The symphony of the vast forests of Viet Bac

The legendary love story of Princess Cong and Prince Coc, and the legend of Widow Island, combine to form a harmonious symphony stretching across the vast forests of Northern Vietnam. All the ups and downs are encapsulated in the clear blue waters of the two mountain lakes. Majestic and profound, Lake Nui Coc tells the story of faithful love between a couple; while Lake Ba Be carries the story of deep human affection.

"The Love Story of Three Pine Trees" - a tourist attraction and recreational spot in the Nui Coc Lake Tourist Area.

Thai Nguyen is blessed by Mother Nature with abundant resources and diverse landscapes. Among them are Nui Coc Lake in Dai Phuc commune and Ba Be Lake in Ba Be commune. Nui Coc Lake is man-made, while Ba Be Lake was formed by geological uplift and subsidence over millions of years. One is ancient, the other modern, yet both possess a gentle, serene quality, with soft waves rolling across the lake's surface and seemingly embracing the lush, vibrant tea plantations.

The lake is like a pair of emerald green eyes amidst the vast forest, reflecting the clouds and sky, preserving the rhythm of the Viet Bac mountains and forests, and witnessing countless changes and transformations along its shores. Lake Nui Coc originates from the Cong River, a hydraulic engineering project bearing the mark of human hands.

Ba Be Lake, on the other hand, is a natural freshwater lake formed over hundreds of millions of years of geological processes. But it's difficult to discern the boundary between man-made and natural, because it's a world of water, mountains, and stories told daily that never grow old.

In the southern part of Thai Nguyen province, Lake Nui Coc, spanning over 2,500 hectares, resembles a miniature sea in the heart of the midland region, dotted with 89 islands covered in lush greenery. For many years, these islands have been a gathering place for birds to nest and breed.

The story goes that: A poor young man named Coc fell in love with a beautiful young woman named Cong. Their love was forbidden, and Coc waited until he turned to stone, while Cong wept so much that her tears turned into a river, causing many visitors to feel a pang of longing as if they could hear from the vast expanse of water a yearning for a reunion.

In the northernmost part of the vast Viet Bac region, Ba Be Lake emerges with a serene, ancient beauty. Hundreds of millions of years old limestone mountain ranges silently and generously embrace the lake, creating a secluded, pristine, and mysterious space. The lake's water is a clear, emerald green, calm as a mirror, reflecting the clouds, sky, and mountains, making one feel smaller in the face of nature.

With its gentle beauty, the Ba Be Lake region is steeped in ancient tales, but the most frequently mentioned is the legend of a compassionate woman who readily helped the needy and saved her villagers during a great flood. Throughout history, nothing has been more noble than compassion.

The boats gliding across Lake Ba Be slow down as they pass by Widow Island, as if listening to the echoes of distant memories. This evokes in many people thoughts of legends on the vast expanse of water.

Widow's Island on Lake Ba Be.

Although not situated next to each other, the two large lakes share many similarities: both are mountain lakes with vibrant natural landscapes and are associated with stories of human love. Lake Ba Be represents compassion, virtue, and tolerance; Lake Nui Coc represents unwavering love that transcends tyranny.

For many years, Ba Be Lake and Nui Coc Lake have become popular tourist destinations. There, the natural and cultural environments coexist, as told by tour guides to visitors.

Located at the gateway from Hanoi to the Northeast region of Vietnam, Thai Nguyen province possesses many advantages for tourism development. Convenient transportation, a mild climate, and abundant and diverse tourism resources are ideal for developing various types of tourism, including resort tourism, sports tourism, and health and wellness tourism.

Regarding lakes, besides Ba Be Lake and Nui Coc Lake, the province also has 69 Widow's Island on Ba Be Lake. There are also natural and artificial lakes that can be invested in and developed for tourism, such as Nam Cat Lake, Suoi Lanh Lake, Vai Mieu Lake, and Ghenh Che Lake…

But Lake Nui Coc and Lake Ba Be are two important highlights, almost representative of Thai Nguyen's tourist landscape. Even without visiting Thai Nguyen, tourists know about the love story of Cong and Coc and the legend of Widow's Island. And moreover, it is the land of "the finest tea."

While Lake Nui Coc offers a comprehensive tourist experience encompassing relaxation, recreation, and spirituality—with attractions like the Thien Thac Vang Pagoda, a giant Buddha statue, and ecological islands providing visitors with a blend of modernity and sacredness—Lake Ba Be allows people to reconnect with pristine nature through activities such as canoeing, exploring caves, and discovering waterfalls.

In the early morning, sitting by the lake enjoying tea, you can see the dugout canoes gliding gently amidst the sounds of folk songs and stringed instruments on Ba Be Lake. Or, sitting on the shores of the flower islands, stork islands, goat islands, and monkey islands floating on the surface of Nui Coc Lake, you might suddenly see the legendary tale of lovers reflected in the lake's surface.

To soothe the soul, feel as if the aroma of tea is mingling with white clouds, drifting gently and soaring high amidst the vast mountains and forests of Northern Vietnam. In the context of current tourism development, connecting destinations like Lake Nui Coc and Lake Ba Be not only opens up economic opportunities but also creates a complete experiential journey.

Our journey begins with one of the "Four Great Teas" of Thai Nguyen, steeped in the stories of "A Hundred Years of Thai Tea," and continues to Nui Coc Lake to hear the legendary love story unfolding beneath a sky filled with fluffy white clouds. We then ascend to Ba Be Lake, exploring the profound cultural beauty of the Vo Gia Ceremony (a Buddhist ritual) held by the locals by the lake. The story is connected to Ba Goa Island. A meaningful trip, taking visitors from the world of fine tea to the realm of romantic love, culminating in a deeply moving tale of human connection.

Or perhaps, from Ba Be Lake, a natural landscape formed millions of years ago, we can return to Nui Coc Lake, a man-made structure completed over 40 years ago, and then to Tan Cuong Tea Cultural Space, where we can drink tea and enjoy dishes with the rich cultural identity of the Viet Bac mountains.

Many visitors are moved: the natural landscape and the people of Thai Nguyen have brought them a sense of balance, comfort, and exhilaration. Furthermore, "Lake on the mountain, tea in the clouds" has become a must-visit destination, a place that anyone who has been there once will secretly promise to return to experience the harmonious symphony of the vast forests of Northern Vietnam.

Source: https://baothainguyen.vn/van-hoa/du-lich-thai-nguyen/202605/ban-hoa-ca-cua-dai-ngan-viet-bac-e5434a6/