Pink grass season in Dalat

The last two months of the year are the pink grass season in Da Lat when the grass fields in the Golden Valley and Masara hills turn purple-pink.

The typical pink grass season of Da Lat appears only once a year from early November to the end of December.

Pink grass is now blooming everywhere in Da Lat, on the hills under the pine forest canopy or in the grounds of tourist attractions such as Da Lat Golden Valley, the bare hill area, the lonely Dankia tree or Masara hill in the suburbs.

Pink grass is a type of weed, belonging to the conifer group, growing in small clumps, with thin stems and leaves. When the rainy season passes, the old grass gradually withers and the new grass sprouts above the ground. At this time, the grass leaves and tiny flowers are purple-pink. In the early morning, the dew drops still linger on the grass, shining in the sunlight, so many people also call it snow grass.

Each grass root grows in clumps, clinging to the ground, no higher than the ankle. Each pink grass clump grows close together, intertwining with each other, covering an entire valley or hillside. The pink-purple color makes the scene strange, different from the other seasons of the year.

Living in Da Lat, Pham Kim Nhan, 28, never misses the pink grass season at the end of each year. The first place he chose was the pink grass hill in the Golden Valley, about 12km from the center of Da Lat City. There is a complex of pine forests and grass hills covering an area of ​​about 170 hectares, according to the website of the National Tourism Administration.

Coming here on November 20, Nhan said the grass had covered the hill. "The landscape seemed to be covered with a soft pink fur coat when the weather in Da Lat was cold," he said.

For tourists who do not have much time, the Golden Valley is a suitable place to "hunt" for pink grass. Here there are pine forests, pink grass carpets, sunshine and early morning dew, helping tourists to have photos with the typical atmosphere of Da Lat.

But if you want to admire a vast pink grass prairie, visitors should spend time going to Masara Hill in the suburbs, said Mr. Nhan.

After more than two hours of traveling, he arrived at Masra grass hill in Masara cultural village, Ta Nang commune, Duc Trong district, nearly 80 km from the center of Da Lat city. This area is the border of Lam Dong and Binh Thuan provinces, and is also where the Lam Dong plateau begins to decrease in altitude. Here, a large grassland is dyed pink by the color of grass.

Unlike the pink grass hills that grow with pine forests, in Masara, pink grass grows on bare hills, with only a few places having pine trees but not many.

Without the pine forest cover, the pink grass covers the entire vast area. The pink grass in Masara is darker, almost like burnt grass due to being directly affected by sunlight all day, different from the snow pink color in the Golden Valley.

The beauty of Masara is a combination of pink grass steppe and vast space. Standing anywhere on the hill, you can look far away and see the grass color stretching to the horizon, Mr. Nhan shared.

The best time to admire and take pictures of pink grass is after sunset at 4pm and at dawn, around 6am - 8am. At that time, the sunlight is gentle, not too harsh, and the grass has beautiful colors.

Masara is also one of the most beautiful places to camp and watch the sunrise in Dalat, especially at the end of the year. Visitors can bring camping equipment to set up tents overnight and admire the pink grassland in the dawn the next morning.

When camping, visitors should choose an area with little grass and sheltered from the wind to avoid affecting the landscape. At night, the outdoor temperature drops, so it is necessary to prepare enough clothes and warm equipment to ensure health, Mr. Nhan shared.

The pink grass season lasts until about the end of December, depending on the location the grass may wither earlier or later. The pink grass is usually at its most beautiful around the end of November.

Pink grass is only beautiful when there is enough dew and sunshine, visitors should choose sunny days, the pink color of the grass is more obvious. Avoid going on rainy or cloudy days, the grass color will be lighter and darker.

Dalat is in the cold sunny season, visitors can combine watching pink grass and hunting clouds, mist, wild sunflowers to enjoy all the beauty of this place in the last months of the year.

Quynh Mai Photo: Pham Kim Nhan

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