Dubbed “Ha Long bay on mountain” in Vietnam’s northwestern region, Thac Ba Lake is characterized by 1,331 islands emerging on the water surface of the lake, reminding visitors about the pristine beauty of Ha Long bay (Quang Ninh Province) thanks to its similarity in scenery.

Thac Ba is one of the three largest man-made lakes in Vietnam, covering a total area of 23.4 ha, of which 19.05 ha is water area and the remaining 4.35 ha islets on the reservoir. The length of the lake is 80km, the maximum width is 10km, the average depth is 15 - 25m, and the maximum depth is 42m. That Ba reservoir was created by the construction of a dam on the Chay river to build up the Thac Ba Hydropower Plant, the first of its kind in Vietnam, which was built from 1964 to 1971.

Thac Ba Lake has helped the surrounding environment. With a cool temperature all year round and high humidity, Thac Ba Lake is the home of many green floral and green vegetation.

The lake is 140 km from Hanoi or about 3 hours by car on national highway 2 to the West.

Riding a boat on Thac Ba lake, tourists will have a chance to feel the cool air and smell the aroma of natural plants living around the lake.

After a few hours on the lake, tourists can visit Thuy Tien cave, Xuan Long Cave, Cao Bien mountain, Chang Ru mountain, Thac Ong temple, and Thac Ba Temple. They can also ride on the Chay river to Ngoc Luc Yen to visit Chua Sao cave, Dai Cai temple, or the Khai Trung plain. These sites have a strong cultural imprint of the ethnic Tay and Dao people.

There are over 13 ethnic groups that still live off by Thac Ba Lake. Some of them are Tay, Nung, Mong, Dao, Cao Lan, and they always keep the customs and old traditions passed down by their ancestors. The majority of people settle in small communities in the mountain, while others choose to move down the river and earn a living by fishing. Every year in early January, the people will host spiritual festivals to celebrate the last year and hope for a better season. Travelers can participate in the locals' daily lives and understand more about how they live in this rural area.

Not only famous for the majestic nature, but visitors coming to Thac Ba also fell in love with its culinary culture. Many ethnic groups have contributed to the variety of delicious dishes in Thac Ba, such as mountain grill chicken, five-colored sticky rice, bamboo-tube rice, and smoked buffalo meat.

Le Ha