Tam Dao Excursion, Beating the Summer Heat

Situated 80km north of Hanoi, Tam Dao tourist area lies in the northern part of Tam Dao district. Though not sprawling, the tourist destinations here are quite close, allowing you to explore the beautiful and interesting spots on foot.

Tam Dao Excursion, Beating the Summer Heat

The town of Tam Dao in Vinh Phuc province covers a natural area of 214.85 hectares surrounded by Tam Dao National Park. With a pristine climate averaging around 18°C throughout the year, the untouched nature, marked by the passage of time, has bestowed this place with a breathtaking landscape—picturesque and mystical, with clouds and mist enhancing its charm.

Tam Dao tourist area is not extensive, and the attractions are quite close. You can easily explore most of the beautiful and interesting places by walking around.

Television Tower

Ascending 93 meters atop Thiên Nhị peak at an elevation of 1,375 meters. After climbing nearly 1,400 stone steps leading to the summit, you'll arrive at the base of the television tower. The journey may be challenging, yet it exudes romance and poetry. Along the ascent, orchids, chrysanthemums, and various unnamed wildflowers bloom along the path, emitting a captivating fragrance with vibrant colors.

Upper Ngàn Goddess Temple

To reach the temple, you'll need to climb about 200 stone steps along the same path to the television tower. The temple holds a beautiful legend, with the dreamy panorama of the town amidst white clouds still perfectly preserved.

Silver Waterfall

From the center of Tam Dao town, turn right onto a trail that descends into a deep valley. Silver Waterfall hides within the mountains, cascading down in a mysterious, silver-white stream, sparkling with the reflection of the sun's rainbow hues. The journey to and from the waterfall is not overly long but is challenging with steep stone steps. A small stream, falling from a height of 50 meters, creates a soothing symphony blending the sound of the waterfall, the forest, and leaves echoing against the rocky walls, reminiscent of ancient tales.

Ancient Tam Dao Church

Discovered by the French in the late 19th century, early 20th century, Tam Dao immediately saw the establishment of a resort area with 200 villas, hotels, restaurants, sports facilities, swimming pools, and dance floors. Today, only a few of those villas remain. Constructed in 1937, the parish in this location built the current church in the French architectural style, measuring 26m in length and 11m in width. During the resistance against the French, the 'land resistance war' ideology led to the complete destruction of all the villas previously built by the French in Tam Dao, leaving the church as the sole architectural structure preserved.

This is a fascinating sightseeing spot; standing atop the ancient church, you can overlook the enchanting Tam Dao nature. Capture memorable photos with friends and family, and there are also many wedding photography packages available here.

Rùng Rình Peak

For adventurous travelers exploring Tam Dao, venture a bit further to Rùng Rình Peak. Here, the landscape, with beautiful mountains and forests reminiscent of fairy tales, features large trees adorned with orchids, the melodious chirping of birds, and butterflies fluttering through the sky. Beyond lies Tam Dao 2, once an ideal French-era vacation spot, now abandoned, exuding a wild and lonely beauty.

Activities

In Tam Dao, apart from some play areas, you can swim in the public swimming pool. Nestled against the mountains, this pool offers a romantic setting. The water is clean, and it's recommended to swim in the afternoon or early evening as the water can be quite chilly towards nightfall.

Play Golf

The Tam Dao Golf Course adheres to international standards, covering an expansive 300m² area including a practice field, a bunker and chipping area surrounded by sand traps. With over 100 golf carts and a team of 200 experienced and professional golf staff, they are always ready to serve.

Explore Day and Night Market

Stroll through the Tam Dao market to enjoy the misty and cloud-covered scenery, and explore the local cuisine at the rustic eateries in the market. Before ordering, it's advisable to inquire about the prices to avoid overcharging.

Tam Dao Cuisine

Su Su Vegetable: a specialty of Tam Dao, the cool year-round climate contributes to the vibrant growth of su su with a distinctive flavor not found elsewhere. When eating su su, it maintains a delightful tenderness while being crispy, offering a naturally sweet and refreshing taste.

Grilled Delights: Grilled items are available everywhere with a variety including corn, sweet potato, and taro, but the most enticing is the grilled egg. Grilling eggs isn't difficult but demands the skill and quickness of the egg griller, who fans the flames with one hand and skillfully flips each egg with the other, creating a visually appealing masterpiece. Peeling and blowing on the hot egg in your hand, taking a savory bite, enjoying the rich aroma of the yolk, the crispiness of the white, dipped in black pepper and salt, creates a delightful experience amidst the chilly weather.

Wild Boar: A must-try when visiting Tam Dao, this dish features meat from the native wild boar, ensuring a firm texture. Tam Dao's wild boar is prepared in various delicious ways such as steaming, grilling, stir-frying, braising, and raw. The thinly sliced, tender, and lean pork is not too tough or fatty. It's a satisfying, non-greasy, and flavorful culinary experience.

Hillside Chicken: Tam Dao hillside chickens have red or black feathers, yellow legs, and red crests. Raised naturally on the hills, the meat is firm and fragrant. When eaten, the chicken meat is sweet, fragrant, and tender. It can be prepared in various ways including boiling, frying, roasting, salt-roasting, ginger-roasting, and in chicken hotpot. When visiting Tam Dao, remember to bring one back as a gift, perhaps a chicken wrapped in clay and roasted.

Ant Sting Beef Tartare: A unique and exotic dish to try when visiting Tam Dao, featuring freshly slaughtered beef cut into pieces and hung next to ant nests in the forest. The ants quickly swarm the meat, injecting their venom into it. The meat is then washed and grilled over a charcoal stove until medium-rare, offering a delicious and aromatic taste, best enjoyed with a fine wine.

The weather in Tam Dao is similar to that in Sapa or Da Lat. You can easily experience all four seasons in a day: a gentle spring breeze in the morning, warm summer heat at noon, a leisurely autumnal afternoon, and a sudden icy chill of winter in the evening.

You can visit Tam Dao in any season of the year as the weather is ideal. You'll easily experience a different season in a day here. The temperature in Tam Dao is always lower than in Hanoi. On hot summer days in Hanoi, treat yourself to a trip to Tam Dao, ensuring a fantastic time; you won't want to leave, and your skin won't darken like it would at the beach in summer. The nighttime weather here is very cold, sometimes with light rain, so remember to bring a jacket, whether it's summer or winter.

Apart from exploring Tam Dao tourist area, visitors can also visit Tam Dao National Park, situated on the Tam Dao mountain range—a vast range stretching over 80 km, 10–15 km wide, running in the Northwest-Southeast direction, approximately 75 km north of Hanoi.

This place conserves, nurtures, and cares for bears and various other wild animals.

Source: Elle.vn

***

Reference: Travel guide from Mytour