Gliding on the waters of Trang An

(VHQN) - “Let your soul drift with the sunshine of Trang An / The oars tap rhythmically under the vast sky.” As the boatman paddled through the waves, we truly glided gently along the waterways of Trang An…

Trang An during the festival season. Photo: Mai Thanh Chuong

Assimilation into rivers

Before exploring the Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex, we spent a day wandering around the ancient capital of Hoa Lu - a place closely associated with the national hero Dinh Bo Linh - Dinh Tien Hoang.

The restoration and preservation of Hoa Lu citadel has been completed. What remains, weathered by rain, sun, bombs, and bullets, is enough to show the solidity of the citadel and the unwavering will of the Vietnamese people in their sense of sovereignty and national pride. Still present here are the towering mountains surrounding the citadel's foundations, the temples dedicated to the kings, queens, and concubines... These served as observation posts and sturdy ramparts protecting the ancient Hoa Lu citadel.

Trang An is like a masterpiece created by nature and man. Traveling by boat through the caves, temples, and shrines, each cave seems to unveil the secrets of a mysterious painting – a comment from our travel companion that only fueled our excitement.

Names like Trinh Temple - Dia Linh Cave - Toi Cave - Sang Cave - Tran Temple Cave - Tran Temple - Si Cave - Sinh Cave - Tinh Cave - Ba Giot Cave - Nau Ruou Cave - Phu Khong Cave - Tran Cave - Quy Hau Cave… were introduced by the boatman.

Most caves can only be visited once, except for the Wine Brewing Cave, which is a unique path that requires two trips to turn off in another direction on the Trang An waterway.

Passing by the Wine-Making Cave, countless large and small jars and containers, used to store wine in the old days, unfolded before our eyes. The scene evoked boundless associations with intoxication and with the greatest wine-drinking heroes of the world…

Through the boatwoman's introduction, we learned that beneath the clear blue water the boat glided over, the vegetation remained intact—a remnant of the fields that once clung to the foot of the mountains not so long ago. In the blink of an eye, the fields had transformed into a river…

Trang An River

This season, the waters of Trang An are crystal clear, allowing you to see all the way to the bottom, with algae and blue-green plants sprouting and countless species of fish...

Boats transport tourists to the Trang An scenic area. Photo: Mai Thanh Chuong

The magnificent scenery of nature, along with the emotions evoked by the explanations of the locals, remained etched in our hearts with every movement of our oars.

The ferry crossing to Phu Khong - a spiritual destination associated with a touching story about the noble deeds of seven loyal ministers during the reign of King Dinh Tien Hoang in the capital of Hoa Lu.

After passing this point, visitors climb nearly seven hundred more steps to reach a rather important spiritual site in the Trang An ecological tourist area - the Tran Temple.

The traces of the pilgrimage route to Tran Temple from years past still remain amidst the landscape and rocks of Hoa Lu mountain - a testament to the belief in the sacredness and mysteries of our ancestors.

There are still a few more spiritual sites along the way back to the old dock during the nearly four-hour journey exploring Trang An. However, the allure of the pristine remains has been somewhat diminished. Some relics have been restored or renovated, giving the verdant landscapes of Trang An a different look compared to their original unspoiled beauty.

A touch of melancholy on the journey home was dispelled by the boatwoman's simple, rustic accent. The story of a new river route with unique caves and fascinating flora and fauna, soon to be explored and opened to tourists, opened up new discoveries. At that point, the explorer's eye would no longer be limited to spiritual relics or caves with simple structures…

It seems we didn't just glide across the water with its fascinating experiences. In the lingering memories of our farewell to Trang An - Ninh Binh, the steady, warm, and sincere voice of the boatwoman, who was the same age as my sister that day, still remains.

Yes, it was that boatman who made us feel as if we were drifting to a distant land of Trang An - Hoa Lu in its golden age. And somewhere in his whispered stories, the yearning for a fulfilling life of these people, who were once farmers, now had to say goodbye forever to their fields, gardens, and homes to embrace a new way of doing business - ecotourism right in their homeland!

Source: https://baoquangnam.vn/luot-tren-song-nuoc-trang-an-3156144.html