Pongour Waterfall Festival is the only waterfall festival in Vietnam held annually on the full moon day of January (January 15 of the lunar calendar) at the majestic natural beauty of Pongour Waterfall, in Tan Thanh commune, Duc Trong district.
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| Many folk games are held during the festival. |
Pongour Waterfall is located on the flow of Da Nhim River, also known as Thien Thai Waterfall or Seven-Tier Waterfall, surrounded by a large primeval forest with an area of up to 2.5 hectares, with extremely diverse and rich vegetation. Pongour Waterfall is about 40 m high, more than 100 m wide, flowing gently through 7 natural stone steps. Each stone step has a flat shape, protruding like a ladder. Water from the headwaters of the waterfall flows down through the steps, creating white foam, floating like a girl's hair. The downstream area of the waterfall is a vast lake surrounded by rocks, the water is clear, cool, and extremely beautiful.
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| Pongour Waterfall - The most beautiful waterfall in the South attracts a lot of visitors on festival days. |
The origin of the name Pongour waterfall is because this land has kaolin minerals (a type of white clay), in K'Ho language it is Pon-gou. Since the French period, Pongour waterfall was voted as "The most majestic waterfall in Indochina", and was praised by King Bao Dai as "The most beautiful waterfall in the South". In 2000, Pongour waterfall was recognized as a National Scenic Spot... In the rainy season, Pongour is the most majestic waterfall not only in Lam Dong but also in the Central Highlands. However, since the flow of Pongour waterfall was dammed to build Dai Ninh hydroelectric power plant, the water is no longer as strong as before. However, the waterfall still retains its unique beauty amidst the wild, poetic natural scenery of the mountains and forests.
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| Girl by the waterfall |
Pongour Waterfall is associated with the legend of the beautiful Kanai, with long silky hair like a stream, the female chieftain who ruled this land. She had a special talent for taming wild animals and commanding them to serve the villagers. Among those wild animals, there were four giant rhinos, always following her orders to move mountains, block streams, develop fields, and be ready to fight against invaders. Thanks to that, the life of the K'Ho ethnic community was always peaceful and prosperous...
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| Geological structure creates the uniqueness and majesty of Pongour waterfall |
On the full moon day of the first lunar month of that year, the female chief passed away. The four rhinos, ignoring food and drink, stayed by her side day and night until she died. After a while, Kanai's hair turned into clear blue water, and the mossy green rocks stacked in layers were fossils of rhino horns, creating a beautiful waterfall called Thien Thai waterfall. From this legend, the K'Ho people explained that the name Pongour also means "four rhino horns".
To commemorate Kanai, every year, on the full moon day of the first lunar month, the villagers hold a festival at Pongour waterfall with folk games and activities imbued with national identity. This festival is also an opportunity for K'Ho couples to express their feelings with the wish that, under the witness of Kanai and the majestic Pongour waterfall, their love will last forever..., creating an important part of the Pongour waterfall festival, the "love-praying ceremony".
At the Love Prayer Ceremony, couples in love will go through very romantic rituals such as asking for "heavenly fate" water at the foot of Pongour waterfall, exchanging "heavenly fate" water bottles with each other, singing prayers from the love tree together, lighting flower lanterns in the love night by the legendary waterfall... Along with the development of the tourism industry, Pongour waterfall festival is becoming more and more famous and every year, Pongour waterfall attracts many tourists, especially during the festival. During the Pongour waterfall festival, interspersed with gong dances, couples also invite each other to participate in folk games, such as tug of war, stick pushing, throwing balls, bamboo dancing...; enjoying the cuisine of ethnic groups in Duc Trong and Lam Ha districts...
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