LANG SON – This season to Dong Lam, visitors can camp on the green grass, where the horses graze or row a boat on the lake.
Dong Lam steppe belongs to Huu Lien commune, Huu Lung district, Lang Son province, about 150 km from Hanoi, along National Highway 1A. The area covers an area of 100 hectares, famous for its lush grass, clear blue lake, located between majestic cliffs.
Photographer Hung Vi, also a local, shared that Dong Lam is in its best season when the water dries up, revealing green peninsulas. In this season, the steppe is vast, the trees are also sprouting with much vitality. Especially now the weather is cool, suitable for camping, outdoor activities.
In the dry season, people in the area do farming, so they graze buffaloes and horses to eat grass. The author shared here that there are only a few households raising horses, they do not build stables but graze freely, will visit them once every few days. This peaceful, unspoiled beauty attracts many tourists as well as photographers.
Horses here have many colors brown, white, gray. To protect the ecosystem of the area, visitors do not drive inside, instead walk about 500m or hire people to drive in for about 40,000 VND.
Huynh Ly, a tourist from Ho Chi Minh City, brought a table and chairs to rest by the lake in the middle of the Dong Lam steppe. She shared that she has been to Huu Lien more than 10 times in different seasons because she loves the charming and peaceful scenery here. In the early morning in Dong Lam, she runs and jumps in the meadow, chases the horses, when tired, she can sit and rest and breathe the fresh air.
Ly shared that Dong Lam’s spring is beautiful because the young grass is green, the stream is clear, and the horses gather on the undulating grassland as beautiful as in the picture. In particular, this scene reminded her of the vast Mongolian steppe. This season in Huu Lien is also full of peach, plum and apricot flowers.
Visitors can bring their own camping equipment, eat meals or use homestay services, rent things from some households in the area.
There is a rafting service to take visitors to the lake for about 250,000 VND/hour, in addition, a kayak rental is 50,000 VND/hour. In the afternoon, visitors relax on the boat to admire the scenery.
When the sun goes down, horses also quickly run from the small island in the middle of the lake to the mainland, because it is dark and rainy, causing the water to rise, so there may be no way back.
In the water season from about July to October, the water will flood the grasslands into a large lake with a depth of about 2-3 m, the horses will only stay in the higher area or near the edge of the mountain. At this time, instead of camping on the grass, visitors can experience kayaking.
About 2 km from Dong Lam is Bac Mo dam, where the scenery is wild, with streams and clear blue lakes. Visitors can come here to visit during the day, combined with the steppe. This photo was taken at the end of December 2021 when the trees were slowly changing their leaves.
Visitors can also go deep into the Dao village, where peach blossoms are in full bloom. Every 5 days people will organize a fair once, visitors will experience the traditional culture of the local people.
There are homestays around Dong Lam to stay overnight. The author of the shared photo series has come here, visitors do not forget to enjoy grilled chicken with honey leaves, coriander, and wild vegetables with a sweet taste.
Photo: Hung Vi