Just like the banyan tree, the village well, or the communal courtyard, the bombax tree - known in Vietnamese as cay gao - has long been an inseparable part of the soul of Northern Vietnamese countryside. For many generations of Vietnamese, its vibrant red blossoms are woven into childhood memories, echoed in folk verses such as: "In March the fireflies appear,/ Bombax flowers fall, it’s time to sow sesame seeds" or "When will March come again? / Bombax blossoms fall, and the old woman puts away her winter blanket." Each bloom resembles a tiny flame, lighting up the sky with a splash of brilliant red. The flowers bloom in fiery bursts, dispelling the lingering chill of late spring and adding warm hues to the landscape. By late March and early April, the bombax trees are in full bloom—seen from afar, they appear like giant lanterns ablaze with color.

This weekend, Da Nang Weekend invites you to visit Kien Xuong and Thai Thuy districts in Thai Binh Province, where the bombax trees are now in glorious bloom. Take a moment to admire their vivid red flowers as they illuminate the tranquil, timeworn charm of Vietnam’s countryside. The photos were captured beautifully through the lens of photographer To Manh (Thai Binh).

Translating by HONG VAN