Every March Nam Cum village in Dien Bien province is adorned with Ban (Bauhinia variegata) flowers in full bloom, painting the area with delicate white and purple flowers.
Nam Cum village is situated about 50 kilometres from the centre of Dien Bien Phu city and is home to around 1,200 ancient Ban flowers.
The pure white petals of Ban flowers can be seen on the major roads and on the hillsides around Nam Cum village.
The flowers typically have five petals and can be purple, white, or red, although the majority are white.
For generations, Ban flowers have been closely associated culturally and spiritually with ethnic minority groups residing in the northwestern mountains.
In March, when the Ban season peaks, mountainsides covered in flowering Ban trees create a romantic picture.
The northwest region is covered in a thick blanket of white petals.
Ban flowers and trees are part of local people's lives.
Ban flowers make the northwestern region a place worth visiting in March.
