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Extinct volcano dyed yellow in wild sunflowers

By Tien Thanh November 13, 2016 | 10:51 pm PT

Vietnam’s plateaus are covered in a carpet of yellow at this time of year.

The Central Highlands town of Da Lat is not the only part of Vietnam that hides a flowery spectacle. Visitors can now admire blooming wild sunflowers in Chu Dang Ya Commune, Gia Lai Province, where traces of a century-old extinct volcano can still be found today.

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Chu Dang Ya means wild ginger in the language of the J'rai ethnic community. The funnel-shaped crater and volcanic ash mixed with red basalt soil are still evident today.

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The commune is 30 kilometers from downtown Gia Lai. Visitors are impressed by the beauty of the wild flowers growing along the road sides.

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November is wild sunflower season. In Chu Dang Ya, the blossoms come into season at the same time but last longer.

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But you still only have a month to enjoy them.

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Wild sunflowers along the crater of Chu Dang Ya's volcano.

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Fertile red soil also brings life to other types of trees and vegetables.

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Pumpkins and sweet potatoes are traditional crops in Chu Dang Ya. Local people say the red basalt soil gives their products a sweeter taste than products grown in other regions.