Climbing to the stone bell temple

Uphill and winding

At dawn, Phoenix Mountain is shrouded in ethereal mist. Visitors here will experience a cool, refreshing climate and a peaceful atmosphere. At the foot of the mountain lies the vast Soài So Lake, full of water, which locals liken to a mirror reflecting the sky. For a long time, the lake has been a popular spot for tourists to admire the panoramic mountain views. Every morning, the lakeside attracts many young people who come to take photos.

Panoramic view of Phoenix Mountain. Photo: THANH CHINH

To reach the Bell Stone Temple, visitors must take a motorbike taxi up a steep, winding, bumpy slope with frequent ups and downs. Those who have the opportunity to experience the sudden rise and fall of Phuong Hoang Mountain by motorbike taxi will feel the abrupt changes in altitude. Sometimes, the motorbike plunges headfirst into the ravine before revving its engine loudly to gain momentum over the high mountain sections, leaving us on the back of the motorbike feeling nervous. “On the steepest sections, drivers have to engage first gear and use both the handbrake and foot brake to prevent the motorbike from sliding down the ravine. Sit carefully, or you might slip off the back…”, said Nguyen Tan Phat, a motorbike taxi driver.

After six months of heavy rains, Phoenix Mountain, once lush and green, is now entering the dry season, with trees preparing to succumb to drought. However, upon reaching the summit, the air was cool, and mist enveloped the path. We dismounted from our motorbike at an open clearing and continued for about 1km until we reached the area of the stone bell temple. Surprisingly, the first thing that caught our eye was the tranquil atmosphere, with mist clinging to the trees, obscuring our vision. According to the locals, the stone bell temple is about 600m high, so the mist is present year-round, meaning the residents don't need electric fans.

At dawn, the area around the stone bell temple is shrouded in mist, requiring vehicles to turn on their headlights. The stone bell temple is located slightly southeast, with thousands of rocks and boulders spread out as if stacked by the hand of a supernatural being. What's unique is that one section of rock here emits a sound like a bell. Every day, tourists come here to admire the scenery, take photos, and record souvenir videos. Thanks to this natural "stone bell," it's a very attractive destination that everyone wants to explore .

Tourists enjoy the mountain climate.

Standing here admiring the scenery, we saw many tourists coming to conquer this tourist spot. Many families went down to the rocks and used large pieces of wood to strike them forcefully, listening to the resonant bell-like sound echoing throughout the mountains and forests. Struggling to squeeze through the crowd of tourists, Mr. Tran Van Chien, a tourist from Dong Thap province, and his family arrived at the Bell Rock Temple early in the morning. Mr. Chien's family visited the Bay Nui region on the weekend and came here to see the temple. "In previous years, my family climbed many mountains in An Giang, but we've never seen a rock that emits such a serene bell-like sound. The Bell Rock Temple area has a cool climate and lush greenery," Mr. Chien expressed.

The area around the stone bell temple is home to a rather simple shrine dedicated to the Holy Mother, built by the local people on the mountain. Every day, it attracts hundreds of tourists who come to worship, ring the stone bell, and take unique photos to share with their friends.

No one has ever been able to explain why this rock emits a bell-like sound. Even the person who discovered this strange rock doesn't know for sure. Some locals claim that a monk once discovered the rock making a bell-like sound in the area. Later, people painted the spot where the bell sound was heard red to mark it. Seeing tourists tapping the rock and hearing a pleasant sound, we also went down to try it. There's one spot on the rock that makes a bell-like sound, while the surrounding area only produces a dull thudding sound when tapped forcefully.

On full moon days, tourists from all over take motorbike taxis to the Bell Stone Temple to experience the scenery and then climb over the mountain peaks on Phuong Hoang Mountain to offer prayers. As we were preparing to leave the Bell Stone Temple to go to Hoi Peak, we met Mr. Nguyen Van Lap, from Vinh Long, who had just finished visiting the Bell Stone Temple and was getting ready to join a group of tourists to visit the remaining tourist spots. Mr. Lap said that climbing the mountain was tiring, but breathing in the fresh air and touching the floating clouds was very enjoyable.

For a long time, Phuong Hoang Mountain has been considered a spiritual tourism destination attracting numerous visitors from the Mekong Delta and some central provinces to worship. Surprisingly, despite its altitude of about 600m, Phuong Hoang Mountain is always enveloped in clouds, providing a cool and pleasant atmosphere. We followed a winding path through bamboo, rattan, and mango forests. Occasionally, many clouds descended into the forest, and we felt as if we could touch the clouds floating across the sky.

Besides visiting the bell-shaped stone temple, tourists can also explore Hoi Peak, Kinh Temple, the Fairy's Footprint, and Mui Hai Temple… While wandering the mountain, we visited several families who have lived there for many years. Among them were Mr. Tu Thanh and Mrs. Chin Luan – the first people to settle on the mountain. Currently, they have established gardens, growing fruit trees and bamboo shoots, earning a considerable additional income. According to Mr. Tu Thanh, for over 20 years he has run a very popular stall selling drinks and food to tourists on Hoi Peak. At lunchtime, the stall is always crowded with visitors.

With its mystical allure, Phuong Hoang Mountain has always been an attractive spiritual tourism destination in the Bay Nui region.

THANH CHINH

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/len-dien-da-chuong-a473008.html