Buzz
Between mid-September and early November, 'Hoa Súng' flowers start to flaunt their pink-purple hues across the flooded fields of the Mekong Delta or the streams of Yến (Hanoi).
Essential Insights for 'Hoa Súng' Hunting in Two Regions
Below are some suggestions to capture beautiful photos during the flower season.
Prime Photography Spots for 'Hoa Súng'
Situated in Hương Sơn commune (Mỹ Đức district, Hanoi), Yến stream passing through Hương Tích cave and Perfume Pagoda is the first recommendation for a 'Hoa Súng' photo hunting expedition. The entrance fee to the stream is 50,000 VND per person. Here, tourists can visit flower ponds like Hằng Vĩnh, Thanh Hùng, Bảo Ngọc, Dung Vững… to rent flower-decorated boats for photo shoots. These small boats adorned with flowers cost around 150,000 VND.
Similar to the Northern region, mid-September marks the 'Hoa Súng' season in the Mekong Delta. Here, tourists can visit the floating village of Tân Lập, the fields in upstream districts like Tân Hưng, Vĩnh Hưng, Mộc Hoá, and Kiến Tường town in Long An to take photos and witness locals harvesting 'Hoa Súng'.
Best Time and Attire for 'Hoa Súng' Photography
From 5:30 AM to 9:00 AM is the best time to capture photos with 'Hoa Súng'. At this time, the flowers are in full bloom and will gradually wither afterward. At Perfume Pagoda, tourists can wear áo dài (Vietnamese traditional dress) and conical hats for beautiful photos. In the Mekong Delta provinces, you can wear áo bà ba (Southern Vietnamese traditional attire), conical hats, and checkered scarves. Clothing rental services are not available at photo spots yet, so it's advisable to prepare in advance.
Must-Try Delicacies
At Perfume Pagoda, visitors can enjoy delicacies such as hill chicken, grilled fish, and bitter vegetable soup. You can pre-order food from flower pond owners before your photo shoot. The plus point of this area is the cool seating and delicious food.
In the Western provinces, after harvesting 'Hoa Súng', locals can utilize them to make dishes like 'Bông Súng' hotpot with fermented fish sauce and sour soup with wild carp.
Route and Transportation
Perfume Pagoda is located approximately 65 km from central Hanoi via National Highway 21B. Visitors can reach here by motorbike, car, or buses number 211, 27, 78, and 75.
To reach Long An, you can choose from various intercity buses departing from Ho Chi Minh City, with a travel time of about 2 hours. Upon arriving in Tân An City, travelers can continue on National Highway 62 for about 35 km to reach the floating village.
Source: Lan Hương/ Vnexpress
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Reference: Travel Guide Mytour
MytourOctober 25, 2019
