chu village is marked by hillsides blanketed in white blooms. Blossoms line the pathways into the village and surround the fences of local houses. The village and hillsides become more dreamlike and mystical than ever, whether in the early morning mist or as the setting sun casts its gentle light.
The name Ta Van Chu, in the H’Mong language, translates as “the wide valley”. This area is characterized by its complex terrain, fragmented by numerous hills and steep slopes, with the valley nestled beneath towering mountains. Consequently, the journey to Ta Van Chu is not easy, with many areas lacking cell phone reception. However, this very challenge makes tourists eager to overcome all obstacles to reach this pristine region.
The H’Mong people of Ta Van Chu village cultivate various crops, including tea, plums, and medicinal herbs. In recent years, plum cultivation has increased as the native plums have become more popular in the market. Importantly, local tourism products related to plums have helped to boost residents’ incomes. Under the ecological village model project of Lao Cai province, members of the H’Mong community undergo training in community-based tourism, particularly in how to host guests in homestays. Therefore, visitors are generally satisfied with the food and accommodation, which are adequate without being extravagant, and offer a warm and authentic experience of the highland culture. Don’t hesitate to join the locals in enjoying a glass of warm corn wine, or generously offer them a small payment when borrowing their vibrant traditional costumes to pose for photos amidst the flowers.
La Di Thang village is renowned for its beautiful plum gardens, surrounded by many traditional rammed-earth houses, which peek through the foliage. There are ancient plum trees, several decades old, with rough, moss-covered trunks, wide-spreading branches, and white flowers. Just a gentle breeze is enough to send the delicate petals fluttering through the air, blurring the line between reality and dreams.
The plum blossom season in Ta Van Chu is brief, lasting only about two weeks, after which young, verdant buds eagerly emerge. This fleeting blooming period requires visitors to carefully plan their trips, taking the date and weather into account.
According to local wisdom, this year, the plum blossoms in Ta Van Chu village are expected to flourish from the end of the first lunar month to the beginning of the second. So why wait? Plan a trip to “The White Highlands” this spring.
