Best time to travel Ha Giang

The most ideal time to visit Ha Giang should be around or after the Tet Holidays, which is between February and May.

During this time, the scenery is magnificent with mountaintops hiding in the cloud and wild peach flowers blooming everywhere.

Moreover, the weather during the Tet holidays is very comfortable with little rain and cool air, so that tourists in Vietnam tours do not have to carry raincoats or umbrellas with them.

There are also a lot of unique and attractive festivals to celebrate the New Year during this time. Hence, visitors with Vietnam travel guide can have a chance to know more about the ethnic culture in Ha Giang and enjoy the festive atmosphere of various ethnic groups.

Lastly, as this is the dry season and the routes to Ha Giang mostly go along the side of mountains, the roads are much safer for trip.  

Vietnam's best-kept secret

Roughly 30km from Phan Rang City in the southern province of Binh Thuan, Binh Tien beach is a hidden gem for tourists who want to discover new experiences and rejuvenate.

Binh Tien beach is a hidden gem for tourists who want to escape the madness of the city.

After you pass over a high slope onto a white sand road, Binh Tien appears in the distance as if a gift from nature.

"Because the road to Binh Tien is only suited for narrow cars, the place is yet to be exploited for tourism. Not many people know this beautiful and primitive landscape," said backpacker Tran Ngoc Diep.

Coming to Binh Tien, you park your vehicle and choose a small cafe under the line of coconut-palms to enjoy the view. Then you can bathe in clear blue water or sunbathe on the soft white sand.

The seaside resort spreads for about 4km and you can swim up to 200m from the seashore.

Binh Tien lures many tourists on weekends, particularly during the summer and on public holidays. Visitors arrive with canvas and a variety of supplies to help enjoy the romantic atmosphere of dawn on the beach.

At 4am, the sky turns pink and dawn begins one hour later. After several minutes, rays of sunlight begin to appear. 

"I come to Binh Tien not only for swimming but also enjoying the sunrise on the sea. It gives me a wonderful power," said Nguyen Van Thuan. 

The morning sunlight reflects off the delicate dew of the sea to give a silk fibre effect, while a light pink spreads over the sea and sand.

"Binh Tien's dawn is beautiful and very romantic," Thuan added.

The beach houses many rocks of unique shapes

If tourists reach the mountain peak when the sun rises out of the sea, they will be amazed and fascinated by the charming scenery.

"The sea water is very clean and clear with white sand spreading out. Many mountains hide the beach so it is rather quiet. It is suitable for children, old people and young people who wants to go camping overnight," Diep said.

You can also follow coastal trails through the forest to find primitive beaches if you have more time. There you can see a collection of natural artwork on the cliff face, featuring striking images carved by nature's hand over thousands of years.

The final stop is a small stream from the Nui Chua forest which trickles gently towards the sea. When you soak in the clear water and familiarise yourself with a small flock of fish, your worries seem to dissolve into the sea.

If you are tired and hungry after a journey to the sea, Binh Tien will offer you thatched huts where you can enjoy such seafood favourites as cuttlefish, crabs and snails while taking in the fresh sea air.

"The seafood here is tasty and cheap," Diep said.

Near Binh Tien beach, there is a small fishing village located under the shade of rows of coconut trees, while the fishermen here are very friendly and hospitable.

You can follow in the fishermen's footsteps by floating on the sea in the early morning, contemplating the dawn and pulling up a good haul of fish.

At present, Binh Tien has very limited tourism services so you should bring necessary supplies in advance or hire them from the fishermen.

There's something about Binh Tien that tells me my first visit will not be my last.

How to get there:

Setting off from Phan Rang City, you continue travelling along Highway 1A in the direction of Nha Trang to the area which borders Khanh Hoa Province's Cam Ranh City.

You turn right onto a newly built road which surrounded by mountains for about 2km and then you pass over a spring named Suoi Nuoc Ngot connecting the two sea straits in Cam Lap Commune in Khanh Hoa Province and Cong Hai Commune in Ninh Thuan Province.

U Minh Thuong National Park-Strange plants and animals

U Minh Thuong National Park is an ecotourist site which nature lovers should not miss when visiting the Mekong Delta.

U Minh Thuong in the Mekong Delta’s Kien Giang Province is a vast wetlands area rich in fish and waterbird life that was declared a National Park in September 2000.

From Rach Gia, the biggest of the two towns of Kien Giang Province, you can go to U Minh Thuong National Park by car or boat. If by car or motorbike, head for Rach Soi, cross Tac Cau Ferry and take National Highway 63. The trip takes about two hours.

Using a taxi is also the convenient way for tourists with limited time to visit U Minh Thuong National Park because a taxi can take them to Hoa Mai Lake deep in the park, where they can take a boat tour of the forest.

One salient characteristic that will strongly impress you is that U Minh Thuong National Park situates in an area of freshwater wetlands, comprising peat swamp forest, seasonally inundated grassland. The core zone of U Minh Thuong National Park is surrounded by a perimeter canal and dyke system, with a series of gates, which are used to manage the water level.

U Minh Thuong National Park has biodiversity values. Hundreds of strange species of plants and animals are represented. 

Otter - symbol of U Minh Thuong National Park

Surveys to date have confirmed the presence of 187 bird species at U Minh Thuong National Park, including 9 species of global conservation concern such as: oriental darter, spot-billed pelican, painted stork, lesser adjutant, black-headed ibis, glossy ibis, greater spotted eagle, grey-headed fish eagle and Asian golden weaver. In addition, at least eight species of economically valuable fish are found at this park.

The sunsets there are fantastic as thousands of birds return from feeding grounds to their nests. The forest is full of wildlife and the sounds of monkeys and wild pigs can often be heard.

This park harbors a diversity of flora with 226 species of non-cultivated vascular plants which are very rare in South-East Asia. The natural vegetation was classified into 10 types, belonging to four main classes: Melaleuca forests, seasonally inundated grasslands, permanent swamps and vegetation along canals and streams. The wet lands are full of water lilies and another type of water flower called convolvulus.

U Minh Thuong National Park has historical values because the area was used as a base by resistance forces during the First and Second Indochina Wars. Due to the almost complete loss of natural forest in the Mekong Delta region, U Minh Thuong is one of the few places where visitors can see the landscape as it was at the time. In addition, archaeological remains dating back to the Oc Eo civilisation have been found in the area.

At U Minh Thuong National Park, you may encounter some people from Saigon enjoying a spot of fishing. Some Saigon anglers have landed fish weighing more than 10 kilos here.

Visitors to the park are served food specialties. Dishes are made from eels, snakes, fish and field mice and forest vegetables. Specially, grilled snakehead fish and eel hot pot, two main specialties of the region.

Ngu Hanh Son – Tourist Destination in Danang

Ngu Hanh Son is a cluster of five marble mountains like five fingers lying close to the sea. In the 19th century, King Minh Mang named the five mountains according to each of the five elements of the planet: Kim Son (gold), Moc Son (wood), Thuy Son (water), Hoa Son (fire) and Tho Son (earth).

Ngu Hanh Son is about 7km northeast of Danang City. It is famous nationwide for its serene and beautiful, favourite destination. It has become one of the “must see” destinations for those who want to discover the wilds of nature and escape from the busy life in urban areas.

The path leading to Lang Hu Cave.

Kim Son Mountain is located in the southeast, near the Co Co River where the Ngu Wharf existed for the boat of the king to dock when travelling to Ngu Hanh Son. At the foot of the mountain there is a mysterious cave, over 50m in length, nearly 10m in width, and 10-15m in height. The path leading to the cave was created by natural stone steps and in the cave layers of stalactites form a delicate statue of the Goddess of Mercy.

Moc Son Mountain is close to the sea to the east. To the east and south of the mountain is a sand cave, while to the north are fields and to the west are hamlets. The top of the mountain is split into saw-tooth shapes that look like a cockscomb. For this reason, it is also called Mong Ga Mountain. On the mountain is a piece of white marble that looks like a sitting person, called Co Mu or Ba Quan Am by the local people.

Among the mountains of Ngu Hanh Son, Thuy Son is the highest. It has three peaks like three Tam Thai stars at the end of the Constelation of the Great Bear so it is called Tam Thai Mountain. The highest peak in the northwest is Thuong Thai. The lower peak in the south is Trung Thai and the lowest eastern peak is Ha Thai.

Many beautiful caves, such as Linh Nham and Van Thong and pagodas such as Tam Thai and Linh Ung, are located on the mountain. From Vong Giang Dai (the River-Viewing Pavilion) on the mountain, tourists can contemplate the charming and romantic rivers of Cam Le and Han. The mountain also fascinates tourists by its diverse flora, such as Thien tue ( cycas revoluta), Thach truong sanh, cung nhan thao (amaryllis), canh thien (Crassule) and other plants and herbs.

Hoa Son consists of two mountains that are linked together by a stone path. The western peak on the bank of the Co Co River is called Duong Hoa Son. Here, there is Pho Son Da Pagoda and some caves. The eastern mountain is Am Hoa Son with many inclined marble slabs. The mountain is covered with green trees.

Tho Son, the lowest but longest mountain, is located to the north of Kim Son Mountain and to the west of Thuy Son Mountain. It looks like a dragon lying on a sandy beach. To the west of the mountain is a stretch of the Ba Cha River and the mountain has two layers with many steep cliffs. The mountain still has many preserved, ancient bricks from the Chiem Thanh Dynasty.

On Ngu Hanh Son, the marble has five colours and the colour depends on each mountain. For instance, pink marble is seen onThuy Son, white marble on Moc Son, red marble on Hoa Son, water-coloured marble on Kim Son and brown marble on Tho Son. To take advantage of the marble’s potential, the local people have deloveloped the craft of using the marble to create various fine art pieces to sell to tourists.

Ngu Hanh Son is considred a giant rock-work near the city of Da Nang. Visiting the mountains, tourists will surely be interested in the beautiful natural landscape, pure atmosphere and serene pagodas.

Pu Mat National Park with jungle and unique villages

The Pu Mat National Park is located in the southwest of Nghe An Province, about 130 km from Vinh City.

The Western Nghe An Biosphere Reserve with Pu Mat National Park as its centre was recognized as a World Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in September 2007. It is the sixth biosphere reserve in Vietnam recognized by UNESCO. With an area of 1,303,285m2 the reserve is the largest in Southeast Asia.

Pu Mat National Park is located in the middle of the Annamite, covers three districts - Anh Son, Con Cuong and Tuong Duong – with an area of over 91,000 hectares.

Pu Mat, home to diverse flora and fauna, has 896 flora species, 241 mammal species, 137 bird species, 25 reptiles and 15 amphibians. Many scientists also see Pu Mat as Vietnam’s great museum of animal gene pool.

According to scientists’ research Pu Mat National Park has four species of endemic animals in Indochina. They include the Sao la (Pseudoryx Nghetinhensis), Annamite striped rabbit (Nesolagus spp.nov.), white-cheeked gibbon (Hylobates leucogenys) and yellow-cheeked black gibbon (Hylobates gabriellae). 

There are also the giant Muntjac, Truong Son Muntjac, red-shanked douc, tigers, elephants, striped civets, Malaysian bears, tibetian bears, crested arguses and bulls. 

Coming to visit Pu Mat National Park, tourists will have an opportunity to take part in many fascinating activities: pleasure-boat on Giang River, cool bath, recreations at Kem Waterfall, trade village of brocades and enjoy the other things: bamboo-tube rice  and Lam dance…

Pu Mat National Park has 1,841m-high Pu Mat Mountain which is dubbed as the second Fansipan in Vietnam. Visitors to the park are very interested in the wildness of the primeval forests and beautiful landscapes. 

There is the Kem Waterfall, 150m high, which looks like a white silk band. Its water runs all year round, spreading a spray against the heat of the southwestern wind, relieving the typical scorching weather of the central region in summer. The Moc Spring with clear water is cool in summer and warm in winter, so it is very attractive to visitors. 

Coming to this area, visitors can take a boat ride upstream on the Giang River to discover the splendid and superb beauty of the mountains and forests. 

They can also walk in the forests of Sang le trees (Lagerstroemia tomentosa) to see century-old trees which are about 50m high with a large canopy of leaves, listen to birds singing and enjoy golden sunbeams through spaces between the leaves at sunrise or sunset.

After explore the jungle, visitor should visit to unique villages. These tours also allow visitors to speak to ethnic minorities and learn about their arts and culture, visit villages making brocades or tho cam and enjoy special food such as com lam (rice in bamboo cylinders).

Pitu Khosa Rangsay Pagoda - Can Tho

To Khmer people, Pitu Khosa Rangsay pagoda, one of the most beautiful temples in the delta due to its sophisticated architecture and the spiritual values that it brings, is not only a place to worship and to keep sculptural and fine arts works but also an integral part of their culture.

The Pitu Khosa Rangsay Pagoda refl ects over Xang Thoi Lake on full-moon nights 

Located at 27/18 Mac Dinh Chi Road, Ninh Kieu District, Can Tho City, the Temple is named Chua Sau (After Pagoda) because at that time on the main Hoa Binh Boulevard there stood the Rangsay Muni Pagoda or Chua Truoc First (Pagoda). It covers 500m2 and includes many areas such as a sanctum, monk house, gate and bell tower, and has three floors, constructed from reinforced concrete masonry.

The four buildings which are decorated with delicate patterns display an Angkor dragon, fairy Keynor, sacred bird Krud, god Hanuman, goddess Teppanom which are majestic.

The pagoda gate is built meticulously with elegant carvings on the rooftop with a bas-relief of Buddha and large embossed pillars. To the pagoda, visitors will see many statues of snakes and dragons on the roofs, bird-human Garuda, fairy Kayno and Goddess Reahu on the sanctum or many images of elephants, birds, flowers, clouds as well as legends of Buddha on walls and pillars.

The whole architecture whilst keeping with the unique characteristics of Khmer people has stylized modern harmony between Angkor and Khmer people in the delta.

A small alley heading to the Pitu Khosa Rang Pagoda in Can Tho.

Source: Dtinews