HA GIANG – The vast buckwheat fields are blooming, creating an impressive natural scene in what is known as the “European steppe”.
Dao Van Vinh – Vinh Dav (first generation 8X, living in Hanoi) used to be a mechanical engineer, now a landscape and project photographer. Vinh came to Suoi Thau for two days in early November. This is a steppe area located in Xin Man district, about 9 km from Coc Pai town and about 150 km west of Ha Giang city. It has peaceful natural scenery and fresh air.
To get to Suoi Thau, the easiest way for a private car is to take the Hanoi – Lao Cai highway, get out at the intersection of Pho Lu, and go along DT153 through Bac Ha. The next 30 km road to Coc Pai town is quite attractive, so it is necessary to pay attention to gasoline as well as other safety equipment.
The turn to the steppe is located more than 4 km from Coc Pai, where the 4 km long road begins is very steep and has nearly a dozen points of sleeve, only suitable for longtime hard steering wheels. The journey alone took about 30 minutes.
You can also experience sleeper bus to Bac Ha – Lao Cai bus station. Then take a taxi from Bac Ha to go straight to Suoi Thau or go to Coc Pai town to rent a motorbike and discover the unspoiled beauty of this place by yourself.
Still unspoiled, but the people here also quickly adapted to tourism. Many people have planted vast buckwheat fields to serve tourists. Buckwheat season in Suoi Thau starts around the end of October and lasts until the end of November.
When starting to bloom, buckwheat flowers have white flowers mixed with green leaves. After a few days, the flowers gradually turn pink and light red. This is the best time to see because the flower color is beautiful and the leaves have also begun to wilt and droop, making room for the flowers to rise to show off their colors.
When the flowers turn dark red, it is also the time when the leaves and flowers have wilted, marking the end of the flowering season. For visitors who like dark red tones, this is the time to experience and bring back pictures of late autumn.
According to Vinh, in order to have the best photos here, it is recommended to follow many time frames of the day.
Early in the morning, when the sun shines a pale yellow light on the mountainside at about 5:45 a.m., the flower field is still dark, and there is a “river of clouds” in the valley. The next moment is the sun coming out of the eastern ridge, the first rays hitting the flowers at about 7:30, with the fields above. The next time is around 8 o’clock with the fields below.
In addition, you can also take pictures of the sunset at about 17:30, when the sun touches the western mountains, casting a magical end of day light on everything. This is also the favorite waiting moment for photographers.
Suoi Thau is still an unspoiled steppe, without many services and facilities like many other tourist attractions. One of the experiences to help you fully enjoy nature here is camping overnight.
Those who are nostalgic for Ha Giang,
Perhaps the memory belongs to the depths.
A love thread entangled in a pearl drop,
Of a young woman at the top of the frontier.
Those who cross the battlefield, the
South and the North, and the silk kings are also many.
Hungry, brave and lonely,
Born in love, the scene is subdued and rhyming.
Dong Van, Meo Vac, Xin Man,
majestic mountains, cloudy Gam river.
Marching to stop the enemy, the
moon hangs a gun, the wind lulls the rapids.
The village is deserted and sad,
Far away from the bumpy mountain slopes in the mist.
Ha Giang was once a battlefield,
Those who do not know clearly should go
Photo: Vinh Dav