Tourists have been flocking to Quang Ngai Province’s Truong Chu Pond, which is spectacularly adorned with water lilies in peak bloom season.
Situated at the foot of Eo Gio Pass in Nghia Hanh District, Truong Chu's water lilies pond, which spans one hectare, was formed 40 years ago.
The water lilies pond is located close to the edge of the forest, collecting water flows down from the upper mountain. The pond gets filled up during the rainy season and will begin to dry up in July, creating favorable conditions for water lilies to thrive. The blooming water lillies not only attract visitors, but also a lot of bees and butterflies seeking nectar and birds hunting insects.
The flowers bloom early morning from April to June. They are used for decoration, offering at pagodas and to make tea. Their stalks are edible and can be eaten raw with either fermented paste or braised sauce, or dunked into a sour soup or hotpot.
Chu rows a boat to pick water lilies and tend to grass carp raised in the pond.
Chu has also opened a boating service, charging VND100,000 ($4.32) per visitor wishing to explore the pond and VND200,000 ($8.65) for tourists who also want to harvest the flowers and take photographs.
Hoang Thi Mai Phuong, who came here with photographers, said that she had passed through the pond many times and wanted to stop by to take pictures but had not had the opportunity.
"The feeling of rowing a boat to see the water lilies is very cool and calming," she said.
Traveling on the Eo Gio Pass from Quang Ngai to the Central Highlands provinces, the sight of the water lily pond in full bloom shining in the sunlight is a mesmerizing, unforgettable sight.
