Buzz
When traveling to Hue between May and July, you'll be mesmerized by a plethora of different flowers, from pink lotus flowers to purple water lilies and red phoenix flowers. The colors of flowers against the backdrop of leaves and sky, flowers falling onto the ground and water, embellish architectural structures and street spaces, creating a beautiful and unique Hue, with its diverse hues.
1. Lotus Flower
The lotus is a common flower that can be encountered in any region of the S-shaped country. June and July are also the seasons when lotus flowers bloom abundantly across the country, but perhaps the most famous is the lotus of Hue. If you think all lotuses are the same, then you must travel to Hue during the lotus season to truly appreciate the distinctive characteristics of Hue lotus. Amidst the vast expanse of the land and sky of Thuan An, the newly sprouted lotus buds, blooming gracefully, or flaunting their colors in the romantic lotus ponds, next to the ancient tombs and citadels, make Hue lotus more soulful and beautiful than ever.
Lotus season in Hue. Photo: Kelvin Long
Unlike other areas, in Hue, people hardly grow lotus flowers for commercial photography services catering to the tastes of young people. Lotus is grown simply to obtain flowers and seeds. Only in the past 1 or 2 years, a few lotus ponds specializing in photography services and charging fees have appeared, with fees ranging around 20k per visit. Therefore, if you travel to Hue during lotus season and happen to see a lotus pond by the road, you can stop to take a few commemorative photos. The pond owners are also happy and don't require you to buy lotus flowers or pay to take photos with lotus.
You can stop by the lotus ponds and take photos freely. Photo: Kelvin Long
White lotus flower. Photo: Hung Ho
Imperial Enclosure of Hue
You can easily spot lotus ponds surrounding the Imperial Enclosure, facing towards the Five Phoenix Pavilion – Noon Gate, the main gate of the Hue Imperial City, or inside the Imperial Enclosure itself. The lotus ponds in the Imperial Enclosure exude a special beauty that is hard to find elsewhere because they feature both pink and white lotuses. While pink lotuses evoke a gentle touch, white lotuses bring a cozy atmosphere, combined with the green color of lotus leaves and the lotus platform, creating an extremely poetic space.
Lotus in the Imperial Enclosure. Photo: Nguyen Phong
Tinh Tam Lake
Tinh Tam Lake boasts a spacious area located within the inner city of Hue. Legend has it that the lake used to be a place where many lotus flowers were grown to serve the enjoyment of flowers and provide various parts of the lotus plant for cooking for the kings and royalty. Half of the lake on Bong Lai island in Tinh Tam Lake is planted with white lotuses, while the other half is planted with pink lotuses.
Lotus at Tinh Tam Lake. Photo: Nguyen Phong
La Chu Village
The lotus pond in La Chu Village is one of the most famous lotus ponds in the suburban area of the city, attracting many tourists, especially young people, to visit, admire flowers, and take photos. Lotuses here are grown using intercropping techniques, which means they are planted alternately on rice fields or ponds. The lotus season runs from April to July, with lotus picking taking about 30 days.
Lotus in La Chu Village. Photo: Hoang Vo
Quang Loi Commune, Quang Dien District
In addition to La Chu Village, there is also a pink lotus pond in Quang Loi commune, Quang Dien district, about 27 km from the center of Hue city. The lotus pond here has a beautiful location and a rustic countryside atmosphere, attracting young people for photography sessions.
Lotus pond in Quang Dien district. Photo: Kelvin Long
In Quang Loi commune, mainly high-quality pink lotuses are cultivated for seed and flower harvesting. Fresh unpeeled lotus seeds during harvest time between crops are priced at around 45,000 – 50,000 VND/kg, and towards the end of the season, prices may rise to 50,000 – 55,000 VND/kg.
Especially when traveling to Hue in the summer, don't forget to enjoy lotus seed tea and buy lotus seeds as gifts. Hue lotus seeds are chewy, fragrant, nutty, and sweet, used to make many delicious dishes: lotus seed sticky rice, lotus seed rice, lotus seed sweet soup.
2. Purple Lagerstroemia flowers
If you've ever been to Hue in the early days of summer, you'll likely never forget the enchanting purple Lagerstroemia flowers lining the familiar streets of the ancient capital. Every year, purple Lagerstroemia blooms in Hue around mid-May to June. Purple Lagerstroemia in Hue comes in various shades. But perhaps the most common are pink-purple and violet, with some trees exhibiting a blend of purple and white.
Purple Lagerstroemia flowers adorning every street. Photo: Hue Wow
You can find purple Lagerstroemia flowers on many streets such as Truong Chinh, Truong Gia Mo, Cao Xuan Duc, Pham Van Dong, Kim Long, Dong Da, scattered along roads like Le Loi, Nguyen Hue, around lakeshores, and inside the Hue Imperial City... But Trinh Cong Son Street is perhaps the street with the most purple Lagerstroemia flowers. To admire the beauty of this flower, you should come early in the morning, at sunrise, when the sunlight shines through each leaf, flower branch, embellished with vivid yellow amidst the dreamy purple hues...
Purple Lagerstroemia flowers. Photo: Kelvin Long
Extremely poetic background. Photo: Kelvin Long
3. Flamboyant Flowers
Every summer, from mid-May to June, the flamboyant flowers bloom all over the dreamy streets of Hue, forming carpets of flowers that attract everyone passing by. The red color of the flamboyant flowers in the summer days adorns Hue with a fresh, charming new look, far from its usual solemn appearance, enhancing the special beauty of the Imperial City.
Flamboyant flower season in Hue. Photo: Le Huy Hoang Hai
Flamboyant tree by the Perfume River. Photo: Truong Bui
Traveling along Phan Dinh Phung, Le Duan, Dang Thai Than streets, the riverside park along the Perfume River... you will easily come across rows of flamboyant trees in full bloom. But perhaps the most special is the legendary flamboyant tree right at the foot of Truong Tien Bridge, attracting countless photographers from all over the country, and also a famous check-in spot for young people inside and outside the country every summer when traveling to Hue.
The legendary flamboyant tree at the foot of Truong Tien Bridge. Photo: Truong Bui
A beloved check-in spot every summer. Photo: Collected
4. Yellow Flamboyant Flowers (Golden Trumpet Flowers)
Visiting Hue between May and July, besides the red flamboyant flowers, you will marvel at the season of yellow flamboyant flowers, also known as golden trumpet flowers. Hue's yellow flamboyant flowers have a similar shape and leaves to flamboyant trees but smaller blossoms and characteristic bright yellow color. The flowering period of golden trumpet flowers is similar to that of red flamboyant trees. At that time, delicate and vibrant petals bloom abundantly, covering entire street corners, swaying in the wind to create a carpet of vibrant yellow flowers.
Yellow flamboyant flowers in Hue. Photo: Truong Bui
At different times of the day, you will experience the varying beauty of yellow flamboyant flowers. When the early morning sun rises, dew drops still cling to the delicate leaves and petals, exuding an ethereal and pure aura. By noon, the golden hue of the flowers blends with the sunlight amidst the lush greenery, creating a beautiful multicolored painting. As the evening approaches, the golden flowers sway gently in the afternoon sunlight, carried away by the wind, stirring the dreams of many souls.
Golden flamboyant flowers covering the streets. Photo: Truong Bui
If you want to witness the romantic beauty under the cool shade of trees, immersed in the vibrant yellow flamboyant flowers of Hue, you can visit Ngô Quyền Street, the intersection of Phan Bội Châu, Lê Lợi, Đặng Thái Thân, Lê Trực, Tống Duy Tân,... and the parks.
Golden flamboyant trees on Lê Lợi Street. Photo: Collected
5. Delonix regia Flowers
In the early days of summer, the streets of the Ancient Capital are once again 'dyed yellow' by the blooming season of Delonix regia flowers. Delonix regia in Hue usually starts to bloom in late May, early June until around July. During this time, it's not difficult to spot clusters of yellow flowers along streets such as Phan Bội Châu, Nguyễn Lương Bằng, Đinh Công Tráng,... but the most beautiful ones today are the rows of trees along Kim Long Street, facing towards Thiên Mụ Pagoda.
Delonix regia along Kim Long Street. Photo: Collected
In recent years, locals and tourists visiting Hue at the beginning of summer will witness a rare flower blooming in the ancient land, the Delonix regia tree, also known as the 'pink orchid tree'. While the Delonix regia boasts vibrant yellow hues, the Delonix regia tree features delicate and romantic pink shades, standing out amidst the lush green foliage. You can find this unique flower along the banks of the An Cuu River, along Phan Dinh Phung and Phan Chu Trinh streets, from the Kho Ren Bridge to the Nam Giao Bridge intersection.
The Delonix regia tree. Photo: Collected
The flower features gentle pink hues. Photo: Collected
6. Paper Flowers
Paper flowers are not a rare sight in Vietnam. They are easy to grow, adaptable to various environmental conditions, and weather. However, in the already poetic setting of Hue, the beauty of paper flowers adds a romantic, gentle yet vibrant touch to the ancient land.
Season of paper flowers in Hue. Photo: Collected
In Hue, paper flowers come in various colors such as pink, red, white, and orange. They are planted everywhere in the city, mainly in front of houses, along fences, and along roads and small streets. Along streets like Le Hong Phong, To Hieu, Nguyen Sinh Cung, Hung Vuong, or in small alleys like Duy Tan, An Duong Vuong... you will easily spot vibrant paper flowers climbing on houses or blooming along small streets, standing out amidst the blue sky.
Paper flowers in the narrow alleys. Photo: Collected
Taking photos with paper flowers. Photo: Collected
Everyone dreams of visiting Hue to explore its palaces and temples steeped in ancient grandeur. But if you come to Hue in the summer, take the time to wander the small streets and admire the colorful seasons of flowers!
