LÀO CAI — The famous Oolong tea hills in the Ô Quy Hồ area of Sa Pa, northern Lào Cai province, renowned for its blooming cherry blossoms at the year's end, is set to be cleared to make way for an eco-urban area project, Tô Ngọc Liễn, Chairman of the Sa Pa People's Committee, told Lao Động (Labour) Newspaper.

The project is currently completing documentation and reviewing procedures related to land allocation.

“The project has a total investment of about VNĐ2.4 trillion (US$104.35 million), carried out by a joint venture with the Ecopark Group. A system of green trees, especially cherry blossoms, will be planted within the area to enhance the landscape,” he said.

Lợi Sơn Điền Company, which manages the hills, announced it would temporarily close to visitors from early December to avoid risks during renovation.

“If anyone enters without the company's permission and an accident occurs, we take no responsibility,” the announcement stated.

News that the iconic Oolong tea hills may soon disappear has recently gone viral on social media, particularly among photographers’ groups. Many have expressed regret at the impending loss of this poetic, photogenic haven, especially as construction coincides with the peak of the cherry blossom season.

"The regret that I, along with the locals and visitors, feel is that the project is being implemented at the most beautiful time of the blooming flowers. If they could have waited an additional 15 to 20 days until after the blooming season, it would have felt more complete," photographer Bùi Văn Hải from HCM City told znews.vn.

The tea hills with their blooming cherry blossoms have attracted countless photographers like Hải from across the country to Sa Pa at the end of each year. The area is considered a symbol of the flower season in the mountainous region by both photographers and tourists. 

According to Hải, this year's bloom is the most beautiful in the last three years, with vibrant pinks covering the lush green tea rows against the backdrop of the Hoàng Liên Sơn mountain range, creating a picturesque scene. However, this is also the last season he will be able to capture this beauty in this area.

Many cherry trees have been uprooted and lined up, waiting to be transported. Residents said some trees may be relocated to tea hills in Lai Châu, but the official gathering point has not been officially announced yet.

A tour guide in Sa Pa said the cherry blossoms began to bloom around this time and continued to thrive until the end of the year, lasting for over 20 days and attracting many visitors from mid to late month.

"The tea hills are currently undergoing project planning, so visitors are temporarily not allowed in. However, people can visit nearby spots such as the entrance to Khoang Village, which is just a few hundred metres away, to contemplate the flowers," he said.

The Ô Quy Hồ area has about 1,800 cherry trees. Among them, the Oolong tea hills are where the trees are planted in long rows, creating a famous landscape each time the flowers bloom in November and December. This location is about 8km from the centre of Sa Pa along National Highway 4D leading up to the Ô Quy Hồ Pass.

The cherry blossoms in this area are different from Japan's sakura. The trees have tall, straight trunks with dark pink flowers that typically have only five petals. This variety is native to China and thrives in Sa Pa's climate, making it widely cultivated and resulting in 'pink forests' at the end of the year. — VNS