We usually take the cable car up Mount Cam in the morning to admire the beautiful sunrise and the ethereal mist. But this time, we went in the late afternoon to witness the sunset sinking over the poetic and majestic mountain range. While life on the mountain is slow-paced in the early morning, it becomes much more bustling in the afternoon. In the morning, the landscape is shrouded in mystical mist, people are out in their gardens tending to their crops, and there aren't many tourists yet. But as the sun begins to set, the crowds of people climbing from the foot of the mountain to the summit grow larger.
A peaceful scene on Mount Cam. Photo: THANH CHINH
Following the paved road that hugs the mountainside, the car slowly passed through the mountain's various locations. Looking up at the high cliffs, we were overwhelmed by the vastness of the mountainous natural landscape. Having visited Mount Cam many times, we were experienced in navigating the steep uphill and downhill sections and winding roads. To climb the mountain, the car had to be in first or second gear, as the slopes here are very steep. Mr. Nguyen Van Tung (62 years old), from Thien Tue peak, Nui Cam commune, said that the motorbikes on the mountain are all brought to repair shops by locals to have their sprockets and gears replaced to suit the mountain roads, serving both passenger transport and goods delivery.
Stopping at a roadside stall to buy a bottle of soft drink, Mr. Tung, seeing that we had come from far away, struck up a lively conversation. Mr. Tung has been living on Mount Cam for over 40 years. In the past, the area was wild and untouched, with few visitors, and the air was always cool. Pointing to the deep ravine near the stall, Mr. Tung said his house was down there. We looked down into the bottomless ravine and asked, "Why is your house so deep down there?" Mr. Tung explained that before the paved road, people lived along a trail beside the stream. "Before the paved road, tourists climbed Mount Cam using this trail. Now, I've built a small house here to make it easier to sell soft drinks to tourists," Mr. Tung said.
Watching the stream of motorbikes carrying tourists up and down the mountain in the late afternoon, Mr. Tung happily said: “This year, more tourists are coming up the mountain to visit and admire the scenery than last year. Now, the summit of Mount Cam has many scenic spots, temples, and statues of the Maitreya Buddha… so it’s very famous. For the past two years, a lantern festival has been held on Mount Cam, so tourists frequently come up to enjoy the view. Thanks to that, the people here earn income from driving motorbikes to take tourists up the mountain.”
A cluster of temples and shops on Mount Cam. Photo: THANH CHINH
Having lived on Mount Cam for many years, Mr. Tung is very knowledgeable about the natural landscape and the fascinating stories of the area. Each rocky outcrop on the summit of Mount Cam has its own unique story that captivates visitors. The Thien Tue outcrop, in particular, was once home to many cycad trees and thorny bamboo on the mountain slopes. In high mountain areas, cycad trees have a very strong vitality. Many trees were felled and left lying among the rocks, surviving even during the dry season when water is scarce. This is the only place on Mount Cam where cycad trees are so abundant; they are rarely found elsewhere.
Mr. Tung pointed east and said, "At Thien Tue peak, there's a gleaming cave that the locals call Ong Ho cave." We quickly got in the car and drove over to check it out. From Thien Tue peak, it's about 200 steep steps down to Ong Ho cave. As soon as we passed the rocks, we saw many people who had already arrived. Most of the visitors were from the Mekong Delta provinces. They learned about this place through word of mouth from the elderly people on the mountain.
Leaving Ong Ho Cave, we joined a group of tourists and walked to the other side of Ong Voi Hill, which is about 480m high. It takes about 15 minutes to walk from the paved road up to Ong Voi Hill. This area is still very pristine, with dense forests and rocky mountains lining the trail. There are huge rocks weighing tens of tons stacked on top of each other. Beside them, banyan trees and other green trees cling tightly to the large rocks, creating a dark and mysterious atmosphere. Many people call this place Ong Buom Hill, located slightly to the north. From here, tourists can see a panoramic view of the mountain town around Thuy Liem Lake. As soon as we reached the large rock, we saw many tourists visiting. Nowadays, this area is considered a fairly famous tourist destination on Cam Mountain. Climbing onto the large rocks and then to the top of the rock, we could see the entire Thuy Liem Lake. Some rocks resemble the back of an elephant walking in the forest. Some large rocks are stacked on top of even larger ones, looking like a mythical peach, very unusual. Mr. Tran Hoang Tuan, a motorbike taxi driver who takes tourists up Mount Cam, said that there are no houses in the area. Previously, it was very wild and unspoiled, with many large trees and wild animals such as wild boars, monkeys, squirrels, and civets. The climate on Mount Cam is very cool, and the peak tourist season is on the full moon day.
As evening falls and the sunlight fades, the scenery of Mount Cam becomes dark and tranquil. Groups of visitors retreat to their lodgings, listening to the echoing sound of the temple bells at night, feeling a sense of peace.
THANH CHINH
Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/yen-binh-tren-nui-cam-a481529.html
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