Buzz
Waterways are the specialty of the S-shaped land, where everywhere you look, there are winding rivers embracing various landscapes and hiding mythical legends spanning generations.
Amidst the ethereal mist, amidst the whispers of nature, amidst the vegetation, mountains, and gentle rivers, day and night tirelessly weave stories from the primordial era of the earth, sky, and humanity.
Lake Ba Be (Bac Kan) - Unique wooden boats and the Great Water Battle
Nestled amidst the rugged beauty of Ba Be National Park, Ba Be Lake stands out as one of the largest freshwater lakes globally, spanning 650 hectares with a length of approximately 8 kilometers. Enveloped by limestone mountains and underground streams, it boasts magnificent caves, adding to its mystique. Ba Be Lake resembles a miniature ocean nestled within the mountains, with two prominent islets, An Ma and Po Gia, dotting its surface.
While the serene scenery captivates visitors with its tranquil ambiance, few would expect the tale of a great flood that once swept this pristine land in ancient times. In those days, the region held grand Buddhist ceremonies annually, drawing crowds from afar to pay homage. Among them was a beggar woman, shunned everywhere she went except by a compassionate widow who offered her food and shelter for a night. Come morning, the beggar revealed herself as a divine messenger and bestowed upon the widow and her daughter ashes to scatter around their home and rice husks to use as boats in the impending calamity. Sure enough, disaster struck as the village's water pipe burst, causing a deluge that submerged everything but the widow's house. Using the husk boats, the widow and her daughter rescued the villagers from peril.
Amidst the tranquil backdrop of mountains and verdant landscapes lies a testament to ancient history, existing for over 200 million years. Wooden boats still echo the legends surrounding this lush paradise, offering an explanation for its miraculous creation. These legends, steeped in human emotion and morality, cast a spell over the land, preserving the essence of human compassion and resilience.
Mount Coc Lake (Thai Nguyen) – Love Amidst the Mountain Lake
Located 16 kilometers from the center of Thai Nguyen city, amidst endless green tea fields in Tan Cuong town, this lake spans 25 square kilometers. Its crystal-clear waters reflect the lush vegetation, flowers, and the serene flow of the Cong River, surrounded by graceful hills blanketed with tea plantations, all seemingly veiled in a mystical ambiance.
It's the poignant love story of Lady Cong and Lord Coc. Orphaned and impoverished, Lord Coc worked as a laborer in the magistrate's household along the Cong River when fate brought him to Lady Cong – the magistrate's daughter, beautiful and skilled in dance. They fell in love, but faced the vehement opposition of Lady Cong's father. The young couple was separated, with Lord Coc returning to his homeland, waiting day and night for Lady Cong to transform into a mountain, while Lady Cong wept incessantly until her body dissolved into water, lingering beside Coc Mountain. From then on, they remained together, whispering the unfinished tales of their love.
Mount Coc Lake also harbors the legend of the love triangle among three pine trees. It's the tale of twin brothers who both fell for the most beautiful girl in the region. The girl met the elder brother first, and they fell in love and made promises. The next day, the younger brother also went to the mountain to propose to the girl, assuming they were both pursuing the same person, so the girl agreed. When the truth came to light, all three were astounded, and the Jade Emperor, moved by their plight, granted them the boon to transform into three pine trees, forever standing together.
West Lake (Hanoi) – the legendary origin
West Lake is a collection of legends intertwined with the names of a land rich in a thousand years of civilization.
Formerly known as Dam Xac Cao, West Lake was once a wild land where demons roamed, tormenting the innocent. A nine-tailed fox often disguised itself as a human, mingling among the people to abduct young girls. Lac Long Quan bravely ventured into the area, slaying the malevolent fox spirit and submerging it beneath the waters to save the people, thus forming what is now known as West Lake.
Also known as Golden Buffalo Lake, during the Ly dynasty, the monk Khong Lo went on a mission to the North and obtained a few black copper pieces imbued with Buddhist blessings. Upon his return, the monk used them to build a Bao Thien tower and cast a bell. Once, the bell's toll reached as far as the North, causing the golden buffalo of the Song dynasty to rush into Vietnamese territory in search of the bell but found none, eventually plunging into the lake in despair.
Today, West Lake has become a captivating beauty spot, a favorite destination not only for the people of Hanoi.
Lak Lake (Dak Lak) – the highland lake
Located in Lien Son town, Lak district, this place echoes the legendary tale of the bottomless lake.
In the ancient village of the Nơ Nông people, the fire deity triumphed over the water deity in a decisive battle, causing the village to sink into drought. Therefore, a young man – the son of the fire deity, and a Nơ Nông girl, determinedly set out to find the water source to save the village. After many days and nights, the young man found the water source, which is now known as Lak Lake.
Today, Lak Lake has become a renowned eco-tourism destination, with its clear, tranquil surface resembling the soft silk of nature, amidst the red earth and sky of the highland plateau.
Dak Bla River – love story along the upstream red river
The Dak Bla River in Kon Tum is the only river in our country that flows from east to west. Legend has it that in the past, the river flowed from west to east like many other rivers, but in those days, this land witnessed continuous battles between two villages: the J'rai people in the upper reaches and the Bahna people in the lower reaches. A young couple deeply in love wanted to reconcile the enmity between the two villages, so they agreed to meet at the riverbank to commit suicide, allowing their blood to flow into the river. The blood of the young man flowed downstream towards the girl's village, while the blood of the girl flowed upstream towards the boy's village. Where the two streams of blood met, the young man's blood reversed its course, flowing back towards his own village with the girl's blood, hence the river began flowing backward, dyed in deep red.
To this day, the river silently flows backward like a paradox, carrying profound significance and becoming a symbol of this land.
Though these are tales from a thousand years ago, their illusions still linger today, casting an enchanting veil over the landscape, over time.
