Ba Be Lake or
Ba Be National Park located in Bac Can Province, 240km from Hanoi
and covers more than 23,000 hectares boasting waterfalls, rivers, deep valleys,
lakes and caves set amid towering peaks. The whole area is home to many ethnic minority
communities.
Ba Be Lake is in fact three lakes linked by wide channels, about 8km
long and 400km wide. The surface is always calm, making a boat trip a peaceful experience.
To reach Ba Be, it is an approximately six to eight - hour drive on rough road but
excellent scenery compensated.
What to Do ? Highlights of
Ba Be National Park are peaceful boat trips on the lake, visits at
nearby tourist spots such as Puong Cave and Dau Dang Waterfall and trekking to minority
villages. Basic homestay at villages in the park is also a great experience. Further
north of
Ba Be is
Cao Bang Province, a remote area where you can see authentic ethnic
minority lifestyle as well as the famous
Ban Gioc Waterfall .
When to go? The best time to visit
Ba Be
Lake is during the dry season (winter and spring).
In the wet season, the lake takes up water from the Nang River and regularly flooded.
If travel at the time of Long Tong Festival on the 10th and 11th days of the first
lunar month, there are traditional games and performance of surrounding ethnic tribal
groups.
Travel Tips: Homestay condition is basic. Mattresses and mosquito nets are provided. Your checklists
should be good walking shoes, raincoats, insect repellent and sunscreen.
