When visiting Cao Bang, you can't miss Ban Gioc Waterfall or Pac Bo Cave, but to fully appreciate the beauty of Cao Bang's landscapes, you need to explore new places in this beautiful border region.
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| A peaceful scene in the ancient stone village of Khuoi Ky. (Photo: Ha Anh) |
Arriving in Cao Bang during the peak tourist season for Ban Gioc Waterfall, we chose to stay in Khuoi Ky stone village, which has been recognized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as a "Typical Traditional Cultural Village of Ethnic Minorities" since 2008.
The peaceful, charming village of the Tay ethnic people, nestled within a small area of about 1 hectare, nestled against a rocky mountain and overlooking a small stream, marked the beginning of a journey filled with many interesting discoveries…
A unique ancient village
The Khuoi Ky stone village has 14 houses with sturdy stone walls, designed with double roofs covered with yin-yang tiles, clearly showcasing the unique character of the local ethnic people. Stone is also used in other structures such as fences, steps, mills, and stoves, making each house as solid as a fortress.
Not only are visitors captivated by the unique stilt house architecture, but anyone who visits this more than 400-year-old village can also experience the cultural identity of the Tay people in eastern Cao Bang with their authentic local customs, traditions, and clothing.
Besides maintaining their daily lives through rice and corn farming, the people of Khuoi Ky are investing in developing community tourism, especially homestay services and models for experiencing Tay culture.
Tourism services attract a significant number of visitors, both domestic and international, providing stable income and improving the quality of life for the local people.
Similar to the Tay Homestay where we stayed, each house here has air conditioning, hot and cold water, a cooking area with a gas stove, refrigerator, and some essential utensils so guests can cook their own meals.
For longer stays, guests can join the locals in experiencing the production and labor activities of the Tay ethnic group, such as picking bamboo shoots, digging up roots, working in the fields, catching fish, or helping to prepare characteristic dishes like smoked pork, smoked sausage, and fresh vegetables grown on the edge of the forest.
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| Exploring Ngườm Ngao Cave. (Photo: Hà Anh) |
Conquering the "Tiger's Den"
Staying in Khuoi Ky village also provided a convenient opportunity for us to visit Nguom Ngao - a cave with a fascinating beauty, hidden in a majestic mountain in Dam Thuy commune, Trung Khanh district.
In the Tay language, "nguom" means cave and "ngao" means tiger, so Nguom Ngao means "Tiger Cave". Legends about the cave being home to many tigers, or the sound of flowing water inside blending with the roar of tigers, combined with the pristine beauty created by nature, further piqued our curiosity.
Previously, Ngườm Ngao cave was only explored within a radius of about 1km, but now the management board has expanded to include new routes, allowing visitors to fully explore this mysterious cave.
Under the enthusiastic guidance of a local Tay girl, we chose a new tour route stretching 3km. The deeper we went into the cave, the more overwhelmed we were by the vast space with numerous corridors and a system of stalactites and stalagmites of various shapes and sizes, created by the miraculous hand of nature.
Ngờm Ngao is divided into several areas, such as the "four pillars of heaven" area with rock formations resembling pillars supporting the sky, the central area with its magnificent stalactite formations, and the treasure area with glittering gold and silver stalactite mountains...
Traveling through dynamic space, visitors encounter many fascinating images resembling silk floss trees, mother's breasts, eagles, coral reefs, golden waterfalls, silver waterfalls, inverted lotus flowers, and more.
Perhaps the most special thing about entering this magical labyrinth is that each person can unleash their own rich imagination. It's not necessary to follow the guide's instructions; anyone can freely and enjoyably create their own interpretations.
In Ngườm Ngao, after a jungle rain, we encountered a rushing stream inside the cave and large pools reflecting the stalactites on the water's surface. After many climbing and wading trails, the experience of rafting inside the cave, admiring the volcanic crater and cave entrance resembling the Én Cave in Sơn Đoòng… was well worth it for adventure enthusiasts.
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| Landscape of Cao Bang. (Photo: Ha Anh) |
Autumn colors and scents in the border region
Visiting Cao Bang in October, we didn't miss the opportunity to admire the special autumn scenery of this picturesque mountainous region.
That's Mount Eye of God - the name given to a mountain located in the Ban Danh valley, Quoc Toan commune, Tra Linh district, which is currently a popular check-in spot for many people.
This mountain is also known by another name, "Thung Mountain" (in Tay language, "Phja Piót"), because at the top there is a circular cave resembling the "eye" of the mountain, with a diameter of more than 50m.
Mount Eye of God is nestled in a valley amidst the Thang Hen lake complex of the Cao Bang Geopark. Even a brief visit is enough to take in the majestic scenery of the mountain along with a picturesque grassland beside the clear blue lake.
Besides Mount Eye of God, Phong Nam - a scenic spot in Trung Khanh district - is also a popular photography destination for photographers every autumn.
Welcoming us just before sunset, Phong Nam Valley was draped in a vibrant golden hue, standing out against the backdrop of rolling hills and the Quây Sơn River winding like a silk ribbon across the fields, bamboo groves, and houses of the local people.
During harvest season, this place presents a warm, peaceful rural scene with bundles of fragrant sticky rice hanging in front of houses, and neatly arranged straw stacks in the newly harvested fields…
Despite being a well-known tourist destination, Phong Nam still lacks developed tourism services. According to the Vice Chairman of the commune, the entire commune only has one homestay, primarily catering to foreign tourists. The main source of income for the local people remains rice and corn farming, and fishing.
However, when visitors express a desire to experience the rice production process, the people of Phong Nam are very welcoming and enthusiastic in guiding them. They reveal their secret: when harvesting glutinous rice, they pick each ear individually and then dry them indoors to preserve the rice's flavor and prevent breakage, unlike machine threshing.
Another interesting experience during the trip was going to the orchard to harvest chestnuts with the locals.
In the vast chestnut orchards of Chongqing, locals often use bamboo poles to hook branches and shake them to make the ripe fruit fall, or they wait until the nuts are ripe enough to fall naturally to the ground, which they then simply collect.
Ripe chestnuts have cracks in their outer shell, revealing one to three seeds inside. Because of the spiny outer shell, people use tongs to pick the fruits and separate the seeds on the spot. Once the spiny outer shell is removed, the chestnut seed is dark brown with a light white fuzz, and the kernel is yellow. When eaten raw, it has a delicious, rich, and nutty flavor.
Joining the locals in harvesting and enjoying chestnuts, we were also introduced to many other local specialties, including dishes made from chestnuts such as chestnut cakes, sticky rice with chestnuts, chestnut rice flakes, and chestnut wine...
Even after saying goodbye to Cao Bang, those warm and comforting flavors only intensify the longing on this chilly autumn day.
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