Binh Phuoc is the gateway and bridge connecting the Central Highlands with the Mekong Delta and Cambodia. This is a province located in the Southern key economic region, bordering Lam Dong and Dak Nong provinces to the east, Tay Ninh to the west, Binh Duong and Dong Nai to the south, and Cambodia to the north and northwest.
Binh Phuoc’s climate is divided into two distinct seasons, the rainy season from May to October and the dry season from November to April of the following year. Binh Phuoc is most beautiful in spring, from late December to January of the following year. At this time, the sun is shining brightly, the rubber forest turns orange-yellow. Interspersed among the yellow rubber forests are colorful cashew gardens. In March and early April, coffee flowers begin to bloom white.
Move
The center of Binh Phuoc is Dong Xoai city, about 120 km from Ho Chi Minh City. Binh Phuoc is a province with National Highway 13 and 14 passing through in two directions, so to move to Binh Phuoc, you can choose means of transport such as car, passenger car, motorbike depending on the destination and departure point.
Bus tickets from Ho Chi Minh City to Binh Phuoc, departing from the Eastern bus station to Dong Xoai city, Phu Rieng district, Bu Dang district, Phuoc Long town, Bu Gia Map district from bus companies such as Thanh Cong, Kim Manh Hung, Mai Huy Thanh, Petro Binh Phuoc. If going to Loc Ninh district, Binh Long town, Chon Thanh town, Hon Quan district, Bu Dop district, you can choose bus companies such as Hoang Yen, Ut Linh, Thien Bao Phuc, Nhat Truong. Bus ticket prices range from 100,000 to 180,000 VND per person, and travel time is about 3-4 hours.
If you want to take the initiative in your time and have the freedom to stop and rest, you should take a personal car, motorbike or rent a private car from Ho Chi Minh City in the direction of Highway 14 to Dong Xoai or in the direction of Highway 13 to go to Loc Ninh, Binh Long, Hon Quan. . Convenient route.
Accommodation
There are many accommodation options in Binh Phuoc. Bom Bo Hotel, An Loc Spa & Hotel, My Le are highly rated establishments. Room prices range from 550,000 to about 3.4 million VND per night. Some motels or 1-2 star hotels in Dong Xoai city cost from 150,000 to 500,000 VND per night.
If you want to mingle with nature, you can contact the Center for Propaganda, Tourism and Conservation Rescue of Bu Gia Map National Park to book accommodation services (sleeping in a room or camping in the middle of the forest), and accommodation prices. Accommodation costs 100,000 VND per person per night.
Where to play?
From Dong Xoai city center, within a radius of about 80 km, Binh Phuoc has many places to explore. The nature here is beautiful with many waterfalls, national parks, diversity in indigenous culture and historical relics. Therefore, you should divide the tour into about 3 days and 2 nights, or longer to fully explore.
Bu Gia Map National Park
Bu Gia Map National Park (Bu Gia Map district) is located in the northeast of Binh Phuoc province, about 90 km from Dong Xoai city according to TL741. Bu Gia Map is located in the lowlands of the southern Central Highlands, with the highest mountain peak 700 m above sea level. Besides storing many rare genetic species with rich flora and fauna, this is also a suitable destination for those who love adventure and love wild nature.
To explore the national park, you need to spend at least 2 days and one night. This amount of time is enough to experience many places such as Dak Mai waterfall, Hoa Mai lake, visit heritage trees, immerse yourself in nature, and visit the relics at the end of the North-South petroleum pipeline. Evening is a suitable time to organize cultural exchanges, enjoy the unique dishes of the S’tieng people and go night hunting in the forest.
Ba Ra Mountain
Located at an altitude of 730 m above sea level, Ba Ra mountain is considered the third highest mountain in the South, after Ba Den (Tay Ninh) and Chua Chan (Gia Lao mountain, Dong Nai). Ba Ra is located in Son Giang ward, Phuoc Long town, about 50 km from Dong Xoai city, and is the destination of many trekking trips. The S’tieng people call this mountain “Bônom Brah” which means “God mountain”. Here the air is fresh and the scenery is beautiful. From the top of the mountain, you can see the surrounding areas or Thac Mo lake at the foot of the mountain.
Rubber forest
Binh Phuoc is known as the rubber capital so visitors can see rubber forests everywhere. Rubber trees are planted interspersed between young and old forests, creating a vast stretch of land like an oil painting with all colors from green, dark green to yellow. At the end of the year, visitors can come here to organize a picnic, sit on thick, soft carpets of dry leaves, watch the yellow leaves fall and take beautiful photos.
Soc Lon Pagoda
Soc Lon Pagoda is located in Soc Lon hamlet, Loc Khanh commune, Loc Ninh district, about 10 km from Loc Ninh town center. This is the oldest Khmer temple in Binh Phuoc, built in 1931, with an area of more than 1,200 m2. At the temple, visitors will have the opportunity to learn about the spiritual life of indigenous people and experience many cultural activities and traditional festivals of the Khmer people. The temple is considered a “museum” that helps you have a comprehensive view of the customs, traditions, religion, and rich cultural history of the Khmer people.
Soc Bom Bo
Soc Bom Bo (Binh Minh commune, Bu Dang district) is well known by the name of the famous song The Sound of Baseball on Soc Bom Bo by the late musician Xuan Hong. From Dong Xoai city, tourists follow National Highway 14 toward Bu Dang about 50 km. Soc Bom Bo with the rhythm of rice pounding pestles of the S’tieng people has entered poetry and history. Coming here, you will learn more about the life of the S’tieng people and reminisce about the old days with the sound of gongs, the sound of pestles pounding rice in the firelight, traditional long houses, village reconstruction areas and delicious food. featured.
Ta Thiet base
Ta Thiet Base (South Vietnam Liberation Army Command) is a national historical site in Loc Thanh commune, Loc Ninh district, with an area of 3,500 hectares. During the resistance war against the French and Americans, the base was built on a large scale, with a system of tunnels, trenches, workshops, and sturdy schools, ensuring good training and combat. The base is the largest gathering point for troops from the North to the South to prepare for the Ho Chi Minh Campaign. Ta Thiet is considered a revolutionary red address, a tourist destination for officers, soldiers, people of Binh Phuoc province in particular and tourists nationwide in general.
My Le Forest Park
With an area of about 50 hectares, My Le forest park (Long Hung commune, Phu Rieng district) has a space between mountains, hills and lakes, with convenient transportation when only about 30 km from Dong Xoai city. Coming here, you will have a hands-on experience in fruit orchards and oolong tea hills. In particular, during the harvest season, you can personally pick rambutans, grapefruits, mangosteens… Visitors will be able to take the train to enjoy the scenery of tea hills or cycle, ride a buffalo cart and enjoy sweet fruits. , see the animal cake garden with many varieties.
Bu Lach grassland
The grassland is located in Dong Nai commune, Bu Dang district, between mountains and forests, waterfalls and streams with an area of about 500 hectares. In the middle of the grassland there is a large lake, surrounded by immense primeval forest. According to the local language, the word “lach” in M’nong language means glade, in the glade there is a water tank so the name is Bau Lach, alternatively called Bu Lach. Visitors coming here will admire the green grassland mixed with purple myrtle flowers. The quiet space, the whispering wind mixed with the sounds of wild birds will help you feel comfortable and relaxed. In the near future, Bu Lach grassland will be planned into an eco-tourism area.
Can Don hydroelectric lake
Located in Bu Dop district commune, the factory has a lake bed area of nearly 36 km2. The bed of Can Don Lake seen from above looks like a winding dragon. Can Don hydroelectric project has a 44 m high dam blocking the river with a length of 1,130 m and a roof width of 7 m. Spillway with reinforced concrete structure, 5 spillway chambers. Can Don Hydropower is a water storage and electricity generation project on the Be River system, the main upstream is Thac Mo hydropower. With a large lake area and beautiful flooded forest landscape, this place has developed the lakeside tourism industry and net fishing.
Son Ha Yen Island tourist area
Yen Son Ha Island (Tan Phu town, Dong Phu district) is an eco-tourism area with an area of about 10 hectares covered with a green layer of forest creating a cool atmosphere. In addition to the beauty of natural scenery, this place also has many other games suitable for tourists who can bring children to play and experience such as swimming pools, visiting islands of bird’s nests, animals and lagoons. upstream by canoe, play on boats and pedal ducks, and visit the statue garden and cultural heritage gallery.
The waterfalls
Elephant Falls is located in the Bu Lach grassland ecological complex. According to long-time residents, in the past there were many dead elephants in this area, with bones piled up to form hills, so it was called Elephant Falls. With a height of about 15 m, the waterfall is likened to a fairy with long hair. The road to Voi waterfall is quite small, bumpy, following the hills. However, after arriving at the waterfall you will admire the poetic and romantic beauty.
Dak Mai Waterfall is one of the still quite wild attractions, in Bu Gia Map, adjacent to the National Park. The waterfall is about 50 m wide and 12 m high. To get to this waterfall, you have to go through steep hills. On the water surface is a layer of rocks with heterogeneous shapes and sizes, quite flat due to erosion by the force of the waterfall. When walking on rocks, you feel like you have to measure each step.
Standing Waterfall is endowed with unique architectural features and is considered one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the province. The waterfall is about 5-6m high, about 10m wide but has a fast, strong flow down the rocks, creating white foam. Below the waterfall there are many large rocks and on both sides are grass beds and tree canopy. These rocks are also arranged one after another to form a path so visitors can cross both sides of the river on days when the water flows lightly.
Quang Minh Pagoda
Quang Minh Pagoda is located on a high mound with a large three-entrance gate with neo-classical architecture, located right on Highway 14, in Tan Dong ward, Dong Xoai city. The temple was built around 1950 and restored in 1990. The temple impresses from its appearance with an ancient look with characteristic red tiled roofs. At the top of the tower of Quang Minh pagoda hangs a great bell (big bell) with the idea that the bell ringing brings peace to everyone.
Eat and drink
Binh Phuoc is a settlement and inhabited place of many different ethnic groups, so traditional dishes are diverse, combining many types of ingredients, demonstrating community solidarity.
Free-range pork
This is a specialty of Bom Bo squirrel (Bu Dang district). This type of pig is raised freely and does not use processed food, so the meat has almost no fat, is sweet and chewy, and is often raised by S’tieng people. Meat can be processed into many dishes such as grilled, fried, and steamed. Grilled pork is served with bananas and raw vegetables, especially wild vegetables.
Cashew salad
One dish that you must try when coming to Binh Phuoc is cashew salad. Cashew nuts replace peanuts combined with pork belly, tiger shrimp and herbs to create a plate of salad that is balanced in flavor, delicious and cool. This is also a popular dish, each dish ranges from 30,000 to 50,000 VND depending on the restaurant.
Lam rice
This is a popular dish of most ethnic people living in Binh Phuoc. Rice (sticky or sticky) is put in bamboo tubes or bamboo tubes mixed with beans to enhance the flavor. The bamboo tube chosen for cooking is neither too young nor too old. After cooking the rice and letting it cool, visitors strip off the skin to retain the “bamboo coat”. To use, just cut into small pieces, dip with peanut salt and sesame salt. Lam rice has the natural sweetness of rice mixed with the aroma of bamboo.
Rattan fish noodle soup
This is a dish that represents the synthesis of many natural flavors, but the highlight is the bitterness of the rattan buds. In particular, when eating, diners must accompany it with water spinach and cabbage, add a little green chili mixed with the fatty taste of the fish, the fleshy taste of water spinach, and crispy fresh cabbage to reduce the greasiness.
Milk cicadas
This is considered a rare specialty dish, harvested by people, processed into dishes and served to guests. In the summer, ticks live a lot on cashew and rambutan trees. When it gets dark, the cicadas molt from larvae to adults, and this process takes place very briefly. After only about 30 minutes of molting, the wings become dry and hard, making them unpalatable. And these molting cicadas are called milk cicadas. Milk cicadas are cooked in porridge, fried in flour, stir-fried with onions, but the best taste is still crispy fried.
Specialty
Binh Phuoc is famous for the gifts and specialties of the red basalt land, and is known to tourists from all over as the cashew growing capital with large area and export output. This is also a product that should be bought as a gift.
Coffee is not only famous in the Central Highlands, but in Binh Phuoc, this product is also highly appreciated for its unique smell and rich flavor. Diners can buy weasel coffee, pre-ground coffee or whole bean coffee.
Tan Thanh tangerines have a sweet and slightly sour taste. Tangerines here are promoted as grown using high-quality processes, without using much fertilizer or pesticides, so they are suitable as a gift.
Binh Phuoc is also famous for jackfruit, especially turmeric jackfruit in Loc Ninh district because of its high yield, thick and fragrant citrus.
($1=24,000 VND)
Photo,Video: Internet (Vinlove.net)