On the morning of 10/12, at O Long tea hill in Sa Pa ward, several large excavators were clearing land while workers dug up cherry apricot trees for relocation. The managing enterprise has not yet announced the new location for the trees.
This activity aims to hand over the site for the O Quy Ho Tea Hill Ecological Urban Area project. This project is part of the zoning plan for the urban, cultural tourism service area along the Muong Hoa valley, which received approval from the Lao Cai Provincial People's Committee in late October.
The clearance coincides with the cherry apricot trees' peak blooming season, causing regret among many tourists. The tea hill area announced it would stop receiving visitors from early December. Some people who wanted to take photos had to use paths through local residents' gardens.
Rushing to Sa Pa from 9/12 after hearing the tea hill was about to be cleared, Bui Van Hai, a tourist from TP HCM, said this was the last photo collection he took at this location.
"The flowers are blooming thickly and beautifully, but many branches have been cut, and roots dug up. The scenery is no longer intact", Hai said, expressing his deep regret.
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A corner of O Quy Ho tea hill before relocation. *Tran Linh*
Mai Phuong, a resident of Ha Noi, said that on 4/12, she and her friends went to O Quy Ho tea hill to photograph cherry apricot trees but were denied entry because the management unit announced the area was under renovation and unsafe. The group had to turn back, missing their last chance to check in with the cherry apricot trees.
On Sa Pa tourism forums, news of the tea hill's closure garnered thousands of interactions. Many tourists who had booked tickets and hotel rooms for the year-end expressed disappointment at missing the chance to see the flowers.
Nhat Ha, a tourist who had checked in at the tea hill in late 2024, said she planned to bring her family back this year-end. Upon hearing the tea hill was being cleared, she felt disappointed and regretful.
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Tourists checking in with cherry apricot trees on the afternoon of 9/12. *Bui Van Hai*
The cherry apricot tree planting area at O Quy Ho tea hill was managed by a land-leasing entity. Since 2020, it has become a popular destination for tourists visiting Sa Pa. Every December, cherry apricot trees bloom amidst the cool air of the Northwestern mountains, creating a captivating natural scene. Tourists often travel towards O Quy Ho Pass to admire the flowers and hunt for mist and clouds in the early morning.
Bao Phuong, a tour guide in Sa Pa, said that during the cherry apricot season, the tea hill welcomed hundreds of visitors daily for photos. She hopes the enterprise will replant cherry apricot trees near tourist attractions to preserve the beautiful floral scenery and create more check-in spots for Sa Pa visitors.
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Workers moving cherry apricot trees on the afternoon of 9/12. *Bui Van Hai*
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Tourists visiting O Quy Ho tea hill. *Bui Van Hai*
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Workers moving cherry apricot trees on the afternoon of 9/12. *Bui Van Hai*
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Workers moving cherry apricot trees on the afternoon of 9/12. *Bui Van Hai*
Located at an altitude of over 1,500 m, Sa Pa is suitable for cherry apricot trees to thrive and bloom. Currently, the O Quy Ho area has about 1,800 trees, with O Long tea hill being where they are planted in long rows, creating an attractive landscape whenever they bloom in November-December annually.
Tuan Anh
