A video on a social network shows a stream running thunderously next to the rented room in Ba Khan in Hoa Binh province. The woman, who posted the video, said she and a group of travelers decided to rent the room because they hoped the peaceful area would help them relax and heal. But contrary to their predictions, the stream water ran so fast that it made the travelers feel as if the whole room would drift away.

The video has attracted 1.1 million viewers and thousands of comments. Many netizens were curious about the stream and asked for the address of the area.

The video was filmed by Thuy Nguyen, a traveler from Hanoi, in November 2023. Her memory about the trip only came back recently and she decided to post the video on a social network.

Thuy and her friends rented rooms at a resort in Ba Khan, Mai Chau, which is 125 kilometers from Hanoi. The resort is located on the mountainside, with views of the green valley and Hoa Binh Reservoir. At the resort, there is a natural stream running through, creating a feeling of relaxation and peace, so it is favored by tourists.

Thuy said previously she mostly traveled to Moc Chau and went across Ma iChau. However, recently, when seeing the images of the resort in Ba Khan with the natural stream, beautiful landscapes and fresh air, she decided to go there on a holiday for three days and two nights.

To her surprise, at the moment when she checked in, it was raining heavily, and the stream ran fast, not slowly and peacefully as she and her friends had imagined.

However, they did not feel worry or panic.

“The stream ran so fast, but I liked it,” she said.

"There was a wooden veranda floor facing the stream and a small set of tables and chairs for guests to enjoy the beautiful landscapes while eating and drinking,” she recalled.

“There were a lot of green plants, and the resort used wooden furnishings, so it was a bit damp if it rained,” she added.

One room at the resort cost VND1.3 million a night.

Thuy’s video attracted many views and comments. Some netizens wrote that they had been to the area several times. This is a clean and peaceful stream which can ‘heal souls’. However, in the rainy season, the stream runs fast and the volume of water increases.

“Before booking rooms there, you should talk to the resort’s workers. It is a wonderful destination in summer as it is very cool, pleasant and peaceful,” a traveler commented.

From the resort, travelers can walk to visit highland villages, climb mountains and trek through primeval forests, kayak, travel on boats on Hoa Binh Reservoirs, and discover local caves.

Ba Khan is the old name of the mountainous commune in Mai Chau district in Hoa Binh province in the northern region of Vietnam. The commune consists of three hamlets – Khan Thuong, Khan Ha and Khan Ho.

In 2020, Ba Khan and the other communes – Phuc San and Tan Mai – merged to form Son Thuy commune. However, many travelers still call the land Ba Khan.

Son Thuy commune is 50 kilometers from the central area of Hoa Binh City, and 25 kilometers from Mai Chau district’s central area.

Ba Khan is a favorite destination by travelers, because the land still has wild beauty, nestled in mountains and the Hoa Binh Reservoir.

In winter, Ba Khan is covered by dense fog, which reminds people of the beautiful town of Sa Pa in Lao Cai province.

In summer, the area is covered by the green color of mountains, the reservoir bed, plants and grass. Travelers can visit Go Lao waterfall, Kia-PaCo cave, Thung Khe Pass, Muong and Thai ethnic minorities’ villages.

Ba Khan offers delicious dishes to travelers, including ca nuong song Da (Da River Grilled Fish), thit trau la lom (buffalo meat and lom (Persicaria chinensis) leaves), lon cap nach (carried-under-arm pigs), ga ban hap (hamlet’s steamed chicken), ga ban nuong (hamlet’s grilled chicken), com lam (bamboo tube rice), thit lon muoi chua (pickled pork), xoi nep nuong (upland sticky rice), xoi ngu sac (five coloured sticky rice) and ruou can (can wine).

Linh Trang