Pumpkin gardens with pumpkins weighing hundreds of kilograms attract visitors in Quang Ninh.

A garden of giant pumpkins weighing from 40 kg to 126 kg in Hoanh Mo commune attracts thousands of visitors every month since its opening.

The garden, belonging to Hoa Binh Lieu Cooperative in Hoanh Mo commune, Quang Ninh province, currently has nearly 50 giant pumpkins, ranging in size from 40 kg to 126 kg, many times larger than ordinary pumpkins (3-7 kg each).

These are Atlantic Giant pumpkins, a variety that once held the world record for the largest fruit in the plant kingdom, with a record-breaking pumpkin weighing 1,360 kg harvested by British brothers Ian and Stuart Paton in October 2025, according to the Smithsonian scientific magazine.

Locals have to use carrying poles to harvest these giant pumpkins. Photo: Nguyen Thanh Hai

According to Mr. Nguyen Thanh Hai, Director of the Cooperative, the unit purchased the seeds for trial planting starting in 2025 after finding them suitable for the local soil. The cooperative began welcoming visitors in February on an area of ​​5,000 m2, planted interspersed under cherry blossom trees.

In the first phase, the cooperative planted 30 pumpkin plants, yielding 47 pumpkins; in the second phase, they planted an additional 17 plants. Currently, the garden has about 20 pumpkins developing, many of which are only 28 days old but already weigh 80 kg. It takes about 4 months from sowing to maturity.

Visitors taking photos in the pumpkin garden. Photo: Nguyen Thanh Hai

In the first week of August, the number of visitors to the garden reached 1,200. From July to now, the number of visits is estimated at over 4,000, according to Mr. Vi Ngoc Nhat, Head of the Culture Department of Hoanh Mo commune.

Initially, the cooperative did not charge an entrance fee; it is expected that from the following week, the entrance fee to the exhibition area and pumpkin growing area will be around 30,000 VND per person.

Mr. Hai said that besides pumpkins, the blooming of Thai myrtle flowers at the same time also contributes to attracting visitors to this area.

Hoanh Mo is a border area of ​​137 km2, home to the Tay, Dao, and San Chi ethnic groups, bordering China to the north. Possessing majestic natural landscapes, a border line, and border markers, Hoanh Mo is aiming for sustainable tourism development linked to green agriculture and border gate economy, according to the Quang Ninh Provincial Electronic Information Portal.