The 2025 Buckwheat Flower Festival opens at 8:00 p.m. on 29/11 at the Youth Square in Dong Van commune, with the theme "Land of Stone Blooms". This event marks the beginning of Ha Giang's largest annual festival season. To accommodate tourists, this year's buckwheat flower season runs from November 2025 to March 2026, with peak activities scheduled from 25/10 to 8/12.

Flowers were planted from 5/9 to 30/10 across 40 hectares in areas around Dong Van commune. Throughout the flower season, the People's Committee (PC) of Dong Van commune and the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism will provide information about the festival, including travel and accommodation tips, to ensure visitors have the best experiences.

Buckwheat flowers in Dong Van. Photo: Ngoc Thanh

Activities at the buckwheat flower festival

In addition to the opening ceremony, festival-related activities include:

Experiencing flower fields and scenic stops

- Time: From 25/10 to the end of 30/11

- Location: Buckwheat flower fields and scenic stops within Dong Van commune. Visitors can admire the flowers and engage in cultural exchanges and folk performances, such as folk singing, flute playing, and khen dancing.

Buckwheat flower exhibition

Time: 7/11 to the end of 30/11

Location: Old Town stone stage, in front of the Old Town market gate, near the LED screen base, along both sides of the road in front of the Commune Party Committee, People's Council and People's Committee gates, and at both ends of the road (before and after the main gate of the Youth Square).

Art photo exhibition

Time: 22/11 to the end of 8/12

Location: Museum of Cultural Space of Ethnic Minorities in Dong Van Karst Plateau.

Introducing local cultural, tourism, agricultural, culinary, and medicinal products

- Time: From 21/11 to the end of 8/12 (one week before and after the festival)

- Location: Dong Van Old Town Market. This includes 10 local food stalls offering dishes such as thang co stew, hotpot, men men (steamed cornmeal), five-colored sticky rice, traditional cakes, hot tea, mixed grilled meats, sticky corn cakes, and leaf-fermented corn wine, along with activities like fish racing, blindfolded goat chasing, and sugarcane chopping.

Folk art exchanges with visitors

- Time: From 21/11 to 28/11, every evening from 8:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

- Location: Old Town stone stage, sacred well area, Old Town gate, Museum of Cultural Space of Ethnic Minorities in Dong Van Karst Plateau, Youth Square. The program features folk games like nem con (cloth ball throwing), cultural exchanges with visitors including folk dances, folk songs, modern and traditional dances, folk melodies, bonfires, and communal dances of the Tay, Mong, and Lo Lo ethnic groups, along with community singing.

Buckwheat flower planting and shaping competition

Time: From 13/10 to 23/10, judging from 25/11 to 27/11, awards ceremony on the evening of 30/11. The program's theme is "Returning to the Land of Flowers," with participants including agencies, units, schools, villages in the commune center, individuals, and residents of Dong Van commune.

Other activities include a candle-lighting ceremony at the Youth Volunteers Monument, ethnic sports competitions, traditional costume performances of ethnic groups, and rehearsals for the festival's opening art program, folk performances, bonfires, and local product introductions and experiences.

Best flower viewing spots

Buckwheat flowers are planted across 40 hectares in areas around Dong Van commune, specifically in the villages of Sa Phin, Pho Cao, Lung Phin, Sung La, Pho Bang, Ma Le, and Lung Cam cultural village.

Flowers are also planted along National Highway 4C connecting Dong Van and Meo Vac, and along Provincial Road 182B from Dong Van to Lung Cu.

Flower display points associated with landmarks include the Dong Van - Lung Cu intersection, the Youth Volunteers Monument, the Dong Van welcome gate, the Old Town stone stage, and in front of the Old Town market gate.

Visitors can also visit Suoi Thau meadow in Xin Man commune, one of the most beautiful buckwheat flower spots in Ha Giang. However, this location is quite far from Dong Van (over 200 kilometers) and requires a different route. Visitors should plan ahead and choose a suitable itinerary.

Buckwheat flowers in Suoi Thau. Photo: Vinh Dav

Other recommended destinations during the festival

Lo Lo Chai, recognized as one of the world's best tourism villages in 2025, is a must-visit destination. Near Lo Lo Chai, Then Pa village is also a suggested location.

Other famous destinations include Lung Cu Flagpole, Ma Pi Leng Pass, Nho Que River cruise, Vuong Family Mansion, Quan Ba Heaven's Gate and Twin Mountains, and Yen Minh pine forest.

Travel notes

According to advice from the Traffic Police Department, Tuyen Quang Provincial Police, weekend visitor numbers are high, which may lead to traffic congestion. In case of congestion, traffic police will reroute and announce advisories via a public app on local fan pages and social media.

Some routes with high congestion risk include National Highway 4C from Ha Giang ward to Quan Ba commune, Tham Ma Pass, Ma Pi Leng Pass, central roads of Dong Van commune, the road to Lung Cu Flagpole, and the road down to Nho Que River boat station.

Mr. Vinh Nguyen, a tour operator providing transfers between Ha Giang and Dong Van, said that Ha Giang roads usually experience temporary slowdowns, not prolonged congestion. The long line of vehicles at Tham Ma Pass on the weekend of 14/11 was due to a traffic accident, which took about 20-30 minutes to clear. Additionally, some contractors are working on the Quan Ba Heaven's Gate Pass section, causing traffic restrictions.

According to Mr. Vinh, from Ha Giang ward, visitors can choose two main routes to Dong Van and Lung Cu. One route follows National Highway 4C through Quan Ba - Yen Minh, and the other follows Provincial Road 176 - 182 through Du Gia - Meo Vac. Depending on their itinerary, visitors can choose the appropriate route to avoid potentially congested sections.

In foggy weather, with limited visibility, visitors should use yellow headlights and pay attention to road signs and markings. When descending slopes, use a low gear to assist the braking system and prevent brake pad issues.

Accommodation

Homestay in Pa Vi village, Meo Vac. Photo: Pa Vi Management Board

With the center of the buckwheat flower season in Dong Van commune, visitors can book accommodation directly in Dong Van and nearby areas, combining it with sightseeing.

Dong Van: offers a large number of hotels, guesthouses, and homestays, catering to various types of tourists from budget to mid-range, such as: Epic Dong Van, Phuong Bac, Hoa Cuong, Hoang Ngoc, Lam Tung, Khai Hoan, Dong Van Stone Hotel.

Meo Vac (about 40 kilometers from Dong Van): suggested hotels include: H'Mong Pa Vi village (with over 20 homestays), Ma Pi Leng Ecolodge, Meo Vac Cosy Hostel, Auberge De Homestay Meo Vac, Lo Lo Homestay & Cafe Meo Vac, Thao Gia Homestay Meo Vac, Ong Vang Meo Vac.

Lung Cu (about 45 kilometers from Dong Van) has two community tourism villages: Lo Lo Chai and Then Pa. Suggested homestays: Lolo Village Homestay, Lolo Ancient House, Homie Homestay, Lo Lo Eco House, Long Co Tran - Homestay & Tea, Lullaby Homestay Lo Lo Chai, Lung Cu Lake View, The Lover Lo Lo Chai, Na Na homestay Lo Lo Chai, Homestay Thanh Liem.

Yen Minh (about 30 kilometers from Dong Van): Thien An guesthouse, Hai Linh, Mam Da, Bong Bang, Homestaychivieng, Tommy House.

Tam Anh