I love the way the river is woven into everyday life in Can Tho. It also has some of the greenest landscapes. The people in...
About 30km east of Cao Bang town, Angel's Eye Mountain, God's Eye Mountain, or Thung Mountain in Trung Khanh district and Quang Hoa district, is a wild tourist destination that was listed as one of the best places to visit in Cao Bang.
The Angel's Eye Mountain, according to scientists, is a dry cave formed more than 300 million years ago and has a diameter of more than 50m. The cave grows in tower-shaped limestone terrain at a general altitude of about 650-700m, including tower- and cone-shaped mountain blocks interwoven with dozens of large and small lakes; together they create the Thang Hen Lake system.
This mountain has its current height thanks to lifting movements during the Neotectonic period. It can be said that God's Eye Mountain is an extremely rare fossil cave in the limestone mountain system of Vietnam and the world. Thus it is always included in our most chosen Cao Bang and Northern Vietnam travel itineraries.
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The Seasonal Beauty Of The Mountain
Influenced by the climate of Cao Bang province, the beauty of the mountain varies by season. IZITour wants to introduce to visitors two main seasons: The rainy season & the dry season.
Visiting Angel's Eye Mountain in the rainy season (June-August), after going all the way down the trail, visitors will be surprised to see a 15-hectares-wide lake called Nam Tra Lake - part of the Thang Hen Lake system. Nam Tra is a special lake because it has God's Eye Mountain located in the middle of the lake, like a giant independent green tower in the heart of the valley. During this season, Nam Tra Lake becomes a mirror for God's Eye Mountain to shine. From a distance, the landscape appears like a poetic image with clear blue Nam Tra Lake, rafts gliding on the lake, surrounded by high mountains.
The unique feature of the Thang Hen Lake system is that its many lakes are connected with both surface and underground flows. Therefore, the lake's water levels can change seasonally, sometimes very suddenly.
In the dry season (from September onwards), the locals graze cattle on the grasslands here. The receding water reveals mounds of land and streams winding around vast green grass, creating a gentle, poetic image of a young woman. At this time, people usually go to collect firewood and graze cattle, which makes it very suitable for tourists and residents to camp, picnic, hike, and cycle.
Nam Tra Waterfall
About 500-600m (10 minutes walk) from the lake is the ravishing Nam Tra waterfall - one of Cao Bang's most famous waterfalls next to Ban Gioc Waterfall located at the same-named stream. The waterfall is not too high but it has many streams winding between heaving gray rocks, creating majestic beauty.
Every year, around June and July, the water rises and floods the entire Nam Tra lake. In August and September, the water drains out of the valley, creating a flat land completely covered by natural grass. You can also camp, rest, or grill snacks here.
Ban Danh Village Of Tay People
In addition to the unique God's Eye Mountain and peaceful Nam Tra Lake, along the 15-minute walk trail, visitors can enjoy the close harmony and wonderful peace of the Tay people in Ban Danh village, with stilt houses with yin and yang tiles, stone fences, rice fields, corn fields, herds of buffaloes, cows, and of course the specialties of Cao Bang while contemplating the surrounding green limestone landscape.
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