Buckwheat flowers, famous movie location draw droves of visitors to Ha Giang

By Kieu Duong October 24, 2019 | 12:40 am PT

People are flocking to Ha Giang Province to see the vast blooming buckwheat fields near the village where 'The Story of Pao' was filmed.

In mid-October, tam giac mach (buckwheat) flower season arrives upon the vast fields in Lung Cam Village, Sung La Valley, Sung La Commune, about 20 km from the well known Dong Van karst plateau tourist destination. This location is deemed as one of the most beautiful destination to check out Ha Giangs buckwheat flowers.

In mid-October the tam giac mach (buckwheat) flowering season begins in Lung Cam Village in Sung La Valley, around 20 km from Dong Van karst plateau, a popular tourist destination in northern Vietnam. This is arguably the most beautiful place to check out Ha Giang's buckwheat flowers.

In October and November every year vast fields of buckwheat flowers bloom in white and pastel pink all over

In October and November every year vast areas of buckwheat are in bloom in white and pastel pink all over the mountain slopes and passes.

The flowers change color every week. It begins by being white, changes to purplish pink before becoming dark red.

Children of the Mong ethnic group stand by the villages stone walls, posing next to hoa cai (rape flowers), dong rieng (canna lily flowers) and buckwheat flowers for visitors to take photos.Ha Giang is home to ethnic minorities like the H’Mong and Thai. Travelers can support the local ethnic children by buying a flower bouquet or headdress for a costs of VND10,000 each.

Ethnic Mong children pose next to hoa cai (oilseed rape flowers), dong rieng (canna lily flowers) and buckwheat flowers for visitors to take photos.

Ha Giang is home to ethnic minorities like the H’Mong and Thai.

One month after sowing, buckwheat plants blossom and the flowers stay open for a month before the grain is born.After harvested, the buckwheat grains are processed into a variety of foods such as baking or brewing yeast. Locals can also grind the grains into fine powder, mix with water until the mixture tiches a certain elastic texture to be molded into cakes which be steamed on a stove. This cake is available in Lung Cam Village and in markets in Ha Giang, with the price of VND10,000 - 15,000 each ($0.43-0.65).According to local people, buckwheat is good for the digestion and other health problems. Northern Vietnam is not the only place where buckwheat is popular.

One month after sowing buckwheat plants blossom and the flowers remain in bloom for a month before the grain develops.

Buckwheat is used to make a variety of foods and as brewing yeast. Locals grind the grain into a fine powder, mix with water until it attains an elastic texture and steam it on a stove. This cake can be found in Lung Cam Village and markets around Ha Giang for VND10,000 - 15,000 ($0.43-0.65) each.

Buckwheat is good for digestion and treating certain health problems, according to locals.

Lung Cam Tren Village in Sung La Commune was chosen for the background of The Story of Pao, which is about the life of a H’Mong girl named Pao starred by actress Do Hai Yen.The film also tells movie lovers about beautiful love, life and human emotions as well as the rich culture and spiritual lives of the H’Mong ethnic minority people in Ha Giang Province. It won a Golden Kite Award in 2005 and was introduced at the Cannes International Film Festival in France in 2007.

Lung Cam Village has also become popular as the setting for Chuyen Cua Pao or The Story of Pao.

The movie is about the life of a H’Mong girl named Pao played by Do Hai Yen and about beautiful love, life, and human emotions, and the rich culture and spiritual life of the H’Mong. It won a Golden Kite Award in 2005 and was introduced at the Cannes International Film Festival in France in 2007.

One of the village's houses, originally belonging to a man named Mua Sua Pao, has three sections that form a U-shape. Pao's grandson Mua Phai Tua is the heir to the property. Its unique architecture attracts scores of visitors coming to explore Ha Giang.

The buckwheat fields attract nearly 1,000 visitors on peak days. The number of tourists coming here has gradually increased over the past few weeks.The entrance fee to the village costs VND10,000 ($0.43) per visitor. Guests who want to take photos will need to pay an additional VND10,000 VND per person to the field owner which has not changed over the past five years.

The village attracts nearly 1,000 visitors on peak days. The number of tourists has gradually increased in the last few weeks.

The entrance fee is VND10,000 ($0.43) and people have to pay another VND10,000 to buckwheat field owners to take photos.