Springtime in the mountains

Across the plantations, the coffee blossoms still blanket the landscape in pristine white, creating a dreamy scene amidst the vast forest. These coffee blossoms are likened to delicate, sweet white snowflakes, spreading in the sun and wind, creating a unique beauty found only in the Tây Nguyên region...

Ede girls by the coffee plantation. Photo: T.Nga.

The coffee flowering season in Dak Lak begins in late November and lasts until around mid-March of the following year. However, the most beautiful and vibrant time is from late February to early March, when the coffee plantations simultaneously burst into bloom, covering the hillsides in white, creating an incredibly poetic and captivating landscape.

Mr. Y Bhung Ayun (Cuôr Dăng commune, Cư M'gar district, Đắk Lắk province) said that his family owns more than 1 hectare of coffee. Every year, this time of year is usually sunny, but this year the weather is unusually cold and prolonged, so people are watering their coffee plants later than usual. Following these watering cycles, the coffee flowers bloom in 3 to 4 consecutive waves, from November of the previous year to March of the following year. Only when they see the gardens bursting with flowers, covering the fields in white, do the farmers feel somewhat reassured about the harvest.

For the people of this region, the coffee blossom season is when the Central Highlands are at their most beautiful. Beautiful not only because of the color of the flowers, but also because of the intoxicating fragrance in every breath of nature and the earth. That fragrance is a blend of gentleness and strength. It's a scent that makes you stop, close your eyes, and take a deep breath to savor it.

In recent years, coffee blossoms have been utilized by businesses in the Central Highlands provinces to produce a unique beverage: coffee blossom tea. As one of the pioneers in using coffee blossoms to make tea, Mr. Le Van Vuong (Ea Kao commune, Buon Ma Thuot city, Dak Lak province) shared: "Normally, after harvesting coffee, farmers prune the branches and then water the plants to encourage flowering. But now we do the opposite; we wait until the flowers bloom before pruning and harvesting the blossoms from those branches. Thanks to this, we have an additional source of income from this incredibly fragrant and unique coffee blossom tea."

“When making tea, we take advantage of harvesting the small, newly bloomed flowers, and the harvesting time is from 4 to 8 am. Importantly, only organically grown coffee is used to make the tea. This tea has a very delicious aroma and a cooling effect, helping people enjoy a deeper and more restful sleep. Besides that, we are currently experimenting with a new product: beer fermented from coffee,” Mr. Vuong added.

This is an innovation by coffee growers. The fragrant aroma of coffee blossoms permeates the red soil and now fills every cup of tea, adding another source of income for the coffee farmers on this land.

Ms. H'Zu Ni Niê (Tan Loi Ward, Buon Ma Thuot City, Dak Lak) said: “As someone born and raised in a land closely associated with coffee trees, this is the first time I've had the opportunity to enjoy tea made from coffee flowers. Especially in such a special setting… For me, coffee is already a delicious drink, but tea made from coffee flowers is equally delicious. A very subtle creation by the coffee growers.”

According to the Buon Ma Thuot Coffee Association, creating more products from coffee plants will help Dak Lak, the coffee capital, build a multi-valued agricultural system and generate optimal added value per unit of cultivated land. In particular, in many localities with a strong coffee-growing potential, farmers should be encouraged to cooperate to exploit the added value from coffee, combining it with culture and tourism. Because beyond the winding red basalt roads lie vast, white coffee plantations, creating an incredibly captivating natural landscape.

These days, Dak Lak province, the coffee capital, is busily preparing for a major event: the 50th anniversary of the victory at Buon Ma Thuot and the liberation of Dak Lak province (March 10, 1975 - March 10, 2025), and the 9th Buon Ma Thuot Coffee Festival in 2025 (from March 9 to 13). The festival will feature many attractive and unique activities, deeply rooted in the traditional culture of the Central Highlands people, including agricultural tourism experiences in general and coffee tourism in particular.

Source: https://daidoanket.vn/mua-xuan-noi-dai-ngan-10300814.html