The brilliant beauty of the blooming flowers with orange, yellow and red colours covering both sides of the cool stream. Photos dulichquynhon.binhdinh.gov.vn

The annual blooming season of a wildflower species locally called trang in Bình Định Province’s Vĩnh Thạnh District is opening up vast tourism development potential for the locality.

Scientifically named Ixora coccinea, the flower—one of hundreds of forest orchid species—creates a brilliant landscape in spring, with its orange, yellow, and red hues covering both sides of the Tà Má Stream.

Located in Hà Ri Village, Vĩnh Hiệp Commune, about 80km from Quy Nhơn City, Tà Má has recently emerged as an attractive tourist destination due to its pristine natural landscape. A row of hundreds of the wild forest trees along the stream makes it even more charming.

According to Huỳnh Đức Bảo, vice chairman of Vĩnh Thạnh District People’s Committee [district administration], the blooming season of trang flowers usually lasts for about one month, from March to April each year.

“The season has helped the district generate billions of đồng in tourism revenue,” he said.

This year, the flowers bloomed earlier than usual, creating a beautiful and poetic scene along the Tà Má Stream.

The district plans to develop the area into a community tourism hub in the near future, connecting it with renowned tourist attractions such as Dơi Cave Waterfall, Tà Kon Citadel, and Sơn Lang Waterfall in the nearby Vĩnh Sơn Commune.

Visitors cross a bamboo bridge across the Tà Má Stream where they can admire wild flowers and play with the clear and cool water.

“The area promises to form a unique tourism map for the district, paving the way for policies to attract investment and encourage businesses to consider Vĩnh Thạnh as a target,” he said.

"It will also help encourage and develop our 'smokeless industry', making full use of the area's potential and strengths."

Hà Ri Village is mainly inhabited by the Ba Na ethnic group. The row of trang trees along the stream has been preserved by local residents for several generations. The trees not only provide shade for those working in the fields but also protect the stream from erosion.

Many tourists say the scenery of the Tà Má Stream is most beautiful when the yellow and orange flowers bloom. The brilliant flowers by the cool stream create a picturesque setting for relaxation and photography.

Visitors can also bathe in the stream and enjoy local cuisine, with grilled chicken and some other speciality foods among the most popular dishes.

Bùi Thị Hiền, a tourist from the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai, said her family often travelled during spring to many places across the country, but this was their first time visiting the Tà Má Stream.

“Sitting under the lush canopy of wildflowers and enjoying the cool, clear water of the stream made me feel completely immersed in nature. My spirit became more relaxed and refreshed, making me forget the noise and hustle of urban life,” she said.

Meanwhile, Trần Thị Phương Thảo, a local from Vĩnh Thịnh Commune, Vĩnh Thạnh District, said she was still amazed at the tranquil landscape of the Tà Má Stream, even though this was her second visit.

“It must be admitted that nature has been generous in bestowing Hà Ri with such a beautiful and rare landscape,” she said.

“Touching the wildflowers hanging from above and inhaling their gentle fragrance as the wind carries it through the air is truly a wonderful experience.”

Bamboo bridges and stilt houses are built for tourists to travel conveniently and have a place to rest and relax during their tours to the Tà Má Stream.

The number of visitors flocking to the Tà Má Stream to admire the trang flowers began rising in 2021 and has continued increasing significantly since then.

Bảo revealed that recognising the tourism potential in the area, many locals spontaneously began providing their own tourist services without proper experience or management.

“To maintain sustainable tourism, the district sent officials to encourage, train, and guide locals on how to run tourism businesses properly,” Bảo said.

Over time, the locals became more confident and proactive in this new field.

Nowadays, they know how to protect the environment at the stream. They use environmentally friendly materials such as bamboo, reeds, and wood to build huts for tourists. Most have committed to environmental protection by strictly managing tourist service operations.

They have also agreed to allocate a portion of their revenue to fund a local waste collection team, ensuring long-term cleanliness and sustainability.

The district authorities have also directed the local protective forest management board to strengthen conservation efforts and prohibit tourists from harming the forest by cutting flowers or uprooting trees to take home.

To encourage the area’s tourism potential, the district authorities will organise a special trang flower festival from March 22-23 to showcase scenic spots, historical and cultural heritage relics, and promote the image of Vĩnh Thạnh.

This is the first time the festival will be held in the area. It will introduce visitors to various tourism experiences while attracting investment and gradually expanding tourism services, contributing to the preservation of traditional cultural identity.

The event will feature various cultural activities, including an art exchange, traditional dancing and singing, handloom weaving demonstration, a display of artefacts reflecting the traditional cultural life of the Ba Na people, a photo exhibition, and folk games for visitors.

By combining nature-based tourism with cultural experiences, the district hopes to preserve its cultural heritage while creating new economic opportunities. VNS