Seeking shade in Dong Nai’s orchards

Under the blazing sun of the first days of the Lunar New Year, lovers of the countryside are heading back to fruit orchards across Dong Nai province to escape the heat and savor the lingering spring atmosphere with family and friends.

With more than 94,000 hectares of fruit trees, including jackfruit, banana, mango, rambutan, and durian, alongside vast stretches of industrial crops, natural forests, planted forests, and rice fields, Dong Nai’s tranquil rural landscapes seem to soften the harsh sunlight, offering a refreshing breeze and a soothing sense of homeland.

Admiring durian blossom season

Trinh Cao Khai, a resident of Xuan Lap ward in Dong Nai province, agreed to take us to his orchard. According to Khai, depending on the durian variety, flowers bloom 45–60 days after buds appear on the trunk and branches. Therefore, after the Tet holiday, farmers devote most of their time to caring for the trees, selecting and nurturing young fruit.

Trinh Cao Khai of Xuan Lap ward, Dong Nai province, stands in his family’s three-hectare durian orchard as the trees prepare to bloom. Photo: Doan Phu

Khai shared that the dry, sunny weather after the first lunar month keeps the orchard airy and pleasant. As a result, some grandchildren, despite returning home for an extended Tet visit, even ask their parents for permission to stay longer, just to lie in hammocks under the durian canopy, gently swaying amid clusters of fragrant blossoms.

Meanwhile, the flock of more than 100 chickens once raised by Luong Van Bay and his wife in Nam Cat Tien commune has now dwindled to a few young birds running freely in their two-hectare durian garden. The couple explained that most of the chickens were prepared as meals for visiting children and friends who came to admire the blooming durian trees. Cheerfully, they promise their loved ones to return in a few months to enjoy the first harvest of the season and take some home as gifts.

Durian has been cultivated for many years in wards and communes such as Nghia Trung, Bu Dang, and Binh Long in Dong Nai province. However, it has become far more widespread since 2010, when farmers from the Mekong Delta began buying land to establish orchards and introduced improved durian varieties, along with more advanced cultivation and care techniques.

Tran Van Bao, a farmer in Binh Long ward, said that in the past, durian was grown from seed and cultivation know-how was still limited, leading to unstable yields and an inconsistent flowering schedule. Today, grafted durian varieties with clear origins are widely used, enabling farmers to better control flowering and fruit set. For instance, stimulating the trees to form buds early in the twelfth lunar month results in peak flowering in the first lunar month and harvesting around the fourth or fifth lunar months. Throughout the dry season, farmers keep their orchards clean and well-ventilated to nurture blossoms and fruit. This period is also a time to welcome children, grandchildren, relatives, and friends home for extended visits.

Every year, no matter how busy they are with work or study far away, my children always call to ask when the durian trees begin budding and flowering so they can bring their own children and friends home to take photos, enjoy the fruit and share it with loved ones. 

Nguyen Van Trinh, a farmer in Dong Tam commune, Dong Nai province.

Where orchards invite visitors to linger

Nhon Trach commune in Dong Nai province has long been known for its fertile alluvial soil and distinctive, flavorful fruits such as To nu jackfruit, rambutan, mangosteen, and Long Tan bananas. As a result, developing eco-tourism garden models has not only drawn the attention of local authorities but has also strongly attracted farmers.

Many billion-dong orchards in Dong Nai have become ideal destinations for visitors looking to escape the heat and take photos.

Nguyen Huy Sang, Chairman of the Nhon Trach Farmers’ Association, said that alongside encouraging local farmers to develop garden eco-tourism to increase income, the commune aims to introduce visitors to the land, culture and hospitable people of Nhon Trach, as well as its year-round fruits and countryside specialties such as Phu Hoi tea, fermented sticky rice, rice paper, fermented fish sauce and black glutinous rice wine.

Likewise, the fruit-growing areas of Long Khanh and Xuan Loc are no less renowned within the culturally and historically rich land of Bien Hoa – Dong Nai. Wards and communes such as Binh Loc, Long Khanh, and Xuan Dinh are famous for jackfruit, rambutan, durian, and pomelo. Thanks to favorable soil conditions, abundant land, and the dynamism of local farmers, garden eco-tourism has flourished, attracting numerous visitors for recreation, relaxation, and traditional culinary experiences during the early days of the new year.

Tran Quoc Phong, owner of Ut Tieu eco-tourism orchard in Binh Loc ward, said his garden welcomes more than 1,000 visitors a week, with the highest numbers on weekends and during peak fruit-ripening periods. Thanks to eco-tourism orchard models, farmers in Binh Loc have reported revenue two to three times higher than income from fruit cultivation alone.

Binh Loc ward now has over 3,000 hectares of fruit trees, with more than 100 orchards developing eco-tourism models. Beyond systematic investment and care, many orchard owners have planted flowers and ornamental trees, created ponds, streams, and rice fields to enhance the landscape.

Hoang Duc Liem, Chairman of the Binh Loc Farmers’ Association, observed that eco-tourism appeals not only to young people, urban residents, and nature lovers, but also to farmers themselves. Its distinctive features include reasonable prices and the sincerity and hospitality of orchard owners, enabling visitors to reconnect with the simplicity of rural life.

The eco-tourism season in these orchards typically becomes vibrant at year-end, during the Lunar New Year, and again in the peak summer harvest around the fourth and fifth lunar months. During their visits, tourists can pick and enjoy fresh fruit on the spot.

Hoang Duc Liem, Chairman of the Binh Loc Farmers’ Association.

Following the merger of the former Dong Nai and Binh Phuoc provinces, the land of Dong Nai has become even more abundant in fruit-growing areas. In its 2025–2030 fruit development plan, the province has clearly set out to capitalize on ecological advantages, enhance product quality and competitiveness, protect the environment, and adapt to climate change. Meanwhile, Dong Nai is committed to forming large-scale, concentrated fruit production zones linked to advanced processing and deep-processing technologies, diversifying products and markets, and promoting agricultural restructuring while expanding the province’s total fruit cultivation area.

By Doan Phu – Translated by M.Nguyet, Minho