The maple forest near the ancient temple in Hai Phong attracts visitors for photo opportunities during the autumn foliage season.

Besides visiting and worshipping at the ancient temple, tourists coming to Nguyen Trai ward (Hai Phong city) during this time can also admire the maple forest during the leaf-changing season, overflowing with red and yellow colors.

Thanh Mai Pagoda is a well-known spiritual site in Nguyen Trai Ward, Hai Phong City (formerly Hoang Hoa Tham Commune, Chi Linh City, Hai Duong Province).

The pagoda is located at an altitude of approximately 200m, on the summit of Thanh Mai Mountain (also known as Tam Ban Mountain) – a mountain range spanning the territories of three provinces: Bac Ninh (formerly Bac Giang), Hai Phong (formerly Hai Duong), and Quang Ninh.

According to the old Hai Duong Provincial Electronic Information Portal, the pagoda was built in 1329 and renovated and rebuilt in 2005.

Upon arriving here, in addition to experiencing a tranquil space completely isolated from the city, visitors can also admire seven well-preserved ancient pagodas, which hold significant historical and cultural value.

Especially during the last days of the year, around the beginning of December in the lunar calendar (the twelfth month), visitors to Thanh Mai Pagoda also have the opportunity to admire the maple forest in front of the pagoda changing its leaves, nổi with vibrant yellow and red colors, illuminating the entire area.

Phong hương (also known as sau sau tree or bạch giao tree) is a woody plant that grows abundantly in the cold climates of northern Vietnam, such as Cao Bang, Lao Cai (formerly Yen Bai), and Quang Ninh.

The maple tree has the unique characteristic of changing its leaf color from green to yellow-orange and then to deep red in late winter, creating a beautiful and romantic scene.

In the area around Thanh Mai Pagoda, acacia trees grow densely, spreading over an area of ​​about 15 hectares. The trees are tens of meters tall, distributed along the road from the foot to the summit of the mountain, including ancient trees with trunks so large that it takes 2-3 people to encircle them.

The area with the highest concentration of fragrant maple trees is the approximately 1km long concrete road leading from the parking lot to the temple grounds.

During a recent visit to Thanh Mai Pagoda, Nguyen Trong Cung, a traditional medicine doctor and freelance photographer from Hung Yen (formerly Thai Binh), was deeply impressed by the poetic beauty of the maple forest during the leaf-changing season.

He described the scenery of golden and red leaves as resembling scenes from Korean dramas he had watched. Furthermore, the atmosphere here is fresh and breezy, making it ideal for tourists to visit and relieve stress on weekends.

According to Mr. Trong Cung, the route to the maple forest area at Thanh Mai Pagoda is quite convenient, with only a few slightly steep sections.

According to his experience, to take beautiful photos of the changing colors of the maple leaves, visitors should come in the afternoon, around 3-4 pm.

At this time of year, the sunlight is gentle, perfect for outdoor photoshoots. Visitors should also choose outfits in bright colors like white or red to stand out amidst the fragrant maple forest.

Besides the fragrant osmanthus trees, there are also ancient chestnut and Terminalia trees growing interspersed along the roadside. White chestnut blossoms bloom amidst the green Terminalia leaves and red-yellow osmanthus flowers, creating a unique natural landscape that attracts tourists from all over to experience and visit during the upcoming Lunar New Year.

Mr. Trong Cung suggested that if visitors come to Thanh Mai Pagoda during this time, they can combine it with a visit to the pink grass hill on the slopes of Ho Giang, about 2km from Con Son tourist area.

Another check-in spot is the field of blooming lilies along the Kinh Thầy river dike, about 20km away, in Lê Đại Hành ward, Hai Phong city (formerly Đồng Lạc ward, Chí Linh city, Hải Dương province).

In the lily fields, locals mainly grow yellow and orange varieties, so visitors can choose light-toned outfits like blue or white to stand out and take stunning photos for social media.

The flower field is open to the public free of charge, and visitors can buy flowers directly to support the locals. The ideal times to take beautiful photos with lilies are 10 am and 4 pm.

Photo: Nguyen Trong Cung

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Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/rung-phong-huong-gan-ngoi-chua-co-o-hai-phong-hut-khach-check-in-mua-thay-la-2481625.html