About the upstream of Cau River

In recent days, implementing the program "Love Vietnam" of Nhan Dan Newspaper, Bac Kan province has coordinated with the unit to install 3 NFC chip panels at the special national historical site An Toan Khu Cho Don; the special national relic Ba Be Lake and Song Cau walking street.

These are the locations that Bac Kan province has carefully selected to introduce to Nhan Dan Newspaper, serving the installation of NFC boards. It can be said that these locations are the “tourist identity” of Bac Kan, representing the potential of historical tourism, experiential tourism and night-time economic development.

Under the silent old palm trees, the vast bamboo forests, and occasionally the yellow camellia flowers in the communes of Binh Trung, Luong Bang, Nghia Ta... in Cho Don district (Bac Kan) are densely packed with revolutionary historical relics associated with the period of resistance against the French.

Installing NFC chip board at Na Pau relic, Luong Bang commune, Cho Don district. (Photo: HA TUYET)

To reach Cho Don Security Area, a special national relic, from Hanoi, visitors take the Hanoi-Thai Nguyen expressway for about 1 hour. From Thai Nguyen, visitors can follow the old National Highway 3, passing through Dinh Hoa district (Thai Nguyen) to get there.

Visitors can take the second route along Thai Nguyen-Cho Moi road, up to Bac Kan city and then continue to Cho Don district.

Both routes, from Hanoi to Cho Don Security Area, only take about 4 hours.

It was not by chance that the communes of Binh Trung, Luong Bang, and Nghia Ta were chosen by Uncle Ho and the Party Central Committee as safe zones in the Viet Bac war zone.

With the old forests "covering the troops, surrounding the enemy" and the strategic position "advancing can attack, retreating can defend" and the protection and shelter of the ethnic people here and Bac Kan in general, Cho Don Security Area holds an important position in the historical process of the revolution during the resistance war against the French.

The Cho Don National Special Relic Complex includes 25 relic sites, of which 6 relic sites have been ranked at the national level and currently more than 40 relic sites are continuing to be counted and classified.

Cho Don Security Area welcomed many Party and State leaders to visit. (In photo: Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan visits Cho Don Security Area). (Photo: TUAN SON)

The relic sites are mainly distributed along National Highway 3C, from the areas of Bang Lang, Luong Bang to Nghia Ta, Binh Trung, Ban Thi communes. Each relic site has its own historical value, creating a special relic complex, a precious "red address" in the old war zone. That is the Pu Co hill relic site in Ban Bang village, Nghia Ta commune, which marks the event of the southern and northern troops meeting in October 1943.

Ban Ca relic, Binh Trung commune, where Uncle Ho lived and worked in late 1947. Na Pau relic, Luong Bang commune, where Uncle Ho lived and worked in late 1950 and early 1951. Na Tang village, Luong Bang commune was where Prime Minister Pham Van Dong lived and worked from 1950 to 1951.

Khuoi Linh relic in Na Deng village, Nghia Ta commune is the residence and workplace of comrade Truong Chinh, former General Secretary of the Party Central Committee and the workplace of the Party Central Committee Office in late 1950 and early 1951. Na Quan relic, Binh Trung commune is where the Party Central Committee set up a working hall during the resistance war against France from 1948 to 1952.

The Cho Don safety area is also dense with relics associated with Uncle Ho's journey from Pac Bo (Cao Bang) to Tan Trao (Tuyen Quang); relics of the Cuu Quoc Newspaper, the Truth Newspaper, where the logistics agency (Ministry of National Defense) was located; the Na Kien relic where the closing ceremony of the 2nd and 3rd courses of the Tran Quoc Tuan Military Academy was held; the Phja Tac relic, Ban Thi commune, where the Ministry of Finance's money printing factory was located from 1947 to 1951...

At Cho Don Safe Zone, the Party Central Committee, the Government and President Ho Chi Minh planned the resistance war strategy, directed many major campaigns, such as: Viet Bac Campaign in Autumn-Winter 1947; Border Campaign in 1950; prepared conditions for the 2nd National Congress of the Party held in Chiem Hoa (Tuyen Quang) in February 1951...

With such special and great historical values, on December 22, 2016, the Prime Minister signed Decision No. 2499/QD-TTg ranking the Cho Don Historical Site as a special national site.

From Bac Kan city, along the newly opened tourist road nearly 40km long, "squeezing" through natural forests, visitors will reach the scenic Ba Be Lake.

A corner of Ba Be Lake. (Photo: THU CUC)

This is one of the largest natural freshwater lakes in Vietnam; recognized as one of the 20 special freshwater lakes in the world that need to be protected. The lake was formed about 200 million years ago due to major geological changes, causing the limestone mountains to collapse.

The name Ba Be Lake comes from the fact that the lake is composed of 3 lakes: Pe Leng, Pe Lu and Pe Lam. The lake is more than 8km long, 2km wide at its widest point, with a water surface area of about 500ha, an average depth of 20m, and up to 35m in some places. The lake water is always deep blue, reflecting the clouds and sky. On the lake surface are Ba Goa Island, An Ma Island... Along the lake there is Hua Ma Cave, Don Den Peak... Along the lake shore there are also Tay ethnic villages, most of which have now been converted into homestays to welcome tourists.

Visitors can experience the scenic beauty of Ba Be Lake and the unique culture and cuisine of the highlands. Visitors will have the opportunity to “immerse” themselves in the cultural space of the Tinh lute, Then singing, and Bowl dancing…

After a good night’s sleep at the homestays along the lake, visitors can stroll along the path around the lake, watch the sunrise and breathe in the fresh air. Further, visitors can climb to the top of Don Den to hunt for clouds, cycle to visit Hua Ma cave, step on a boat to cut through the waves on the dark blue lake surface…

A corner of Pac Ngoi village on the shore of Ba Be Lake. (Photo: THU CUC)

Before coming to Cho Don Safety Area and Ba Be Lake, visitors can stop and experience Song Cau walking street in Bac Kan city.

This is a new tourist destination inaugurated by Bac Kan city in August 2024. The street is 1km long, stretching from Doi Ky bridge to Thanh Nien intersection.

The walking street has 4 main spaces, including: an area for organizing art performance events; a space for displaying paintings and photos; an area for experiencing and performing folk games; and a space for promoting trade. Since its opening, every week, from Friday evening to Saturday, Song Cau walking street has attracted many tourists from inside and outside the province.

With NFC panels installed in these three tourist destinations, visitors will have the opportunity to use their phones to interact and get certified for check-in, save personal photos, and receive useful information. This will help spread the image and potential, helping the locality develop tourism.