The allure of sunflower season

(Baonghean) - These days, the dazzling beauty of Vietnam's largest sunflower field is attracting tourists from both within and outside the country, especially as Nghe An is busily preparing for the first-ever Sunflower Festival.

The allure of the sunflower season has been "heating up" for months now, with thousands upon thousands of images and information circulating in newspapers and social media, as well as conversations and anticipation for the day the flower fields open to visitors.

Previous flower seasons have attracted so many visitors, but this year's season, along with the Sunflower Festival and the Western Vietnam Spring Festival, has generated immeasurable excitement and hustle and bustle from tourists from all over.

Travel companies see this as a rare business opportunity, constantly launching attractive tour packages and itineraries with appealing prices for accommodation and leisure services. Not only are there customers from within the province, but also a large number of tourists from other provinces, and even international visitors from Laos and Thailand, such as tours offered by travel company Viettravel... It's no exaggeration to say that the keyword "sunflower field" has become the hottest keyword on social media today.

The sunflower fields continue to attract tourists who come to visit and admire them.

But no matter how "hot" it is in the virtual world, it's impossible to imagine the hustle and bustle of the flower fields in real life. At dawn, the Ho Chi Minh Highway section passing through Nghia Lam commune, Nghia Dan district, is packed with people, all roads leading to the flower fields with radiant excitement. Upon setting foot on Phu Quy land, many tourists cannot hide their amazement at the sight of nearly 100 hectares of vast sunflower fields, covering the land with a magnificent golden hue, amidst the harsh basalt soil of Central Vietnam.

Ly Thi Mai, a third-year student at Thai Nguyen University of Economics and Business Administration, and her best friend, who arrived in Nghia Dan at 3 am on December 21st, said: “To prepare for this trip, we had to arrange our study schedules, prepare our finances, and find accommodation before we set off. This is the first time we’ve set foot on such a beautiful flower hill; the feeling of humans and nature blending together is wonderful! Besides the stunning natural scenery, there are also plenty of services for photography, food, and accommodation, so the trip was very convenient and safe.”

The radiant joy in the flower fields is felt not only by visitors but also by the local people – who are very familiar with the many seasons of vibrant flowers blooming in their homeland. Ms. Phan Thi Thanh Nga, who works at the Northwest Nghe An Regional General Hospital, said that she has visited here many times during the flower season in 2015, but the feeling of joy and happiness each time she visits the flower fields is still the same. The joy comes not only from the exquisite beauty of nature but also from the neatness and orderliness of the tourism services here.

She shared: “This year, besides the larger flower field area, I see that the organizers have made improvements in maintaining environmental hygiene. Food stalls are not allowed in the flower field area, so there is no longer chaos or unsanitary conditions. The prices of various services this year are also much cheaper than last year. Therefore, when I introduce friends and colleagues from near and far to visit the flower field, I feel very proud.”

In an effort to create a vibrant flower season that brings complete joy to all visitors, months before the flower gate opens, the 1.2 km road connecting the Ho Chi Minh Highway to the center of the field is widened to 24 meters, doubled in width, and paved with gravel to prevent rain and facilitate visitor access. Along this road, there are 30 free drinking water stations, and TH Food Joint Stock Company has also deployed 3 free Wi-Fi modems along the flower field.

The flower fields not only bring joy to tourists and become a new tourism symbol for the red soil region of Nghia Dan in particular and Nghe An in general, but also open up livelihoods and socio-economic development opportunities for the local people. Opposite the flower fields, which were previously overgrown with reeds, there are now dozens of large and small kiosks selling a variety of goods to meet the food, drink, and entertainment needs of tourists.

In particular, stalls displaying products from the Mekong Delta are located within the flower field to promote famous specialties of Nghe An province, such as honey, brocade, molasses, oranges, and fresh vegetables to visitors. Learning from previous flower seasons, this year, security, order, and environmental hygiene are given high priority; food and beverage services, photography services, and sightseeing tours are developing rapidly, but prices are also very reasonable. The sunflower season is ready to welcome joy…

Thai Orchid