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Quế Phong District, Nghệ An Province, boasts the longest border stretch in the province, neighboring our Lao brethren. Situated amidst the convergence of Nghệ An, Thanh Hóa provinces, and the continuous mountain ranges along the Laos border, Quế Phong embodies the quintessential characteristics of the Northwest mountainous region.
Nature in Quế Phong retains almost pristine tropical forests, terraced rice fields adorned with golden, fragrant rice, exuding the essence of the Thai ethnic minority. Approximately 15km from Quế Phong town lies the majestic Sao Va waterfall, surrounded by captivating beauty. The winding mountainous roads throughout the district boast spectacular twists and turns, each bend revealing a picturesque landscape akin to ancient watercolor paintings.
The most picturesque and grandiose attraction in Quế Phong is the Hủa Na hydroelectric reservoir. Spanning thousands of hectares in a graceful S-shape across Dong Van and Phong Thu communes, Hủa Na Lake is renowned for its specialties: freshwater snails, firm-fleshed white carp, with a uniquely sweet flavor. Additionally, the region's inhabitants have been harvesting various aquatic products, forest bamboo shoots, and indigenous medicinal plants for centuries. Particularly, the Thai ethnic community in Quế Phong preserves distinct cultural traits from ancient times and is renowned for their hospitality. Vu Dinh Tuan, who has been involved in resettlement compensation work at Hủa Na for 5 years, shared that when guests visit, Thai people always offer the newest pillow, the warmest blanket in the house, and may even yield the only bed in the house to guests, while the family sleeps on the floor. The Thai people also have a unique tradition of showing respect to esteemed guests by serving them the first scoop of sticky rice and the first sip of wine during meals…'. Along the road to the Hủa Na hydroelectric plant, approximately 20km from Quế Phong district, the Sao Va waterfall (in the Thai language, 20 sải tay) spans over 100m, cascading white foam into a small valley with a unique legend. The Thai people believe it is where the fairy daughters of the Water King often bathe upon descending to the mortal realm. Thus, young men are forbidden to bathe beneath the waterfall, lest they be carried away by the fairies to the heavens.
Sao Va waterfall has a large water basin covering approximately 800m2 at its base. Despite its tranquil appearance, the depth of the basin is immeasurable by most. According to locals, it is twenty fathoms deep, equivalent to 30m. Annually, during the rainy season, heavy floods from upstream along with the steep slopes on both sides of the mountain cause landslides that converge into this water basin, resulting in large rocks equivalent to the size of houses. Thousands of massive floods have poured into Sa Va Lake in recent years, yet these large rocks end up in the lake and drift away, leaving the water still and deep. This is truly a mysterious phenomenon of the Nghe Highlands. From the Sao Va waterfall, with determination, one can ascend Phu Phuong slope to reach Pu Pom Temple, where nine large villages were established, witnessing historical traces from the fifteenth century that are either recounted by locals or recorded in historical texts, to witness traditional rituals such as the Procession Ceremony, Buffalo Slaughter Ceremony, Grand Ceremony, Thanksgiving Ceremony. From Vinh City, crossing nearly 40km of mountain passes, a vast expanse of pristine mountains unfolds before us like a watercolor painting with a vast water body nestled amidst the towering ranges of the western Nghe region. Many visitors to Hủa Na for the first time couldn't help but marvel at the beauty surrounding this area, many exclaimed, “Is this the Dalat of Nghe Province?”.
Speaking not in vain when right from the outskirts of Quế Phong district, a vast flat valley stretching along both banks of the gentle Chu River is adorned with hundreds of hectares of lush green rice fields shimmering in the golden autumn sun like honey. Along the riverbanks stand dozens of water wheels, more than 20m high, leisurely turning with the river flow, irrigating the fields with alluvial water. Flocks of white storks soaring overhead bring an unparalleled sense of tranquility. If it were just the golden rice valleys, Sao Va waterfall, or the distinctive culture of the Thai ethnic group, it wouldn't suffice to compare the Quế Phong mountainous region to a legendary landscape like Dalat. The highlight here is Hủa Na Hydroelectric Reservoir. With an area of 2,042 km2, Hủa Na Lake has only been filled with water for over a year, preserving all the pristine beauty of the mountainous region. The straight tropical forest patches, with hundreds of precious tree species of various shapes, are preserved in their natural state by the Hủa Na Hydroelectric Company, casting a lush green shade over the lake. The forest patches within the lake still protrude above the water's surface, becoming a source of food and habitat for many aquatic species migrating from the Chu River to settle in Hủa Na. Every afternoon, people in the Huoi Muong and Nam Khe villages engage in a new profession of fishing on the lake. Mrs. Lu Thi Ly, from the resettlement area of Nam Khe, said: 'My husband and three others in the village catch between 60-80kg of fish from the lake every day, so our income is stable and regular.' Seeing the fresh, delicious fish that the young woman is on her way to the market to sell, we can feel the new vitality coming to Hủa Na, a pristine land still in need of exploration and development.
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Source: Travel Guide Mytour | According to Petrotimes.vn
MytourOctober 16, 2013
