No matter whether traveling by motorbike, car or bus, the road to Moc Chau is very beautiful for passengers. Having a passion for the nature of the Northwest region, Lam has been to Moc Chau quite a few times in different seasons.
The weather is cool all year round and the plateau wins the hearts of visitors thanks to its assorted green shades from both the mountains and forests.
During spring, the plateau is adorned with pink peach blossoms and white plum flowers while in autumn it is sprinkled with bright wild sunflowers. Winter comes with mustard and buckwheat flowers.
Nature lovers who were once enchanted with the pure white of the plum forest in February, come back here in summer and are often surprised to see that the tiny plum flowers have now become ripe fruit.
Taking a tour around Moc Chau town this season, one can see plum gardens and hills everywhere, which stand out against the blue sky with their clusters of dark purple and red fruit. With nearly 1,000 hectares of plum cultivation, Moc Chau is considered the largest plum grower in the country.
In recent years, tours to plum gardens have become an attractive tourist product of Moc Chau. While wandering in the plum gardens, visitors can enjoy the natural atmosphere and pick juicy and fresh fruit. The ripe plums turn dark red and has a sweet and fragrant taste while medium-ripe fruit is slightly sour, thus often served with chili salt or pounded salt with ‘mac khen’ pepper.
Visitors to the garden can also buy products made from plum including plum jam, plum wine, and plum syrup as souvenirs for their families and friends. Therefore, a trip to Moc Chau leaves impressions not only on the fruit pickers but also on the recipients of the delicious and aromatic dishes made from the plums.
This year, as the Plum Festival was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, ripe plums are being harvested and distributed to many places for consumption.
The ripe plums turn dark red and has a sweet and fragrant taste. (Photo: Chu Duc Giang)
