A monk's bamboo forest on Son Tra Mount
The owner of a bamboo forest near Da Nang, Monk Thich The Tuong, 51, began cherishing a special passion for the plant in his childhood.
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Bamboo is associated with Vietnam’s rural areas. Tuong had a dream of collecting 300 kinds of bamboo throughout the country and growing them in his forest.
On weekends, Danang City receives thousands of travelers. While people squeeze into famous tourism sites such as Ba Na Tourism Complex, Ngu Hanh Son Mount, Chau A (Asia) Park and My Khe Beach, many choose to come to the Bamboo Reserve, a quiet forest in Tho Quang ward of Son Tra district.
The garden, covering one hectare, is full of bamboo of different kinds. Visitors just need to turn right and go along a small pathway to admire truc ong dieu (Bambusa ventricosa). If they go 100 meters further, they will see the kingdom of ivory bamboo (Phyllostachys).
In the central area of the forest, the owner grows truc den Ha Giang (Phyllostachys nigra), tre bong Dong Thap (Bambusa maculata) and truc vuong Bac Kan (Chimonobambusa quadrangularis) – the three rarest and most precious species.
Tran Quang Thai, a visitor from HCMC, said he was surprised to see many bamboo plants in the city.
“I sometimes want to see bamboo to recall my childhood. But in my home village, bamboo has been depleted,” he explained.
There are boards showing the Vietnamese names and scientific names of bamboo species hung on every tree. And under bamboo clusters, the owner has placed bamboo-made tables with teapots for visitors to rest.
In the middle of the forest, there is a lotus pond of 100 square meters, where fish of many species swim here and there. On the paths, one can see many beautiful little flowers. The owner only grows varieties of flowers associated with the countryside.
“The forest is created by humans, but you can enjoy the breath of nature here,” said Le Nguyet Minh, a traveler from HCMC.
The garden receives numerous visitors from different localities and of different ages. Older people enjoy the landscapes and tea in the shade of trees, while others find quiet places to relax.
Bamboo tree is a significant symbol of Vietnam. It exists almost everywhere in Vietnam, especially in rural areas. The solid, straight and high bamboo trees represent the resilience and bravery of the Vietnamese people.
