This was a surprising and memorable experience for me. On National Highway 20, heading towards Cau Dat, near the Railway Tunnel, there's a pine forest by the roadside, often referred to as a bee farm, located on the road leading to a coffee-growing area, making it ideal for bees to fly in search of nectar.
Bee colonies typically migrate according to the flowering seasons of the year, collecting honey from rubber trees in Binh Phuoc during the months when longan and coconut flowers bloom. They only return to Da Lat about 10 days before the first coffee flower blooms.
The first coffee blossoms of the season release a strong, sweet fragrance that entices bees to collect nectar. Walking through a coffee plantation, you'll encounter bees so engrossed in the scent and nectar that they forget the presence of humans. About 2-3 weeks after the first bloom, the honey can be harvested.
The honey harvesting process involves many visually stunning steps. Under the pine trees, nets are spread out and thick smoke billows as people collect the honeycombs, which are then cut at the ends, sealed with wax, and placed into a rotating drum to extract the honey. The steps may sound simple, but for tourists witnessing honey harvesting for the first time, it's quite a sight to behold.
In March, Da Lat is not only characterized by mist, clouds, dryness, and cold, but also by the pristine beauty of coffee blossoms, their rich aroma and sweet honey-like flavor spreading throughout the area.
Heritage Magazine
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