Admire the rare beauty of Da Nang's "precious gem"

(Dan Tri) - Possessing a cool climate all year round, long beaches, shady forests and diverse flora and fauna ecosystems, Son Tra peninsula is considered the "precious gem" of Da Nang city.

Son Tra Peninsula (Da Nang) is located about 10km from the city center. This is a famous nature reserve and with beautiful coastline, fresh climate, Son Tra is also a tourist attraction near the city. The peninsula is known as the "precious gem" of Da Nang with charming, romantic scenery. The low mountain ranges are covered with green forests, jutting out into the sea like a screen protecting the city from storms.

On the peninsula is Linh Ung - Bai But Pagoda, which is the largest and most beautiful of the three pagodas of the same name in Da Nang. The pagoda has a poetic and charming landscape. In particular, this place has the largest statue of Buddha Quan Am in the country, with a height of up to 67m, leaning against the mountain, facing the sea.

Located about 10km from the center of Da Nang city, with an altitude of 700m above sea level, Ban Co peak (Tho Quang ward, Son Tra district) is known as the "roof" of Da Nang. This place has long become one of the check-in spots that cannot be missed by tourists who love the majestic beauty of nature.

Nestled on the top of Son Tra at an altitude of about 223m above sea level, Tien Sa lighthouse is one of the little-known places but has a nostalgic beauty in the middle of the vast mountains and rivers. This lighthouse was built by the French and put into operation in 1902, so it is known as one of the oldest and most beautiful lighthouses in Vietnam. After more than 100 years, suffering the erosion of time and the sea, Tien Sa lighthouse still stands firm, its light reaching 23 nautical miles (about more than 40km). Because the lighthouse is old, there is no remote control system, so workers have to maintain and operate it manually to ensure that the machinery and equipment always work.

Hidden deep in a forest on Son Tra Peninsula, the "bewildered banyan tree" or "deer banyan tree" is one of the interesting destinations for adventurous tourists when coming to the peninsula. The reason for its special name is because the tree trunk is split in half like the two pairs of front and back legs of a deer and the tree canopy reaches up to the sky like a skinny deer antlers. According to locals, this ancient tree is nearly 1,000 years old, with an estimated trunk size of 10 adult arms.

The heritage banyan tree is located on the eastern edge of the Son Tra Peninsula Nature Reserve, about 14km from the city center. The tree was discovered in 1771, is estimated to be over 800 years old and is identified as a mulberry tree. The banyan tree is green all year round and is considered a precious and unique entity in the "green lung" of Da Nang city. The tree trunk has many branches spreading around, with a wide canopy. This is the habitat and food source of many rare animals, including the red-shanked douc langur, on the Son Tra Peninsula.

Son Tra Peninsula also leaves an impression on visitors with its rich animal ecosystem. According to Green Viet (Green Vietnam Biodiversity Conservation Center), in 2017, there were 366 animal species in Son Tra Mountain. Son Tra Peninsula also has a diverse species composition, with a total of 1,010 species of higher plants, accounting for 9.37% of Vietnam's high-class plant species; 22 rare species. In the photo is a turtle recorded by a reporter at Son Tra Peninsula.

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Not only is it a "green lung" that regulates the climate, Son Tra Peninsula is also known by many as the "kingdom" of a rare primate called the Red-shanked Douc Langur (also known as the Five-color Langur). This is an animal listed in the Vietnam Red Book, which needs unconditional protection. The Red-shanked Douc Langur in Son Tra has a slim body, multi-colored fur, a black forehead, thick facial fur forming a facial disc, ranging in color from grayish-white to gray. Their neck and chest are reddish-brown and then gradually fade (Photo: A Nui).

Son Tra Peninsula also has a rich marine ecosystem with diverse, vibrant and abundant coral reefs, which are also extremely valuable natural resources that not every place has.

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The coral reefs under Son Tra are like tropical forests on land, a repository of biodiversity, supporting many species of fish and other marine life. Pictured is a soft-bodied sea anemone, which is home to clownfish. This fish is omnivorous and can eat undigested food from its host anemone. In return, the fish’s feces will provide nutrients for the anemone (Photo: Trung Dao).