The beauty of "fairyland"

Located 40km from Hue city and 60km from Da Nang city, Bach Ma National Park is an attractive eco-tourism destination because of the clouds hovering halfway up the mountain, the immense beauty, the cool weather all year round and especially the many rare species of animals and plants listed in the Vietnam Red Book.

Natural heritage treasure

The reason why it is called Bach Ma is because the mountain is covered with clouds all year round and sometimes the clouds form a beautiful horse shape. A well-known legend is that in the past, fairies often rode white horses from the sky down to this mountain range to play chess. While they were engrossed in playing chess, the horses went looking for grass to eat. After finishing the game, the fairies could not find the horses so they returned to heaven, leaving the white horses wandering around Bach Ma mountain looking for their owners...

"Sacred Bach Ma Mountain" or "Great White Horses" and "Da Lat of the Central region" are the names affectionately given to Bach Ma.

The road to Bach Ma is like a picture, visitors can see strange flowers and rare plants.

According to available documents, in 1932, Bach Ma National Park was discovered by a French engineer. By 1945, this place became a famous resort for Hue aristocrats and French officials at that time. In 1991, the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Vietnam signed a decision to establish Bach Ma National Park, which is a primeval forest in need of special conservation.

Located at an altitude of 1,450 m, about 10 km from the sea, the climate of Bach Ma mountain peak is the most pleasant compared to other areas of the same altitude throughout Indochina. Along the way, behind the misty forest blending with white clouds are old villas with French architecture. There are a total of 139 villas planned here since the French colonial period, and it is estimated that there are about 100 villa foundations remaining after the war, of which about 10 have been restored with unique features, named after the animals and plants here.

When coming to Bach Ma, visitors can camp, bathe in streams, watch birds, and burn incense to worship Buddha.

The writer was walking along the Vong Hai Dai trail when he suddenly came across a flock of colorful quail. Here and there, the chirping of yellow-throated, green-bodied doves perched on high branches echoed. "When this species chirps, it signals a change in the weather," said tour guide Truong Cam.

Dr. Nguyen Vu Linh (Director of Bach Ma National Park) informed that this is one of the attractive destinations for those who love bird watching or taking pictures of birds. "To date, scientists have recorded more than 363 bird species here, accounting for nearly 40% of the total number of bird species in the country, including many endangered and rare species listed in the Vietnam Red Book," said Dr. Linh.

People can easily see a sky full of white clouds with different shapes like in a fairyland, with many clouds caressing their cheeks. Strangely, there are dense clouds that seem to wrap around people's legs like young horses surrounding their owners to demand food.

The nature discovery route is also very attractive with majestic cliffs that have created waterfalls and lakes as clear as jade. The trees and cliffs along the stream here are all covered with thick, ancient moss, creating a rather unusual scene.

Coming to Bach Ma, you cannot miss exploring Do Quyen waterfall with a height of 300m, covered by green forests mixed with the sounds of wild animals, white water spreading out like a silk sheet making this place shine brightly.

The reason why the waterfall has this beautiful name is because there are many rhododendron flowers along both sides of the waterfall. In spring to early summer, rhododendron flowers bloom in unison. The brilliant flowers, stretching out in the middle of the forest, create a breathtakingly beautiful scene. People often say that anyone who loves rivers, streams, waterfalls, and rapids but has not once traveled to visit Do Quyen waterfall in Bach Ma forest, would be a great pity.

Putting nature conservation first

Bach Ma is a national park with diverse and rich natural resources. For the locality, Bach Ma is an important headwater forest, providing and regulating an endless source of clean water. Therefore, this place cannot avoid being negatively impacted by humans. Illegal loggers come here to saw wood and hunt wild animals.

The park currently has 11 stations and 6 forest guard posts at key locations. Each year, the unit conducts more than 400 patrols and sweeps in the forest, combining checkpoints and checking the transportation of forest products by river and road to grasp resources and promptly prevent destruction.

The number of forestry violations is decreasing, the quality of patrolling and controlling activities in the forest is improving thanks to the application of science and technology and regular professional training...

"Although facing many difficulties due to the small force and large area, with determination and the implementation of many conservation solutions, recently the negative effects from humans have gradually decreased. The park's ranger stations are always vigilant, regularly grasping the subjects to have appropriate solutions. From propaganda, direct dialogue to solutions to prevent and combat illegal forest entry such as standing guard, regular patrolling to collect information to patrolling and sweeping the forest, arresting and punishing. No matter how difficult it is, we "soldiers" are always ready to overcome, complete all assigned tasks and always put nature conservation first", Dr. Nguyen Vu Linh shared.

According to Mr. Tran Chau Long (Head of the mobile ranger station and forest fire prevention and fighting of Bach Ma National Park), patrolling and sweeping the forest is the most difficult job. Every time we go on patrol, we have to plan carefully, prepare food, medical supplies and support tools. On average, each person has to carry a backpack of 12-15 kg for each trip, usually 3-5 days/trip, 4-6 trips/month/station. The food we bring is mainly dried food or salted meat and fish. Because the patrol terrain is mountainous, with streams, steep and dangerous rapids, we have to camp in the deep forest, without electricity, no internet, no phone signal... The hardship is indescribable.

"Being isolated for a long time in the middle of the Truong Son mountain range is very sad and risky. We fell and got injured, insects, bee stings, snake bites... were normal things like eating. We were also stoned, had our motorbikes damaged, and threatened by illegal loggers many times. However, we got used to it. It is also a fate attached to this forest protection profession. We often encourage each other to overcome and accumulate more experience to survive in the green forest," Long confided.

Despite many difficulties and challenges, the unit has focused all possible resources to protect forests in order to minimize damage to forest resources.

As the sunset gradually falls, Bach Ma seems to have no place for hustle and bustle, people's hearts seem to be light and airy, forgetting all worries. In the distance, the writer looks towards the vast, deep green forests and contemplates the silent sacrifices of the "soldiers" who protect Bach Ma forest so that it will be forever green...

(According to PLO)

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