Lotus, symbol of Vietnam

Lotus can be found everywhere around the country, in religion, arts, architecture but also in the daily lives and gastronomy of Vietnamese or as the emblem of Vietnam Airlines flight company. It is considered as a sacred flower in Buddhism, growing and blossoming despite emerging from muddy waters.

Wading through a sea of lotus

Lotus fields in shadow and light

The farmers I met in these fields near Hoi An have been working their lotus farms since the end of the 1970s. The area has been a hub of lotus production in the decades since.

The lotus harvest only takes place during summer, and the farmers spend the rest of the year working in the mountains surrounding the fields, collecting wood and raising cattle. They start harvesting lotus seeds before dawn, pause during the brutal midday heat, and return when the temperatures drop. Collected seeds are sold for VND 150 000 per kilogram for retail, or 130 000 for wholesale. The seeds are usually roasted and served as a tasty snack, but they can also go with hot dishes. To make scented lotus tea, farmers put green tea inside flowers when they close at around 11pm, and they then pick the flowers at 3am, before they re-open. They follow this routine to get the best flavor out of the lotus flowers.

Sprawling lotus farms as seen from above