Thung Nai – “Ha Long bay on land”

With the perfect combination of mountains, islands and tranquil lakes; Thung Nai brings poetic beauty and relaxed moments.

Thung Nai currently is familiar destination for peace lover every to avoid noise, dust and smoke. Being a commune in Cao Phong district, Hoa Binh province, Thung Nai Lake is located in the Da River about 25 km away from the city center and about 110k from Ha Noi.

Thung Nai hiding out in the Da river

Thung Nai name makes people think of a valley with deer wandering and grazing. According to the locals, this place was formerly inhabited by many species of deer. The romantic image of the golden deer bewildering in the late afternoon sunshine on the slopes and reflecting into the river was used to name this land.

Today, Thung Nai no longer does have any deer, but the poetic beauty, the romantic mountain and river seems to be completely untouched.  It is only possible to discover the “golden deer valley” by boats or on foot. Leave your car on the bank, the boats will take visitors around the hydropower dam.

In the windswept blowing from the lake, the scenery of Thung Nai is very picturesque. A large lake is surrounded by rolling mountains. In the lake, hundreds small and large “islands” are undulating as a wonderful natural masterpiece. Floating on the water, the boat dodging through the jutting rocks makes you feel you are enjoying the “Ha Long Bay on land”.

Many rocky islands in the lake

As the perfect combination of lake, river and rocks, the Bo waterfall is a destination which cannot be missed when visiting Thung Nai. Cave is located deep inside the mountains and pretty wild, but the scenery is beautiful. After the rising water season, visitors can enjoy the swimming fishes in the shallow and clear waters.

Near the cave is the Thac Bo Goddess. Although the temple is small and located on a steep mountain cliff, this place attracts many visitors to worship. For many people, stopping at the temple is the opportunity to enjoy the beauty of Thung Nai from the high view with bobbing white clouds, looming out the ethnic villages.

Another interesting thing here is that when Da river subsides, visitors have to climb up to the steeply upside down stone steps, is sometimes discourage. However, in the floating season, the water covers steps, visiting the temple tourists only need to step down from the boat. If visit on Sunday, do not forget to visit the Thac Bo floating market which is not too crowded and noisy but very typical culture of Muong in Thung Nai.

The windmill standing on a small island attracts anyone’s gaze. It’s like an invitation to stay at the lake house. Therefore, when tourists either travel in the daytime or stay overnight, the majority of tourists will want to visit the small island to see the windmills which only seems to be in the Netherlands, or in the novel “Don Quixote– a famous and talented nobleman in Manta”.

Windmill widely seen as a symbol of Thung Nai

Not only does windmills have a strange figure but owns stunning scenery.  If visiting the windmill in the early morning, you will see Thung Nai immersing in the fog, when the sun rises, the lake becomes blue and lights up sparkling yellow.

Thung Nai – “Ha Long bay on land”