Photo of Chư Đăng Ya Volcano in the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai's Chư Đăng Ya Commune, Chư Păh District has entered the top 50 best landscape pictures of the #Landscape2020photo contest launched by Agora Images. — Photo travelmag.vn

HÀ NỘI —  A picture by Vietnamese photographer Nguyễn Ngọc Hoa (also known as Hoa Carol) has been listed in the top 50 of the #Landscape2020 photo contest by Agora Images.

The photo titled Chư Đăng Ya Volcano Between Seasons features the unique beauty of Chư Đăng Ya Volcano in the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai's Chư Đăng Ya Commune, Chư Păh District.

The volcano which is located at about 30km northeast of Pleiku Town and 20km from the Biển Hồ (Sea Lake) and was active millions of years ago, is one of the most beautiful landscapes in the Central Highlands, especially in April and May.

In the J’rai ethnic minority language, Chư Đăng Ya means wild ginger root. Farmers now grow plants over the volcano, including canna, corn, pumpkin, and sweet potato. 

“This extinct volcano is one of the most beautiful destinations in the Central Highlands of Việt Nam,” according to the photographer who lives and works in Pleiku Town, Gia Lai. 

The volcano looks like a giant funnel from above and its crater has the red tint of basalt soil created by lava since ancient times.

Hoa said he took a series of photos in the last days of April of the volcano. After the first rains of the season, the mountain scenery seemed to be full of life, and in the early morning, the clouds made it look like paradise.

The photo of the volcano entered the top 50 images after a total of 14,739 entries from across the world were submitted. Voters can choose the best image, with the ultimate winner being awarded a total of US$1,000 as a cash prize.

The contest’s overall winning image was snapped by Australian photographer Luke Simpson at Goblin Valley State Park in Utah, the US. —  VNS