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Sunrise, sunset, and upside-down bowls.
Long Coc is a mountainous commune in Phu Tho province, where over 90% of the population are Muong ethnic people. The main source of income for the locality is tea cultivation, not only economically but also in terms of tourism, with the attraction of Long Coc tea hills - one of the most beautiful tea hills in Vietnam and known as the "Ha Long Bay of the midland region".
Long Coc tea hills, shaped like inverted bowls when viewed from above.
“Long Coc tea hills are a very special place. I’ve photographed many different tea hills before, but nowhere else have I seen hundreds of beautifully rounded hills, undulating like inverted bowls on the ground like this,” photographer Tran Linh began his story when recalling his trip on July 17-18. It was the ideal time to return to Long Coc, with sunny weather and pleasant temperatures.
According to him, the best times to photograph Long Coc are always at sunrise, sunset, and at night. Sunrise in Long Coc often arrives with mist, layers of hazy white smoke drifting lazily around the tea hills, giving the feeling of stepping into a watercolor painting. The entire landscape of tea hills is hidden beneath the ethereal mist with a rosy sky. Then, when the sun's rays shine through the mist, a bright golden light illuminates the lush green hills, creating an impressive scene that captivates photographers.
The tea hills in the early morning are shrouded in layers of mist.
Sunset is a moment of warm colors and tranquil emotions. Long shadows stretch across the winding paths around the hills like thin silk dyed by the twilight. The sun gradually disappears behind the distant mountains, and the tea hills fade into the fading twilight. At that moment, one simply wants to stop, breathe deeply the scent of fresh tea, and cherish the last glorious moment of the day.
At different times of the day, the tea hills have their own unique beauty.
Tea season and the season of life
According to Mr. Tran Linh's experience, the most beautiful tea season lasts from April to October. This is the time when the tea plants are young, uniformly green, with vibrant, glossy leaves that catch the light perfectly and are ideal for photography. Each tea hill in Long Coc is planted and cared for in an arc shape around the hilltop, creating natural concentric lines. When viewed from above, the scenery appears like a visual symphony.
The best photo spots are the tea hills of Team 3 and Team 5, the two highest hills in the Long Coc hill system. From here, visitors can gaze into the distance and admire the entire lush tea landscape. During the transition from autumn to winter, thick fog blankets the hills, creating a poetic and mystical scene. When winter arrives, clouds and fog blend in, obscuring the paths.
In autumn and winter, thick fog rises, covering the tea hills.
This beauty not only attracts domestic photographers but also fascinates international tourist groups. Spanning over 600 hectares, the tea hills resemble lush green, inverted bowls stretching as far as the eye can see, leaving many visitors amazed, as they never imagined such an impressive landscape existed in Vietnam.
Besides admiring the scenery, if you choose tours to Long Coc tea hills, visitors also have the opportunity to experience the tea-picking work of the local people, visit the production process at Long Coc Tea Cooperative, learn about high-quality tea varieties such as LDP1, LDP2, PH1, PH8… and enjoy specialty Shan Tuyet tea and Bat Tien tea.
Visitors can experience tea picking with locals, learn about the tea production process, and enjoy specialty teas.
A night of camping to gaze at the Milky Way, welcoming the early morning mist.
As night falls, the male photographer pitches his tent for the night right on the tea hill. He usually brings a lightweight tent, a few personal items, and sometimes a few close friends. Choosing a breezy hilltop, he sets up his tent just as dusk is falling, lies on his back gazing at the stars, and takes long-exposure photos of the Milky Way. “The night sky in Long Coc is clear and full of stars, especially on sunny nights. That’s the perfect time to capture the Milky Way clearly; anyone who loves astronomy and photography will enjoy it.”
According to Linh, camping here is completely free, with no regulations. However, visitors need to be mindful of preserving the landscape, respecting nature, and not littering. "This landscape really needs to be preserved, especially as the number of people coming to Long Coc to take photos is increasing," he shared.
Dinner on the hill is usually simple yet distinctly local: fragrant, sticky rice in five colors, grilled chicken seasoned with spicy mắc khén spice, and fermented pork wrapped in dổi leaves. These rustic dishes carry the unique flavors of the midland mountains. No phones, no internet, just the sounds of insects, the night wind, and a starry sky.
The night sky and the Milky Way over Long Coc tea hills.
The next morning, opening the tent door revealed a white mist drifting lazily over the tea plantations. Raising his camera, he could capture those ethereal moments at the start of the day. That's what Linh always pursues: images that are not only beautiful but also authentic and full of emotion.
For Tran Linh, Long Coc is not just a stopover, but a place to see the light, mist, and green of the tea hills blend together in a single frame, like a moving painting of nature and humanity. Long Coc is where tea is grown in layers, where young women in brocade dresses pick tea leaves in the early morning, where the earthy scent of young leaves mixes with the smell of damp soil and the sound of wind rustling through ancient melaleuca trees, beneath the distant flight of birds.
