In recent years, alongside the Pa Sy waterfall, Dak Ke lake, and community villages such as Vi Ro Ngheo, Kon Tu Rang, and Kon Tu Ma, the Thuong Kon Tum Hydropower Lake has become a major attraction for tourists visiting Mang Den in Kon Tum province.

Thuong Kon Tum Hydropower Lake is a semi-artificial lake covering over 7 square kilometers.

Its calm, mirror-like surface reflects the sky and surrounding landscape, punctuated by scattered islets and fish cages, creating a picturesque, almost poetic scene.

Drifting across the lake in a small boat, visitors can admire the lush primary forests, tranquil ethnic villages of the Xe Dang people shrouded in mist, and cascading white waterfalls.

A unique contrast to the vibrant lakescape is the mysterious “dead forest” area.

Due to years of water accumulation from the hydropower reservoir, hundreds of trees along the lake's edge became submerged and slowly withered, turning pale and skeletal.

Despite their lifeless appearance, these ghostly trees have captivated photographers and tourists alike, lending an eerie and surreal beauty to the landscape.

Earlier this October, Doan Van To - a traveler and photography enthusiast known online as “Den di do di day” - journeyed from Ho Chi Minh City to Kon Tum to explore the lake.

To reach the lake, To and his group rode motorbikes through remote forests and mountainous paths. Though many routes were rough and challenging, the untouched beauty of the landscape made the journey worthwhile.

He recommended traveling with local guides to avoid getting lost.

To took a small boat and drifted across the lake, enchanted by the scenery.

One particularly fascinating feature was that the lake's water flows in reverse - originating from the Dak Bla River, which defies most Vietnamese rivers by flowing westward instead of eastward toward the sea.

For generations, ethnic groups such as the Ba Na, Xe Dang, Jrai, and Ro Ngao living along the Dak Bla have woven legends around this rare phenomenon, adding to the region's mystique.

As the boat neared the “dead forest,” excitement rippled through the group. Everyone pulled out their phones to capture the ghostly, enchanting scene.

“The boat slowly glided past withered tree trunks. Some stood upright and unshaken despite death and time, while others leaned and twisted as if succumbing to the years. Amid the vast, verdant lake, this area became the highlight of our journey,” To shared.

According to him, during the dry season - typically at the start of the year - the “dead forest” is even more visible and eerie, rising starkly from the receding waters.

To expressed some regret at not having enough time to camp by the lake to observe the changing vegetation and water colors at different times of the day.

In addition to visiting the lake, To also checked in at several “nameless” waterfalls and explored the 20-meter-high Monkey Waterfall.

Located within Chu Mom Ray National Park, this waterfall is surrounded by rich, diverse ecosystems of both regenerated and primary forests.

Currently, Thuong Kon Tum Lake offers a growing range of immersive activities for visitors.

Beyond motorboats and canoes, tourists can paddle SUP boards through secluded coves, fish in the calm waters, hike through surrounding forests, or camp lakeside to watch the sunset.

Several stunning natural waterfalls are also scattered around the lake.

Huong Quynh