Two days exploring the beauty of Cao Bang in the rainy season

(SGTT) - The poetically beautiful scenery of Ban Gioc waterfall, Thang Hen lake, Thung mountain... after the rain was recorded by Mr. Nguyen Thanh Tinh, a tourist from Ho Chi Minh City, during his trip to Cao Bang last September.

(SGTT) - The poetically beautiful scenery of Ban Gioc waterfall, Thang Hen lake, Thung mountain... after the rain was recorded by Mr. Nguyen Thanh Tinh, a tourist from Ho Chi Minh City, during his trip to Cao Bang last September.

Mr. Thanh Tinh at Ban Gioc waterfall.

From Ha Giang, Mr. Tinh spent about 8 hours driving the 250km distance to Cao Bang city center. The road is long, combined with the dangerous mountainous terrain, every now and then the car has to stop to give way to another vehicle.

Arriving in Cao Bang around 18:00, Mr. Tinh arrived at the homestay, the room price here is about 400,000 VND. From homestay to main attractions in Cao Bang by motorbike, rental price is 150,000 VND/day.

Phia Thap incense village is located at the foot of Pha Hung mountain (To mountain) of Quoc Dan commune, Quang Uyen district. Photo: Thanh Tinh

After breakfast, Mr. Tinh's first destination in his journey to explore Cao Bang was Phia Thap incense village, about 35km from Cao Bang city center, on the way to Trung Khanh district. From Highway 3, visitors go straight and will see a village on the right side of the road.

People carry bamboo to make incense in Phia Thap village. Photo: Thanh Tinh

Located at the foot of Pha Hung mountain (To mountain) in Quang Uyen district, Phia Thap incense village with beautiful scenery and traditional culture is a "worth-visit" community tourism destination in the Northeast. On both sides of the road are lush green rice fields after a few rains.

People cut bamboo to make incense. Photo: Thanh Tinh

People told Mr. Tinh that they still work regularly every day, waking up to the sound of the rooster crowing in the morning like a habit that is hard to break. Both men and women can go to the forest to cut bamboo that is straight, flexible, easy to catch fire, split into small pieces, and then whittled by hand into very small and evenly rounded sticks.

The worker will dip the incense stick into the sticky substance, then roll it through a layer of mixed powder including sawdust and agarwood powder. Photo: Thanh Tinh

People collect gourd leaves from the forest, dry them, and grind them into small pieces to use as glue. There are also people who collect red bark and sawdust to make incense powder or find rotten pine wood to crush into powder to create color.

All ingredients are natural, no chemicals. Finally, the worker will dip the incense stick into the adhesive, then roll it through a layer of mixed powder including sawdust and agarwood powder.

The beauty of Ban Gioc waterfall after rain. Photo: Thanh Tinh

At around 10:00, Mr. Tinh was at Ban Gioc waterfall, about 90km from Cao Bang city center, in Dam Thuy commune, Trung Khanh district, right on the China-Vietnam border. Therefore, the main waterfall is being jointly exploited for tourism by Vietnam and China.

Ban Gioc Waterfall is located on the flow of the Quay Son River, this river originates from China and flows into Vietnamese territory in Ngoc Khe commune, Trung Khanh district. Because the daily water release from upstream takes place from 10:30 a.m. to 13:00 p.m., the flow of the waterfall is stronger.

Truc Lam Phat Tich Pagoda. Photo: Thanh Tinh

Located about 700m from Ban Gioc waterfall is Truc Lam Phat Tich Pagoda. The pagoda leans its back against Phia Nhan mountain. The road up is winding and winding. To make the journey to the temple convenient, visitors should wear sneakers or flat shoes. From the pagoda, visitors can see far away and see the white foaming waterfalls of Ban Gioc waterfall.

Scenery of Ban Viet Lake. Photo: Thanh Tinh

Mr. Tinh continued to reach Ban Viet lake in the early afternoon, the lake is 18km from Ban Gioc waterfall. This is a 5-hectare artificial lake, nestled in the middle of green mountains and forests. Mr. Tinh suggests that visitors should go to the lake early in the morning to avoid fatigue because the road to the lake is quite rough. The lake is most beautiful in the fall because the leaves turn red at this time.

Early Autumn scenery at Thang Hen Lake. Photo: Thanh Tinh

After the trip to the waterfall and lake, Mr. Tinh went to Trung Khanh town to have roadside pho priced at 50,000 VND/bowl for lunch and rest. In the middle of the afternoon, Mr. Tinh was at Thang Hen Lake. If coming from the city center, visitors move towards Highway 3 for about 28km, then turn left and go straight into Thang Hen Lake eco-tourism area.

Poetic scenery at Thang Hen Lake. Photo: Thanh Tinh

From here, visitors travel about 4km along the pass to reach the lake. Dark clouds surround the mountain when it rains, making the scene more poetic. At around 4:30 p.m., Mr. Tinh arrived at Dung Mountain, also known as God's Eye Mountain. If you go in the direction of Thang Hen Lake, you will reach Dung Mountain first.

Landscape of Thung mountain after rain. Photo: Thanh Tinh

Coming to Cao Bang, visitors can try sour pho, rich in flavors of fried pork belly, roasted duck, sweet and sour sauce, and fragrant sticky rice noodles with a bit of crunch from fried taro fibers.

At about 9:30 the next morning, Mr. Tinh suggested that tourists go to the Pac Bo relic site, a national revolutionary historical relic site in Pac Bo village, Truong Ha commune, Ha Quang district, 45km from the city center. . The clear blue Lenin Stream brings a feeling of relaxation to anyone who accidentally steps here. Around 11:30, visitors can arrange to return to Hanoi.

Lenin Stream is calm and clear after the rain. Photo: Thanh Tinh

According to Mr. Tinh, the most beautiful time in Cao Bang is around September and October because at this time the weather is in the Fall, sometimes it will rain but then visitors will enjoy the beautiful scenery of Cao Bang when the weather is clear. absent-minded. If you go in November or December, Cao Bang is more vibrant because there are buckwheat flowers and wild sunflowers blooming on the mountain slopes and deep forests. From March to April, visitors coming here will get lost in plum or apricot gardens that bear fruit.

Photo: Thanh Tinh

To follow the schedule, visitors can take the Mai Luy, Ngoc Ha, Thanh Ly, Khanh Hoan sleeper bus with a ticket price of about 350,000 VND/person. Departure point from My Dinh wharf, Hanoi. If traveling by private car or motorbike, travel time is about 8-10 hours, you can refer to the first two routes from Hanoi center - Thanh Tri bridge - Hanoi - Thai Nguyen highway then move into Bac Kan province along Highway 3 to Cao Bang city center.

Photo: Thanh Tinh

The second route follows the old National Highway 3, going in the direction of Hanoi - Thai Nguyen - Bac Kan - Ha Giang - Cao Bang. Note that the roads in the rainy season can be difficult to travel because they are slippery and have landslides. You should contact the bus company in advance to know the bus's direction of travel because the bus routes are not necessarily fixed. Total trip cost is about 2,500,000 VND/person.

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Update day : 10/10/2023