The "treasures" of nature in Pu Luong

Kho Muong is so beautiful! It's like a treasure trove that nature has bestowed upon mankind.

Perhaps nowhere in Thanh Hoa province is greener and more refreshing than Kho Muong village (Thanh Son commune, Ba Thuoc district, Thanh Hoa province) in the Pu Luong Nature Reserve. Whenever I want to escape the smog, the noise of the city, and the scorching sun, I return to Kho Muong village. Here, you'll find not only lush greenery, towering mountain peaks with white clouds stretching across the sky, cool streams, and fresh air in the valley, but also particularly captivating because of its delicious food.

Pu Luong during the rice harvest season offers stunning trekking routes.

From Nghi Son town, we drove along the Nghi Son - Sao Vang road, passing through Tho Xuan, Ngoc Lac, and Lang Chanh districts, into Canh Nang town in Ba Thuoc district. Continuing for another 20km on National Highway 15C, we arrived at the Pu Luong Nature Reserve. On the road leading to Pu Luong from Canh Nang town, the car traveled under the shade of lush green trees. Along the way, we occasionally encountered small waterfalls cascading down the cliffs. Some waterfalls gushed down in a powerful torrent of white water, while others flowed gently with a soft, murmuring sound.

Reaching the signpost to Kho Muong village, the car turned right and drove down a slope. The entrance gate to Kho Muong village was there; we drove a little further and pulled over to a parking lot. About ten local motorbike taxi drivers were waiting. Kho Muong village, with its Bat Cave, attracts quite a few tourists on weekends. The road into the village is narrow and steep, inaccessible by car; only motorbikes can access it. Uncle Nech's house is located on the left side at the end of the steep road leading into the village. He's the village head, and while we stayed there, he told us many interesting stories.

The stilt house on a rainy night.

The stilt house was probably Uncle Nech's main home. He runs a homestay, so the house is for guests to stay in. After climbing nine steps, there's a spacious floor large enough for more than 10 people. There were only four adults and three children, so we had plenty of room to lie down comfortably. The children ran and played all over the stilt house. They enjoyed chasing the chickens, the cats, and petting the gentle puppy.

Lunch was served right at the foot of the stilt house, with fragrant grilled chicken. The house was elevated, so from the foot of the stilt house, we could sit and admire the rice fields and the towering mountain peaks while enjoying our delicious meal. I was hoping for a refreshing rain in the valley, but that afternoon there was only a light drizzle. That evening, I was satisfied with the torrential rain. On the porch, I listened to the pouring rain in the night, watching the rainwater stream down from the roof under the dim yellow light. Lying there listening to the rain, I felt as if I could hear every word in my heart.

Is Bat Cave a mini Son Doong Cave?

Bat Cave features many giant, uniquely shaped stalactites and stalagmites.

When we arrived, the rice fields in Kho Muong were lush green and beginning to bear grain. The road to Bat Cave had been carefully maintained by the locals for tourism purposes. Rows of betel nut trees lined the roadside, interspersed with bushes of brightly colored flowers. On one side of the road was a crystal-clear stream where you could see the pebbles at the bottom, and on the other side were rice fields rustling in the wind, with high mountains surrounding the valley in the distance.

From afar, hundreds of birds soared through the air. Upon reaching the Bat Cave, they huddled together on the sheer white limestone cliffs in front of the cave entrance. Suddenly, they flew away, seemingly vanishing into thin air, only to return a moment later. Western tourists excitedly pointed and took pictures. As we passed by, everyone greeted us with friendly smiles and "Hello."

Perhaps, faced with the breathtaking beauty of nature here on an autumn afternoon, visitors of all skin colors share the same exclamation: Kho Muong is so beautiful! It's like a treasure that nature has bestowed upon mankind.

The path to Bat Cave is not difficult; even young children can climb it with their parents. We were incredibly surprised because Bat Cave looks like a miniature version of Son Doong Cave. The cave entrance is wide, with a towering vault carved into the sheer limestone cliff, creating an overwhelming sight. Below is a whole natural ecosystem with interwoven rocks and trees. I followed the cliff face down to the bottom of the cave. Being swallowed up in the vast cave was a truly exciting feeling, and I felt incredibly small in the face of nature.

The story of Kho Muong and the lingering concerns

Traditional dishes

For dinner, we enjoyed the local specialty, stream duck. I asked the owner if it was Co Lung duck (a famous breed of duck once reserved for royalty in Pu Luong), and he said it was the same breed but raised in the Kho Muong stream. I've tried duck from both places, and in my opinion, the stream duck in Kho Muong is even tastier and sweeter than the Co Lung duck. The meat is fragrant and tender, probably because this breed of duck only forages around the crystal-clear stream flowing continuously from the top of Pu Luong mountain. Duck can be grilled, saladd, or prepared in many ways, but if you go to Kho Muong, you should try the boiled duck leg with a dipping sauce made with mắc khén and dổi seeds.

After the meal, we sat and chatted with our host. He said that the Pù Luông mountains and forests still have many wild animals, including sun bears. He mentioned that there was an airfield there from the French colonial era. When the French army knew they were about to lose at Điện Biên Phủ, they dismantled the aluminum floor panels of the airfield and took them away. They also forced the villagers to soak their weapons in oil, pack them into wooden crates, and hide them in caves high in the mountains. From the assembly point, the French would transfer these weapons into a secret cave with its entrance sealed shut, making it look like a cliff face. Later, the villagers went up the mountain to search for the weapons cache but were unable to locate the cave entrance.

Over a cup of tea, the village chief's story also reflected his concern about a road for the village that has remained unapproved for many years. He hoped for a road connecting the main road to the village so that cars could access it. However, building a road for cars would eliminate the famous trekking route that winds through six villages from Doan Street, negatively impacting tourism in Pu Luong. Therefore, a road for cars in Kho Muong remains a major question mark in the equation for tourism development and the lives of the local people.

The next morning, we said goodbye to our host and returned early to visit the Doan Street market. This is a highland market selling many mountain specialties. It had rained heavily the night before, but the weather cleared up early in the morning. On the way back, we gazed intently at the fluffy white clouds stretching across the mountain range. There were so many "cloud-watching" spots that the car stopped frequently for everyone to get out and take pictures. Spreading our arms wide and taking a deep breath of the fresh air, with the majestic mountain ranges and a vast, deep valley behind us, and the white clouds floating halfway up the sky, I suddenly understood why Pu Luong evokes such fond memories.

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