Not missing out on the most beautiful season of the year in Van Ho, we, the travel enthusiasts, packed our cameras and set off. Departing from Son La city, we traveled along the 130 km stretch of National Highway 6. After about 3 hours, we arrived in Van Ho.

Our first stop was the Hua Tat community hamlet in Van Ho commune. Following the concrete road down to the end of the hamlet, we reached the stadium, where groups of children dressed in colourful traditional clothes were playing tulu, a folk game. Their innocent faces, with bright eyes and cheerful smiles, waved at visitors whenever they see. That pure, warm energy was both beautiful and inviting.

We visited the home of Trang A Chu, the first Mong person in the hamlet to engage in community-based tourism. These days, A Chu’s homestay is full of tourists. Warmly welcoming us, he shared, "Hua Tat is no longer as remote and poor as it used to be. Locals have eradicated opium poppies, renovated their homes to offer homestay services, and preserved the unique cultural traditions of the Mong people, such as making do paper, pounding sticky rice cakes, painting with beeswax on fabric, and playing the Mong khen (a traditional flute) for visitors. Our Mong hamlet is gradually changing, and the lives of the local people are improving."

Leaving Hua Tat hamlet, we continued along National Highway 6 towards Long Luong commune. From a distance, hamlets with houses surrounded by plum orchards in full bloom, occasionally dotted with the pink hues of peach blossoms, and nearby gardens of vibrant yellow mustard flowers, gave a sense of peace. All of this painted a gentle, beautiful picture that captivated everyone who saw it.

We stopped by the plum orchard of A Pha’s family in Long Luong hamlet, Long Luong commune, where many tourists visit. The family had arranged a large area for vehicles to park, ensuring they did not obstruct traffic or cause safety hazards. The plum trees are planted in rows on the gentle hillside, with flowers blooming beautifully. In the middle of the garden, there is a house with a thatched roof, a swing, and bamboo chairs set up for tourists to sit and take photos. Additionally, the homestay offered traditional ethnic costumes for visitors to wear, allowing them to create the perfect photos for their memories.

Not only are the pristine white plum orchards a major attraction for visitors, but the vast, picturesque mustard flower fields have also become must-see destinations that tourists from near and far cannot miss when coming to Long Luong. The white and yellow mustard flowers bloom together in full splendor, creating a stunningly beautiful scene that captivates everyone who sees them.

Peach blossoms stretch across the hilltops and mountainsides, showcasing their vibrant colours under the early spring sun. The flowers peek through the beautiful hamlets, with their soft pink hues adding charm to the landscape. All of this evokes a sense of the northwestern spring that feels so close, familiar, and beautifully rustic. Moreover, since 2018, Long Luong commune has been organising a peach blossom festival to introduce and promote the image of the local people and specialties to both domestic and international visitors.

Experiencing the traditional way of life, participating in folk games, and immersing oneself in the rhythm of the highland life while enjoying the picturesque scenery of peach, mustard, and plum gardens, along with tasting the local specialty of "fog," are surely unforgettable and beautiful memories for tourists when they visit Van Ho in spring – the most beautiful season of the year.