Return to Mount Wuhu

The road up the mountain

Ngu Ho Son, also known colloquially as Long Mountain with Five Wells, is one of the seven sacred mountains that have created the unique legend of the Bay Nui region. Despite its legend of sacred wells, Ngu Ho Son does not have a bustling spiritual tourism scene. Most locals and tourists visit the mountain to see the "five wells" that gave it its name. If time permits, visitors can also explore other pilgrimage sites.

Having had a less-than-successful experience on our previous motorbike trip, this time we decided to hike up the mountain. The road has now been widened and improved. Amidst the lush green foliage after the rain, the path resembles a white silk ribbon winding through orchards laden with fruit. In the tranquil atmosphere, only the sound of our footsteps and the clear, melodious chirping of a few wagtails could be heard.

The pilgrims were delighted to reach the "five wells" on Mount Wuhu.

From the foot of the mountain, after climbing a few hundred meters, sweat began to bead on my forehead and sting my eyes. A few hundred meters further, my shirt was almost completely soaked. Indeed, climbing a mountain on foot is never easy, even though I've experienced it many times before. Occasionally, we came across small huts belonging to locals, hidden among the orchards. Because their lives are so closely tied to nature, they mainly set up these huts for resting or storing belongings.

After climbing several steep slopes, we sat down by a rock by the roadside, breathless. A local man on a motorbike coming down the mountain saw us and cheerfully said, "Keep going! Just six or seven more slopes and you'll reach the summit." I chuckled at his "three parts humor, seven parts helplessness" remark. However, the unique thing about Long Five Wells Mountain is that only the initial sections are steep; halfway up, the path becomes quite flat, similar to the lowlands. At this point, we could relax and admire the pristine scenery of the mountains and forests. Indeed, only by going to the high mountains can one truly appreciate the freshness of nature. At this time, one's heart also feels more at ease with the cool, peaceful scenery.

Interesting destination

After climbing and descending the mountain passes on foot, we finally reached the place with the "five wells." From afar, we could hear the voices of pilgrims. They had come from Lai Vung district (Dong Thap province) to An Giang to enjoy the mountain scenery. One person in the group said that their trip lasted three days, including conquering Co To mountain, Cam mountain, and their final destination, Ngu Ho Son (Five Lakes Mountain).

After the initial murmur of conversation, the visitors from afar began to pray with great sincerity. As the saying goes, "If you worship, there will be blessings," so everyone quietly entrusted their wishes to the supernatural beings. When they learned we were from An Giang, they were very cheerful and chatted with us warmly. Perhaps that's the nature of people from the Mekong Delta – enthusiastic and very sincere!

The "wells" on Mount Wuhu

After chatting with the cheerful tourists, we also visited the "Five Wells." During the rainy season, the "wells" had quite a lot of water. I scooped up some water to feel a bit of the ancient legend. Although the true miraculous effects of these "wells" are unclear, their existence has attracted many tourists from near and far for many years. According to the locals living on the mountain, the location of the "Five Wells" is not the highest point of Ngu Ho Son, but rather the temple of the Buddhist Master Tay An. In addition, there is the Jade Emperor Temple, the Cave of the Five Elders... which are also visited by many pilgrims and worshippers throughout the year.

On the way back down, I was lucky enough to meet a farmer cultivating rose apples on the mountain. He told me that in about two months, the rose apple season would be in full swing. At that time, the harvesting atmosphere would be very busy. The photos would be even more beautiful then because of the vibrant colors of the rose apple orchards. He happily invited me to return around that time to share stories about life and about this special plant of the Five Wells Mountain.

Although my return trip to Wuhu Mountain wasn't very long, the journey brought me positive emotions. It was a feeling of self-conquest, a sense of peace from being one with nature, and joy from meeting the genuine people there. Therefore, if you are an adventure enthusiast, you should try visiting Wuhu Mountain once to experience the unique charm of this mountain.

THANH TIEN

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/tro-lai-ngu-ho-son-a422232.html