Stuff of dreams: stunning vistas of Long Coc tea hills
The otherworldly beauty of the Long Coc tea hills in north Vietnam is a photographer’s dream.
One of the remarkable early entries for the 2019 Sony World Photography Awards, a prestigious competition hosted by World Photography Organization, is Nguyen Phuc Thanh’s capture of tea hills in Phu Tho Province, around 100 kilometers to the northwest of Hanoi. The entry has been submitted in the Open Category.
A blog entry titled “17 Amazing Images that will make you love Vietnam” on the World Photo Organization website carries a collection of Thanh’s photographs, including the one above.
Besides famous historical landscapes, Phu Tho boasts great natural beauty, exemplified by its natural green tea hills.
The undulating Long Coc tea hills in Tan Son District look like upturned bowls placed next to each other.
A photographer named Hoang Cuong says he has come here six times but at only two times he could take photos that he likes as the weather is almost unpredictable.
The tea hills are of outstanding scenic beauty, particularly in the morning, when the area is shrouded in thick fog.
During the transition from autumn into winter, the fog lingers around the top of the hills.
Photographers recommend early morning as the best time to gaze on these tea hills. As the first rays of sunshine light up the hills and mist still lingers, the scene that develops in front of one’s eyes is spellbinding, they say.
Many visitors have affirmed that the Long Coc tea hills are a must-visit destination in Phu Tho Province.
Tea is also an major agricultural produce of local people. If you stay for a little longer in the morning, you will have the opportunity to meet the workers who come to pick tea leaves.
Phu Tho is now the largest tea producer in the country.
A woman packs a large bag with fresh tea leaves.
