Botanists treat orchids as the most beautiful and colorful flowers. Only the delicate combination of colors on butterfly wings can compete with the vivid hues of orchids. In addition, orchids give out a very special sweet and pleasant fragrance.

   Given its primitive forests that stretch over mountains of different heights and a diversified eco-environment, Hoang Lien Son in general and Sa Pa in particular is a paradise for orchids. From March to June, orchids blossom everywhere in the forests and along rivers. Their fragrance fills the air. In fact, they also grow in the primitive forests of Viet Bac, the Truong Son range of mountains and in other forest covers in Viet Nam.

   If you do not have time to visit the dozens of private orchid gardens, go up to Ham Rong mt in downtown Sa Pa. A large orchid garden with thousands of flowers lies right under the shade of luxuriant trees at the second junction from the entrance gate. Each orchid has a tag wih its corresponding Vietnamese and scientific names. Orchid lovers drown under the amount of popular or rare orchid varieties. The largest flower requires a dozen people to carry, thesmallest can fit in an adult’s hand. Some have stems over one metre long or blossoms as big as a bowl, while others have stems the size of small toothpick or blossoms the size of a button. The fragrance emanating from the orchid garden spreads to the foot of mountain.

Thanh Tuan