Visiting a local plum orchard and exploring the mountains in Yen Bai, Vietnam

Winding mountain roads on the way to the orchards in Yen Bai.

Inside the local plum orchard. The landscape is incredibly lush.

Freshly picked plums. All-you-can-eat straight from the branch.

During my recent trip to northern Vietnam, I spent some time exploring Yen Bai province. The landscape here is stunning, with winding roads, lush green mountains, and incredibly fresh air—a huge contrast to the busy cities.

​The highlight of this leg of the trip was visiting a local plum orchard. The locals running the place were very warm and welcoming. The entrance fee was exactly 50,000 VND (which is roughly $2 USD). The rule was simple: all-you-can-eat straight from the tree. You can wander around the orchard, pick the fresh plums, and eat as much as you want while enjoying the mountain views. The $2 covers everything you eat on the spot, and you only pay extra if you want to bag some up to take back to your hotel.

​It was a very simple but memorable experience interacting with the locals and trying the fresh agriculture of the region. Highly recommend taking a detour here if you are planning a route through the North of Vietnam.