In Pa Co commune of Mai Chau district, apart from 82ha of 'shan tuyet' teas grown several decades ago, there are also ancient plants aged more than 100 years, mostly in Pa Hang Lon and Pa Co hamlets. The local tea with its distinctive flavour has become a consumer preference. Besides, the ancient plants are also favourite check-in places of tourists at present.
Residents in Pa Co hamlet in Pa Co commune, Mai Chau district, harvest 'shan tuyet' tea buds from old plants.
Pa Co commune is blessed with a cool climate,
foggy and cold winter, and high humidity in forest, which are favourable
conditions for teas to grow and acquire special quality. In its Pa Hang Lon hamlet, the ancient plant
area is surrounded by forest. Villagers said most of the ancient plants here
are more than 100 years old.
Mua A Senh, a 93-year-old man in Pa Hang Lon
hamlet, said the plants grow wildly, and no one knows when they came into
being. In the past, people often picked and dried fresh buds to use as a daily
beverage and as a gift for distinguished guests. Tea has formed part of the
daily life and culture of the local Mong ethnic people for hundreds of years,
and drying tea is also a craft dating back that long.
The ancient plants in Pa Co commune belong to
the variety of 'shan tuyet', whose buds are covered with as-white-as-snow hairs
that still remain even after being dried. Taking a sip of the clear yellow
drink, people can feel its light bitter and fragrant taste with sweetness still
lingering for a long time.
Sung A Pao, a resident in Pa Hang Lon hamlet,
said that previously, tea plants grew wildly and some were even 6 metres high.
Later, realising consumers’ preference for tea from ancient plants, locals have
boosted organic practices to care for the plants. They do not use pesticide or
chemical fertiliser so as to retain the tea’s natural flavour.
Villagers have to stand on ladders to pick the
buds on the tips of high and long branches of big ancient plants. Every year, a
plant could be harvested for three times, each of which people can pick 10 -
13kg of fresh buds, equivalent to 6 - 7kg of dried tea.
Phang A Truong, a resident in Pa Co hamlet, said
with four plants about 100 years old, his family is among those having the most
ancient tea plants in the hamlet. As the plants are heritage passed down from
their ancestors, they have been cherished very much, protected, and harvested
carefully. Despite low productivity, these plants produce delicious tea with
prices of 250,000 - 300,000 VND (10.1 - 12.1 USD) per kg, bringing about high
profit for locals.
To capitalise on those ancient plants, the
farmers’ union of Pa Co commune has opened training courses to give caring
instructions to local residents. There are nearly 100 ancient tea plants across
the commune at present, generating over 200kg of buds each year and becoming a
considerable source of income for many households.
Chairman of the Pa Co Commune People’s Committee
Sung A Sia noted that ancient tea plants previously scattered across hamlets
but now, they concentrate on an area of about 6ha in Pa Hang Lon and Pa Co
hamlets. To maintain and optimise the ancient plant area, the local authorities
have encouraged people to adopt organic practices and develop a typical tea
product of the locality so as to gradually build a brand and improve product
value.
On May 15, the Hoa Binh Steering Committee for Science, Technology, Innovation, and Digital Transformation launched the "Digital Literacy for All” movement. The event was held both in-person and virtually, connecting provincial authorities with district-level Party committees and local communities across communes, wards, and townships.
The People’s Committee of Hoa Binh province on May 16 held a conference to honour outstanding intellectuals for their contributions in 2025.
The Standing Board of the Hoa Binh provincial Party Committee has held a conference to announce the provincial Party Committee’s decision about the merger of Hoa Binh Newspaper and the provincial Radio and Television Station, along with the Standing Board’s appointment decisions.
After the historic victory on April 30, 1975, which liberated the South and reunified the country, the whole Vietnam embarked on a new mission — promoting peace and reconstructing the nation with century-defining projects. On the fierce Da River, over 30,000 engineers, sappers, and construction workers battled against rocky mountains and raging floods to achieve a remarkable feat. The Hoa Binh Hydropower Plant, the largest of its kind in Southeast Asia at that time, officially began generating electricity, lighting up the North and ushering in a new era of industrialisation.
Muong Dong in Kim Boi district, one of the four major Muong regions in Hoa Binh province, is harnessing its revolutionary legacy and cultural heritage to drive socio-economic transformation.
Throughout April, the joyful atmosphere of the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification spread nationwide. Together with the whole country, residents in Hoa Binh city also expressed their patriotism through meaningful and practical actions.
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