Head to Mount Cam to "hunt" for clouds!

Mount Cam peak appears with a "sea of clouds".

Touch the… clouds

It's unclear when exactly, but nature has bestowed upon Mount Cam such a beautiful season of clouds! Whether you're from An Giang or a visitor from afar, you'll be captivated by the ethereal cloud cover that blankets the majestic Thien Cam Son peak. Having ascended and descended Mount Cam many times, I've also been immersed in this hazy mist, which has earned it the nickname "Da Lat 2."

My friends in Mount Cam say that to truly touch the clouds, you have to wait until the rainy season. At that time, the weather is cool and the clouds flock to visit the mountain peaks. Indeed, on rainy mornings, while the landscape is still drowsy in the mist, the people of Mount Cam are already up to earn a living. In the peaceful atmosphere of the Thuy Liem Lake Pilgrimage Center, the Cloud Market has already started very early. It's called the Cloud Market because it opens in the clouds! In reality, the market still has all the necessities to serve the lives of the people on Mount Cam. Visiting the Cloud Market early in the morning, you'll be able to touch the clouds. That feeling is hard to describe. It's cool, pleasant, dreamy, and tinged with a little sadness. Sometimes, it feels like you're walking through a drizzle, tiny raindrops falling on you. At that moment, your heart feels light, filtering out sadness into the past.

My favorite part is strolling around Thuy Liem Lake, admiring the Buddhist structures hidden amidst the mist, creating a sense of transcendence and peace. In this scene, sometimes clear, sometimes hazy, visitors feel as if they are returning to the tranquility of their souls. The bright red tiled roofs of the Big Buddha Temple, the towers like pens writing on the blue sky of Van Linh Temple, or the serene smile of Maitreya Buddha in the vast space... always leave a lasting impression.

Experiencing that scenery was incredibly enjoyable for me, even though I'm a regular visitor to Mount Cam. Unlike the bustling atmosphere during holidays, Tet (Lunar New Year), and pilgrimage seasons, Mount Cam becomes more tranquil during the rainy season. It is at such times that one truly appreciates the "poetic essence" of Mount Cam. Along the stone-paved paths, clouds drift lazily along the footprints. Amidst the mist, a few branches of purple myrtle sway, hinting at a distant sadness. Occasionally, one encounters pots of hydrangeas displaying their beauty, and rows of pine trees silently reflecting their image on the clear water of the lake. At that moment, it felt as if I were somewhere in Da Lat, the "city of a thousand flowers."

Go "hunting" for clouds.

Because clouds are a "specialty," an integral part of the poetic landscape of Mount Cam, they are sought after by tourists from near and far. As the locals say, it's "cloud hunting" on Mount Cam. During the rainy season, clouds appear in abundance. But to witness the most beautiful moments of cloud formation, one must make the effort to search, climbing the mountain early in the morning. At that time, the clouds hover over the surface of Thuy Liem Lake, or creep haphazardly along the distant slopes, even forming a vast sea of clouds, offering an incredibly impressive visual perspective.

Many tourists choose to visit Mount Cam during the rainy season, with the goal of "hunting" for clouds. They hire passenger transport workers to take them to the best cloud-watching spots. Sometimes, to "hunt" for clouds, tourists have to endure a few heart-stopping moments on the steep, winding roads. In particular, many young people seek out homestays on Mount Cam to stay overnight. Their purpose is to enjoy the fresh, cool air of Thien Cam Son at night. The next morning, they get to admire the clouds covering the mountains and forests, capturing moments of their youth amidst the hazy, somewhat surreal scenery of the cloud season on Mount Cam. Currently, this type of tourism is popular among young people, helping to stabilize the lives of the people living on the mountain.

It's not just tourists who love the cloudy season on Mount Cam; photographers are also passionate about this genre. For Duong Viet Anh (from the Mount Cam Tourist Area Management Board), beautiful photos of Mount Cam are an endless passion, especially the ethereal cloudscapes over the "roof of the Western region." However, capturing photos of fluffy drifting clouds or vast seas of clouds is very difficult. Duong Viet Anh says that even during the rainy season, wanting to photograph clouds doesn't mean Mount Cam will automatically have them. It requires patience and time. There are days when he wanders all over Mount Cam without getting a satisfactory photo. There are many photos of Mount Cam, but truly beautiful photos of the cloudy season are quite rare.

After all, experiencing the misty season at Mount Cam always brings a very special feeling to everyone, both exhilarating and peaceful, helping the soul find balance. Therefore, this is a distinctive mark worth seeking out, experiencing, and remembering, as an unforgettable part of the picturesque An Giang region.

THANH TIEN

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/ve-nui-cam-san-may--a420721.html