Anyone who visits the Dong Van Karst Plateau Global Geopark will truly understand what it means for “flowers to bloom on stones”. And spring on the Dong Van Karst Plateau is indeed the season of “flowers blooming on rocks”, living up to the place’s iconic name.
Firstly, there are peach blossoms, considered the “soul” of spring in the highlands. Peach blossoms on the Dong Van Stone Plateau are not planted in neat rows in gardens like in the lowlands, but growing interspersed among cornfields, beside earthen-walled houses or next to stone fences. The plant has a rough, gnarled stem and a free-growing form, with delicate yet vibrant petals. In contrast to the rugged natural conditions of the high mountainous area, in the remote northernmost border area of the country, peach blossoms bloom brilliantly, creating an exquisite and captivating beauty. For the ethnic minorities living in the stone mountains, the blooming of peach blossoms signals the arrival of spring, bringing with it hope for a prosperous, peaceful and happy new year.
After the peach blossoms come the plum blossoms and the pear blossoms. The entire stone plateau seems to be covered in a layer of white mist as the plum and pear blossoms bloom simultaneously. The villages in Sung La, Pho Bang, Lung Cu… are bathed in pristine white, softening the harshness of nature and making the landscape of Dong Van unusually gentle and pure.
When visiting the stone plateau in spring, one cannot fail to mention the yellow mustard flowers - a flower with a simple yet vibrant beauty. In late winter and early spring, rapeseed flowers bloom profusely at the foot of the valley, creating a warm splash of color between the cold, gray landscape. The rapeseed fields not only provide a livelihood for the local people but also becoming a popular destination, inviting tourists to stop and capture breathtaking moments between the vibrant golden landscape.
In some areas, especially villages with favorable climatic conditions, orchids also bloom right around Tet (Vietnamese Lunar New Year). The orchid is cherished and cared for by the local people as a kind of “spring blessing”. Colorful orchid pots hanging on the porch of the traditional house not only beautify the space but also showcase the homeowner’s skill and refined taste.
The springtime landscape on the Dong Van Stone Plateau is made even more vibrant by the presence of ethnic minority communities. Young women of the Mong, Lo Lo, Dao and Pu Peo ethnic groups, dressed in vibrant, intricately patterned brocade dresses, competing in beauty with the flowers. The colors of the dress blend with the colors of the flowers, making spring in this rocky region feel familiar and warm.
Traveling through the stone plateau in spring, tourists not only marvel at the breathtaking scenery but also realize something: with enough sunshine and wind, the flowers will bloom, affirming their vigorous vitality in the face of harsh nature; similarly, the ethnic minority people here have for generations persistently and steadfastly remained connected to the rocks, taming and transforming nature to stand firm on this borderland.
Between the towering, jagged mountain ranges, spring flowers proudly display their vibrant colors, evoking the enduring vitality of the landscape and people of this stone area. Celebrating spring on the Dong Van stone plateau is therefore more than just a sightseeing trip. It was a journey filled with pride when the Dong Van Karst Plateau Global Geopark was honored as the “World’s Leading Cultural Destination 2025” in early December 2025.
This is the first time the Stone Plateau has been named in theworld-class cultural category, affirming its position and appeal stemming fromefforts to preserve the local heritage values, including the vibrant flowersthat bloom every Lunar New Year and spring./.
