From late October to early December, Tuyen Quang experiences its most beautiful season, with buckwheat flowers in full bloom, dry and sunny weather, attracting tourists from many provinces.

On the morning of 15/11, Tham Ma slope, Ma Pi Leng, Pho Cao, and Lung Cu all saw tourists flocking to visit and sightsee.

Tourists checking in at Tham Ma slope. Photo: NT.

Roads leading to the Dong Van Stone Plateau were severely congested from the afternoon of 14/11. The most serious situation occurred on National Route 4C, especially on narrow sections like Tham Ma slope, Can Ty pass, and the Quan Ba Heaven Gate area.

Nguyen Tuan Son, a tour guide, stated that his convoy took nearly two hours to travel 20 km from Yen Minh to Quan Ba. "Just one car stopping for a photo causes the entire convoy behind to be stuck, unable to move," Son said.

Motorbike taxi driver Long Dinh Hieu reported that the congestion was prolonged. "Many tourists were 'stranded' for nearly two hours, with motorbikes and cars inching forward," Hieu said.

Vehicles in a long line on the road near Quan Ba Heaven Gate on the morning of 15/11. Photo: Anh Tu.

The overload began right from the center of Ha Giang (Tuyen Quang). Motorbike rental shops were "sold out" of vehicles from early morning on 15/11. A representative for Ma Pi Leng Horizon stated that nearly 200 motorbikes had been booked in advance by customers. "We received dozens of calls since morning but had to turn them all down," the representative said.

Nhat Minh, a tourist from Ha Noi, stated that his group arrived in the city at 3:30 AM but still couldn't rent a vehicle by 8 AM. "We called everywhere, and everything was booked, even self-driving cars. Ultimately, the group had to take a passenger bus to Dong Van commune," Minh said.

Dining and accommodation services in tourist communes were also insufficient. In Yen Minh, many restaurants on the main road ran out of food just over an hour after opening. Nguyen Hai Anh (Hai Phong) stated that her family had to wait 30 minutes and split into two different restaurants to have lunch.

In Dong Van commune, the "sold-out room" situation was widespread. Tran Minh Dung (TP HCM) stated that his group called nearly 20 hotels and homestays but consistently received the answer, "no rooms available".

"We were complacent, thinking it would be easy to find a place in mid-November, but everything was fully booked. The group is now considering heading back to Yen Minh commune to see if there are any rooms left," Dung said.

Representatives for Nha Co Dong Van (20 rooms) and Anio Ha Giang confirmed that all weekend rooms were fully booked from early November through December.

The road to Tham Ma slope was severely congested on the afternoon of 14/11. Photo: Dao Huong.

The road to Tham Ma slope was severely congested on the afternoon of 14/11. Photo: Dao Huong.

The road to Tham Ma slope was severely congested on the afternoon of 14/11. Photo: Dao Huong.

Tourists queuing at the lonely persimmon tree in Can Ty on the morning of 15/11. Photo: ST.

The road to Tham Ma slope was severely congested on the afternoon of 14/11. Photo: Dao Huong.

Pham Anh Vu, a representative for Viet Tourism Company, stated that the number of tours to Ha Giang's highlands this week increased by 10% compared to the same period last year.

According to Vu, one reason is the stormy and rainy weather in Central coastal provinces, which caused tourists to change their plans. Additionally, this is the buckwheat flower season, combined with dry weather and temperatures of 18-23 degrees Celsius, making it ideal for tourism.

Another reason cited by tour guides is that the organizing committee postponed the Buckwheat Flower Festival from 15/11 to 29/11. Many groups who booked early maintained their original plans, while other groups booked for late November, creating a dual peak season. Tour guide Tuan Khanh noted that this situation repeats annually, indicating that tourist numbers are growing faster than the service infrastructure's capacity.

Tuan Anh