You might not know this: 5 new destinations for summer

Duong Coc Lake - the emerald gem of Thanh Hoa province

Suitable for: groups of friends, nature lovers, and those who appreciate tranquility.

Located about 100 km from Thanh Hoa city, Duong Coc Lake was originally a field in the valley belonging to the two villages of Den and Ne in Dien Ha commune, Ba Thuoc district. It was later developed into an irrigation lake serving the Cam Thuy and Ba Thuoc districts of Thanh Hoa province. With a surface area of ​​nearly 60 hectares, Duong Coc Lake is vast and tranquil, nestled amidst lush green mountains, making it an ideal place for relaxation on weekends.

Having arrived at Duong Coc Lake, one cannot miss the opportunity to rent a boat and take a leisurely ride. As the boat glides close to the clumps of trees on the hills and at the foot of the mountains, the birds, startled by the disturbance, will suddenly fly up. The melodious chirping of forest birds echoes across the breezy lake, easily captivating travelers with the pristine beauty of nature. In the evening, a thin wisp of white smoke rises from the cornfields at one corner of the lake, mingling with the mist that begins to blanket the mountain slopes, creating a peaceful and elegant scene like a traditional ink painting.

In the middle of the lake, a few small islands rise up, along with a solitary tree standing alone on the green grass. In the summer, when the water level is low, tourists often come to camp by this tree.

If you stay overnight, you can contact Mr. Dien's family, who are Muong people, to order a Muong meal for dinner by the lake. Mr. Dien will treat guests to a meal with all the food being products of Duong Coc Lake: free-range chicken, various kinds of shrimp and fish caught from the lake, sticky rice from the Muong people of Ba Thuoc...

The meal was served in huts built by Mr. Dien's family on the water's edge. In the breezy hut by Duong Coc Lake, everyone raised their glasses of apple wine, enjoyed the delicious food, and listened to Mr. Dien enthusiastically recount the legends of Den and Ne villages.

“At the foot of the mountain lies a village. Legend says that long ago, a husband went to war, and his wife stayed behind, hanging a lamp on the mountain. Her husband had instructed her to take good care of the lamp, for when it went out, it meant her husband had won the battle. However, the enemy sent a wicked person to spread rumors that her husband had won the battle and was returning. The wife believed it and extinguished the lamp. In the end, her husband was defeated on the battlefield and never returned. From then on, the village was named Lamp Village.”

“The village next to Den village, in the old days, was home to many tigers in the mountains and forests. They would sneak into the village, catch people, and often take them to a place to eat them, called Cong Rum, where human bones piled up over time. People were afraid and warned each other to avoid that area, and over time it became known as Ne village (meaning 'avoid' village).”

Chay Lap - a typical rural area of ​​Quang Binh.

Suitable for: families, friends, those who enjoy rustic experiences and adventure.

Located right at the gateway to Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park, Chay Lap is a rustic village nestled amidst limestone mountains and lush greenery. From Chay Lap, you can easily explore many attractive destinations in Quang Binh such as Chay River - Dark Cave, Mooc Stream, Thien Duong Cave, Tam Co Cave… Especially, an experience not to be missed when stopping in Chay Lap is staying at Chay Lap Farmstay.

Originally known as Rustic Chày Lập - Chày Lập Village, the first homestay in Quang Binh, it was established in 2009 under the operation of the Chày Lập Village Community Tourism Cooperative. In 2016, Oxalis joined forces to operate the homestay, creating the Chày Lập Farmstay (CLF) brand – a community tourism area combining a modern hotel system with gardening areas.

Besides the charming houses with mountain and garden views, the resort also features a swimming pool, water sports area, and an outdoor lawn for movie screenings or a playground for children… You will also be delighted by the Farm Houses located next to CLF's ecological vegetable garden – which can float thanks to a system of barrels and directional stakes to ensure safety during the rainy season, a unique adaptation to the local climate.

Within the CLF fruit garden are two traditional wooden houses. One is named Suoi Nhap – after the stream that winds around the resort, flowing from a mountain gorge to the Chay River; the other is named Ha No – after the flower that grows along the Suoi Nhap stream, blooming with pure white, fragrant blossoms in the spring. These two wooden houses are used as a spa, offering unique services such as betel leaf foot baths and green tea leaf steam baths, run by village girls from Chay and Me villages.

The most appealing aspect of CLF is its abundance of experiential activities closely linked to the farming life of the local people. Adults and children alike can participate in harvest activities such as planting beans and corn, harvesting rice, or even planting, caring for, and harvesting lush green vegetables themselves; or enjoy coffee by the clear, blue Chay River in the early morning or late evening, surrounded by the natural beauty of the mountains and forests.

If you enjoy physical activity, you can go kayaking, paddleboarding, or take a boat trip on the Chay River; or if you prefer a more relaxed activity, cycle around Chay Lap to fully explore the rustic charm of the area.

Hon Vuon - a place to admire Hue from above.

Suitable for: groups of friends, people who enjoy exploring and physical activity.

Hon Vuon Island is located in Dong Cham village (Huong Ho commune, Huong Tra district, Thua Thien-Hue province), about 20 km from the center of Hue city. For more than a year now, Hon Vuon Island has begun to become an attractive destination for adventurous tourists.

To reach Hon Vuon (Monkey Island), visitors can travel along the north bank of the Perfume River to Huyen Khong Son Thuong Pagoda, park their vehicles there, and then gently walk to the back of the pagoda to begin their journey to conquer the summit of Hon Vuon. Alternatively, there is a more winding and challenging route: circling around Tho Son Lake and following a trail to the summit. If cycling, you can carry your bike down towards Huyen Khong Son Thuong Pagoda; if traveling by motorbike, you must descend the same way you came up.

For travelers who enjoy adventurous exploration, Hon Vuon Island will be an interesting destination. The walking trail to Hon Vuon Island passes through a relatively steep and slippery mangrove forest. Therefore, the dry summer season is the ideal time for visitors to come to this place.

The summit of Hon Vuon Mountain was once a US military base during the war years – with remnants of an airfield, fortifications, trenches, and shelters scattered around the peak, along with some wildlife. Today, it's a stunning spot to watch the sunrise or sunset. From the top, you can see the entire city of Hue, Tam Giang Lagoon, Tho Son Lake, Khe Ngang Lake, and the surrounding landscape in a spectacular way.

To have a memorable climb to the summit of Hon Vuon, it's essential to bring plenty of drinking water and some snacks or picnic food. Bring a flashlight for safety when going early in the morning or returning late at night. Maintaining cleanliness and preserving the landscape is crucial to keeping Hon Vuon a green, clean, and attractive tourist destination.

Experience the culture of the Central Highlands by Lake Lăk.

Suitable for: families, groups of friends, and those who enjoy cultural experiences.

When mentioning Dak Lak, tourists often immediately think of the Coffee Museum in Buon Ma Thuot or the elephants in Buon Don; not many people know that Lake Lak is also a small "treasure" of the Central Highlands mountains and forests.

Lak Lake is located next to Lien Son town in Lak district, along the road between Buon Ma Thuot and Da Lat, about 50 km from Buon Ma Thuot city. It is the largest natural freshwater lake in Dak Lak province and the second largest in Vietnam (after Ba Be Lake); and despite the development of tourism in Lak, it still retains its romantic, gentle, and pristine beauty.

If you visit Lak Lake, you should definitely choose to stay at guesthouses/hotels located right next to the lake, so you can admire the lake's scenery at different times of the day. Early in the morning, rent a dugout canoe and be taken around the lake by the locals. You might encounter herds of elephants slowly moving along the water near the shore, or flocks of birds chirping and soaring, or simply watch the sunrise with its reddish rays "floating" on the water's surface.

In the afternoon, from Lake Lăk, you can hike to the villa of King Bảo Đại, located on a hilltop not far from the lake. Along the gently sloping path, you'll hear birds chirping in the old bushes, mingle with locals exercising on the hilltop, and catch a glimpse of the setting sun peeking out from behind the frangipani trees that King Bảo Đại himself brought and planted. From the villa's vantage point, the serene view of Lake Lăk is further enhanced by the poetic glow of the setting sun.

Beside Lake Lắk are the villages of Jun, M'Liêng (the oldest and most pristine), and Lê – typical villages of the M'Nông ethnic group. If you want to learn about the lives of these ethnic groups, you can contact Vân Long Ecotourism Area.

Here, various experiential activities are organized for groups of guests, such as fire dancing, gong performances, dugout canoe rides, cycling to explore the villages, staying in M'Nong longhouses, etc., and there is also a restaurant serving typical dishes of Central Highlands cuisine. Or, if you want a more youthful, private, and relaxing experience, you can check out the innovative glamping service at Lak Tented Camp resort.

If you have your own transportation, you can also drive to nearby attractions such as the Dray Nur - Dray Sap waterfall complex, which is only about 30 km from Lak Lake.

Diep Son - a tranquil, verdant haven in Khanh Hoa

Suitable for: couples, groups of friends, people who like peace and quiet.

Diep Son is a chain of three small islands – Hon Bip, Hon Giua, and Hon Duoc – located in Van Phong Bay, Van Gia town, Khanh Hoa province. Due to its pristine, little-known nature and a nearly 700-meter-long path stretching across the sea, Diep Son is an ideal destination for those who love the blue sea and tranquility.

The seawater at Diep Son is crystal clear and clean, allowing you to see all the way to the bottom. The most distinctive feature of this place is the white sand path in the middle of the blue sea, stretching across three islands. If you want to experience walking on this path, you need to pay attention to the right time when the tide recedes and the path appears: from the 1st to the 15th of the lunar month, the tide recedes in the afternoon; from the 15th to the end of the lunar month, the tide recedes in the morning.

There aren't many shops or accommodation options on the island, so tourists usually just visit and leave on the same day by boat. If you're not afraid of boredom, you can prepare your gear to camp overnight right on the beach. In the morning, wake up early to watch the sunrise, experience the bustling market on Diep Son Island, or follow the local fishermen to learn about their daily lives. There are also some kayak rental services available for tourists – a fun activity and a way to explore the island.

Additionally, you can also rent a boat to further explore the small islands surrounding Diep Son – pristine beaches, crystal-clear blue waters, fine white sand, and swaying fields of reeds…

Currently, Diep Son is still a relatively new destination in Khanh Hoa, but it has begun to welcome the first resort real estate projects, so now is the ideal time to explore the island – while its pristine beauty remains intact.

Nam Hoa, Shi Jang, Lam Oanh