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Despite being involved in tourism for over a decade, Pác Ngòi remains one of the few villages preserving most of its ethnic Tày customs and traditions.
Discover the beauty of Pác Ngòi village nestled alongside Ba Bể Lake.
Driving along National Highway 3, passing through Phủ Thông and over Giàng Pass, our journey led us to Ba Bể District from the Nà Phặc intersection. A charming wooden sign reading 'Pác Ngòi 3km' caught our attention. Observing other tourists on motorbikes veering off after noticing the sign, we followed suit, venturing into a lush green path winding through dense forests. After approximately thirty minutes of traversing the dimly lit path beneath thick canopies of ken leaves, Pác Ngòi village gradually emerged before us.
Located 50km from Bắc Kạn town and 220km from Hanoi, the breathtaking beauty of Ba Bể Lake leaves many southern tourists in awe. Formed by three rivers, Pé Lầm, Pé Lù, and Pé Lèng, Ba Bể Lake sprawls amidst limestone mountains and lush green forests. As we approached the lake, we noticed several beautifully situated resorts and hotels along the road, albeit with few guests.
Visitors to the lake nowadays prefer staying in local homestays. Perhaps the most popular destination is Pác Ngòi village in Nam Mẫu commune. Situated on relatively flat land, the village boasts rich cornfields in the foreground and towering rock formations resembling a colossal barrier in the background. It is also conveniently located near the boat pier for Ba Bể Lake tours.
Most of the stilt houses in the village are backed by the mountains and face the lake, creating a picturesque landscape of rolling hills and serene waters of Lake Ba Be. In the past, Lake Ba Be was almost like a private body of water for the Tày ethnic group. They ate, played, and lived according to the seasons of the lake.
Despite participating in tourism for over a decade, Pac Ngoi remains one of the few villages that still preserves most of the customs and traditions deeply rooted in the Tày ethnic culture. From a distance, over 70 ancient houses in the local stilt architecture style lie against the mountainside, giving a sense of tranquility.
The stilt houses of the Tày people are built with four to seven rows of columns, forming two distinct areas. The upper part of the floor serves as a reception area, kitchen, and living space, while the space under the floor stores agricultural tools and shelters livestock. Typically, the roof of the stilt house has a structure of either two or four slopes made of tile or palm leaves.
Visitors to Ba Be never want to miss the opportunity to cruise on wooden boats across the lake; those with more time follow the fishermen to catch fish. In the evening, our group chose to watch Tày girls weave fabric and sing traditional songs. The next day, we toured other ethnic villages around the lake with the locals.
During that trip, we also visited Hua Ma Cave nestled in the foothills, surrounded by lush greenery all year round. Inside, the cave floor is relatively flat, with dozens of stalactites standing tall, created by nature. Throughout the cave, there are countless beautiful stalagmites. Exploring Hua Ma Cave is a relatively new activity in Ba Be, and according to Mr. Chuyen, our guide, Ba Be always has something new for nature-loving tourists.
After hours of hiking up the mountains and down to the lake, everyone eagerly enjoyed the delicious and unique Tày cuisine. There were bamboo rice, sour shrimp, sour meat, five-color sticky rice... and especially the grilled mương fish, a small fish grilled over charcoal after gutting, which is very fragrant and sweet. Then there were energy-rich dishes like pork cooked over a fire, smoked sausage, grilled Ba Be shrimp, steamed chicken with lime leaves... all paired perfectly with Tày rice wine. To balance the meal, there were various vegetables such as cowslip creeper, ferns, wild betel leaves... stir-fried or cooked in a refreshing soup.
Custom-made dishes are available for guests at around 120,000 Vietnamese dong per meal. Additionally, overnight stays are priced at approximately 70,000 dong per person.
As reported by Đỗ Hoàng/Entrepreneur Saigon
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Reference: Travel guide Mytour
MytourOctober 18, 2017
