In northeastern Vietnam, Ba Be National Park, classified as an ASEAN Heritage Park, is a popular destination for travelers wishing to get off the beaten track and discover a wild and still well-preserved nature. A natural gem that is home to abundant fauna and flora, and ethnic minorities with sincere hospitality that will make your stay unforgettable.
Ba Be National Park is the green jewel of the country, a wilderness setting known for hosting an abundant fauna and flora. Ba Be is of universal importance for the conservation of biodiversity, especially because of the diversity of its plant and animal species. More than 1,300 plant species have been recorded, as well as nearly 80 animal species including pangolins, flying squirrels, macaques, langurs and Asian black bears. On the strength of this exceptional natural heritage, the local authorities have submitted the Ba Be National Park's candidacy to be listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The superb Ba Be Lake
Within the Ba Be National Park is the eponymous lake. Located at an altitude of 145 m, the lake would have been formed more than 200 million years ago. It is surrounded by a karst mountain range, dating back more than 450 million years. It is one of the 100 largest freshwater lakes in the world and has been declared a RAMSAR site by UNESCO because of its incredible biodiversity. To discover this natural gem, we invite you to take a ride in a dugout canoe or motorized sampan. Lake Ba Be captivates by the raw and wild beauty of its landscapes. The lake is indeed surrounded by mountains and karst peaks covered in thick jungles from where you can observe families of monkeys playing in century-old trees. It is also possible to discover the quiet waters of the lake by kayak along the Pia Booc mountain range and its dense coniferous forests. An activity that will allow you to glide along the turquoise waters and fully appreciate this magical place.
A territory dedicated to hiking
Several hiking routes, from simple strolls to more demanding hikes, will allow you to appreciate and be in contact with a breathtaking nature. For the greatest pleasure of hikers, the landscapes are extremely varied: limestone mountains full of vegetation, dense forests, thick jungles, vast green rice fields and small ethnic minority hamlets.
The ethnic minorities of Ba Be National Park
As anywhere in northern Vietnam, Ba Be National Park is populated by ethnic minorities: Hmong, Dao and most of all Tay. The Tay live around the Ba Be Lake as in the village of Pac Ngoi where nearly one hundred households live from agricultural and fish farming activities based on the alluvial soil of the lake. Taste their sincere hospitality by experiencing the experience of sleeping in their beautiful wooden houses on stilts. This will be an excellent opportunity to immerse yourself in their traditional culture by sharing a bit of their daily life.
The Caves of Ba Be National Park
Ba Be National Park is hosts many caves that can be discovered by boat, on foot or by bike.
- The Puong Cave, 200 meters long and with an average height of 25 to 30 meters, is nestled in the Lung Nham Mountain, which is crossed by the Nang River. The interior offers fabulous stalactites and stalagmites illuminated by a phantasmagorical light. This cave is home to a large colony of bats whose flight at the end of the day is always a surprising spectacle.
- The Hua Ma Cave which has a fabulous 800 meters long complex of caves, with a path descending to a huge cave (50 meters high) full of stalactites and stalagmites.
- The Lo Mo cave, only recently discovered, is also definitely worth a visit. It is full of stalagmites and stalactites, some up to 40 meters high.
The sublime waterfalls of Dau Dang
This is one of the must-see visits to Ba Be National Park. The Dau Dang Falls are an impressive series of rapids stretching over more than a kilometer in a beautiful natural setting. It is right after the rainy season, in October, that the waterfalls reach their highest flow and demonstrate their full power. This is often an opportunity to stop for lunch at a small local restaurant that serves one of Ba Be's specialities: the succulent pork sausage.
Best season to go: We recommend visiting Ba Be National Park from April to mid-June and from late September to late November.
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