Ho Citadel

Location: Thanh Hoa province (about 150km to the South of Hanoi) Feature: The citadel was the capital of Vietnam from 1397 to 1407 (it was also called Tay Do castle or Tay Giai castle). It consists of three sections: a bamboo hedge, a moat, and a citadel wall. The Ho dynasty built it according to the Fengshui principles: sited in a landscape of great scenic beauty on an axis joining the Tuong Son and Don Son mountains in a plain between the Ma and Buoi Rivers. This represents the new style of South-East Asian imperial city. Tay Do castle is rectangular in shape. There are four gates facing four orients. The castle was constructed from the stone blocks. However, the main part of the citadel has been ruined except for its gates. The outstanding feature of Ho Dynasty Citadel is that its stone walls were built to bear earhquakes with an average height of five meteres. It is strange that the stones were laid without cement, each of them weighed up to 20 tonnes. Besides four gates covered Ho citadel, there was a canal surrounding the citadel as an extra layer of protection. Witnessing the ups and downs of over six-century history, some parts of the citadel are still kept its origins. Ho Dynasty Citadel is stated to be the symbol of power and military fortress. It was also built to represent both royalty and divine powers. It helped to link natural and human space. Especially, time and weather can not damage the major stone sections because of the citadel’s unique construction techniques. The Citadel of the Ho dynasty in the northern province of Thanh Hoa has entered the UNESCO’s World Heritage List at the 35th session of the organization’s World Heritage Committee on June 27, 2011 in Paris. The International Council on monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) has included the 2-km royal entry into the listing. This is the pride for not only Thanh Hoa people but also Vietnam people all over the country. Presently local authorities are trying their best to protect and preserve this site for its unique stone structure and identify it as an important site on the tourist map of all travelers.

Ben En National Park

About 45km to the South West of Thanh Hoa city, belongs to the area of Nhu Xuan anh Nhu Thanh districts, Ben En national park system (established in 1920) is known as the ecological complex of mountain, river, lake with more than 16,000ha of area and the plentiful plants and animals system. This is the homeland of the famous green ironwood in Vietnam. Ben En is the residence of many rare and precious animals and plants. According to the statistics of the scientists, there are more than 1000 types of animals, 68 types of fish, 210 types of birds, 31 types of frog, etc. There are many animals in the Red Books like elephants, bull, horse bear, fire cheetah, red face monkey, etc. Coming to Ben En, visitors would feel like being in the fairy land with the illusory sky, mountain, and river, and with the romantic scene of Song Muc Lake. Being created by four springs and the Muc River, the lake is green all year round, and it is quiet and contains mysterious legends. It is said that when the earth and heaven were chaotic, there was a giant squid, which was the child of the King of the Sea coming here and played until she forgot about time. When the water receded, the squid tried to get out but she was trapped and the left point is available until now. Place of the dead squid created the Lake Muc Ben En and the tentacle of the squid are the springs around. That is why the lake is named Song Muc with 4,000ha wide, tens of meters deep, with 21 islands to created the fascinating landscape. Being in the middle of the nature complex with mountain, river, forest and lake, Ben En has pulled back the visitors and they would love to have more time to discover and enjoy the subtle beauty of a “Halong on Mountain”/ Being on the boat on the lake to see the beauty of natural creation which was said to be the “miniature Halong” with impressive names: Me island, Island of Love, Future Island, etc, many peninsulas of mixed forest, the rocks with strange shapes creating an nice combining of water and mountain. Visitors can choose among 8 routes of tour to visit the islands in which the shortest one is 1.5km and the longest is 8.5km. They can visit the island of fauna, island of flora, scenic caves with strange shapes, which are arranged by the hand of the Creator, etc. Coming to Ben En, tourists could come to the land of traditions and festivals of the ethnic Tho, Muong, Thai etc that are enclosed to the temples as Phu Sung, Khe Rong, Phu Na, etc. All the beauty of nature and people here have given Ben En and Nhu Thanh in general a unique natural ecosystem that can be offered by few placed. Wild beauty of Ben En has captivated people’s hearts, leaving a deep impression in the visitors.

Bach Long Vi Island

The Bach Long vi (White dragon tails) island is 130km far from the Hai Phong northern province by sea. With the area is 3km square, Bach Long Vi is a triangle shape with the perimeter of 8 km. In the middle of island is the hillock with the figure of tortoise shells with the height of 60 m. From this very peak, there is a observatory which is like a tireless eye which witnessing the sea land of Vietnam. There is a village in the island which named Phu Thuy Chau (village floating on the water). This village is established since 1920s, due to the foundation of sweet water resource. Bach Long Vi was formerly the reside temporarily place of fishermen from Co To or Cat Ba. Now there is also people from Hai Nan (China) island coming to live and they earn a living mainly by catching abalone. Apart from abalone, Bach Long Vi also has phosphate, mange, and alfatite, which is the prospect of natural oil in the Gulf of Tonkin. In American war, the enemy destroyed the island 142 times with the total bomb released were hundreds ton. The army in this island was bravely raised against the enemy which deserved the title of “never sink battleship”.

Do Quyen waterfall

Down the Yen Stream, crossing the Ngu Ho magical land of Bach Ma National Park, walk for 45 or 50 minutes to the top of the fall which is named after a very beautiful and rare flower species: Rhododendron (Do Quyen). The track is quite bumpy and winding, sometimes it needs crossing the stream, and sometimes it needs climb up the falls. Along the way, every tree, every stream segment are expressing a very personal beauty. However, more noteworthy is the Bach Ma pine trees, palms trees, sau sau tree, wood fern. With different shape of leaves, these trees can not be mixed although they grow much room in between many other broadleaf trees. Wading through the water flowed on the surface of the enormous smooth and slippery stones; we will reach the top of Do Quyen waterfall. Stream suddenly disappears; the rock has disappeared to make room for a space of clouds. Looking to the other side, we could see only a blue opaque because water vapor rises from the leaf surface under sunlight in a day without wind. Sign with lines necessary for instructions for travelers interested in exploring: “… Do Quyen waterfall is 300 meters high, very steep down path of 689 steps… should not go down too late and only for those with strong health …”. Directly to the left, under forest canopy like being sucked into it is a small path leading down to the foot waterfall. Lower height quickly as the concrete steps to bring tourists down toward the bottom. The slope of the path increases rapidly with high and narrow the difference of each level also increased. It is time to have hand rails on either side edge of the iron railing to ensure safety. Rop road cool because forest canopy. In the windy day, going down the pace remains how to keep the phase and no-footed ferrets, but on sunny days with no wind, it often takes a few minutes rest to help tired feet after about 80 to 100 steps (equivalent to 20 to 25 meters high difference). The final step will take you to a noisy but fanciful space. From this position at the other side, green forests gradually dropped down deep valleys, but also keep up the trunk revealed with many colors of white mold of wood between the colorful foliage. Looking up high on the right suddenly turn out brightly with water, splashed droplets glistening in the sun. Water rushing violently as high as 250m down the steep cliffs. In the process of moving, sometimes having the protruding ledge, water line blew create small crystals such as flower light falling into line, then turned out to meet the other ledge. Continuingly, there were tens of times like that to make long flying water lines from top to foot of waterfall. In the deep interior, power flushing it down the water shoot up with much space because water vapor dimmed. Being called the foot of waterfall but in fact these large stones inclined slope is extended by a few dozen meters lower then make the difference between 60 and 70m high to another new place to soak up great water flow. At this phase, taking a new panoramic view could recognize the charm of the Do Quyen waterfall. Cliffs is 150m wide, flanked by vegetation consists of broadleaf trees. These protrusions are often cliffs shrubs that grow in abundance with the most notable is rhododendron. Maybe that is how Do Quyen waterfall be called. In the season of March and April, red rhododendron is blooming in a virtual space of the steam dim as to embellish a beautiful and majestic than just a flowing waterfall.

Nhi Ho Waterfall

Nhi Ho Waterfall (two lakes waterfall) is in Hoa Mau village, Loc Tri Commune, Phu Loc district. It is about 42 km to the south of Hue city center. Waterfall is marvel of nature, beautiful as a watercolor picture, with a waterfall pouring down from the cliff that floated gently to form two fresh green pools as its name. However, not too steep, the slope of extraction Nhi Ho waterfall just enough for tourists to climb to the top. You could soak in the water below the waterfalls and enjoy the water poured down the line as doing the “massage” for you. Coming to Nhi Ho waterfall pool from April to September is ideal. During this time, you will have the opportunity to admire the numerous wild flowers bloom, which creates the purple line along the two sides of the stream. Enjoy the tomentose rose myrtle fruit and wild cornflower will bring you the very different experience. After enjoy swimming in the spring, you can choose the tent hovering over a cliff of the ornament mountain in the lake to relax and enjoy chicken milling, a sip of white wine and save the power for fishing session on the evening.