Surrounded by majestic scenery, Lake Ba Be in the middle of Ba Be National Park is the world’s only permanently filled karst lake
Surrounded by majestic scenery, Lake Ba Be in the middle of Ba Be National Park is the world’s only permanently filled karst lake.
Ba Be National Park is the premier tourist attraction in the northern border province of
A six-hour drive from Hanoi, Lake Ba Be is the centerpiece of the national park, a lush and peaceful oasis where the tropical rainforest is relatively well-preserved as hunting and fishing are restricted, and the villagers receive subsidies not to cut down the trees.
The limestone landscape around
Formed 200 million years ago, Lake Ba Be is really three lakes (that’s what “Ba Be” means) linked by wide channels. It is nine kilometers long and averages one kilometer across, and is surrounded by tall limestone cliffs covered in green.
The depth ranges from 20 to 25 meters and goes down to 35 meters at the deepest point. The rocky hills around Ba Be rise up to 1,098 meters above sea level.
As water percolates easily through the porous limestone, karst lakes, as they are called, drain dry if not replenished by rain or an underground source - with the exception of Ba Be.
The national park is also notable for its diversity of butterflies, of which more than 300 species have been recorded to date.
Without doubt, Ba Be National Park plays an important role in wetland biodiversity and habitat conservation, in particular for freshwater fish, including several species listed in the Red Data Book of Vietnam.
It cost less than US$1 per person (including insurance) to enter the park, where guides are available to accompany individuals or groups around and provide loads of information.
Within the park’s boundary there are several small villages inhabited by members of the
Some of the villages offer basic but reasonably comfortable homestays. An alternative is the park’s guesthouse, which provides the barest of accommodation only. Elsewhere, there is limited local-standard accommodation in Cho Ra, a town 18 kilometers from the park.
The recreation on offer includes boat trips around Ba Be Lake and the
The price varies, depending on the tour. Longer tours cost $15-30. These boats are the usual form of transport on the lake and also ferry the local commuters. For big parties of up to 30 people, a larger boat can be hired for about $35 per day.
Natural appeal
With its stunning 50-meter entrance at the northwestern edge of Lake Ba Be in the heart of
“Go to
Ban
The people of Ban Cam are traditionally users of the local dugout canoes called doc moc for which Ba Be is famous. These are carved from single trees, and although precarious-looking, are capable of carrying several people in safety.
In the center of “lake one,” about 300 meters from the main boat landing, is a small island.
“You can take pleasure not only from the natural sights, but also from the historical interest of this site; a stone tablet carved with Chinese characters, dating back to the Khai Dinh Dynasty, remains on the island,” says Canadian tourist Richard Hebert.
Nearby
Though hard to believe in the dry season (October to March), at the height of the rain,
Due to its location, Dau Dang is an important trading post and is thus a good place to see local commerce as residents of several ethnic groups come and go between the lake and the villages further west.
At present, Ba Be National Park is home to over 3,000 people of five different ethnic groups. There are 13 villages in the national park. Usually,
(Source: VNN)