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Oolong tea hills in the final days of the flowering season.
On the morning of December 10th, at the O Long tea hill in Sa Pa ward, the relocation of cherry blossom trees began very early. While the mountain mist still shrouded the tea slopes, workers were already present to dig up the roots and bundle each cherry blossom tree, preparing to move them to another location to hand over the land for the O Quy Ho Tea Hill Ecological Urban Area Project. This project is part of the zoning plan for the construction of an urban area, tourism and cultural services along the Muong Hoa valley, and its investment plan was approved by the Lao Cai Provincial People's Committee at the end of October.
The demolition, which took place right when the cherry blossoms were in full bloom, left many tourists and locals disappointed. From the beginning of December, the tea plantation area announced it would stop receiving visitors. Those who still wanted to capture the last moments of the flowering season had to follow small trails, passing through the vegetable gardens of the surrounding residents, and gaze from afar at the once familiar hillside.
In the final flowering season on the Oolong tea hills, the cherry blossoms bloom brilliantly from early in the morning.
Located at an altitude of over 1,500 meters above sea level, the O Quy Ho area is considered to have ideal climatic conditions for cherry blossoms to grow. The entire area currently has about 1,800 trees, with the O Long tea hill being where the blossoms are planted in long rows, running along the entrance, interspersed with straight rows of dark green tea plants. Every year from the end of November to mid-December, when the flowers bloom simultaneously in the cool air, this place becomes a familiar destination for tourists visiting Sa Pa.
The cherry blossom trees are in full bloom, their vibrant pink color standing out against the green backdrop of the tea hills.
The cherry blossoms of Sa Pa have a distinct appearance compared to the spring cherry blossoms of the lowlands or Japanese cherry blossoms. The trees are tall and straight, with wide canopies, and the flowers bloom in dense clusters of deep, bright pink. During the coldest days, when temperatures drop and fog blankets the hillsides, the blossoms stand out even more against the backdrop of green tea plantations and white clouds, creating a rare and breathtaking scene in the mountainous Northwest during winter.
The cherry blossom trees and tea hills are shrouded in a sea of white clouds.
The combination of tea hills, cherry blossoms, and the sea of clouds in the early morning makes Oolong Tea Hill one of the most beautiful tea hills in Northern Vietnam at the end of the year. More than just a photo spot, it's also a space for visitors to experience tea picking, enjoy fresh tea, and feel the slow pace of life in the highlands.
Experience tea picking amidst blooming cherry blossoms.
The meeting point before parting ways.
Hoang Trung Hieu, a local resident of Sa Pa, said that whenever the cherry blossoms bloom on the Oolong tea hills, he is almost always one of the first to arrive to capture the early moments of the season. According to him, this year the weather is warmer, so the flowers bloomed earlier, reaching about 70% bloom by the end of November and more vibrant than in previous years thanks to favorable weather conditions.
At this time, many of the flowering trees have been uprooted or pruned to be moved elsewhere, Mr. Hieu shared. Upon hearing this news, he felt quite sad and disappointed. “The tea hills in Sa Pa are unlike anywhere else. Here, you can combine the cloud-hunting season and the cherry blossom season in a very spacious setting, providing unique photo opportunities,” Mr. Hieu said.
A unique scene only found at the Oolong tea hills at the end of the year.
The Oolong tea hill has long been a year-end gathering place for photographers. Each flowering season, photography enthusiasts come here to socialize, learn, and share experiences. Upon learning that the tea hill was about to undergo a major transformation due to a project, many photographers returned hoping to capture the last images and videos of this beautiful landscape.
Sa Pa still has some cherry blossom spots like Lao Chai or the 559 cherry blossom area; however, according to landscape enthusiasts, these are mostly isolated photo spots. The expansive, majestic landscape where the pink blossoms blend with the green of the tea plantations and the fluffy sea of clouds, like at the Oolong tea hills, is almost nonexistent.
Many tourists and photographers flocked to the tea hills to capture images of the final flowering season.
Since 2020, the cherry blossom plantation area on O Long tea hill, managed by a leased land unit, has gradually become a familiar destination for tourists every December. However, with this strong tourism development, Sa Pa has also become a destination for a series of large-scale real estate and resort projects. The O Quy Ho Tea Hill Eco-Urban Area project, covering nearly 30 hectares with a total investment of over 2,424 billion VND, is part of this urbanization process.
This year's cherry blossom season on the Oolong tea hills therefore holds a more special meaning than in previous years. It's not only the most beautiful season, but also the last blooming season of a landscape once considered a symbol of winter in Sa Pa. From next year, the pink hues stretching across the tea slopes will only exist in memories and photographs that have been captured, a silent farewell to a space that was once so beautiful and unique amidst the mountains of Northwest Vietnam.
