One week before Tet 2025, Sa Dec Flower Village in Dong Thap Province, the largest in the Mekong Delta, is brimming with the colors of spring. Farmers are celebrating an early sell-out season, while visitors flock to the village to admire, photograph, and select flowers for the Lunar New Year (Tet).

A vibrant pre-Tet atmosphere

In the days leading up to the Year of the Snake, Sa Dec Flower Village has transformed into a lively, colorful landscape filled with blooming flowers.

This year, the iconic golden crested chrysanthemum has bloomed right on schedule. Known for its long cultivation period and high investment and technical requirements, the flower is a Tet staple and was pre-ordered early by wholesalers.

Huynh Van Thanh, a grower in Tan Khanh Dong Commune, Sa Dec City, has been busy delivering flowers to customers. This season, Thanh planted 3,000 pots of golden cuc mam xoi, 2,000 of which were ordered by traders in Hanoi.

Each pair of traditional golden chrysanthemum pots sells for 150,000–200,000 VND. Multi-colored varieties, including red and purple, are also popular, with wholesale prices ranging from 130,000–150,000 VND per pot.

Thanh and other farmers report bustling activity as visitors from across the country come to select flowers directly from their fields, adding to the festive atmosphere.

A hub of floriculture

Sa Dec Flower Village spans over 4,000 households involved in flower cultivation, supported by 190 businesses, 17 cooperatives, and collaborative groups. The local flower industry generates an annual production value of 3.3 trillion VND, making it a significant economic driver for the region.

This year, approximately 2 million pots of flowers and ornamental plants are expected to reach Tet markets. Flowers are typically shipped early to Central Vietnam and Hanoi, with deliveries to the Mekong Delta scheduled 3–4 days closer to Tet.

Vũ Hai Manh, a chrysanthemum grower, shared that his flowers are being transported to Hanoi to meet the high demand there.

Meanwhile, visitors are enchanted by the sight of chrysanthemum fields arranged on elevated platforms, providing an ideal backdrop for photography enthusiasts.

A destination for early Tet celebrations

The best times to admire and photograph the flower village are early morning (6–8 a.m.) and late afternoon (4–5 p.m.), when the sunlight is gentle and the blossoms are at their most vibrant.

Many tourists, like Thu Ngan from Ho Chi Minh City, have embraced early spring outings, relishing the “Tet colors” at Sa Dec. Some gardeners even reserve a small portion of their flowers to delight visitors during the holiday season.

Chrysanthemums, marigolds, rooster comb flowers, and other Tet favorites are in full bloom, ready to usher in the Lunar New Year.

For those seeking to bring home a piece of Sa Dec’s beauty, growers carefully package flowers to withstand long-distance travel. Trinh Ngoc Dung, a seller from Binh Phuoc, journeyed over 200 kilometers to purchase flowers for his Tet market. He noted that prices are reasonable this year, and the blooms are evenly distributed and beautiful.

By the 20th day of the 12th lunar month, the village is alive with Tet spirit, welcoming visitors and preparing to spread the vibrant hues of spring across the country.

Dao Phuong