In order to live deeply every moment with lotus, many people choose the cracking dawn of summer to capture the fullness of this kind of flower.

People harvest lotus seed pods in the early morning. Photo: NHU HANH

Decades ago, a part of Da Nang people every morning leisurely walked out to the street to enjoy lotus flowers right next to Bau Thac Gian which is tens of hectares wide on Ham Nghi street, Thanh Khe district or stopped by a small lotus pond on Ha Huy Tap street to inhale the lotus scent lingering in the pure morning dew to add energy for a new working day. However, the process of urbanization and water pollution have caused these lotus ponds to shrink or only remain in memory.
Near and far

The official name of the lotus pond on Ha Huy Tap street is Xuan Hoa A. In the past, the lake water was once polluted by absorbing toxic dioxins from the Da Nang International Airport. However, the landscape here has gradually changed after the project on the environmental treatment of dioxin pollution at the airport was completed at the end of 2018. Although the lotus area is now smaller than before, this place has been an attractive destination for people to relax, and fish in the blooming season.

Many people living in Danang are unwilling to let the memory of the lotus be buried by the flow of time, so they often look for lotus in the quiet suburbs to relive the feelings of summer lotus. Their journey to find the beauty of that pure Vietnamese flower stretches from the lotus ponds of Bau Nghe and the lotus fields of Khe Voi, Hoa Vang District to the new lotus lake in Hoa Xuan Ward, Cam Le District, and the one in  Hoa Quy Ward, Ngu Hanh District.

And if there is a leisurely day, lotus lovers can even get up at 3 am to drive from Da Nang to Tra Ly lotus field or Dong Lon lotus lake in Duy Son Commune, Duy Xuyen District, Quang Nam Province, or the lotus pond in  Chau Bi village, Dien Ban Town, to be able to immerse themselves in the gorgeous beauty of lotus from early morning until sunset.

Taking photos with beautiful lotus branches. Photo: NHU HANH

Working hard to live with the profession of lotus cultivation

So far, people have no idea about when lotus cultivation started, and we only know that when the flooded fields could not be used to grow rice, our grandparents planted lotus and released fish for generations. Hidden behind the fields of fragrant and charming flowers captivating people's hearts are thousands of drops of sweat falling in the scorching summer sun.

Farmers grow lotus mainly for seeds because if they only sell flowers, they do not have enough income to live. Lotus cultivation, like many other agricultural occupations, is an arduous job, especially in the harvest season.

According to Mr Ho Van Thien, owner of a lotus pond of more than 2 hectares in Chau Bi Village, living in low-lying and muddy areas is the peculiarity of the lotus, so lotus growers must work hard under the sun with their bodies flooded in the water all day long. Moreover, lotus petioles which carry many thorns are fairly long, so, it is difficult for growers to avoid being scratched and bleeding if they don't wear protective suits.

On top of that, lotus pickers also push along a small aluminium boat to hold lotus seed pods after cutting. It takes nearly two hours to fulfil the boat with around 40 kilogrammes of lotus. Lotus picking is quite difficult because it is completely manual.  In addition, you have to be very patient because it takes a lot of time.

At the end of summer,  lotuses gradually wilt and reveal old shrivelled leaves and a dark colour bearing the sadness of water. After a long cold winter, the water surface warms up in January and the lotus fields are drained and ploughed.

The lotus roots from the previous season, which are fertilized with ash, will start to produce leaves, and flowers and will be harvested about 4 months later.

The lotus seasons go by one after another, not only beautifying the picture of the countryside but also bringing the people in the purely agricultural areas significant economic benefits.

The "handshake" between tourism and lotus

Every summer, nothing is happier than being immersed in a space filled with pure lotus scent because the gentle pink and young green leaves will help people dispel all worries in their daily lives and remember a whole childhood in the countryside. Grasping this spiritual demand of many people, modern farmers have built a few more bamboo bridges, some thatched huts and some miniatures for lotus lovers to enjoy.

Recently, at the opening ceremony of Thai Lai Community Tourism Village, Mr Tran Van Thu, Chairman of Hoa Nhon Commune People's Committee excitedly boasted that Khe Voi, Thach Nham Dong Village, has a 2 hectare-wide lotus pond which has just formed in February. This aims to implement a plan to change the kind of crops on long-term abandoned land, fight waste and help more than 20 local households increase their income.

From the next lotus crop, the commune will renovate the landscape to be more beautiful and favourable for this ecotourism model so that visitors can easily touch and listen to the fragrant breath of lotus.

Moreover, several services such as rental of costumes, serving soft drinks, and selling lotus products will also be implemented. At that time, Da Nang people only need to drive some kilometres to be able to check in with lotus and experience wonderful relaxing moments amidst the fragrant aroma of the countryside.

Reporting by NHU HANH - Translating by T.VY