Lost in the red ripe lychee forest
At the end of June, Ho Thien Nga was present in Thanh Hai ward, Chu town - one of the two largest lychee production areas in Bac Ninh province (formerly Bac Giang), where hillsides of ripe red lychees stretch as far as the eye can see. "Going up the hill, you can see the whole valley below is full of lychees," Nga said. The air is clear after the morning rain, the neatly planned undulating lychee hills, the cool green canopy, the bright red ripe fruit under the sun make each step into the garden like stepping into a vivid picture of summer.
In the large garden, Nga is known for many different varieties of lychee: traditional lychee, egg lychee, pink lychee, hybrid lychee... There are grafted trees of up to three types, with fruits growing close together. The red dirt road winding through the garden, where harvest trucks pass by to collect the fruits, has now also become a place where tourists enjoy stopping and taking photos with the bright red lychee bunches.
“The magic is that lychees here are more delicious than ever when eaten right in the garden. The feeling of picking, peeling, and tasting in the middle of nature awakens all the senses,” Nga said.
The experience of picking ripe lychees in the garden is like taking Thien Nga into a colorful harvest movie.
Picking lychees in a garden of several dozen hectares, Thien Nga feels like she is entering a seasonal movie, where the scent of flowers, the chirping of cicadas, the cool breeze from the high hills and even drops of sweat blend together to create a sweet symphony of the fragrant lychee scent of Vietnamese agriculture.
A morning in Chu - when the harvest season begins
Not only stopping at the garden experience, Thien Nga also visited the center of Chu town - the largest lychee purchasing center in Bac Giang. In the early morning, this place is like "a moving red stream".
"Red flow" on the central road of Chu town
From 5 to 7 am, motorbikes and three-wheeled vehicles loaded with lychees line up to the gathering points. On the busy roads, baskets of bright red lychees stand out in the morning mist, sellers and buyers bustle about, and laughter resounds endlessly. “Everyone should wake up early to see this scene, to enjoy a very real and artistic atmosphere. Just standing on the side of the road, you can see the whole crop rolling,” Nga shared.
This year’s lychee harvest is good, but the price is quite low, ranging from 5,000 to 15,000 VND/kg depending on the type. Nga chose to buy U Hong lychee because of its beautiful appearance and pleasant aroma, although the seeds are a bit large. But what impressed her most was not the bunches of ripe lychee, but the atmosphere of the season filled with human affection. “Wherever I go, I meet smiles, I am invited to eat, I am invited to chat. There is something very pleasant, very rustic, but it makes me feel warm,” she shared.
Swans are excited to join the bustling, busy but equally familiar seasonal atmosphere.
Agricultural tourism - new look of Bac Ninh
In the whole of Luc Ngan, Bac Ninh, there are currently more than 200 lychee growing cooperatives combined with tourism. The “seasonal tourism” model is being promoted by the locality not only to consume agricultural products, but also to promote the image of Bac Ninh, a land rich in identity and natural resources.
In addition to lychee gardens, tourists can combine visits to destinations such as Cam Son Lake, Mo Stream, Am Vai Pagoda or traditional craft villages. Taking advantage of the natural advantages and local products, Bac Ninh province has gradually turned lychee season into a peak tourist season, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.
The "seasonal tourism" model is becoming a strength to promote the image of nature and people of Bac Ninh.
In the midst of the land of more than 30,000 hectares of lychee, each cluster of red fruit not only symbolizes prosperity but also proves an agricultural - tourism model that is gradually creating a new face for Bac Ninh. And for those who love nature and simplicity like Thien Nga, lychee season is the season of kindness, of simple, sweet joy.
Before leaving the garden, Thien Nga chose to buy a few dozen kilos of lychees to bring home as gifts. The price at the garden was very reasonable, only about 20,000-30,000 VND/kg, and she could choose the most satisfactory bunches. Each bunch of bright red, sweet lychees was wrapped up, tied with string and brought home like bringing the whole Bac Ninh summer to the city.
This year's lychee crop is good, the price at the garden is quite cheap, ranging from 10,000 - 30,000 VND/kg
Lychee picking trip in Bac Ninh is not a luxurious journey, but an experience that brings relaxation, discovery and natural connection. For those who love nature and like to explore local culture through real experiences, Bac Ninh lychee season is a sweet and attractive invitation of summer.
