Maple leaf season in Bach Ma forest

In February, the maple forest in Bach Ma National Park (Hue City) turns bright red, attracting visitors to trek and take photos.

Bach Ma National Park has a total area of about 37,500 hectares, with diverse landscapes including mountains, forests, waterfalls, streams and more than 2,300 species of plants and 1,700 species of animals. Rare animals and plants that need to be protected in the forest include the red-shanked douc langur, saola, white pheasant, po mu or agarwood.

In early February, the weather in Hue is cold, the maple forest in Bach Ma forest turns red, appearing in the mist and clouds, creating a colorful natural picture.

Photographer Nguyen Phong, who lives in Hue City, went trekking on Bach Ma on February 12 and captured a series of photos of the maple forest in the season of changing leaves. He said that the beginning of the year is a beautiful time to see the maple forest changing leaves and the early spring scenery on Bach Ma peak.

Red maple is also known as fragrant maple or sau sau, scientific name is Fagraea ceilanica. This species is characterized by emitting a pleasant scent, often found in tropical areas, most abundant in the forests of Southeast Asia.

Maple in Bach Ma has three-lobed leaves, different from red maple in temperate countries. There are thousands of varieties of red maple in the world based on the number of lobes and leaf color. This species is woody, perennial, 2-10 m tall, often planted in urban areas for shade.

According to Mr. Phong, the red leaves in Bach Ma do not grow in clusters but are scattered on the trails leading to the top, extending to Do Quyen waterfall and Ngu Ho.

The higher you go, the lower the temperature, the more the mountains and forests appear in the mist and clouds. Bach Ma is the only strip of primeval forest in Vietnam that connects from the sea to the Vietnam - Laos border. There are also abandoned villas here, which were once resorts for French officers and the Hue elite.

The naturally grown maple trees, about a hundred years old, are located in the grounds of ancient villas, standing out in the winter landscape with their red color.

Mr. Le, 29 years old, living in Hue City, came to Bach Ma forest for the first time on February 12. He said he had heard a lot about the beauty of maple leaves, but when he saw it with his own eyes, he was truly impressed.

"The feeling of walking under the forest canopy, looking at the bright red maple leaves, is an unforgettable experience," said Anh Le.

Besides the red maple leaves, visitors to Bach Ma in February and March also have the opportunity to admire the pink color of bell-shaped peach blossoms and rhododendrons in beautiful bloom.

In the photo are bell-shaped peach blossoms blooming near Do Quyen waterfall. Bach Ma National Park.

A group of tourists rested and checked in under an ancient maple tree near the top of the mountain on February 12.

Bach Ma peak is at an altitude of 1,450 m, the closer to the top, the more red maple leaves appear.

Ngu Ho Waterfall is a familiar stop for tourists on their journey to explore Bach Ma forest with clear, cool water all year round.

Bach Ma National Park is about 40 km from Hue city. Visitors follow National Highway 1A to the south at Phu Loc town, when reaching km 3, continue following the signs to arrive. Entrance fee is 60,000 VND per person. Visitors should prepare shoes with good grip for walking because the road is slippery and clean up the trash from the forest if they bring food and supplies during the journey.

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