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Taste the Nature of Ba Be

If you’re lucky, you’ll taste Shan Tuyết, this “snow tea” with fluffy buds whose flavors seem sweetened by the clouds. It’s the first welcome word of the Tay, a moment of human warmth that prepares the mind for the magic of the lake.

A morning immersion with Mr Linh’s Adventures

To approach these species without disturbing them, local expertise is essential. Here’s what a typical morning looks like.

• 05:00 – Lake Awakening: Briefing over Vietnamese coffee at the Pac Ngoi bridge. Binoculars check (8×42) and eBird checklist.
• 05:15 – Silent Glide: Boarding an ultra-silent electric motor canoe. Head to Dau Dang Bay, where the water is a perfect mirror.
• 06:30 – Forest Chorus: Disembark for a walk in the understory. This is where you search for Red-bellied Trogons and Barbets hidden in the canopy.
• 07:30 – Drongos Ballet: At Phuong Pass, observe the acrobatic flights of Drongos (recognizable by their forked tails) hunting insects on the wing.
• 08:30 – Review and Share: Return to the village for ginger tea. Tally the species seen (often over 25 in a morning!) before sending the data to the eBird scientific base.

► Read more : Ba Be Birdwatching – Half-Day Tour

The secret of the bats (our lucky guardians)

Look up and you’ll see thousands of bats hanging from the ceiling. Did you know they are a local symbol of good fortune?

In Sino-Vietnamese, the word for bat is “Bức”, which sounds almost identical to “Phúc”, meaning “Happiness” or “Blessing”. Crossing the cave is symbolically walking under a canopy of blessings!

They are also eco-heroes: every night, they patrol the rice fields, acting as natural pest control for our local farmers.

Tips for your visit:

Silence is golden: Keep noise down so you don’t disturb the sleeping colonies.

No flash photography: Their eyes are very sensitive. Use a good zoom to capture the ceiling’s texture from a distance.

Best time to go: From February to April, the weather is mild and the skies are clear—perfect for kayaking or boat trips.

Days 5-6: Caving and kayaking

• The secret exploration: Get ready to explore the Thẩm Phầy Cave, nicknamed the “Sơn Đoòng of the North”. The entrance is preceded by an approach trek through the jungle and streams.
• The underground challenge: This 5 km underground network is crossed by a river, with steep cliffs and ancient stalagmites. Good physical condition and an adventurer’s spirit are essential.
• The magical night: After the exploration, stay overnight at the Bamboo Lodge, a simple accommodation near Tham Phay, for a starry night by the campfire.
• Return and relaxation: On Day 6, after a very early safari to observe birds, return to the central area of Ba Bể. In the afternoon, enjoy a kayaking session on the Năng River.

Day 7: Tày culture and departure

• Authentic goodbye: Enjoy this last morning for a traditional boat tour on Ba Bể Lake.
• The Tày culture: The lake is bordered by many villages of the Tày ethnic group. This is an opportunity to discover their traditional stilt houses, music (Then singing, UNESCO intangible heritage since 2019), and weaving techniques.
• Taste of Ba Bể: Don’t leave without honoring the local specialties for lunch, such as grilled lake fish or the famous Bánh Gai (sticky rice cake).

Direct transportation: your gateway to Ba Bể

One of the main logistical challenges is the 240 km journey from Hanoi, often involving complicated transfers with local buses.

To transform this journey into a smooth and comfortable experience, choose the Ba Bể Express service. Ba Bể Express offers a direct transfer to Ba Bể National Park (close to the homestays). The trip takes about five hours and costs roughly $15 USD per person one way. Vehicles are new and air-conditioned to ensure comfort, and the service requires no bus transfers.

The Ba Bể Express drops you off at the northern edge of the lake, allowing you to immediately connect with your Homestay host or hotel for the last few kilometers by boat or motorbike. This is the ideal option to maximize your discovery time and minimize travel stress.

Transportation options to Ba Bể

Despite its seemingly remote appearance, Ba Bể National Park is surprisingly accessible from Hanoi. The park’s apparent seclusion is actually a strategic advantage that preserves its pristine natural environment while remaining reachable for adventurous travelers.

Ba Bể Express: Your Green Line is undoubtedly the most direct and convenient option. This daily shuttle offers you a comfortable and affordable ride directly to the park.
Private car: For maximum flexibility, a private car can take you from Hanoi directly to your homestay. The journey takes a little over 5 hours.
Pick-up / Drop-off: Any hotel in Hanoi Old Quarter → Direct to your homestay in Ba Be (Cốc Tóc, Pác Ngòi, or Bó Lù villages)
Advantages: Flexible departure times, comfortable seats, direct drop-off, no transfers
Booking: Contact Mr Linh’s Adventures (Phone / Zalo / WhatsApp: +84 862 108 966) for a quote

Local bus: Local buses offer a budget-friendly alternative for travelers willing to trade comfort for cost savings. While these buses are the most economical option, they come with several challenges that budget-conscious travelers should carefully consider.
From Hanoi: Take a bus from Mỹ Đình Bus Station to Chợ Rã Town (20 km from Ba Be). From there, continue by motorbike taxi or local transfer into the park.
Travel Time: ~6–7 hours, depending on connections

Between Legend and Spirituality

The name Hang Hua Ma derives from the local legend of the “Horse” (Ma) or “Horse Head” (Hua Ma). Once, the region was troubled by the souls of deceased soldiers. To appease these tormented spirits , a camp was established, and the ritual sacrifice of horses was carried out. The sound of the souls faded, and the cave was thus named Hua Ma (Horse Head) or Leo Pen to commemorate this mysterious and sacred event.

The next morning, we got up super early, at 4 a.m.. It was still dark outside! We got into a canoe with a man who works at Ba Be Jungle Houses and went out on the lake. The lake was so calm, like a mirror, it was beautiful.

And then, I saw two ducks, a pair of mandarin ducks! They were young, but they were so elegant. The man said it was a surprising encounter because they mostly live in northeastern China, Korea, and Japan. He even told us that mandarin ducks are a symbol of marital fidelity and happiness in Vietnam

Once upon a time, the Bìm bịp lớn was born

For an unknown reason, a young, noble, and pious woman decided to shave her head and become a nun. She went on a pilgrimage to the West in search of the Buddha.

On her way, she had to face many trials. The Buddha, impressed by her devotion, tested her by disguising himself as a beggar and asking for the only little bag of rice she had. She gave it to him willingly. Deeply moved by her gesture, the Buddha offered her four sutras to recite in case of danger and for good luck.

Later, the nun got lost in a dark forest and found refuge in a hut, which turned out to be the lair of a serpent-sorceress, a python named “mụ Trăn,” and her son, both ready to devour her. By reciting the prayer, she managed to frighten them away. The python’s son, feeling guilty after hearing her sermons, asked her to offer his heart to the Buddha. The nun accepted, but after several days of travel, the heart rotted, and she threw it into the bushes because of its foul odor.

Exhausted and at the end of her strength, she finally reached the Buddha’s kingdom, where she was told that the gates of paradise would only open if she presented the promised heart as an offering. Unable to turn back, she began to cry and was transformed into a bird by a Bodhisattva so that she would never be tired again.

Since then, the bird with a black head like her nun’s hat, red eyes like her tears, and a brown body like her clothes, flies in search of the heart. It constantly cries “Tội nghiệp! Tội nghiệp!” (Pity! Pity!), which gave it its name, Bìm Bịp.

Tales and legends of Ba Be Lake

A Mosaic of Natural and Cultural Values

This geopark is a concentration of natural and cultural values. It features 24 distinct geological formations dating back 500 million years, 15 of which were discovered in Lang Son. There are also approximately 200 caves, such as Tham Khuyen and Tham Hai, which house human traces dating back 30,000 to 470,000 years, as well as animal and plant fossils from 40 to 50 million years ago. Culturally, the geopark is the birthplace of the Tay and Nung cultures, with intangible heritage recognized by UNESCO. It boasts rich biodiversity, particularly in the Huu Lien Nature Reserve, and important local crops like custard apple and star anise.

Major Sites to Discover

Lang Son Geopark is full of iconic sites:

• Bac Son Valley: A photogenic karst landscape, framed by mountains and limestone peaks. The valley floor is covered with rice fields, offering stunning panoramic views. It is also the cradle of the Bac Son Revolution in 1940 and home to archaeological sites of the prehistoric Bac Son civilization.
• Na La Cave (or Tham Na La): A major archaeological and geological site, this limestone cave contains stalactites and stalagmites, and discoveries proving prehistoric human occupation.
• Dong Lam Lake: Often compared to an “inland Ha Long Bay,” this lake offers serene natural beauty with verdant karst mounds and hills emerging from the water. It is home to rich fauna and flora, with numerous bird species and herds of horses grazing freely.