Son Tra, the season of new leaves.

The Son Tra Peninsula, during the autumn foliage season, boasts a wild and majestic beauty. (Photo: Archival material)

Recently, my friends and I came here on a chilly winter day; standing at an altitude of 700 meters above sea level, looking at the forest changing its leaves, I felt as if I was witnessing the transformation of all things, so fresh and full of life.

Son Tra is an ideal destination as it is only about 10km from the city center, with three sides bordered by the sea and one side bordered by land. A tour around the entire peninsula is just over 12km.

Every April, you can come here to admire the clusters of deep purple rhododendron flowers and the brown-footed langurs swinging on the branches. In summer, you can sit on a motorbike and gaze at the purple hues of the rhododendron hills; in early autumn, visitors can park their bikes and wade in to pick the tiny, velvety purple rhododendron berries, about the size of an index finger.

Later, due to storms, sections of the road leading up the mountain were damaged by landslides caused by heavy rain; therefore, to visit Green Lake, Linh Ung Pagoda, But Beach, Obama Rock Beach; to visit Ghenh Bang and Nghe Cape, tourists should follow the coastal road Vo Nguyen Giap - Hoang Sa; and to reach Ban Co Peak, the thousand-year-old banyan tree, Son Tra Lighthouse, Vong Canh Hill… they should detour via Yet Kieu road.

A few days ago, we went up to play chess with the God of Heaven at sunset. Standing high above, looking down at the city, the tall buildings appearing and disappearing in the thin white mist tinged with the lingering pink light on the mountaintops, a feeling of ethereal bliss overwhelmed our souls. As evening fell, the breeze dissipated in the mist, bringing a slight coolness to our skin.

We gazed out at the sea, a tranquil, deep blue expanse, the long stretch of sand like a white chalk line separating the azure of the ocean from the verdant green of the forest. A vast carpet of vegetation stretched out before us, dotted with bright green buds against the tranquil blue backdrop. In the distance, solitary banyan trees stood, their gnarled branches revealing glimpses of fresh green buds; a few early-blooming clusters of leaves, each bearing a cluster of seeds that, from afar, looked like strings of green beads, a gift from nature to the Son Tra mountain forest.

I love the feeling of walking through the forest, immersing myself in the fresh air, and gazing at the endless rows of trees waving hello. This afternoon, visiting the forest at sunset, the trees were changing their leaves, each type displaying its own unique color, blending into the overall vibrant tapestry of Son Tra. Barely visible among the green leaves were clusters of blue and white flowers, looking from afar like clouds hanging halfway up the hillside or perhaps the cloak of a fairy left behind before she ascended to heaven?

Nothing is more delightful than walking in the forest in the early morning and late afternoon. The fresh, cool air seems to penetrate deep into my lungs; my soul feels light and carefree; all the hustle and bustle of everyday life seems to fade away... Visiting Son Tra during the season of new leaves, I suddenly realize that everything is transforming, changing its appearance, becoming fresher and more vibrant, overflowing with life. Nature offers each person a lesson about change to renew themselves, and each visit to Son Tra gives me a renewed source of energy for a new week full of plans...

Source: https://baodanang.vn/son-tra-mua-la-moi-3315894.html