Every Summer, the white lotus ponds in Hanoi’s outskirt are in full bloom, springboarding them into the top of the local list of selfie hotspots.
Lotus, considered the national flower in Vietnam, is commonly grown in many parts of the nation. The flower, however, has a unique charm when it is planted in Hanoi.
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| Normally, lotus flowers are in pale or purple-pink, but the ones grown in Tam Hung Commune, Thanh Oai District, Hanoi have only a pure white color. |
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| Located some 20 kilometers away from Hanoi’s center, this new lotus growing area has become a popular tourist destination among young people in recent years. |
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| The period from May to August every year is the peak season of the Bach Lien or white lotus flowers. |
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The pure gentle lotus with delicate white petals conquers the hearts of many flower lovers. |
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| This white lotus pond was planted by Nguyen Van Tho in Tam Hung Commune, Thanh Oai District, Hanoi some seven years ago. |
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Tho said that his lotus pond attracts some 100 visitors per day who come to admire or take photoshoots with the beautiful flowers on the weekdays. Meanwhile, there are about 300 visitors flocking to the place over the weekend. |
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“The fee for each visit is VND50,000 or $2, barely enough to maintain the lotus,” he said. Tho may get the profit from other parts of the flower such as the lotus’s stem, seed, and leaf when it faded. |
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According to Dieu Huyen, a visitor from Hanoi, pink lotus flowers are found in many places throughout Hanoi, but this type of pure white flower is unique to this place. “Thus, I don’t mind traveling so far away for taking photos with these beautiful flowers,” she stated. |
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| White Lotus reaches its best growth in May and June. Each lotus stem can reach up to 2m high while its roots spread deeply under the thick mud. |
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| White Lotus is in all its glory at dawn and partially closes its petals to avoid the blazing noonday sun. |
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| The flowers will wither in August. Then, it’s the time for farmers to harvest the lotus roots, one of the tastiest food of Hanoian, and prepare for the next crop. |
