Ly Son's landscape transforms to a light orange colour after the garlic harvest. Photo: VNA

Ly Son's onions and garlic are prized for their distinctive aroma and rich flavor, setting them apart from similar crops grown elsewhere in Vietnam. While these crops are typically cultivated in fertile river deltas, they thrive in Ly Son's unique environment, where layers of white coral sand and volcanic basalt soil create ideal growing conditions.

Garlic, along with onions, are characteristic crops that contribute to the livelihoods of the people and create the famous agricultural brand of Ly Son. Photo: VNA

Garlic, along with onions, are characteristic crops that contribute to the livelihoods of the people and create the famous agricultural brand of Ly Son. Photo: VNA

Farmers prepare the soil for a new winter-spring garlic crop. Photo: VNA

Each July, following the garlic harvest, farmers begin preparing their fields for the next winter-spring crop. Fresh layers of white sand are spread over the fields before volcanic soil is added, a traditional cultivation method that has been passed down through generations.

A farmer works the land to prepare for a new winter-spring garlic crop. Photo: VNA

Farmers work the land to prepare for new winter-spring garlic crop. Photo: VNA

Farmers prepare new soil for growing winter-spring garlic crop. Photo: VNA

With about 3 sao (approximately 3,000 square meters) of cultivated land, many households can harvest about 2 tons of fresh garlic per season if the weather is favorable and the plants grow well. Photo: VNA

As this work unfolds, the island's landscape undergoes a striking seasonal transformation. The lush green fields give way to a patchwork of white sand and warm orange-brown volcanic soil, creating a distinctive mosaic that signals the beginning of a new growing season and adds a new palette of colors to Ly Son's iconic landscape.