Giang Pang, a tea area floating in the clouds

Giang Pang is a villages of Sung Do commune, Van Chan district, Yen Bai province. But the way to Giang Pang must go through Nam Muoi commune. From the national highway, cars can go to the center of Nam Muoi commune, a distance of more than 20km is quite easy to go, but from Nam Muoi to Giang Pang is only 7km but the dirt road is steep and very difficult to go, in the rainy season, motorbikes must install chains on the tires to be able to go. Sung Do commune is similar to a horseshoe on a high mountain, below is Nam Muoi commune, Giang Pang village is located at the top of the horseshoe bordering Na Hau Nature Reserve, the highest mountain peak is 1,700m.

The village is blurred and immersed in the dreamy mist. Giang Pang has about 75 houses, 100% of them are Mong people, but they are scattered across the mountain slopes of several square kilometers. Along the road to the village, ancient tea trees grow like a forest, to facilitate harvesting, people cut down the tops of each tree, the branches spread out several square meters. Strangely, looking at the old tea trees, hundreds of years old, covered with ancient moss, the leaves are still green, the buds are as big as banyan buds, covered with a layer of white fluff like snow. That shows the strong vitality hidden in those ancient trees, defying time, sun, rain, cold...

Giang Pang tea area is estimated at about 40 hectares, the tea trees are big enough for two people to hug around the base, there are dozens of trees, the ones that are big enough for one person to hug around are thousands, the ones that are as big as a thigh are too many to count. Giang Pang people harvest about 50 tons of fresh tea buds each year.

No one knows when the Mong people came to Giang Pang, the elders estimate it was about six or seven generations. The first person to come here to reclaim this land was Mr. Giang Pang, his name is also the name of the village.

We sat together drinking tea by the fire, the cup of tea that my friend had just poured for me was golden like honey, a thin layer of smoke spread over my face, bringing the cup to my nose I could smell the fragrant aroma. I took small sips to enjoy the flavor of the ancient tea trees here, a sweet and astringent taste lingering on the tip of my tongue...