The so tree (also known as tra mai, tra mai hoa, or tea oil camellia) is a signature plant of Binh Lieu. Traveling to Binh Lieu at year-end, visitors can admire forests covered in the pure white color of countless so flowers.
So flowers bloom white in Binh Lieu at year-end
At the end of the year, in December, so flowers begin to bloom white across the hills and mountains, becoming a distinctive feature of this mountainous district. Therefore, tourists traveling to Binh Lieu in winter have the opportunity to admire this pure flower and participate in the Binh Lieu So Flower Festival.
Binh Lieu's so flower tree
The so tree is an indigenous plant closely tied to the lives of ethnic minority communities in the mountainous district of Binh Lieu. In the past, so trees grew wild across mountains, forests, and villages, and locals often chopped branches for firewood.
Book attractive Ha Long tours here:
Photo: Ha Noi Moi Newspaper.
Oil from the so tree brings economic value
However, ever since traders began purchasing so fruits to process essential oils, local residents have paid more attention to planting so trees. In addition, so seeds are the raw material for pressing so oil, a cooking oil rich in nutrients that helps reduce fat and boost the body's immune system.
Taking photos with so flowers. Photo: binhlieu.quangninh.org.vn.
Cooking oil from Binh Lieu so seeds is highly regarded, with Omega 3, 6, and 9 contents equivalent to olive oil. The roots and bark of the so tree can also treat stomach aches, sprains, twisted ankles…
Photo: binhlieu.quangninh.org.vn.
So oil is an industrial raw material used to make machine oil, lubricants, anti-rust oil, printing ink, and medicinal oil. So oil is also used to produce plant protection agents and fertilizers. Dried so husks serve as fuel and activated carbon, while the residue left after pressing crude oil helps clean shrimp ponds.
Binh Lieu So Flower Festival. Photo: Quang Ninh Newspaper.
In Binh Lieu, the area dedicated to so trees is constantly increasing, making it, along with cinnamon and star anise, one of the key crops for ethnic minority communities. Just as the white flowers bloom in pure elegance, the lives of local residents are increasingly flourishing.
Display of signature local cuisine. Photo: Quang Ninh Newspaper.
For residents in the border area of Binh Lieu, the so tree not only provides an income source, but also contributes to developing a new type of tourism here: winter tourism.
Various cultural and art activities at the festival. Photo: Communist Party of Vietnam Online Newspaper.
Binh Lieu So Flower Festival
First organized in 2015, the Binh Lieu So Flower Festival not only promotes and introduces local strengths and honors the cultural, scenic, and economic values of the so tree, but also contributes to attracting investors and travel businesses to develop Binh Lieu tourism.
Photo: VnExpress.
The Binh Lieu So Flower Festival features attractive activities such as community cultural performances, tours of the So flower forests, and a photo exhibition showcasing the beautiful land of Binh Lieu.
The So tree brings high economic value. Illustrative photo: Quang Ninh Newspaper.
Attending the So flower festival, visitors to Binh Lieu have the opportunity to admire young women dressed in their finest attire, take photos with the flowers, and experience unique activities.
The So flower forest. Photo: VOV.
Alongside annual activities, the festival also organizes photo exhibitions showcasing terraced fields and Binh Lieu's nature, especially the paragliding activity “Flying amidst the So flower forest”… offering visitors an unforgettable experience.
“Flying amidst the So flower forest”. Photo: VOV.
The annual Binh Lieu So Flower Festival is a hallmark cultural event. Domestic and international visitors can admire the pure, rustic beauty of So flowers and gain a deeper understanding of the life and culture of the people in the nation's Northeast region.
