Bac Kan is in the Northeast region, with the provincial capital being Bac Kan city, bordering the provinces of Cao Bang, Lang Son, Thai Nguyen and Tuyen Quang, with clear seasonal climate differences. The highest temperature in summer is about 35 degrees Celsius, the lowest in winter is 7-8 degrees Celsius.
Summer (May to July) is the best time to come to Bac Kan when it is dry and the temperature is 3 to 5 degrees Celsius lower than in the delta and big cities. The most famous tourist destination in Bac Kan is Ba Be Lake.
Move
Bac Kan is 165 km from Hanoi. From Hanoi to Bac Kan, there are two routes: follow the old National Highway 3 (about 3 hours of travel, can go by car and motorbike) and follow the Hanoi – Thai Nguyen highway then continue on National Highway 3, about 2 hours (travel only). get a car).
Passenger buses depart from My Dinh station (Hanoi). You can choose bus companies running the Hanoi – Bac Kan or Cao Bang route. These vehicles often pass through famous tourist destinations, including Ba Be Lake.
For tourists from Ho Chi Minh City and southern provinces, the most reasonable way to travel is to fly to Hanoi and follow the instructions above.
Accommodation
In addition to accommodation locations concentrated in the Ba Be Lake area , visitors can choose hotels and motels in Bac Kan city. Accommodation prices for one night range from 200,000 to 400,000 VND including: Phuc Anh motel, Phuong Nam hotel, Hung Van hotel, Nam Hotel.
Destination
Ba Be Lake
When talking about Bac Kan, it is impossible not to mention Ba Be, one of the largest natural freshwater lakes in Vietnam, belonging to Ba Be National Park. The lake is 70 km northwest of Bac Kan city, in Nam Mau commune, Ba Be district, made up of three lakes: Pe Leng, Pe Lu and Pe Lam.
Ba Be is located at an altitude of 145 m above sea level, more than 8 km long, the widest place is about 3 km, the water surface area is about 500 hectares, the average depth is 20 m, the deepest place is 35 m, surrounded by limestone mountains and many underground streams and caves. Ba Be has many freshwater fish species, including rare species recorded in the Vietnam Red Book such as blue beam fish and fried fish.
On Ba Be Lake, visitors can visit by motorboat, kayak, SUP, and dugout canoe. In addition, trekking in the forest is also an experience you should try. In Nam Mau commune, on January 10, there is the Long Tong festival, an opportunity for people to meet and interact. This is a festival to pray for good luck and rain, expressing people’s desire for prosperity and happiness.
Bac Kan City
Bac Kan city is the place connecting tours with districts rich in tourism potential such as Cho Don, Bach Thong, and Ba Be. In the area there are many historical relics and scenic spots at national and provincial levels: Ang Toong cave, Na Nooc waterfall, Khuoi Cuong relic – where Uncle Ho once visited, the French Council house, the French Ambassador’s house . Besides, the city also has spiritual cultural works such as Co temple, Mau temple, Thac Gieng temple.
In particular, Bac Kan also develops high-tech agriculture combined with tourism, giving tourists the opportunity to experience hydroponic vegetable and fruit tree production areas; tourism model to experience turmeric production and processing areas, homestay areas associated with ethnic minority activities; tourism model to experience the yellow apricot tree growing area; Craft village processing decorative and souvenir products from wooden beads.
Sam Chiem steppe
Sam Chiem is located in Hiep Luc commune, Ngan Son district, about 30 km from Bac Kan city center. Not too famous, but this hill is a weekend relaxation spot for tourists who want to mingle with nature. Tourists come to Sam Chiem along a trail on mountainous terrain. Motorbikes and cars are both accessible. The most striking thing is the green color stretching from one hill to another. Interspersed between grass hills are patches of forest. Sam Chiem’s climate is cool, average temperature below 30 degrees Celsius, suitable for outdoor activities to enjoy nature. Many young people choose Sam Chiem as a place to check-in and camp overnight.
Kim Hy Nature Reserve
Kim Hy Nature Reserve is located in Na Ri district, about 80 km from Bac Kan city. The entire area has an area of more than 14,000 hectares, with a rich flora and fauna ecosystem. Here there are white-cheeked langurs, squirrels and monkeys that are in danger of extinction. Kim Hy also preserves a number of valuable genetic resources of endemic plants such as the false ironwood tree (also known as limestone elm or stone pine), which in the world currently only exists in the northern mountainous regions of Vietnam and two provinces of Guangxi and Guangdong (China). Kim Hy reserve is also rich in mineral resources, especially gold.
Ho Ban Chang
Ban Chang Lake is located in Duc Van commune, Ngan Son district, bordering National Highway 3 to Cao Bang, 60 km from Bac Kan city center. A natural semicircular lake, Ban Chang is located in the middle of a valley, the lake surface area is about 5 hectares, surrounded by pine forests, the climate is fresh and cool, the landscape is peaceful and romantic. This place is suitable for all types of eco-tourism, community tourism, and group activities such as boating, swimming, fishing, and camping.
Yen Duong bamboo forest
About 10 km from Ba Be Lake, the bamboo forest in Phieng Phang village (Pu Lau bamboo forest), Yen Duong commune, Ba Be district is a place that is considered the setting of a swordplay movie. On the way to Phieng Phang, visitors can admire the winding terraced fields, cultural features and living habits imbued with the identity of the Dao ethnic people.
Through the bamboo forest, visitors reach Pu Lau waterfall, nearly 100 meters high, with water pouring down moss-covered rocks.
Tham Pha Cave
Tham Phay is considered “Son Doong” of Ba Be district, about 2 km from the center of Hoang Tri commune. In 2016, a group of Vietnamese cave explorers and representatives of the British Royal Cave Association first explored Tham Phay. In this limestone cave, there is an underground river system and stalactites created 5 million years ago.
Deep inside, at a location more than 1km from the cave entrance, two branches of the cave appear, the left branch penetrates deep into the mountainside, the right branch penetrates into the heart of the mountain, the water level is quite deep.
The deeper you go, the more complex the terrain becomes, and more stalactites appear. According to local people, the cave is about 5-6 km long. Currently, Tham Phay cave is being evaluated by the authorities so that it can be planned for tourism exploitation. This location is not yet widely open to visitors.
Camping spots
Recently, Bac Kan is a “hot” place for camping enthusiasts. Famous camps are Ban Chang lake, Duc Van commune (Ngan Son), Tan An grass hill (Na Ri), Lung Trang grass hill, Ha Hieu commune and Phieng Chi grass hill, Phuc Loc commune (Ba Be). Particularly in the Ba Be Lake area, there are 4 locations chosen by young people: the alluvial land at the end of the Leng River in Pac Ngoi village, the large land (venue of the Ba Be Spring Festival) located right next to Ba Be Lake in Bo village. Lu, Nam Mau commune, Lac Nga garden at the end of Ba Be lake and Puong cave. These locations all have tent rental services, grills and outdoor activities such as fishing, kayaking, and bonfires.
Wind Pass
Gio Pass is located on the border of Na Phac town and Ngan Son district, 50 km north of Bac Kan city. The top of the pass is 800 m above sea level, often covered with clouds. At the top of the pass is Deo Gio village, a stop to admire the scenery and buy local products for tourists on the way to Bac Kan city or Cao Bang province. However, the pass is also considered a “dangerous road”, drivers need to steer firmly and be more careful when moving.
Eat and drink
Cooc Mo cake is a traditional specialty of the Tay people, not only in Bac Kan but also in neighboring Tuyen Quang province. The cake has a pointed tip shape like a cow’s horn, is made all year round, and is sold at many markets. Cooc Mo is made from sticky rice, black beans or green beans mixed, wrapped in banana leaves, tied with bamboo strips.
Khau huoc is a dish imbued with the identity of the Tay – Nung ethnic people in Bac Kan. The dish uses main ingredients of purple-veined taro and pork belly. Cauliflower has the fatty taste of meat, the richness of potatoes and the richness of sauce, often found in Tet feasts, weddings, and housewarmings.
Banh Ngai is famous in Lang Son but is also quite popular in Bac Kan. The cake has a characteristic green color, although the shape and method of making is similar to the banh giay of the lowland people. If you want a fragrant and sticky cake, you must choose upland sticky rice, not mixed with plain rice. The cake is easy to eat, cool and not greasy. The pungent, aromatic taste of wormwood leaves combined with the sweetness of sticky rice makes an impression when you first taste it. There are two types of wormwood cake, sweet and salty.
Smoked sausage is made from fragrant and firm pork. A unique point is that the sausage in Bac Kan is marinated with stone ginger, a spicy and fragrant ginger that only grows on limestone mountains. After processing, the sausages are smoked or stored in the kitchen for long-term preservation. The finished product has the smell of sunshine, kitchen smoke, and the smell of ginger, wine, and mac honey leaves, creating a special aroma mixture. The dish tastes better when eaten with local wine.
In addition, Bac Kan also has some typical dishes such as grilled fish, green vegetables, Na Ri Dong vermicelli, black canarium, and Shan Tuyet sweet soup.
Note
The road has many steep and winding passes, so you need to ensure safety when driving.
In Bac Kan, there are not many ATMs or QR code scanning points, so visitors should bring cash.
($1=24,000 VND)
Photo,Video: Internet (Vinlove.net)