Bach Long Glass Bridge, a popular attraction in the Moc Chau National Tourist Area.

The Moc Chau National Tourist Area is widely known as Vietnam’s largest plum-growing region. In recent years, experiential tourism activities linked to plum orchards have developed strongly, becoming a major draw for visitors.

In particular, early summer marks the plum harvest season on the Moc Chau plateau. During this time, especially on weekends, roads leading to the orchards are busy with tourists heading for hands-on experiences. This is most evident in Thao Nguyen ward, with popular sites such as the Na Ka plum valley and the scenic plum orchards in Pa Khen residential area.

Thao Nguyen is actively preparing for the Fruit Picking Festival 2026, the opening highlight of a series of summer tourism activities, scheduled for late May, while also strengthening guidance of local tourism activities.

Pham Tu Uyen, Vice Chairwoman of the Thao Nguyen ward People’s Committee, said this is the first year the ward will host the festival following the implementation of the two-tier local administration model.

This event will focus on key activities such as fruit-picking competitions, as well as exhibitions showcasing local agricultural products, culture and tourism, along with hands-on experiences for visitors in plum orchards. A new feature of the festival will be live-streamed sessions promoting and selling local farm produce.

The event is expected to serve as an opportunity to promote the Moc Chau plateau as a tourist destination, under the message highlighted by the organisers: “Touch the crimson hues of the highlands – Savor the fragrance of Moc Chau plums.”

Thao Nguyen ward is preparing to host the Fruit Picking Festival 2026.

Summer turns Son La into a season of fruit abundance, as a wide range of crops reaches harvest under a planned system of concentrated production zones, with staggered seasonal cycles that create a continuous flow of agricultural experiences.

A key driver of this momentum has been a series of fruit harvest festivals that also serve as tourism showcases, strengthening local promotion efforts and attracting visitors. These include the Phieng Khoai Plum Festival, the Long Phieng Plum Festival, the Yen Chau Mango Festival and the Song Ma Longan Festival.

Lo Duc Viet, Vice Chairman of the Yen Chau commune People's Committee, said the locality is expected to host the Mango Festival 2026 in late May, alongside activities promoting local agricultural products, tourism and cultural heritage.

The festival will be held in Kha hamlet, which is being developed into a community-based tourism site offering visitors experiential activities and cultural exploration of the Thai ethnic group.

The children’s summer camp in Ngoc Chien commune.

With family travel becoming an increasingly popular trend during the summer holiday season, tourism businesses and cooperatives are quickly adapting by innovating their services toward experiential “green tourism” for all age groups, especially creating engaging spaces for children.

Nguyen Cao Cuong, Director of Nam Nghep Cooperative in Ngoc Chien commune, said the area offers beautiful and majestic landscapes, along with fresh, year-round cool climate, making it particularly suitable for summer escapes from the heat.

This summer, the cooperative is working with parent groups to organise children’s summer camps featuring activities such as nature exploration, painting with leaves and stones, community cultural activities, and tree planting.

The cooperative currently has 14 members and collaborates with nearly 100 others, including guides and porters, to develop experiential tourism services and nature exploration activities in Ngoc Chien.

A wide range of attractive recreational activities this summer at Moc Chau Island Tourist Area.

At tourist sites across the province, businesses have been upgrading infrastructure, improving service quality, and introducing new experiential and interactive activities to attract visitors during the summer season.

Highlights include all-in-one packages combining sightseeing, accommodation and entertainment, along with hands-on workshop programmes atthe Moc Chau Island Tourist Area.

Meanwhile, the Ban Ang (Ang Village) Pine Forest Tourist Area in Moc Son ward offers a dinosaur park alongside leisure and discovery zones designed to appeal to both adults and children.

The Moc Chau Walking Street and Night Market host special cultural performances deeply rooted in highland identity, while Ta Xua—often dubbed a “sea of clouds paradise”—features experiences such as cloud viewing, picking ancient tea and exploring primary forests.

The Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism has strengthened its guidance on tourism management, urging businesses to strictly comply with price listing and selling regulations, ensure service quality, and uphold responsibilities in environmental protection, food safety and public order, helping create a positive impression of Son La tourism.

Green tourism focused on meaningful, experience-rich travel is becoming an inevitable trend, driving Son La’s tourism forward. With the warmth of local communities, the richness of regional produce and ongoing efforts to refresh tourism offerings, the province is positioning itself as a refreshing and meaningful summer destination for travellers.