A Two-Day Journey: Discovering Cao Bang's Rainy Season Beauty

The picturesque landscapes of Ban Gioc Waterfall, Thang Hen Lake, and Nui Thung — looking even more dreamy after a recent rain — were beautifully captured by Nguyen Thanh Tinh. Hailing from Ho Chi Minh City, he recorded these stunning scenes during his trip to Cao Bang this past September.
Cao Bang After the Rain – A Journey to Discover the Poetic and Peaceful Beauty of the Northeastern Borderlands
The stunning landscapes of Ban Gioc Waterfall, Thang Hen Lake, Thung Mountain, and more, beautifully captured after the rain by Mr. Nguyen Thanh Tinh, a traveler 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 traveling 250km by car to Cao Bang city center. The journey was long, compounded by the steep and rugged mountainous terrain, with the car often having to stop to yield to other vehicles.
Arriving in Cao Bang around 6:00 PM, Mr. Tinh checked into a homestay, where room prices were about 400,000 VND. He rented a motorbike for 150,000 VND per day to get from the homestay to Cao Bang's main attractions.

Phia Thap Incense Village, nestled at the foot of Pha Hung Mountain (Big Mountain) in Quoc Dan Commune, Quang Uyen District.
After breakfast, Mr. Tinh's first stop on his Cao Bang adventure was Phia Thap Incense Village, about 35km from Cao Bang city center, on the way to Trung Khanh District. Travelers heading straight along National Highway 3 will spot the village on the right side of the road.

Locals carrying bamboo back to make incense in Phia Thap Village.
Nestled at the foot of Pha Hung Mountain (Big Mountain) in Quang Uyen District, Phia Thap Incense Village, with its beautiful scenery and traditional culture, is a "must-visit" community tourism destination in the Northeast. Lush green rice fields line both sides of the road, vibrant after a few recent rains.

Locals heading out to cut bamboo for incense making.
The villagers told Mr. Tinh that they consistently wake up to the morning rooster's crow to start their day's work, a habit deeply ingrained in their lives. Both men and women head to the forest to cut bamboo that is straight, flexible, and ignites easily. They then split it into small pieces and hand-whittle them into perfectly small, round sticks.

The artisan dips the incense stick into an adhesive substance, then rolls it through a powder mixture of sawdust and agarwood.
Some go to the forest to gather bầu hắt leaves, dry them, and grind them into a fine powder for use as a binding agent. Others collect red nghiến tree bark and sawdust to create incense powder, or find rotten pine wood to crush into a powder for coloring.
All ingredients are natural, with no chemicals. Finally, the artisan dips the incense stick into the adhesive, then rolls it through a powder mixture of sawdust and agarwood.

The beauty of Ban Gioc Waterfall after the rain.
Around 10:00 AM, Mr. Tinh arrived at Ban Gioc Waterfall, located about 90km from Cao Bang city center in Dam Thuy Commune, Trung Khanh District, right on the China-Vietnam border. Consequently, the main part of the waterfall is jointly operated for tourism by both Vietnam and China.
Ban Gioc Waterfall flows along the Quay Son River, which originates in China and then flows into Vietnamese territory in Ngoc Khe Commune, Trung Khanh District. Due to daily water release from upstream occurring from 10:30 AM to 1:00 PM, the waterfall's flow is particularly powerful during these hours.

Phat Tich Truc Lam Pagoda.
About 700m from Ban Gioc Waterfall lies Phat Tich Truc Lam Pagoda. The pagoda is nestled against Phia Nhan Mountain. The path leading up is winding and steep. For a more comfortable journey to the pagoda, travelers should wear athletic shoes or flats. From the pagoda, visitors can gaze into the distance and even catch glimpses of the Ban Gioc Waterfall's cascading white foamy streams.

Scenery of Ban Viet Lake.
Mr. Tinh then proceeded to Ban Viet Lake around early afternoon, 18km from Ban Gioc Waterfall. This is a 5-hectare artificial lake, nestled amidst lush green mountains and forests. Mr. Tinh suggests visiting the lake early in the morning to avoid fatigue, as the road leading to it is quite rugged. The lake is most beautiful in autumn when the leaves turn red.

Early autumn scenery at Thang Hen Lake.
After visiting the waterfall and lake, Mr. Tinh went to Trung Khanh town for a roadside pho lunch, costing 50,000 VND per bowl, and a rest. In the mid-afternoon, Mr. Tinh arrived at Thang Hen Lake. If traveling from the city center, visitors should follow National Highway 3 for about 28km, then turn left and go straight into the Thang Hen Lake ecological tourist area.

Poetic scenery at Thang Hen Lake.
From there, travelers will journey about 4km along a mountain pass to reach the lake. Dark clouds encircling the mountain as the weather shifted to rain made the scenery even more poetic. Around 4:30 PM, Mr. Tinh arrived at Thung Mountain, also known as God's Eye Mountain. If coming from Thang Hen Lake, travelers will reach Thung Mountain first.

Scenery of Thung Mountain after the rain.
In Cao Bang at night, travelers can try the sour pho, a dish rich with the flavors of fried pork belly, roasted duck, a sweet and sour sauce, fragrant chewy pho noodles, and a delightful crispiness from fried taro strips.
Around 9:30 AM the next day, Mr. Tinh suggests visiting the Pac Bo historical site, a national revolutionary historical site located in Pac Bo Village, Truong Ha Commune, Ha Quang District, 45km from the city center. The crystal-clear blue Lenin Stream offers a relaxing feeling to anyone who wanders here. Around 11:30 AM, travelers can arrange their return to Hanoi.

Lenin Stream, calm and crystal-clear after the rains.
According to Mr. Tinh, the best time to visit Cao Bang is around September and October. During this period, the weather transitions into autumn, and while you might encounter some rain, visitors will then be able to fully enjoy Cao Bang's beautiful scenery under clear skies. If you visit in November or December, Cao Bang is even more vibrant, with buckwheat flowers and wild sunflowers blooming brightly across the mountain slopes and deep forests. From March to April, visitors will find themselves lost amidst abundant plum and apricot orchards.
To follow this itinerary, travelers can take a sleeper bus from companies like Mai Luy, Ngoc Ha, Thanh Ly, or Khanh Hoan, with tickets costing around 350,000 VND per person. The departure point is My Dinh Bus Station in Hanoi. If driving a private car or motorbike, the travel time is approximately 8-10 hours. You can consider two routes: the first from central Hanoi – Thanh Tri Bridge – Hanoi-Thai Nguyen Expressway, then continuing into Bac Kan Province via National Highway 3 to Cao Bang city center.
The second route follows old National Highway 3, heading from Hanoi – Thai Nguyen – Bac Kan – Ha Giang – Cao Bang. Please note that roads during the rainy season can be challenging due to slipperiness and occasional landslides, so it's advisable to contact the bus company beforehand to confirm their exact route, as schedules may not be fixed. The total estimated cost for this trip is around 2,500,000 VND per person.
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Update day : 10/10/2023
Source : Sài Gòn Tiếp Thị Affiliate links
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