You travel to The Northeast, we show you where to go and what to do, to see and to eat !

Bac Kan – an idea destination-140 km from Hanoi by bus

Coming to Bac Kan, tourists will be impressed by beautiful landscapes, rich forest and mineral resources, etc., and the life rich in cultural identity of the mountainous people of Northeastern Vietnam. Ba Be Lake is a famous landscape that was recognized as National historic cultural heritage in 1996 by the Government with the proposal to be recognized by UNESCO as a World inheritance.

Ba Be Lake

Ba Be Lake is a unique natural beauty spot in Bac Kan. The lake is 240 kilometers east of Hanoi Capital. This is the largest natural fresh lake in Vietnam formed many years ago. In March 2005, the International Conference on Fresh Lakes held in the US ranked Ba Be Lake amongst 20 beautiful fresh lakes in the world.

The lake covers a water surface of about 500 hectares. Its length is over 8 kilometers and width is nearly 2 kilometers.

Ba Be Lake attracts to visitors by not only its cool and fresh climate but also legends of rich human culture and high education.

Pac Ngoi Ecological Tourism Village

The village belongs to Nam Mau commune. It is ranked by the Ministry of Culture and Information amongst 21 attractive beauty spots in Ba Be National Garden.

Visiting Pac Ngoi, tourists will be enjoyed comfortable time here, live in houses on stilts and take part in as well as enjoy art performance with native people and eat local specialties. When the night comes, tourists will have chance to sing with girls of the Tay ethnic minority around flickering flame.

Possessing cultural characteristics and beautiful nature, Pac Ngoi has become an ecological village impressing all visitors.

Puong Grotto

Puong Grotto locates on Nang River, which is 5 km far from the center of Ba Be Lake. The grotto has a length of 300 meters and average height of about 25-30 meters. Inside the grotto is a large number of big stalactite pillars whose colors change season by season and are subject to changes in the weather.

About 100 meters far from the Grotto, tourists can see a stone image of President Ho Chi Minh staring at the river. Deeper inside the grotto has terraced fields formed from stone.

In the old days, the Grotto was revolutionary base of the Mac. Today, the grotto is worthy of a profound and attractive ecological destination.

Cao Bang

Nguom Ngao Cavern:

Nguom Ngao is one of the largest caverns located inside a mountain among the range of limestone mountain in Gun hamlet, Dam Thuy commune, Trung Khanh district.

The cave was formed due to weathered process of limestone mountains over a long time. Stepping in the cavern, we seem to see a miraculous world. From high stone cliffs, hanging wonderful sparkling seven-colored stalactites. The nature busy with its work over a long time to create attractive stone statues of which some look like human bodies, some look like forest trees, animals of fairy tales, or a fairy combing her hair, or a good divine, or a huge lotus bulb. Stalactites seem to grow from the soil, or hang down, vertical or horizontal with small and big figures piled and fixed in a hustle indulging visitors.

Wonderful beauty of Nguom Ngao spreads the cavern. According to figures given by the British Royal Investigator Group in 1995, Nguom Ngao is 2,144m long including 3 main entrances namely Nguom Ngao, Nguom Lom and Ban Thuon.

Ban Doc Waterfall:

Ban Doc waterfall is situated in Dam Thuy commune, Trung Khanh district. The Quay Son river rises from China flowing into our country in Po Peo (Ngoc Khe commune) and to communes including Dinh Phong, Chi Vien. When it reaches Dam Thuy commune of Trung Khanh district, the mild river circles around Co Muong mountain bottom and flows to rice fields of Dam Thuy towards the large maize alluvial plain of Ban Gioc village. Here, the flow divides into many branches and lowers its flow to 35m creating Ban Gioc waterfall.

The sight in Ban Gioc waterfall bears a poetic, fresh, quiet beauty of water, forest and cloud area mixed with village atmosphere of mountainous ethnic minorities. Beyond the waterfall see the Vietnamese- Chinese landmark 53. This is a cultural destination for young people and ethnic people of both countries.Ban Gioc waterfall is now an attractive beauty-pot for national and international visitors.

See

On the way from Hanoi to Bac Kan and Cao Bang travellers will have chance to enjoy the beauty of northeast mountains and forests, small cottages and stilt houses of minorities surrounded by picturesque mountains and rice terraces. Reaching Ba Be Lake, small boats that are controlled be local guides will take you along the river and lake. Travellers will have the feeling of being away from busy urban life, getting lost in the heavens. Also, some traditional markets of minorities can help traveller have a better understanding of local people.

Do and Eat

Travelling to the northeast actually is trekking- trek to relax and get to know more about the life of the local, so taking a walk provides a good chance to observe Vietnamese farming and farm animals, and to enjoy excellent views. Interesting thing is that travellers can enjoy peaceful simple life here by having homestay experience and taste food that is prepared by the hosts or some special food such as some kinds of meat, bamboo shoot, wild vegetables just to name a few can be found in markets. Further, it is advised that you should bring both Vietnam Dong with you. It is easy for you to spend VN Dong here than in cities actually.

Buy

Like other mountainous areas in Vietnam, the Northeast has also manmade products such as handicrafts for sale in markets. Travellers also buy some kinds of wines of local people.